mod@tech

It seems every Big Three manufacturer who built a compact car in the early 1960s also created a forward-control truck based on the same platform. Of the bunch, only Chevrolet offered two, with our Pick of the Day being the most interesting: the 1961 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Hopedale, Massachusetts. (Click on the link to view the listing)

Both Chevrolet and Ford introduced forward-control trucks in 1961. They were not similar aside of being based on their respective compacts. Ford’s Falcon-based Econoline was entirely conventional, while the Chevrolet Corvair Greenbriar van and Corvair 95 trucks were the polar opposite. The latter included the Corvan and two pickups: Loadside and Rampside. “Driver’s up front . . . engine’s in the rear . . . all the rest is load space!” read one brochure, touting the cubic-feet of load space assisted by the flat floor and elimination of the hood.

While the Corvan was the commercial van Corvair (and the Greenbriar the civilian van), the Loadside and Rampside were the pickup truck versions of the same vehicle. The Loadside was a typical pickup with a gate in the rear. Contrast this with the Rampside, which featured both the rear gate plus a side gate that dropped down to form a ramp for easy loading and unloading. Chevrolet claimed 1,900 cargoes were cake, with gross vehicle weight being a robust 4,600 pounds—impressive for a 145ci flat-six.

Power for the 1961 Corvair was either an air-cooled, 80-horsepower Turbo-Air 6 (available with three-speed, four-speed, or Powerglide) or 98-horse Super Turbo Air 6 (ditto), but the Corvair Greenbriar and 95s made do with the former.

Chevrolet touted advantages that only its rear-engined truck could espouse, like low, accessible loading height and driver comfort due to the engine being in the rear (versus between the two front seats, like on the Econoline). Of course, another notable feature was the four-wheel independent suspension with transaxle. A first for a U.S. truck, the suspension added “stability to truck performance and to take the roughness out of road surfaces.”

Each of the Corvair trucks had different production lifespans: the Greenbriar was produced from 1961-65, while the Corvan was available through 1964. For the pickups, the Loadside was only available 1961-62, while the Rampside was produced through 1964.

This 1961 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside stands out from the others due to the four-speed manual backing the 80-horse six. The two-tone paint just looks right, and it’s complemented by the chrome grille and optional chrome bumpers (white was standard). Other features include “West Coast” mirrors, rhino-lined bed, and mag wheel covers, a post-1965 addition. “Spotless interior, optional heater, AM/FM radio, and blinkers,” says the seller. Blinkers? Nonetheless, “the underside is very clean.”

For 1964, Chevrolet introduced a more conventional Chevy-Van based on the Chevy II (with the family-oriented Sportvan appearing the following year), though a pickup was never offered. That makes this 1961 Rampside quite unique. While the 10,787 built (the peak during its existence) sounds somewhat generous, the Rampside was a disposable workhorse so they are few and far between. For $27,500 (sans the Corvair Monza GT go-kart), this is a fine conversation piece at car shows and landscaping jobs alike.

Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.

AutoHunter Cinema brings you an up-close look at one of the cars most kids had a poster of on their wall back in the day: a 1994 Dodge Viper RT/10. Like its spiritual ancestor, the Shelby Cobra, it was a raw performance machine with muscular curves, but it also had something that made it unique.

Under that massive hood is a 400-horsepower 8.0-liter V10 that blasts its output to the wide rear tires through a 6-speed manual gearbox. This iconic piece of rolling ‘90s nostalgia sold at the Barrett-Jackson 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction for $33,000.

While many cars from the Malaise era in the 1980s weren’t known for performance (emissions regulations, after all, caused almost all manufacturers to dial back engine sizes in the interest of fuel efficiency). But one thing that American manufacturers excelled at was cabin comfort – I will never forget the look and feel of the six-passenger velour interior of my Chevrolet Celebrity.

Other GM cars of the era, including Oldsmobiles, had the same idea.

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1983 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Sedan The car is being offered by a dealer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the auction will end Friday.

Plant yourself on the plush driver seat, complete with tufted brown cloth upholstery. Then, look around, where soft finishes continue to the carpeted door panels and even a carpeted dash mat. The cabin is the kind of place you could enjoy a cross-country drive without getting the slightest bit fatigued.

The 98 (later stylized as Ninety-Eight, then Ninety Eight) was the full-size flagship model for Oldsmobile. Its origins date back to 1940, and the name was chosen because the car was on the “Series 90” platform and had an eight-cylinder engine. The car’s 10th generation ran from 1977 to 1984 and was offered a two-door coupe and as a four-door sedan.

Reportedly owned by the same family since 1988, this Ninety-Eight is a largely original, garage-kept time capsule of the Malaise era, when wire wheel covers, whitewall tires, wood-grain trim and a multitude of ash trays were the defining characteristics of high-end automotive status.

One Oldsmobile advertisement said, “Luxury carried to its most logical conclusion.” It went on to say: “A luxury car, happy to report, can still be a most logical purchase. That’s the Olds point of view behind the new Ninety-Eight Regency. Most logical of all is that you needn’t be extravagant to get the elegance you want. And with Regency, the niceties – from air conditioning and power accessories to its richly appointed interior – are all standard.”

Power comes from a 5.0-liter carbureted V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Oldsmobile rated the car at 140 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque when new. The car has accrued 140,000 miles (although its five-digit odometer has rolled over, so it only shows 40,000). The CARFAX report starts in 1992 in Florida and shows ownership in Michigan beginning in 2009.

If you’re ready to treat yourself to the 1980s version of executive travel, your opportunity is ready for the taking.

The auction for this 1983 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Sedan will end Friday, December 27, 2024, at 11:50 a.m. (MST)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

If you too have a classic car with a story to share, please visit this link and fill in the information to submit your story for a chance to be featured on the ClassicCars.com Journal.

In a momentary lapse of reason, I sold my ’71 Cutlass S custom (a rare “post coupe” model) in October 2019 after 16 years of ownership. The buyer was a guy in Tucson, Arizona, and I shipped the car to him. It was rather traumatic.

Later, knowing I’d be in Tucson on business, I reached out to the owner, hoping to visit my old ride while in town. Coincidentally, he had just put the vehicle up for sale, consigning it to Hi-Speed Rods & Customs, a high-end restoration shop in Tucson. I spent over an hour there reuniting with the Cutlass and checking out a bunch of other cool custom rides in the shop.

When I sold the Cutlass, it had a long list of performance upgrades, including a pro-built 455 with Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum cylinder heads, Art Carr 200-4R Extreme Duty overdrive transmission, 12-bolt rear end with Eaton posi-traction and 3.55 ratio gears, front disc brake conversion, MagnaFlow Performance 3-inch dual with Tru-X pipe and more.

Although the Cutlass needed nothing to cruise/show when purchased, the current owner spent over $25,000 in parts/labor on a large list of upgrades, including a completely new powder-coated frame, four-corner coilovers with front tubular control arms, Sniper fuel injection, Vintage heat/air conditioning, a Be Cool aluminum radiator with twin Spal fans and more.

Sadly, through our communication while I was in town, I learned the current owner was under distress with his wife’s medical situation. He originally turned down my considerably lower-than-asking-price offer to buy the car back but then accepted it after further consideration.

I hired InterCity Lines to enclose ship the Cutlass approximately 2,700 miles from the shop in Tucson to my home in Southern New Hampshire, where it now joins my other three joy rides.

Although the original buyer/now seller and I share quite the special relationship, we still have not met in person!

– Steve F., New Hampshire

Nineteen fifty-seven is a popular year for many American brands, but not for Mercury. That was the year Mercury unveiled its series with “Dream-Car Design,” but enthusiasts and collectors tend to look elsewhere for Atomic Age greatness. Our Pick of the Day is one of these dark horse classics: a 1957 Mercury Montclair. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Greely, Colorado. (Click on the link to view the listing)

Mercury might as well be known as “Sybil” because Ford Motor Company gave it several images that made it seem the brand had multiple personality disorder. Initially created to fill a gap between Ford and the Lincoln Zephyr, Mercury eventually grew into a junior Lincoln, then had its own exclusive bodies, then evolved into a premium Ford after the Edsel debacle, back and forth. After spending several years in the shadows of its competition (if not Ford) in the 1950s, Mercury was poised to make a splash for 1957 with its own unique interpretation of personal transportation.

“Styled to influence the shape of cars for years to come,” the “Big M” 1957 Mercury featured styling reflected by the 1956 XM-Turnpike Cruiser show car. Canted taillights leading to “projectile side theme” rear fenders were unusual, even for 1957. Available “Quadri-Beam” quad headlights was a forward-thinking feature. “Keyboard Control” push-button automatic transmission was a contemporary option that’s more commonly seen as a Mopar feature. A new power seat option featured a dial to save your seat setting.

Under the hood, Mercury appeared to step up to the plate and greet Chrysler in the horsepower wars: a “Safety Surge” 312 four-barrel with 259 horsepower was standard, with a 290-horse “Turnpike Cruiser” with four-barrel being optional for the Monterey and Montclair. On top of that, buyers could specify the M-335 power package that included dual-quads and 335 horsepower.

Speaking of Turnpike Cruiser, that also was the name of a new, special Mercury model that sat above Monterey and Montclair. Said to have been named to commemorate the creation of the Interstate Highway System, this new flagship featured every power item offered by Mercury, including the following:

• The “Monitor Control Panel” dashboard was ‘driver-planned” with tachometer, and featured a “Average-Speed Computer Clock,” which worked both as a timepiece and a speed calculator. The steering wheel also featured a recessed hub for better vision and safety.

• The “Skylight Dual-Curve Windshield” wrapped upwards, as well as around, and was flanked by twin antennas atop the A-pillars.

• “Breezeway Ventilation” brought air in through “supplementary roof-level air intakes.” Air flowed out through a retractable, power-operated backlite on hardtops.

In the collector car world, the Turnpike Cruiser garners the most attention, leaving cars like this 1957 Mercury Montclair Phaeton Coupe (Mercury’s way of saying “two-door hardtop”) to fend for themselves. Painted in Classic White with a Fiesta Red top and gold-hued side sculpting, “this often-overlooked gem of ‘50s Americana boasts its original 368-cubic inch V8, one of the largest, most powerful engines on the market at the time, producing 290 horsepower and mated to a Keyboard Control automatic transmission,” says the seller. Note the optional quad headlights.

He also calls the car a “survivor”—is it? Or just a loose use of the word to suggest “unrestored?” This under-appreciated piece of 1950s glitz certainly deserves your attention and, if its space-age styling doesn’t do it for ya, maybe the $9,999 asking price will.

Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.

Featured on AutoHunter is this 1966 Chevrolet Nova restomod. Originally a six-cylinder car, this Chevy now features a modified 350 paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Features include four-wheel disc brakes, LED headlights, black chrome bumpers, 18-inch Ridler wheels, and more. Painted Black Cherry Pearl over a black vinyl interior, this restored Chevy II comes from the selling dealer with a clear title.

The Black Cherry Pearl hue is complemented by black chrome bumpers front and rear. Other features include aftermarket LED headlights, dual side mirrors, and blacked-out front and rear trim.

A set of 18-inch black Ridler wheels is wrapped in staggered-width radials—225/45 Milestars up front, 295/35 Continental Extreme Contacts out back.

The black vinyl cabin features modern, low-back bucket seats up front. Additional features include a wood-rimmed Forever Sharp steering wheel, floor-mounted shifter, and factory AM radio.

The instrument panel consists of a 120-mph speedometer and fuel gauge. Aftermarket gauges include oil pressure, coolant temperature, and voltage. The odometer shows 53,995 miles, though the true mileage is unknown.

Powering this Nova is a modified 350 small-block V8 that features Sportsman II heads, flat-top pistons, and solid roller cam and rockers. Shifting dues fall upon a Muncie four-speed manual.

The undercarriage features power four-wheel disc brakes and a 10-bolt rear with 3.31 gears and Positraction. A dual exhaust system routes spent emissions to the rear.

The auction for this 1966 Chevrolet Nova restomod will end Thursday, December 26, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Earlier this month, we shared news that Nissan seems to be in dire straits and may only have 12-14 months left to live. As we’ve seen before, one way of staying in business is merging with another company. That could possibly not only save Nissan, but also save both automakers money in development costs. Nissan’s lifeline may just come from inside its home country. According to a report from the business publication Nikkei, “Honda Motor and Nissan Motor will begin merger talks as early as Monday as the two automakers seek to create a group that can rival Japanese leader Toyota Motor in capital-intensive fields like electric vehicles.” Another target? Chinese EV manufacturers and Tesla.

If this comes to pass, it wouldn’t be all that shocking (no pun intended). Back in August, Nissan and Honda agreed to work together on platforms for future software-defined vehicles (SDVs), which Bosch defines as those in which software shapes the customer experience and sometimes even the hardware’s specifications. The same month, Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi signed a memorandum of understanding about working together on vehicle electrification and intelligence.

Mitsubishi has been involved with Nissan for years through its alliance with them and Renault. The French automaker currently has a 15 percent stake in Nissan. In early November, Mitsubishi bought back 10.02 percent of the total number of shares it issued to Nissan, reducing its stake in Mitsubishi from 34.07 percent to a 24.05 percent. For now, the official line from Mitsubishi is no decisions have been made regarding future collaboration between Nissan and Honda.

There’s a fourth company in the mix, according to InsideEVs. Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn, one of Apple’s suppliers, wanted to buy a chunk of Nissan directly. Reportedly, Honda threatened to walk away from everything if that happened and Foxconn is going to reach out to Renault to try to purchase some of Nissan.

Nothing is definite yet, but typically, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. It’s no mystery that it’s in automakers’ best interests to spread costs and one way of doing that is through working with another company. The question is, given Nissan’s current state, would a merger with Honda be good for both companies or only Nissan? We’ll just have to wait and Z.

The 2004 Chevrolet Corvette marked the end of an era. It was the final model year of the fifth-generation model. It was also the end of the road for pop-up headlights and the LS1 V8. But this 22K-mile 2004 Chevrolet Corvette convertible featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, could be the beginning of unforgettable open-top adventures for you.

It’s what you’d call “turn-key” – in a few ways. Just look at it. Red is always a great color for a Vette, especially this rich Magnetic Red Metallic. What’s not here is also attractive. There’s no roof unless you want it there and that Light Oak soft top pairs so well with color of the body. And when the weather gets bad, it has a heated rear window you can look through to see everyone behind you clearly (a common experience for Corvette drivers).

Then there are the features. On sunny days, you can crank up the dual-zone automatic climate control system’s A/C and the Light Oak leather bucket seats won’t scorch you like black ones will. This C5 hasn’t been modified, so you get its original gear, including the AM/FM/CD audio system and the cool and helpful head-up display.

Of course, this Corvette has performance to go with its looks and bells and whistles. You’ll thunder toward the horizon with the 350 horsepower of the LS1 5.7-liter V8 under the curvy hood and the convenience of a four-speed automatic. And when you blast into curves, the Z51 suspension will be there to keep all four run-flats on the road.

If you place the winning bid for this C5 and actually turn its key to start it up, you’ll see another wonderful sight: There are only 22,144 miles on the odometer.

The auction for this 2004 Chevrolet Corvette convertible ends on Friday, December 27, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery