Journal Classic Cars

It’s hard to believe, but the Fast and Furious franchise is 25 years old. The original 2001 film about an undercover cop infiltrating the street racing scene to nail a ring of truck hijackers led to nine increasingly over-the-top sequels as well as a spin-off, all of which grossed more than $7 billion. To celebrate this milestone, the Petersen Automotive Museum, in collaboration with Universal Pictures, is opening a new exhibit called “A Fast & Furious Legacy” on March 14.

If you can be in Los Angeles the day the exhibit opens, you and your fellow enthusiasts (or to put it in Dominic Toretto terms, your “family”) will start off in the Petersen Parking Garage, which will be “transformed into a Fast & Furious–style car show featuring enthusiast builds, iconic rides, and unforgettable machines across the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors.”

Are you more of a fan of “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”? Check out the 2nd floor to get your JDM fix (no word on if attendees will have to walk on the left side of the aisles).

Inside the museum, you’ll find a showcase of cars from the movie franchise, hear from special guests and panelists, and “connect with the automotive family that lives life a quarter mile at a time.” You can even win an award if you display your car at the event (having a Spoon engine or NOS couldn’t hurt your chances). Petersen VIPs get access to the Penthouse, an exclusive swag bag, food options (perhaps something more gourmet than BBQ chicken and Coronas?), and other perks.

Opening day General Admission tickets are $30 ($8 for Members) and include museum entry, an event poster, event badge, and bagels and coffee. For the full pricing breakdown, click here.

On a recent weekend, I saw a second-generation Plymouth Barracuda down the street. The owners were outside, so I was able to approach them and ask, “1967?” Indeed it was, but they did not know how to tell the other years. After reading this, you’ll have a better idea.

My friend Bob Harnsberger had a 1968 Barracuda in high school, and since then, it’s been my favorite of the three years. Sure, having experiences with a car helps rub in the preference, but it also forced me to learn the nuances among the model years. Let’s start with the 1967.

Notice the floating eggcrate grille with the prominent perimeter frame. That’s specifically a 1967 thing. Ditto the stripe that goes from the nose to the tail. It was available in white, black, red, blue, or copper.

Here’s the rear end. You may think the taillights for all three years look the same, but it is difficult to start describing the ‘67’s taillights without comparing them to subsequent years so, for now, just take note of how the horizontal panel bleeds into the taillights.

Let’s move on to 1968. The grille appears to share the same framing, but the texture is a series of fine vertical bars, almost looking like an electric shaver. For the taillights, notice how the rear no longer has a panel bleeding into the lenses. Also note how the brake lights are in the center, surrounded by a white lens that appears to wrap around the perimeter. If you can remember the lenses are white, then you’ll be fine identifying a ’68.

Nineteen sixty-eight was the year that the federal government required side-marker lights, and the Chrysler Corporation embraced them in style. In the case of the Barracuda, you’ll find round side-markers. In addition, the optional stripes appeared longitudinally between the wheels. They were available in white, black, red, “ledger” green, and light blue.

When it comes to available equipment, 1969 is the high-water mark for the Barracuda, but we’re focused on identifying traits. The grille experienced the biggest change among the three years — in fact, you may not have even realized the nose changed too. Whereas for 1967-1968 the grille looks like it forms an arrow as it moves to the center, the 1969’s cavity is reshaped in the center portion and no longer forms a proper point. The texture returned to an eggcrate affair that eschewed a frame, instead filling the cavity.

The taillights resemble the ‘67’s, but the center insert barely bleeds into the taillights. In fact, if you can imagine a 1969 Road Runner’s taillights (below), you can see how there’s a slight theme between the two. Additionally, red trim helps create a full-width taillight look for the Barracuda.

The mandated side-markers were now rectangular, almost seeming generic in comparison to the 1968’s. Optional, full-length sport stripes showed no engine displacement unless the car was equipped with the Formula S package (340 or 383) or the stand-alone 340 sans the Formula S. These decals were available in white, black, or red.

Thanks to the success of the Road Runner, Plymouth applied the same low trim level persona to a new performance package called ‘Cuda. Unique to the package were black nonfunctional hood scoops, black hood stripes, and black lower-body longitudinal stripes.

Below is your key to comparing the 1967-1969 grilles and taillights (in ascending order). Click on each image to be taken to its respective ad on ClassicCars.com.

A remarkably preserved 1979 Pontiac Trans Am survivor is now being offered as the grand prize in a limited 60-day giveaway presented by Dream Giveaway, giving one lucky winner the chance to bring home an ultra-low-mile icon from the days of Pontiac excitement.

Showing just 10,000 documented original miles, this Solar Gold Trans Am stands as an authentic, unrestored time capsule from the height of the model’s popularity — and it could soon be parked in your garage. Click here to enter now.

Unlike restored or modified examples commonly seen today, this Trans Am remains exceptionally original and carefully preserved — a key factor fueling strong collector demand for survivor-grade vehicles.

Finished in its factory Solar Gold paint with a Camel Tan interior, this Trans Am reflects the unmistakable styling that defined Pontiac performance in the late 1970s. From its aggressive stance to its iconic T-Tops and Screamin’ Chicken hood decal, the car captures the era when the Trans Am was America’s most recognizable cruising machine.

According to the original window sticker, this Trans Am was delivered with a full complement of factory equipment, including:

• 6.6-liter V8 engine
• Automatic transmission
• Factory air conditioning
• Limited-slip differential
• Rally gauges with clock and tach
• Power windows and door locks
• Tilt steering wheel
• Removable hatch roof panels
• Rear deck spoiler
• Cast aluminum wheels
• Delco AM/FM 8-track stereo

With an original MSRP exceeding $9,000, the car represented a top-tier Trans Am when new — and remains highly desirable today. And the exciting news is that you can win this Trans Am and have it in your garage before summer cruising season even starts. Click here to enter now.

Limited Entry Window — Don’t Miss Out!

Low-mile survivor vehicles continue to gain momentum among collectors, and late-1970s Trans Ams — icons of American culture — remain especially sought after.

This giveaway presents a rare chance to own a preserved example that captures the spirit of Pontiac’s Smokey and the Bandit era.

The Trans Am Dream Giveaway runs now through April 9, 2026, with the winner scheduled to be drawn on April 22, 2026.

Enter now for your chance to win — and help support veterans’ and children’s charities with your entry. And for the lucky winner, there’s more good news: $15,000 toward federal prize taxes will be provided, making the win even sweeter.

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1957 Chevrolet 3600 big-window pickup, which is powered by a rebuilt 235ci inline-six mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Finished in gray over a black vinyl interior, this 3/4-ton “Task-Force” truck is now offered by the selling dealer in Oregon with a clear title.

As part of a partial body-on restoration completed in 2016, the exterior was refinished in gray. Features include chrome bumpers, dual “Peep” mirrors, cab-mounted fuel cap, wrap-around rear window, wood bed stakes and floor planks, padded tailgate chains, and dual exhaust outlets.

A set of gray 17-inch Ion alloy wheels with polished lips and 215/60 Continental TrueContact radials make this 3600 stand out from other vintage Chevy trucks.

The cabin is simple and straightforward with a black vinyl bench seat and floor-mounted manual shifter, but there is also an aftermarket retro-style AM/FM radio with Bluetooth connectivity.

Instrumentation consists of a 100-mph speedometer and gauges for the temperature, amps, oil pressure, and fuel level. The odometer shows 20,450 miles, but this truck is mileage-exempt anyway, according to its title.

Under the hood is a rebuilt 235ci I6 that’s equipped with an aftermarket intake manifold and dual two-barrel carburetors. It sends power to the 10-bolt rear end through a four-speed manual gearbox. Manual drum brakes are in place to help keep this classic on the road — and off an accident report.

If you like this 1957 Chevrolet 3600‘s mix of updates and modern touches, you can enjoy them every day by becoming the next owner. You can only do that by bidding before the auction ends on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

When it comes to old Mustangs, there can be little doubt that everyone knows the hardtop was the most popular body style of the three that were available. However, have you ever compared the production numbers of the hardtop and fastback? Our Pick of the Day shows that the gap between the two began to get small by the end of the decade. This 1969 Ford Mustang hardtop is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Glancing at Ford Mustang numbers in the 1960s, you’ll notice that hardtop production dwarfed fastback production. Take 1967 as an example: Ford built 356,324 hardtops but only 71,062 fastbacks. The following model year, 249,448 hardtops were built, compared to 42,579 fastbacks. However, with the redesigned 1969 Mustang, things changed — the fastback came very close to hardtop production. Now christened SportsRoof, 134,440 were built, which is surprisingly close to the 150,637 hardtops built. What changed?

The introduction of the Mach I SportsRoof. Along with the mid-size, Fairlane-based Cobra, the Mach I was Ford’s “image car” for the performance set. While the standard engine was a 351 two-barrel — hardly a performance engine — it was the image that sold the Mach I to the masses that were clamoring for bright colors, stripes, and other go-fast flaunts. Mach Is accounted for 72,458 units of SportsRoof production, effectively being the most popular incarnation of the SportsRoof (the GT package also continued to be available, though only 4,084 GT SportsRoofs were built).

Engine options bring imbalance to the equation. It would be logical to assume that the most popular body style would also find peak popularity of all available engines, but that would not necessarily be true. The reason for that is dependent on the image of the body style: the sportiest body style would logically have a greater percentage (if not number) of high-performance engine installations. That was true for earlier years, and it continued to be true for the 1969 Mustang SportsRoof. Add the Mach I to the mix and you would be correct in assuming that most high-performance engines were installed in that model, especially compared to base SportsRoofs.

However, a smart drag racer would gravitate towards the hardtop. Historically, it has been the cheapest Mustang (though by the spring of 1969 they were equal), and it most certainly has been the lightest, with the SportsRoof weighing 24 pounds more (add another 156 pounds for the Mach I, believe it or not). We like to think racers dominated the scene, but the truth is that most people preferred image over anything else.

Hence, it’s also easy to assume that the person who originally ordered this Royal Maroon 1969 Ford Mustang hardtop wanted to go drag racing, but check out its option list and you instead may wish to be forgiven. Under the hood is the 428 Cobra Jet engine, which was a hauler that (finally) changed Ford’s reputation on the street. There were two version of this engine: the “Q-code” without ram air and the “R-code” with a functional Shaker hood scoop, with this particular car being the former but now featuring a retrofitted Shaker (a nice update). However, check out the gears: 3.00 standard, which was due to the original owner opting for air conditioning. Given this car was originally ordered near Pasadena, it makes sense. A top-end machine for heading to Joshua Tree? Perhaps. Other features include C6 Cruise-O-Matic transmission with console, Competition Suspension (very rare on a hardtop), power steering and front disc brakes, AM radio, tinted windows, Deluxe seat belts, and vinyl top.

Ford built an impressive 13,261 Mustangs with the 428 Cobra Jet in 1969. Of those, 243 were hardtops, with 68 being Q-code cars. Thirty-four of those were automatics (the reason you see 62 in the Marti Report is because that also includes the luxurious Grande). For $97,999, you get rarity and top-end speed rarely seen together in a muscle car.

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

For many American models, add the name “Brougham” and it’s a sign that it’s a gussied-up version of a familiar model. But from where did this distinction come? And did you know that there have been several models over the years called “Brougham”? It’s an interesting story with several models of which you either were not aware or may not have remembered.

Like many automotive names, “Brougham” came from the carriage trade. In 1838, a British statesman named Lord Brougham commissioned a carriage built to his specifications by the coachbuilder Robinson & Cook. Features specific to the Brougham included:

• Removal of the perch (a connector between the front and rear axles).
• Spring hangers mounted on the body structure, lowering the floor for ease of entry (especially for Victorian ladies).
• One outside step.
• Low weight, requiring only one horse.
• Squared-off roof in the rear.
• Forward-thrusting curve at the base of the cabin.

As you may know, early automobile design was derived from carriage design. The first automotive broughams were town cars, with the chauffeur ahead of the cabin. American broughams began to eschew the chauffeur (and his accommodations) for a formal two-door coupe. Then, in 1916, Cadillac pioneered the use of the Brougham name for a fancy version of its five-passenger sedan, continuing mostly uninterrupted through 1937 with fancier models and body styles. Cadillac brought back the name for the ultra-expensive 1957-60 Eldorado Brougham, but the proliferation of the same appears to have begun with the 1964 Bonneville when Pontiac introduced a fancier Brougham interior package, which ended up having other brands follow in its coattails well into the 1970s and beyond.

We have found three models among several brands throughout the years that were simply called “Brougham.”   

Cadillac
Cadillac returned to the Brougham fold with an interior package for the 1965 Sixty Special. The Fleetwood Brougham replaced the Sixty Special in 1977; this car would be produced through 1986.

For 1987, the Brougham succeeded the Fleetwood Brougham in name, though the vehicle was the same. This was the era of front-wheel-drive Cadillacs, with the Brougham maintaining the classic rear-wheel-drive body. This car was produced through 1992; when the redesigned full-size Cadillac was introduced for 1993, it reverted back to the familiar Fleetwood, with a Brougham package available just like in the past.

Mercury
Mercury had multiple personalities in the 1960s. For some reason, the brand moved down-market in 1961, dropping the Park Lane and Montclair. Then, for 1964, Mercury recovered its position by bringing back the two dropped models.

Starting in 1967, Mercury introduced the Brougham, a Park Lane-based model that was “formal in manner, luxuriously appointed, powered and equipped to perform beautifully.” Available as a four-door sedan and hardtop, the Brougham’s forte was a fancy interior consisting of elegant Chalons or Versailles fabric seat upholstery combined with “fine vinyl” with contour-molded foam front seat cushions, deep-loop nylon-rayon carpeting, and door assist handles. Other standard features included a standard 330-horsepower 410 (an FE-series engine that combined the 390 block with the 428’s crankshaft), Select-Shift Merc-O-Matic or four-speed manual, Flow-Thru Ventilation (hardtop) or Breezeway Ventilation (sedan), power front disc brakes, wood-grain steering wheel and interior trim, automatic parking brake release, “luxury level” body insulation, unique exterior and interior ornamentation, electric clock, vanity mirror, courtesy light group, rear-seat center armrest, wheel-cut moldings, and tailored spare tire cover. The cars carried Park Lane badges on the rear fenders, but the model was marketed as “Brougham.” “In total the Brougham has an aura of accomplishment with all the hallmarks of good taste and refinement,” claimed the brochure.

The Brougham returned slightly decontented (410 discontinued, replaced by a 315-horsepower 390, and Breezeway Ventilation was optional) for 1968, but it was still a super Park Lane of sorts. Again, what distinguished the Brougham from the latter was its cabin, now “the ultimate in interior comfort and luxurious appointments” thanks to the new “Twin-Comfort Lounge Seats.” These were individually adjustable with center armrests for each passenger, perhaps something you’d expect in a fancier Lincoln (and available as an option for the Park Lane and Marquis). Mid-year, a Brougham two-door hardtop (with a fastback roofline) was introduced, but only 114 were built.

When Mercury’s full-size lineup was completely redesigned for 1969, the Park Lane was replaced by the Marquis, which had been a personal luxury coupe for the previous two years but now was expanded to a full-line series; at the top of the series was (wait for it!) the Marquis Brougham.

Holden
General Motors’ Australian brand may be foreign to many North American enthusiasts, but the DNA can often be seen as many of the themes familiar to Americans and Canadians are evident. This was especially true with the Holden HK series that was introduced in the spring of 1968 (cars from Oz tend to go by series and not model year).

The mainstream four-door models were called Belmont, Kingswood, and Premiere, with the latter featuring four headlights to distinguish it from lesser trim levels. In the summer of 1968, the Monaro coupe was introduced, as well as a Premiere-based Brougham four-door. The Brougham featured an extended trunk and standard Chevrolet 307 V-8 among other distinctions. Facelifted HT and HG Brougham models were produced through 1971, then the model was discontinued, to be replaced by the Statesman — ironic, considering the statesman that inspired the Brougham name.

Who needs wallpaper, anyway? One of the (questionable) elements of home décor that makes my place unique is a showcase of license plates in the laundry room. For over three decades, I’ve been collecting all sorts of automobilia. Back when eBay got its start in the 1990s, I was buying and selling car brochures, diecast model cars, and other promotional items.

I also had an early affinity for license plates, but my passion for plate collecting wasn’t nearly as deep as it could have been. Founded in New Hampshire in 1954, the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA) is the world’s largest organization for license plate enthusiasts. The group has about 3,000 members from all 50 U.S. states – as well as 18 other countries around the globe.

As the ALPCA website says, the organization is “dedicated to the promotion of license plate collecting, research, the exchange of information and plates, and the benefits of sharing a common interest with people all over the world.”

This summer, ALPCA will host its 71^st convention from July 15 through 18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In addition, the group has regional events happening around the country throughout the year. One of the fun initiatives each year is voting on the “Best Plate of the Year” to recognize outstanding new license plate designs. The most recent award (announced in 2025) went to Rhode Island for its “lighthouse” license plate.

In my own personal collection of over 100 plates, my oldest is a 1950-issue from Utah.

Some of the more recent plates are from cars that I’ve owned and since sold, while others have been given to me by friends. As a way to remember the story behind each one, I’ll usually write a name and a date on the back with a Sharpie. My most prized license plate is a generic “7631 AM” from Utah from the late 1980s. It was the license plate worn by my late grandfather’s black GMC Sierra at the time of his passing in September 1989. Somewhat fittingly, the registration tab expired a month later, in October of that year.

Do you have a collection of license plates? If so, you might want to join the ALPCA. Dues are $46 per year in the United States. Members receive the bi-monthly “PLATES” magazine, access to a discussion board and a searchable encyclopedia of license plates, and more.

You can find one of the finest European sedans on AutoHunter: a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL that is located in Woodland Hills, California. As an added bonus, it also was originally owned by the legendary baseball broadcaster and 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Vin Scully.

In the 1980-90s, the Mercedes S-Class was the absolute top of the heap in the luxury segment. In 1990, when this car was new, it cost a whopping $74,000. To put things in perspective, a top-of-the-line Cadillac Brougham d’Elegance cost only $31,000 at the time. The S-Class was an absolute status symbol of the era.

As you would expect, the 560SEL was nothing short of perfection. The build quality was better than that of any other car of the era, often compared to that of a bank vault. Then you had the best interior materials. To top it all off, under the hood was the final — and what many consider the best — version of the Mercedes M117 SOHC V8 with a displacement of 5,547cc. This engine gave the 560SEL the ability to cover 0-60 in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of more than 120 mph.

The 560SEL presented here is finished in Black paint over a Grey leather interior. Options include heated bucket seats, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, power telescopic steering column, and sunroof. This car has covered 130,200 miles from new.

Both the exterior and interior of this 560SEL look to be in excellent condition. It appears to be a well-preserved, top-of-the-line used Mercedes that comes with all the books and tools it had when it was new.

I think a car like this 560SL really shines as a spring-to-fall daily driver. Today, a new top-of-the-line Mercedes S-Class has a starting price of $130,000. Yes, it is a great car, but the build quality of a new S-Class does not begin to approach that of this 1990 560SEL. In addition, you are driving a car that is literally the measuring stick for excellence. I guarantee that the price of this car will be considerably less, and you can drive it in the knowledge that you are driving a car that is truly the best in the world.

If this car is of interest to you, you should really make a few bids soon as the auction for this 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL ends on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Matching isn’t just something you do with your socks. Many car enthusiasts do it in their own way, whether it’s buying only Craftsman tools, sticking to a single car brand, or making sure their wheels are the same color as their vehicle. Our Pick of the Day is match-matchy in a different way. You can find this restored and upgraded 1955 Chevrolet 3100 and its color-coordinated custom motorcycle trailer listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Fort Worth, Texas. It comes with photos of the restoration process.

The year 1978 is known as the “Year of the Three Popes” because Pope Paul VI died, his successor John Paul I passed away a little over a month later, and John Paul II became the third person to fill the revered position in a matter of months. Consider 1955 the “Year of the Two Trucks” for Chevrolet. Partway through the model year, Chevrolet switched from its 1955 First Series of “Advance-Design” trucks to the Second Series pickups in the new “Task-Force” lineup. The Second Series had what Chevy called a “‘load-pulling’ look,” which consisted of a forward lean to the headlights, A-pillars, cabs, and bodies.

As part of an extensive restoration/customization process, the truck half of this combo was refinished in the layered combination tan and “root beer,” which looks more like the perfect shade of bronze to me. Keeping with the theme of matching, the wheels are also the same color as the body below the door handles.

Behind the wrap-around rear window is a bed floor lined with bright wood planks and stainless steel strips. Look just a few feet away and you’ll see more of the same — the same root beer paint, wood planks, and even wheels on the matching motorcycle trailer.

If you check certain key areas, you’ll see two major things about this truck that don’t match: its model year and its hardware. Its 350ci V8 wasn’t a thing back in 1955; neither was its TH400 three-speed auto. A newer fuel tank was installed under the bed. Behind those root beer wheels? Power front disc and rear drum brakes.

There are more (welcome) anachronisms in the cabin, such as custom patterned upholstery on the bench seat and door panels, power steering, AutoMeter gauges, air conditioning, and a custom wood console.

By itself, this 1955 Chevrolet 3100 would be an attraction at any vintage car show. With its matching trailer and a cool classic motorcycle on the back? Expect to make lots of new friends whose interests match yours — after you buy this eye-catching combo for $58,995, of course.

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

We’re less than a month out from spring. That means we’re closer to warmer weather and Spring Break road trips. In the middle of March, my family and I will go for a long drive in a Chrysler Pacifica minivan, which will take us from the Phoenix area to Carlsbad, California. I know some of the artists and songs we’ll listen to along the way, which I’ve put below. Which ones will you play on your next road trip? Tell us in the Comments section below.

I’ve been on several road trips with my family when I was a kid, but the only song I recall from one of those journeys is the DNA dance remix of “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega. It’s been decades but, from what I remember, my brother Anthony and I kept chanting “do do do-do do do do-do” (try not to do the same after you listen to the song) as we rode in the back of a blue Ford Aerostar on the way up to Milwaukee. It wasn’t until I met my wife Eli and drove several round trips within Texas that I started noticing which artists and songs I typically listen to during a road trip. Here are some of my must-haves:

Eagles: With fuel/food stops and bathroom breaks, the trip from Austin to El Paso can take close to 10 hours. Eli and I were fortunate to be able complete it several times in press vehicles such as the GMC Yukon XL Denali, Ford F-150 Raptor, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, and Ram 1500 Rebel. However nice and comfortable those may have been, none of them made the way there any less monotonous after hour five. Eli played some of her favorites, such as Taylor Swift and Adele, but we also listened to a lot of SiriusXM satellite radio. One of the artists that we heard frequently (but not too frequently) was the Eagles, particularly their older stuff (although I love their 2007 double album “Long Road Out of Eden.”) I find their more laid-back songs, such as “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Take It Easy,” and “Desperado,” are great for passing mile after mile on the highway in complete calm. “Take It to the Limit,” particularly the 1976 live version recorded at The Forum in California, is one Eagles song I play louder than the others just to better hear more of Randy Meisner’s falsettos.

Jackson Browne: There’s a feeling of loneliness to some of his songs, such as “The Load-Out,” that fits long drives. It makes me envision a man whose most stable, longest-lasting relationship is with the road. The towns he stops in and the faces he meets along the way always change, but the road ahead is always the same, forever leading him toward a horizon that holds no sense of peace or contentment. After being a tourist in melancholia (which requires playing “Call It a Loan” — despite its romantic lyrics), I can always liven things up with Browne’s cover of the Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs song “Stay.”

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: By now, you may be noticing a theme to this list. I like music from many different decades and genres, but my interstate travels have resulted in 1970s music being an important part of them. “Night Moves” is groovy and fun. However, it wouldn’t quite be a road trip without hearing “Against the Wind” at least once. Like many Jackson Browne songs, it’s a bit sad, looking back on youthful days filled with loss and mistakes, but it also has a sense of perseverance that provides a glimmer of hope. It goes well with long drives in which you might literally be driving against the wind, and you’re almost certainly battling highway hypnosis, boredom, and the overwhelming desire to somehow magically teleport to your destination after several hours of passing nothing but seemingly endless fields. I also have to mention “Turn the Page” — the Seger version and the cover by Metallica.

Counting Crows: I fell in love with this band in high school when its 1999 album “This Desert Life” was the soundtrack for one particularly memorable boating and camping trip with my buddies. The rowdy “Hanginaround” is a great way to get amped up and ready to go. Front man Adam Duritz wrote “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby” about his imaginary version of the actress Monica Potter (you may remember her from the ’90s movies “Con Air” and “Patch Adams,” or the 2010s TV show “Parenthood”). It’s a long song, but its sense of wonder, poetry, sweetness, and adventure makes every minute — and every mile passed in that time — more pleasant. “A Long December,” a bittersweet song about both past regrets and hope for the future from the 1996 album “Recovering the Satellites,” is ideal for winter road trips, but I’ll make sure to work it into the rotation during my family’s upcoming trek to California.