Journal Classic Cars

“Glad you’ve found the magic.” That’s what the owner of Bob’s Station and Motel told me after I checked in for the night on a recent 2,000-mile journey from Arizona and Wyoming and back. He was right – and I never thought I would find such a unique treasure in the middle of nowhere.

After all, the town of Kanosh, Utah, is home to fewer than 500 people. It is located several miles away from a major north-south interstate; I lived in Utah for over 20 years and had driven past the exit sign a hundred times or more, but I never had a reason to check it out. I’m glad that I finally took the time to venture off the beaten path and explore it this time.

There isn’t much hustle and bustle in Millard County, although the area is home to some of Utah’s most rugged recreational areas, like Great Basin National Park and Meadow Hot Springs. My overnight stay led me to Bob’s Sinclair Station when I needed to find a place to stay that was close to my travel route and wanted to experience something a little different.

The motel has just seven rooms, and I was the only guest for the night. Parked out front was a worn and weathered 1979 Ford F-350 tow truck – its registration sticker expired in 2013. The story goes that Bob Nafus and his wife Valyrie bought the service station in 1986 and operated it as a wrecker facility and small equipment rental store. Not long afterward, the adjacent Kanosh Motel was purchased by the Nafus family as well. In Bob’s obituary (he passed in 2020), it reads, “Bob liked to think of Kanosh as a destination.” He came to the aid of many travelers over the years.

I have a particular fascination with vintage service stations, and that’s in large part because it runs in the family. Back in late 2022, I wrote a story on my late great-grandfather’s station. Then last year, I featured a unique Art Deco station in Tucson. So, the story of Bob’s station was of particular interest to me.

The current property owner told me he believes the service station and motel both date back to the 1950s. Most impressive to me was how original they both looked. The Sinclair received a new paint job a few years ago, but its floor plan (including outside-access restrooms), roll-up doors and mercantile-style shelving in the front office probably look the same today as they did 75 years ago. It felt like I was traveling back in time to admire it all.

When dusk started to set in, the clouds made for some striking photo opportunities, and I wandered out of my motel room to capture the moment. I couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing place to spend the night – aside from the occasional car driving past, the only thing I could hear was the sound of a neighbor’s sprinklers. When compared to the fast pace and stress that many of us deal with in the modern world, it was a welcome contrast.

My experience at Bob’s and the Kanosh Motel made me reflect on what it might have been like to visit a Sinclair station 50 or more years ago. The stories it could tell!

Magical, indeed.

Note below the quartet of vehicles, all of which are for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. Can you tell us what they have in common?

Besides that, we’ll give you a gold star if you can tell us the marque and the model—we won’t fuss about the model year. You can post your answers below in the Comments section.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

Every Tuesday, you’ll find an automotive puzzle at The ClassicCars.com Journal. You can check out previous games for more car challeges!

The Plymouth Barracuda’s glory years were 1970-74, and there are some folks in the Mopar camp who feel the final one ended on a strong note thanks to the introduction of the 360 small-block. While the 360 first appeared in 1970 for full-size cars, a performance version—and a successor to the 340—did not appear until 1974 for the Road Runner and Barracuda. Not only is this 1974 Plymouth ‘Cuda listed on AutoHunter an authentic 360 car with four-speed manual, but it also features electronic fuel injection. Other features include power steering and brakes, black vinyl top, black longitudinal stripes, scooped hood with black-out, rear spoiler, and more. Painted in lime green with a black interior, this swan song Mopar pony car comes from the selling dealer with a clear title.

The hue looks just like the High Impact color from 1970, “FJ5” Limelight, making this ‘Cuda easy to see in just about any light. The flanks are complemented by the optional stripes available for ’74. Other features include vinyl top, matte black non-functional scooped hood, hood pins, rear spoiler, body-colored racing mirrors, rocker panel trim, and fender-mounted turn signal indicators. A set of 17-inch versions of Plymouth’s Road Wheels is wrapped in 255/50 Nitto radials.

The black cabin is furnished in vinyl with a pair of bucket seats up front. A center console houses a Hurst “Pistol Grip” four-speed. Both the console and dashboard feature woodgrain trim. Other options include a three-spoke Tuff steering wheel, power steering, and aftermarket Pioneer AM/FM stereo with CD player.

The instrument panel includes a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for fuel, coolant temperature, and voltage, plus a clock. An aftermarket 8,000-rpm tachometer is mounted under the dashboard. The odometer reads 67,791 miles, though the title reads mileage-exempt.

The engine code in the VIN shows “L,” signifying this ‘Cuda is one of the rare vehicles built with the new 245-horsepower 360 High Performance. The four-barrel has been co-opted by an electronic fuel-injection system that works in conjunction with an Edelbrock intake manifold and headers. Also pedigreed per the fender tag is a four-speed manual.

The undercarriage features power front disc brakes and a dual exhaust system. You’ll find a 3.55 gear in the rear differential, a nice compromise between performance and streetability.

Unlike the Dodge Challenger, there would be no Barracuda after 1974. It was a different world, full of uncertainty after an oil crisis and increasing federalized regulations that seemed to kill all the fun. Yet this 1974 ‘Cuda shows how Plymouth persevered and refined the Barracuda, and further refinement has been implemented with several modern updates including fuel injection. Looks hot and drives hot? That’s a proposition that we’re sure you can live with, so be sure to bid soon because the car in this AutoHunter Spotlight ends on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

In line with its inherent meaning, the “Royal” nameplate was first used as a high-end trim level classification for Chrysler sedans in the early 1930s.

However, as we know, automakers are famous for shaking things up in terms of rankings or hierarchy as a vehicle evolves. By the late 1940s, the Royal slotted on the other end of the lineup as an entry-level series, and it was phased out entirely after 1950 (the Windsor took its place from there onward). A total of 17,713 Royal four-door sedans were sold for the car’s final year in 1950. By comparison, there were just 5,900 two-doors sold that year.

If you are looking for a car that comes with the nobility and dignity worthy of the Royal nameplate, you’re in luck!

The Pick of the Day is a 1950 Chrysler Royal four-door sedan listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Prince George, British Columbia.

“The car was purchased new in Mooseman, Saskatchewan, then sold in 1970,” the listing begins. “I bought the car in 2012 and there were 73,000 miles on the speedometer.”

Finished in deep green, the car is decked out in characteristic 1950s flair, including amber auxiliary fog lamps, a hood ornament, dual side mirrors, a windshield visors, wide whitewall tires and plentiful chrome trim. The interior photos show comfortable tan cloth appointments for the upholstery, door panels and headliner. Even the trunk is carpeted, and a spare tire is housed in its recessed compartment where the factory intended it to be.

Under the hood, power comes from a rebuilt 251ci inline-six mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The seller says that he took the car to Newfoundland in 2017 towing a 13-foot trailer, and it “will have no issues doing another cross-Canada drive.” Even though the six-cylinder Royal was technically an entry-level model for its time, it still came well appointed. And this car, being from the final model year, carries unique collectibility.

“My reason for selling the vehicle at this point is I am 82 years old and no longer drive it,” the listing concludes. “I feel it is time for someone else to be able to enjoy this classic car.”

Ready to drive like a king? Your Royal sedan awaits. The asking price won’t break the treasury either – the car will set you back just $11,500 USD.

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

It’s not news that Porsche’s successor to the mid-engine 718 Boxter and Cayman will be an EV—we just didn’t realize how painful it was going to be. If you feel the same way, you may want to visit your local Porsche dealer because, come October 2025, production will officially be halted to make way for their electric successors.

According to Car and Driver, Porsche production manager Albrecht Reimold has confirmed that production of the internal-combustion mid-engined sports cars will end this fall. The 718 has been in production since 2016, introducing a turbocharged flat-four with performance that exceeded that of the previous flat-six. However, buff books took issue with the four-cylinder’s raspy sound that didn’t deliver the familiar exoticism that Porschephiles have come to expect so, starting in 2020, a 4.0-liter six was introduced for the 718 GTS to placate the dissenters.

Reimold suggests the fun derived from driving the mid-engined Porsche will not disappear with the next-gen car, claiming his experience driving the prototype for the 718 replacement maintains the fun. Based on its experience testing the 1073-horsepower 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance race car, Car and Driver says the claim is no lie.

It is believed the new 718 EV (we imagine with a new name to reflect the new platform) will debut as a 2027 model, which means it cannot hit the streets of America `any earlier than January 2026. However, per comments from CEO Oliver Blume, the pair will arrive “in the medium term,” so don’t get your hopes up that the transition will be as seamless as most successors.

Actually, it seems we have little to get our hopes up.

Featured on AutoHunter is this 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, which has received a frame-off restoration. It’s powered by a rebuilt L92 6.2-liter V8 that sends its output through a rebuilt 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission and a dual-range transfer case. Finished in Forest Green and equipped with a white removable top over a beige vinyl and green plaid cloth interior, this restomod SUV is now offered by the selling dealer in Oklahoma with a clear title.

In 2023, the color of the body was changed from the original Olive Green to the current Forest Green. Exterior features include newer bumpers, glass, and metallic and woodgrain trim as well as dual mirrors and a white removable top with a lift-up rear window above the tailgate.

A set of 15-inch wheels with locking front hubs, Chevrolet-branded hub caps, and 31-inch by 10.5-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A radials help this rig blaze new trails.

The cabin offers beige vinyl and green plaid cloth front bucket and rear bench seating. Amenities include a tilt steering column with an automatic shifter, power steering, front center console with cupholders, air conditioning, Kenwood AM/FM/Bluetooth stereo, and floor-mounted transfer case shifter.

The Dakota Digital instrumentation consists of a 160-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, clock, and gauges for the battery, temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure. The odometer shows 1,379 miles, which have been accrued since the restoration and upgrades were completed.

An L92 6.2-liter V8 takes the place of the original 350 engine. It comes equipped with electronic fuel injection, custom shorty headers connected to a dual exhaust system, and an aluminum radiator. Just like the engine, the 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission was rebuilt. A dual-range transfer case sends the V8’s power to the trail below.

A new suspension with Fox shocks and rebuilt axles get this off-roader to the destination its nose is pointed toward. Power front disc and rear drum brakes make sure it stops when it gets there.

If you want to get this 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer in your driveway, bid on it right now. The auction ends on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Take a look at this award-winning 1979 International Harvester Scout II, featured here on AutoHunter Cinema! Finished in its original Burnt Orange paint and powered by a numbers-matching 345ci V8, this restored 4×4 combines originality with collector-grade preservation.

With just two owners since new, it’s backed by an impressive paper trail and was restored using OEM and NOS parts. It’s a standout from the MS Classic Cars collection, and it crossed the block with no reserve at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction!

Subscribe to the AutoHunter Cinema YouTube channel for more Interesting Finds!

Can you think of a car that had a companion model that was merged into its identity? Sounds like a strange concept, but our Pick of the Day is one example we know of—do you know any others? This 1973 Plymouth Road Runner GTX is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.

Plymouth introduced the GTX for 1967, the first of the company’s image cars—before, if you wanted to go fast in a mid-size Mopar, you had to choose a Belvedere or Satellite and pick an engine. With the GTX, it was a hot model out of the gate with no low-performance variants—finally, Plymouth figured out the GTO’s formula! Included with the GTX was a standard 375-horsepower Super Commando 440. The following model year, Plymouth introduced a companion performance model called the Road Runner. Major distinction between the two was that the GTX was based on the up-market Sport Satellite, while the Road Runner was based on the down-market Belvedere and was powered by a 383.

Both models continued, hand in hand, through 1971, but the segment was light-years different than three years earlier thanks to market forces that led to a decline of sales for performance and pony cars. After Plymouth produced 2,942 GTXs for 1971, the company decided to put the GTX model to rest.

During 1968-71, Plymouth never made the Super Commando 440 available for the Road Runner (excepting the Superbird)—that was the GTX’s territory—so considering the GTX was put to rest for 1972, Plymouth made this 440 an available option for the Road Runner. Interestingly, when this engine (or the handful of 440 Six Barrels that trickled out of the factory before abruptly being cancelled) was specified, subtle GTX badges were added to the Road Runner. Nowhere in literature was it called a “Road Runner GTX,” but that’s how we tend to refer to it today. There was no “GTX package,” per se—order the 440 and you received the badges.

For 1973, Plymouth restyled the Satellite series, which included the Road Runner. The shape was familiar  but the front and rear styling were completely new; additionally, the side sculpting was different. The former (optional) strobe stripe was redesigned as a standard “roof strobe & body side” stripe, available in black, white, or red. A new domed hood lacked any ram air provision, but a buyer could specify complementary stripes for $21.55. A sign of the times, the Road Runner now came standard with a 170-horsepower 318 V8 with a three-speed and dual exhausts, though a four-speed was available with this engine; optional was a 240-horse 340, 260-horse 400 four-barrel, and 280-horse 440. Again, if you checked the box for the latter, your Road Runner would be complemented with subtle GTX badges. However, starting in 1973, the TorqueFlite automatic was the only transmission available with the 440. The GTX inspiration continued through 1974.

Road Runner production more than doubled for 1973, with 19,056 built. Of those, 749 U.S.-spec cars were built with the 440. This Forest Green metallic 1973 Plymouth Road Runner GTX was built in Windsor, Ontario, Canada but built to U.S. specs. Features include matching bucket seat interior (note the original condition), console, Tuff steering wheel, dual racing mirrors, 15-inch Rallye wheels, power front disc brakes, hood tie-down pins and inside release, chrome exhaust tips, AM radio, and more.

As this car was ordered with the 440, you’ll find GTX badges on the hood, but make no mistake—it identifies as a Road Runner. Buy it for $32,900 and you’ll identify as the guy or gal in the neighborhood with the hot car.

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

Remember the days of personal luxury coupes? Sporty two-door coupe body styles are largely a thing of the past – consumer buying trends have shifted toward larger vehicles like sport-utility vehicles, minivans and crossovers. But 20 to 25 years ago, you could still find a two-door available from most auto manufacturers—including the European and Japanese luxury brands.

Dating back to 1987, the Acura brand’s Legend coupe was its original flagship Grand Tourer, offered with all the creature comforts one would expect of a high-end cruiser. But when the Legend V6 was discontinued after 1995, the lineup changed. The new CL—launched in 1997 and named for its “coupe luxury”—slotted at a lower price point and could be optioned as a four-cylinder. A 3.0-liter CL V6 was available, but only when paired with an automatic transmission. Exterior styling was based on the radical CL-X concept car, and production took place in East Liberty, Ohio.

Second-gen CL Innovations
Fast-forwarding a few years, that same assembly plant started producing the heavily updated second-generation CL for the 2001 model year. The car now used a “J32” 3.2-liter V6 across the board, and a five-speed automatic was the only available transmission for the first two model years. That changed in 2003—the final year for the CL—when Acura offered a six-speed manual transmission on Type-S models. In addition to a third pedal, the car came with a helical limited-slip differential and some cosmetic changes exclusive to just that year (black-housing headlights, body-colored grille surround and red/clear taillights, among others).

Down to the Details
Always one to seek after the obscure and the rare Honda models, I jumped at the opportunity to acquire a CL-S recently for a fair price. My new-to-me “Aegean Blue Pearl” six-speed, featured in the photos with this story, was sold new from Los Gatos Acura (near San Jose, California) on October 15, 2002 with 127 miles on its odometer. It spent more than two decades in that area before being relocated briefly to Utah. When I took delivery in January 2025 in Phoenix, the gauge cluster showed 182,876 miles. The car remained largely original and well-kept—despite its mileage, the car ran, drove and braked impressively. I knew it was the perfect candidate for a light restoration and preservation, given its rarity.

According to research and documentation assembled by CL-S owners and enthusiasts, there were 3,845 total CL Type-S six-speed cars produced for 2003. That figure can be broken down by exterior color (six available), interior color (two available), a GPS navigation system option and United States versus Canadian market. My car was one of 68 units in the United States in Aegean Blue Pearl over black with the navigation system.

Future Collectible Status
Seem like an obsessive amount of detail? It most certainly is. And there’s an entire community of people like me who geek out on data just like this. This is a link to a Facebook group of about 1,700 people dedicated to the CL Type-S six-speed. I have had some fun getting the car fine-tuned mechanically and cosmetically, and I look forward to taking it on some road trips this summer. I brought the CL (and other luxo-coupes) to the table as a future collectible during a recent Barrett-Jackson symposium.

Worth mentioning, there are some auto manufacturers that still make luxurious two-door coupes. One of the late-model cars that continues to fit the bill is the 2025 Lexus LC, but that model starts at $101,100. 

Maybe I’ll stick to older cars after all. How about you?  

If you really want to irk a Chevy enthusiast, call the 348 V8 a truck engine. It’s sometimes said to be provocative but, more often than not, it’s promoted as gospel. Scour the Internet and you’ll find many references claiming the 348 was a truck engine. Is that true, or just an epithet?

When Chevrolet introduced the small-block V8 for 1955, it was becoming apparent to market-watchers that the car-buying public was clamoring for more and more V8s. Upgrading engines for model-year updates was becoming an expensive proposition, as there had been rising demand for components like automatic transmission and air conditioning. Chevrolet wanted to plan for its future needs without expensive modifications that could also compromise the integrity of the engine design. Optimum low-end torque and mid-range performance was another consideration. “The W engine is different from the standpoint o[ being designed specifically to provide for future increases in displacement and compression ratio to meet yearly modification changes without the need for major redesign and the usual retooling required to provide the manufacturing equipment necessary to produce the engine,” wrote engineers in the article “Development of the Chevrolet W Engine: A New Concept in V-8 Engine Design” in General Motors Engineering Journal, Volume 5, Number 3.

Initially, Chevrolet played with several small-block designs to investigate the viability of a engine larger than the current 265 and the 283 that was planned for 1957. Two different experimental small-blocks, both measuring around 300ci and featuring the same external dimensions as the current stock engine, were developed. For engine A, increasing the bore diameter required joining the bores, creating a casting problem and preventing complete coolant circulation around the cylinder; for engine B, new tools and equipment were needed for crankshaft machining. Additionally, both engines were limited in future increases in displacement and compression.

The future also anticipated requirements for both passenger cars and trucks. What if the design could be adapted to both? The production volume could warrant the investment in manufacturing facilities while reducing the capital cost per engine. The new engine would have room for future changes in displacement and compression without large retooling expenses, and the cost of added production could be amortized over a longer period of time.

Due to these considerations, the decision was made to start with a clean sheet rather than base the new V8 on the small-block. The new design became known as the W engine.

Five new ground rules were established (quoted from the aforementioned article):

1. Adaptability to a broad range of displacement with a minimum number of different parts
2. Overall dimensions compatible with anticipated space limitations of passenger car design
3. Adaptability to a broad range of compression ratios to match the octane trend of future fuels
4. Provisions for mounting accessories required for both passenger cars and trucks
5. Flexibility in the use of machine tools to accommodate future engine modifications

Chevrolet introduced the W engine (Turbo-Thrust for passenger cars, Workmaster for trucks) for 1958, becoming the first engine developed for both cars and trucks that met future, anticipated needs. It was produced through 1961, the same year the 409 was introduced. The 409 lasted through January 1965, upon which it was replaced by the 396 “Mark IV” big-block.

Now go tell your friends and change the trajectory of history!