Journal Classic Cars

When it comes to human beings, it is easy to fall in line and be part of the pack. The ones that stand out do so because they approach life in a different manner. That also holds true with the hot rods and customs that we build – a lot feels the same. Those who show a dose of creativity may be more likely to capture our attention like our Pick of the Day, an LS2-powered 1971 Chevrolet Malibu convertible. It is listed on ClassicCars.com by a seller in Jacksonville, Florida. (Click the link to view the listing)

Starting with the 1962 Lotus Elan, hidden headlights would soon become a “thing,” with the Chevrolet Corvette following the next model year. This styling feature would last into the early years of the Millennium. Mainstream vehicle adoption of hidden headlights appears to have begun with the 1965 Buick Riviera, while the most mainstream of brands, Chevrolet, never joined the bandwagon the way other manufacturers did. We all know that the 1967-69 Camaro with the Rally Sport package featured hidden headlights; much less common was the 1968-69 Caprice and 1969 Kingswood Estate wagon with the option.

Notice that the Chevelle never acquired hidden headlights. That seems to have eschewed other trends as well during that era, such as spoilers. Even air induction – something that was available for the GTO starting in 1965 – never became a thing until 1970. The Cowl Induction system that was available through 1972 became one of the more efficient systems on the market.

For 1971, Chevrolet facelifted the Chevelle, reflecting the influence of the 1970-½ Camaro, including its dual headlights and round taillights. Under the hood was another big change because General Motors decided to introduce low-compression engines a year earlier than the federal mandate. The Super Sport also became a watered-down package, now available with 350 two-barrel and four-barrel engines in addition to the big-blocks. The LS3 400 (really, 402ci) was rated at 300 horsepower, while two 454s were available: the LS5 454, which increased by five horses to 365 horsepower (though that was advertised and not on paper), while the LS6 fell to 425, which still was quite substantial. However, for some reason, the LS6 was only installed in the Corvette.

Coming full circle, here we have a very nice LS2-powered 1971 Chevrolet Malibu convertible with what looks to be hidden headlights. Clearly this was not available from the factory, but the builder created a graceful look that gives 1969 Camaro RS vibes. “Nut-and-bolt rotisserie restoration completed in 2015 by Mike Staveski of RMR Dream Cars/Time Machines in Hudson, Florida,” says the seller. “This 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle was a standout at the 2015 SEMA Ignited after-party held on Friday, November 6 with a crowd of hundreds in attendance. The car was also the star of the Atech Motorsports stand at SEMA, wowing onlookers with its blend of classic Chevelle styling and 21st century craftsmanship.”

Power comes from an all-aluminum LS2 with a Rootes-type Magnuson supercharger backed by a 4L60E four-speed automatic. Out back, you’ll find a 12-bolt rear with 3.73 gears and Positraction. Other features include four-wheel disc brakes and QA1 adjustable coilovers.

In black lacquer with ghosted SS stripes and red accents, this Chevelle looks great with its full-width grille and the best that modernity has to offer . . . plus it has SEMA cred! Creativity and quality do not come cheap, however, which is why you will need $114,999 to own this special Chevelle.

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

The Lamborghini Countach is a car Jay Leno knows intimately. He’s owned a 1987 example since new, and over the almost four decades the car has been in his possession, he’s managed to rack up more than 70,000 miles. That’s impressive for a man with a car collection as vast as the one owned by Leno.

Leno has now featured a Countach 25th Anniversary Edition on the latest episode of his online series “Jay Leno’s Garage.” The car is a 1989 example finished in a similar shade of red to Leno’s Countach, and with a black interior.

The Countach 25th Anniversary Edition was launched in 1988 to mark Lamborghini’s 25th birthday, and had a production run that numbered 658 examples in total.

It’s distinguished from the earlier Countach Quattrovalvole (QV), which Leno owns, by unique front and side spoilers and modified air vents, some of which was designed by Pagani CEO and founder Horacio Pagani, who was working for Lamborghini at the time.

Drive comes from a 5.2-liter V-12 delivering 455 hp, and capable of carrying the car to a top speed of 183 mph. The tires fitted were the widest fitted to any production car of its time, measuring 225/50 at the front and 345/35 at the rear.

The Countach 25th Anniversary Edition came at the tail end of the Countach’s run. The car’s successor, the Diablo, entered production in 1990. Incredibly, the Countach had a production run that lasted almost two decades. The first prototype, designed by Marcello Gandini, was shown as early as the 1971 Geneva auto show. It was a hit, and the start of production followed in 1974.

Lamborghini in recent years used the iconic design of the Countach for a modern iteration based on the platform of the Aventador. The car debuted in 2021 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Countach prototype’s debut, and just 112 were built, the number referencing the LP 112 model designation used during development of the original Countach.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com

Featured on AutoHunter.com, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1960 Chevrolet Corvette. It was given a frame-up restoration in 2012 that consisted of the body being repainted, a new soft top being installed, and the engine being rebuilt. Power is supplied by a 283ci V8, which is connected to a four-speed manual gearbox. Finished in red and white over a black vinyl interior, this C1 Corvette comes with a clear title in the seller’s name.

The body was previously yellow but was repainted red with white coves and fitted with a new white soft top as part of the 2012 restoration. Features include chrome trim, a driver-side mirror, a plastic rear window, and a rear antenna. 

A set of 15-inch wheels wrapped in 205/75 Coker Classic whitewall radial tires connect this first-generation Corvette to the road. 

Black vinyl covers the pair of bucket seats inside. The cockpit is equipped with manual windows, a Corvette-branded three-spoke steering wheel, and a clock. The trunk has room for a spare tire. According to the seller, the Wonder Bar radio is nonoperational. 

Vehicle information is displayed on a 160-mph speedometer, a 7,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the fuel level, temperature, battery, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 39,446 miles, but the true mileage on this vehicle is unknown. 

In 2012, the 283ci V8 was rebuilt during the restoration process. It comes equipped with an aftermarket carburetor and sends its power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission.  

Suspension hardware includes an independent front setup and a parallelogram rear design with semi-elliptic outrigger-mounted leaf springs. Manual brakes bring this Corvette to a stop. The engine breathes through a pair of rear bumper-mounted exhaust outlets. 

The seller notes the presence of various interior blemishes, a small tear in the driver’s door weatherstripping, and surface rust on the rear sway bar. 

The following items will come with the purchase of the vehicle:

• White hardtop with storage stand and dust cover
• Original dual carburetors and intake manifold
• Restoration and operating manuals
• Parts reference guide

The auction for this 1960 Chevrolet Corvette ends on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (PDT).        

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery 

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Tribute.

Around the time Journey dropped the hit song “Don’t Stop Believin” in October 1981, the Chevrolet Camaro was on the verge of a completely new generation. A commercial for the 1981 Camaro Z28 called it the “ultimate Camaro” and proclaimed it an exceptional driver’s car. The aerodynamic treatment on the front and rear fenders was both functional and attractive, and marketing materials called it one of the “best-dressed cars” on the road.

What happens when you combine those good looks with a modernized V8 powertrain? Today, we get to find out. This customized Camaro is being listed by a dealer in Gladstone, Oregon, and the auction will end on Tuesday.

Interestingly enough, the CARFAX history for the car doesn’t start until 17 years after production. However, based on what we know, it spent life in California, Nevada, and Oregon – all of which are known to be relatively good regions to own and preserve a collector car.

The second-generation Camaro was in its last phase of production in the early 1980s; the body style had originally launched in 1970 and went through subsequent facelifts in both 1974 and 1978. When compared to previous Camaros, this version was lower, longer, and wider than before. By 1980, development was already underway for the new generation, so the final model years received just a few updates. (One such change for 1980 was an adjustment to the speedometer that modified it from 130 mph to 85 mph).

For 1981, the Camaro Z28 was available with two V8 engines: a 305 and a 350. There were restrictions on availability of the latter – particularly in California where emissions regulations were at an all-time high. Luckily for us, today’s featured car has a few tricks up its sleeve that amplify its performance and bring it into the modern era.

Starting with the exterior, the body has been recoated in pearl white and dressed in tan tri-tone accent striping around the perimeter. A set of later-model Camaro IROC-Z wheels give a subtle “OEM-plus” look to the car.

Most notably, upgrades have taken place under the hood where we find a fuel-injected Vortec 5.3-liter V8 that is connected to a newer 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission. It’s a combination that suits the car’s performance aspirations while keeping it daily-friendly.  

Chevrolet touted: “The Z28 is not only handsome and sporty on the outside, it is just as good-looking on the inside. It’s an open invitation to take the sporty steering wheel and head on out. The Z28 is a special machine, for a driver who demands more than the ordinary.”

Looking for something extraordinary? Look no further. The auction for this 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Tribute ends Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

General Motors is developing an adaptive air intake duct that could expand and contract based on airflow, which the automaker claims will allow for increased parts commonality across vehicles.

The adaptive intake was the subject of a patent application filed by GM in 2022, but which only surfaced when it was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) June 27, 2024.

In the application, GM discusses an air intake setup consisting of fixed inlet and outlet portions, with a movable element in the middle. That middle part would be “made of a flexible material having a cross-sectional area that expands and contracts responsive to the incoming air flow volume,” GM said in the application.

Potential materials that could achieve the required level of flexibility include various polyethylene blends, as well as “waterproof felt, silicone fabric, and platinum-catalyzed silicon,” according to GM.

If the interior of an air intake can expand or contract for different rates of air flow, the packaging doesn’t need to change for different applications, GM notes. That reduces the need for different air intake designs for different vehicles, along with associated manufacturing costs related to specific tooling for those design variations. An adaptive air intake would be more space efficient as well, GM claims, making it easier to package in a vehicle as well as easier to ship to factories.

The cost-cutting powers of parts commonality are hard to underestimate. It’s why automakers seek to use big-ticket items like engines and infotainment systems across as many models as possible. And that will likely be the motivation should this adaptive air intake make it to production.

HIGH-RES GALLERY: General Motors adaptive air intake patent image

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com

The Pick of the Day is a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta pickup conversion listed for sale by a Tennessee dealership on ClassicCars.com. 

Truck-like cars (aka coupe utility vehicles) haven’t been big in a while. The Ford Ranchero rode off into the sunset at the end of the 1970s and the Chevrolet El Camino was on its way into the history books in the late 1980s. Even the Holden Ute from Australia was ute-enized last decade. But that decline in the coupe utility vehicle’s popularity didn’t stop someone from converting a 2000 Volkwagen Jetta into a pickup.

Although the selling dealer says it was handcrafted by a company in Florida, it looks like it came from Smyth of Tiverton, Rhode Island. Either way, it’s distinctive, which you can’t say about regular Jettas of the 2000s. No doubt, they were popular, but that resulted in there being so many of them that they blurred into the background. They were victims of their own success.

This custom-made Jetta truck doesn’t have that problem. In fact, it may have the opposite issue – people may see it’s a car with a bed and not even notice that it was once a Jetta. Can you blame them? You don’t exactly see these every day, even if you live in a neighborhood full of El Camino and Ranchero owners.

It started life 151,211 miles ago as a front-wheel-drive German sedan with a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox.

Now it’s an unforgettable sport truck that rides on flashy wheels, low-profile tires, and an air suspension and is capable of hauling bicycles and BBQ grilles.

For $19,850, this unique Jetta can be yours. If you end up getting it, let us know in the comments section below…and how it awkward things got when you pulled up in the Home Depot parking lot next to a Ford F-350 Super Duty owner.

Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com. 

Mini GT has grown to be one of the newly favored manufacturers in the diecast scene with a balance between price, quality, engineering, and artistry. In today’s episode of Collectible Corner we will be taking a look at one of the more recent releases from their collaboration with Kaido House.

Make sure to subscribe to the ClassicCars TV YouTube channel for all episodes of Collectible Corner, as well as see interesting finds and car reviews!

I will not bury the lede on my Pick of the Day. This 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda is one of the nicest cars on the planet and the single best example I have ever seen. I had the pleasure of personally judging this car at the Future Classic Car Show (now the Future Collector Car Show) during Arizona auction week a few years ago and came away stunned by how well the restoration of this car was executed. If that is not enough, the two other judges on my team were noted classic car restorers and they were as stunned by this car as I was (that’s us judging the car below).

The seller of this specific car spared absolutely no expense on the restoration. According to them, this 1970 ‘Cuda was a fairly famous race car in the Chicago area when new. During its racing days, the car was maroon, but you could still see its original paint color of Limelight Green under the carpeting and in parts of the trunk. When the seller became aware of the car, it had been sitting in a garage since the ’80s and put up for sale in well worn condition. By the time the current owner finally saw the car in person, it had already been sold. Luckily for them, the buyer never paid, so it was re-listed and they were able to buy the car.

This Plymouth ‘Cuda is one of 902, V-code 440 6-barrel cars, which was rated by the factory at 390 horsepower. It is backed by a four-speed manual gearbox. The car is equipped with power steering, power front disc brakes, and a Dana 60 rear end with a 3.54 axle ratio. It has hood tie-down pins, a heavy-duty suspension, heavy-duty 11-inch brakes, road lamps, and the Track Pack. The Rallye instrument cluster group includes variable-speed wipers with electric washers, a tachometer, an electric clock, a 150-mph speedometer, and a woodgrain instrument cluster appliqué.

This ‘Cuda was purchased by the owner in May of 2016 and went through a total nut-and-bolt rotisserie restoration completed by S&S Mopar Muscle in October 2019. After the restoration, it was transported to Arizona, where it is kept in an air-conditioned storage facility in Scottsdale. The car has only been driven to car shows and has accumulated around 4,000 miles since the restoration.

The owner states that this is a numbers-matching car with the exception of the engine. Despite this, it does have a period-correct 440-6 that was stroked for improved drivability, but don’t let that fool you because it’s been dyno’d at 523 horsepower and 606 lb-ft of torque. The entire restoration and every single repair on this car are completely documented.

So here’s the deal: I am not exaggerating at all when I say that this 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda is the best example I have ever seen. It is a lesson in what a proper restoration looks like – not only when new but even after five years. This car is proof positive of what is possible with a no-expense-spared restoration. Yes, the asking price is $195,000 or best offer, but for this car, I am calling that a bargain. If you want a show-winning iconic muscle car at a price that is likely less than the restoration cost, buy this ‘Cuda.

Check out the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com. 

The one-off 1964 Pontiac Banshee coupe concept is once again for sale, this time in a listing at Hemmings. The asking price is a cool $1.2 million.

The Banshee was an early attempt by General Motors to counter the Ford Mustang. Known internally as the XP-833, it was the brainchild of John Z. DeLorean, who was head of Pontiac at the time. More sports car than pony car, it featured sleek fiberglass bodywork that resembles the later C3 Chevrolet Corvette and Opel GT.

Instead of a bespoke sports-car platform, though, the Banshee borrowed mechanical hardware from the first-generation Pontiac Tempest. It used that car’s unusual rear transaxle driven by a flexible metal driveshaft often called a “rope drive” to send power from an inline-6 engine to the rear wheels.

GM nixed the Banshee after two prototypes—this silver coupe and a white convertible—were built, allegedly because executives were concerned that the Pontiac would steal sales from the Corvette. Pontiac instead got the Firebird as its Mustang fighter, sharing the GM F-Body platform with the Chevy Camaro.

The two Banshee prototypes were hidden away until they could be purchased by GM employees. The coupe stayed with its purchaser until 2006, when it was bought by dealer Len Napoli of Milford, Connecticut, for $210,600 at a Barrett-Jackson auction. Napoli is a noted Pontiac collector whose family ran a Pontiac dealership from 1958 until GM pulled the plug on the division.

Napoli has tried to sell the Banshee coupe multiple times. It first popped up for sale in 2010, and was last listed for sale through Napoli’s Kia dealership in 2020 with a $750,000 asking price. Napoli appears to be the seller once again, as the car is still listed as being sold by a dealer in Milford, Connecticut, with the same 1,498 miles as the last time it surfaced for sale. Will it finally find a buyer this time?

HIGH-RES GALLERY: Pontiac Banshee coupe (image via Hemmings)

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna Type S-3 Coupe. This Chevelle-based two-door is powered by a 350 small-block backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. Features include swivel front bucket seats, power sunroof, AM/FM/Bluetooth digital stereo, four-spoke steering wheel, and power steering and front disc brakes. Finished in blue with black vinyl interior, this Laguna comes with a clear title.

The reportedly rust-free body has been refinished in the correct code 26 Bright Blue. Features include color-keyed sport mirrors, Power Sky Roof sunroof, louvered rear-quarter windows, side impact strips, and black Laguna accent stripes. A walk-around and test drive video can be seen below.

A set of 15-inch chrome Cragar S/S wheels is wrapped in 245/60 (front) and 275/60 (rear) Cooper Cobra Radial G/T tires.

The cabin is furnished with the reportedly original Black vinyl interior including the swivel front bucket seats. Features include four-spoke steering wheel, power steering, console-mounted transmission shifter, Dual AM/FM/Bluetooth stereo, and new carpeting.

The instrument panel consists of a 100-mph speedometer and fuel level gauge plus aftermarket gauges for the voltage, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. The odometer reads 41,616 miles, though the true mileage on this vehicle is unknown.

Power is provided by a 350 four-barrel backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. Engine bay features include black cast aluminum valve covers, aluminum intake manifold, chrome Edelbrock air cleaner housing, and exhaust headers. This vehicle was originally equipped with air conditioning but currently several components are not present.

This Chevrolet was factory-equipped with an independent front suspension, solid rear-drive axle, and rear stabilizer bar. Braking is provided by power front discs and rear drums.

The auction for this 2,382-mile 1975 Chevrolet Laguna Type S-3 Coupe ends Monday, April 22, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery