Journal Classic Cars

Many classic cars offer more than what meets the eye. Such is the case with a Chevy II that has been upgraded with V8 power, a dual exhaust system, and power brakes just like our AutoHunter Spotlight subject, a 1967 Chevrolet Chevy II 100 two-door sedan. This vehicle is being sold by a dealer in Mesa, Arizona.

The word “understated” comes to mind when first looking at the car. After all, it’s a fairly nondescript tan-colored compact with 14-inch wheels, bench seats, and a no-frills overall theme. But pop the hood and you’re in for a surprise. The dressed-up, chromed engine compartment houses a 350ci small-block V8 that features a Holley four-barrel carburetor, Edelbrock intake manifold, aluminum heads, and aluminum radiator. The car’s B&M shifter is connected to a three-speed automatic transmission. 

The second-generation Chevy II (which debuted in 1966) was dubbed as “the stylish economy car,” and advertisements promoting the vehicle said, “Up with good looks; down with high prices.” The car was manufactured on the General Motors unibody X-platform and had sharper edges when compared to the original Chevy II models from 1962-65.

Value was the name of the game for 1967 Chevy IIs: some of the stand-out features included a new type of battery, a Delcotron generator, a Magic-Mirror acrylic lacquer finish, and a long-life exhaust system. And safety was at the forefront, too, with an energy absorbing steering wheel/column, four-way hazard flashers, and a dual master cylinder brake system.

To some, the second-gen Chevy II was seen as a sneaky, sleeper muscle car. When equipped with the optional L79 327ci V8, its power-to-weight ratio gave it a strong advantage as a drag-racing competitor for its time. According to a Chevy II Buyer’s Guide published by Hot Rod, there were 15 solid colors available for the 1967 model year, as well as six two-tone combinations. Most of the colors were fairly subdued, including Sierra Fawn and Granada Gold, both of which look relatively close to this car.

I’ve been a Chevy II/Nova fan for most of my life, and I have my dad to thank for that. This clean ’67 is a car that any Nova enthusiast would be proud to own, and it is likely to surprise unsuspecting Camaro owners with its on-road performance capabilities. So you’re not surprised by missing out on this Bow Tie, be sure to take note as the auction for this 1967 Chevrolet Chevy II 100 two-door sedan ends Monday, September 8, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

One thing people outside of the car enthusiast community may not know is that gearheads are also—whether consciously or unconsciously—fans of history. The personal stories behind cars have a strong appeal to buyers, all of whom have their anecdotes about their own vehicles. Vintage automobiles are still trading hands because people like to experience what cars were like in bygone eras. Our Pick of the Day, a 1966 Porsche 356 Speedster replica, has an interesting human connection and combines the styling of yesteryear with useful updates. You can find it on ClassicCars.com listed by a private seller in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The 911 is synonymous with Porsche, but that doesn’t mean it launched the brand. “On 8 June 1948, the first automobile bearing the Porsche name was approved for production: the Porsche 356/1 Roadster,” according to the automaker. Over time, this “pre-A” version of the 356 evolved into the subsequent A-, B-, and C-series Coupes, Cabriolets, Speedsters, and Roadsters.

Porsche stopped production of the 356 lineup 60 years ago, but the model remains popular, which explains why various companies offer replicas. Dino Omens, an automotive industry veteran who’s appeared on Chip Foose’s show “Overhaulin’” and currently serves as the caretaker of this particular 356 Speedster, told us it was built in 2015 by Vintage Speedsters (now Vintage Motorcars) of Hawaiian Gardens, California. It went to a very special client: Greg Leach, the owner of the company. He made sure to show it off to fellow automotive enthusiasts at the 2015 Cars ‘N Copters event, “Southern California’s premier automotive and helicopter experience supporting the Huntington Beach Police & Community Foundation.” Since new, this vehicle has only been driven approximately 3,800 miles.

The crew that built this Speedster based it on the underpinnings of a 1966 Volkswagen. The fiberglass Speedster body was finished in black and equipped with a matching low-profile soft top that can be snapped into place when storm clouds move in. Whether the top is up or down, there shouldn’t be any gas fumes whipping around the cabin thanks to the fuel tank’s sealed charcoal canister. Bright bumpers and trim, auxiliary front lights, headlight stone guards, BFGoodrich Silvertown whitewall radial tires, and a luggage rack with leather straps fit this build’s retro inspiration. Not so visible are the internal structural reinforcements which make the lightweight shell, as Omens puts it, sound “like a steel body.” He adds that there is also a “factory engine appearance package and under-carriage package for show.” If you look closely, you’ll see Omens’ signature under the rear-mounted engine’s hood.

The cockpit’s red vinyl upholstery certainly catches the eye, but everything else—with one exception—is focused on driving. Behind the wood-rimmed steering wheel is a set of simple gauges, including a tachometer that shows how high the air-cooled, dual-carb 1,915cc flat-four is being wound up. A heavy-duty heater keeps the cabin warm during open-top drives in cold weather.

There’s no center console with space for drinks that can distract from shifting through the gears of the Freeway Flyer four-speed manual transaxle. However, there is a 1,000-watt audio system with a Pioneer head unit and Focal speakers, which offers an alternative to the sound pumped out of the dual exhaust outlets.

This 1966 Porsche 356 Speedster replica is a modern continuation of Porsche’s formative model. It was also an important part of the history of the company (and its founder) that made it. If you want to start your own history with it, you can do that for $54,999.

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

Pebble Beach. Amelia Island. Those are some of the names of America’s (if not the world’s) greatest concours d’elegance. Then there are smaller, regional shows that attract the same enthusiasts, yet their purposes are different. The San Marino Motor Classic (SMMC) is one of them. Tucked in a park just outside Pasadena, California, the SMMC’s purpose is to fund local charities “through one of the most incredible car shows in the world” while giving us enthusiasts something to fuel our automotive inclinations.

The 14th annual SMMC held on August 24, 2025, raised over $400,000 for such charities as Pasadena Humane, the San Gabriel Valley Cancer Support Community, the Give-Mentor-Love Foundation, the Shriners, and more. “The Motor Classic is a nonprofit organization that raises and donates funds to charities. A winning combination: a wonderful event that supports our community,” said Aaron Weiss, the event’s founder and organizer.

Here is the vehicle class list; a gallery of photos appears at the end of this article. (Right-click-save images to identify the cars.)

• A – Brass & Nickel Era Cars
• B-1 – Preservation Cars Through 1942
• B-2 – Preservation Cars, 1946-1975
• C-1 – CCCA – American Open (Full Classics Only)
• C-2 – CCCA – American Closed (Full Classics Only)
• C-3 – CCCA – European Open & Closed (Full Classics Only)
• C-5 – Packard Pre War Open
• C-6 – Packard Pre War Closed
• D – Pre WWII American Manufacturer (Non – CCCA), 1920-1942
• E-1 – Porsche 356 – San Marino Motor Classic Judging
• E-2 – Porsche – 911 thru 1977
• E-3 – Porsche – 914 to 1977
• F-1 – American Luxury Open, 1947-1975
• F-2 – American Luxury Closed, 1947-1975
• F-3 – Packard Post War Open
• F-4 – American Other, 1975-1995
• F-5 – European Luxury, 1946-1975
• H – Station Wagons – 1946-1973. No Woodies. Vinyl Wood Acceptable.
• I – American Postwar Orphan Marques
• J – Japanese Cars, 1946-1984
• K – Hot Rods – 1928-1941. Original Steel Bodies Only.
• L-1 – Lamborghini
• M-1 – Mercedes Benz – 300 SL Gullwing and Roadsters Thru 1963
• M-2 – Mercedes-Benz – 190SL and Pagoda (230SL, 250SL, 280SL)
• M-3 – Mercedes Benz – 300 Touring Cars (Excluding 300SL), Post War thru 1967
• N-1 – American Big Block Muscle, 1962-1974
• N-3 – American Pony Cars up to 350ci, 1964-1974
• O-1 – Italian Sports Cars – Alfa Romeo, 1946 – 1978
• P – Police Cruisers
• Q – Corvette – Though 1996
• R-1 – Ferrari – Early Thru 1978
• R-2 – Super Cars (Exhibition Only)
• R-3 – Ferrari 308 from 1975, 50th Anniversary
• S-1 – Jaguars – XKE Thru 1967
• S-2 – Jaguars – XK 120, XK 140, XK 150
• U-1 – British Sports Cars, 1946 – 1978
• U-2 – Morgan
• V-1 – Volkswagens Thru 1979
• W-1 – Woodies Thru 1950
• X-1 – Car Corral
• Y-1 – BMW through 1989

Next year’s show will move up to June 14, 2026, pending city council approval. You can view even more images on the www.sanmarinoclassic.com website.

In less than a decade, Electrify Expo has become the largest electric vehicle festival in North America. Founded by BJ Birtwell, Electrify Expo is a family-friendly event where people can learn about, experience, and shop for electric cars, trucks, SUVs, bikes, scooters, motorcycles, and more. At Electrify Expo Phoenix, one of the event’s eight nationwide stops in 2025, Collector Car Network Media had the chance to speak with BJ. He told us which electric vehicle sparked his interest in EVs, the things first-time festival attendees typically tell him, and the biggest lesson he’s learned running Electrify Expo. No matter which vehicles you like, it’s an interesting and enlightening conversation with a true car fan and an automotive professional with experience in both the ICE and EV markets.

Subscribe to the CCN Media YouTube channel for car reviews and more!

If you’re not good at telling one brand’s engine from another, perhaps the color may help. In the case of Ford Motor Company products of a particular era, they were painted a certain shade of blue starting in the 1966 model year.

As part of a branding effort, Ford wanted you to know that the sign of quality under the hood was painted the same hue as the Blue Oval logo that was so familiar to many people since 1927. Of course, Ford’s marketing department didn’t tell you this streamlined the production process as well.

From what I can gather, the use of “Ford Corporate Blue” engine paint did not last beyond 1981, around the time when several platforms were modernized.

I’ve seen the above notice sporadically appear online over the years. I do not know if it came from Ford, but it certainly reads like it did.

In a May press release about the updated CR-V lineup, Honda said the “CR-V is America’s best-selling CUV over the last 28 years and continues to set sales records, surpassing 400,000 units last year—an all-time best for the model.” There are many reasons for the model’s popularity, some of which I covered in my review of the 2025 Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid. Another one I’ve learned by driving an older model is that the CR-V is a great road trip vehicle.

I’ve been on a lot of road trips in my life in a variety of vehicles, but I think I’ve put the bulk of that kind of mileage on my mother-in-law Liz’s 2022 CR-V EX-L. When it comes down to it, my wife’s Mazda CX-5 isn’t as roomy on the inside and my Hyundai Sonata doesn’t have enough cargo space. Within just a few years, I’ve driven the CR-V from metro Phoenix to Sedona and Flagstaff, Las Vegas, and Carlsbad, California. That’s not even counting all the times I’ve been a passenger in it on the way to places such as Jerome, Arizona, and on the way back from El Paso. What’s made it such a go-to vehicle when it’s time for my wife, son, mother-in-law, and me to get out of town?

LOW-KEY STYLING

In many ways, the Honda CR-V is well-rounded. It’s not too pricey, not too indulgent, not too sporty. Visually, it strikes a similar balance. As a crossover, it’s essentially a two-box design, but it has enough angles and curves to make it a little more interesting. At the same time, it’s not what I’d call a flashy vehicle—even in its lustrous Radiant Red Metallic finish. It’s easy to make good time to your destination when you don’t have people coming up to you at gas stations to ask questions about what you’re driving.

FREAKISH CARGO CAPACITY

I was impressed by the CR-V’s ability to swallow luggage and gear before I ever drove it. My MIL and my late FIL Hugo used to go on trips in it and I remember Hugo would always pack an absolutely giant duffel bag as well as two desktop computer monitors so he could work remotely. By the time Liz added her stuff, the rear cargo area of the CR-V was stacked to the ceiling. Sure, the rearward visibility was reduced to zero, but I marveled at my in-laws using every single one of the CR-V’s 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. I was also impressed by the sheer amount of stuff such a modestly sized vehicle could hold. These days, the CR-V has no problem fitting my son’s smaller travel stroller and enough luggage for a short trip.

COMFORT FOR ALL

Both rows of the CR-V EX-L’s Gray leather interior are a pleasant place to be. Up front, there’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel with controls for the audio system and the adaptive cruise control (such a nice thing to have on an out-of-state trip), dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-wrapped shifter, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Brake Hold (great for when the flow of traffic slows to a trickle). Even when my son Hayden is riding in his bulky car seat in the back, my wife still has enough legroom in the shotgun seat.

The second row offers adult-sized legroom, a pair of HVAC vents in the back of the center console, fold-down center armrest with cup holders, and reclining seatbacks.

PLEASANT RIDE QUALITY

Thousands of miles driving and riding in the CR-V has shown me just how well Honda set up its suspension. Even on rough roads (especially the one to Vegas), it’s gentle and compliant without feeling floaty or sloppy.

RESPECTABLE POWER

My MIL’s front-wheel-drive CR-V has a turbocharged 1.5-liter I4 under the hood. Factory-rated at 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque, and hooked to a CVT, it’s built for practicality, not speed. As modest as the CR-V’s engine may be, it’s never left me needing more, even on the uphill drive to Arizona’s “High Country.”

WALLET-FRIENDLY FUEL ECONOMY

No matter how much I enjoy a long drive with my family, I don’t want to extend it with frequent stops to gas up. Luckily, the ’22 CR-V with FWD has fuel economy figures of 28 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway, and 30 combined. That means more time for pounding out the miles, but fewer chances to get a cold fountain drink (sorry, My Love!).

Given how low the mileage on my MIL’s CR-V is, I envision my multigenerational family taking several more road trips in it—until Hayden has a sibling. Then it’ll be time for me to get the minivan of my dreams.

At the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, you can check out three floors of antique, classic, modern, and exotic cars plus all the rarities in the Vault. But if you wanted to see how all those stunning vehicles are maintained and preserved, you couldn’t—until recently. The Petersen is now selling tickets for its Workshop Tours.

During the Workshop Tour, 25 attendees get to see how the museum’s mechanics, technicians, detailers, and porters keep the exhibit vehicles running and looking their best. The cars in the Workshop change regularly; one that previously received some TLC there was a 1993 Bugatti EB 110, the 552-horsepower, V12-powered product of the iconic brand’s 1990s Italian renaissance.

As part of the walk-through, museum staff will also take visitors on a guided tour of the Vault, which currently houses a 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante, 1948 Tucker 48, and 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing.”

The Workshop Tours are only available on Saturdays; tickets are $99 for adults (18+) and $50 for children 17 and under. Each ticket also includes general admission so, once the guided tour is over, you can begin the free-roaming tour of the museum’s various exhibits, such as The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge and GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars from the Joe Bortz Collection. For more information on the Petersen Automotive Museum’s Workshop Tours, click here.

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this restored 1968 MG MGB GT. It features several significant updates, including a reupholstered interior and a rebuilt 1.8-liter inline-four engine mated to a rebuilt four-speed manual gearbox. Finished in red over a black cloth and vinyl interior, this Mark II MGB is now offered by the selling dealer in Arizona with maintenance records and a clear title.

The red body features chrome bumpers with guards, bright window and body side trim, lift-up rear hatch, external fuel cap, and single exhaust outlet.

A set of 175/70 Hankook Optimo H724 radial tires surround the 14-inch wire wheels.

Under prior ownership, the front bucket seats were reupholstered in black cloth and vinyl. Interior features include replacement floor pans, wood-rimmed steering wheel, rack-and-pinion steering, radio delete, floor-mounted manual shifter, and black vinyl low-back rear bench seat.

The Smiths instrumentation consists of a 7,000-rpm tachometer, 120-mph speedometer, and gauges for the fuel level, oil pressure, and temperature. The odometer shows 67,821 miles, but the title for this vehicle indicates it’s mileage-exempt.

Both the BMC (British Motor Corporation) B-series 1.8-liter I4 and the four-speed manual transmission were rebuilt in 2021. The engine came from the factory offering 95 brake horsepower at 5,400 rpm, and 110 lb-ft of torque at 3,300 rpm, with 8.8:1 compression. Recent updates include new fluids and rebuilt dual carburetors.

This little British hatchback holds the road thanks to an independent front suspension and semi-elliptic rear springs. The braking system, which includes front discs and rear drums, was completely overhauled.

You can see this 1968 MG MGB GT in action in the video below. To see it parked in front of your house, you need to place the winning bid. Do that soon because the auction ends on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. PDT.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Today’s Pick of the Day from ClassicCars.com is a 1954 MG TF offered by a dealer in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.

The MG T-Series cars started the sports car craze in America. When servicemen brought their MG TCs back to the U.S. after World War II, Americans had not seen anything like them before. These small sporting cars handled better than anything built in North America. They also looked great, which helped sell thousands of T-Series cars in the U.S.

After the prewar-based MG TC came the more modern yet still classic-looking TD, followed by the final T-Series car—and the one many think of as the most beautiful of them all—the MG TF.

The TF incorporated the headlights into the fender, making for a more streamlined look. The interior was also upgraded, with the bench seat replaced with buckets and the dashboard now featuring octagon-shaped gauges similar to MG’s earlier sporting cars of the 1920s and ’30s.

The MG TF, though, was not a success, as cars from Triumph and other manufacturers began offering better performance and more modern amenities. MG sold a total of only 13,002 MG TF models—not a lot when compared to the almost 30,000 TDs sold.

The seller states this 1954 MG TF roadster has been driven only 1,000 miles since its 1999 restoration and has 75,404 according to the title. This is an award-winning example with a long list of First Place awards and a “Best Of” at British car and MG gatherings in the Philadelphia region. If a T-Series has been on your radar, the seller maintains this one should be seriously considered—and I agree, as it looks like a great car, with tens of thousands of dollars spent on the restoration.

Looking at the photos, everything appears correct, something not common on many T-Series vehicles. It often seems as though people feel they have a better idea and try to upgrade these cars with things like incorrect wood dashboards and then go cheap and use vinyl on the seats. This is not one of those cars.

The exterior looks excellent and is painted in the correct MG TF color of MG Red. The chrome not only looks correct but also appears to be in as good of shape as the paintwork. It is both correct and nicely done.

The interior is the same, with the correct red leather used on the seats. All trim looks like it should for a correctly restored car. I simply love this car’s octagon gauges and the original steering wheel.

Under the hood is the correct, clean, and show-worthy 76.3ci inline four-cylinder XPAG engine, which was factory-rated at 57.5 horsepower. It is fed by a pair of correct SU carburetors with the correct air cleaners. The correct four-speed manual transmission sends power to 4.875 gears in back and drum brakes are on both the front and rear wheels.

This car also features wire wheels (optional at the time), which I feel every TF needs to look its best.

This TF is also super-clean underneath. The maroon paint used on the engine block also shows on the transmission for a bit more dress-up appeal. The single exhaust flows through a stock-style muffler. The suspension consists of coil springs up front and leaf springs in the rear. The hardware, knuckles, wiring, and frame are all clean and show-worthy.

The seller also includes a drivability report in which (s)he describes this MG TF as a well-sorted show car that provides a trouble-free ride and, despite the horsepower numbers, delivers a spirited drive that—with the top down and low seating position—can only be described as exhilarating. It is a completely analog driving experience, the very essence of what driving a classic British sports car should be and nothing else. The seller adds that everything works, including all light gauges.

If you want a great example of the epitome of a classic British roadster, this MG TF is just the ticket—and, at $36,900, is very nicely priced. Act fast or it will be gone.

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

This is a good time to be a Ram truck enthusiast. A few months ago, Ram promised the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 would be returning to the 1500 lineup for the 2026 model year. More recently, Ram announced its Hemi-powered half-tons are now on their ways to dealerships. And those who want more sound of the high-performance Ram 1500 RHO now have two new MagnaFlow exhaust options, thanks to the Direct Connection Affiliated Accessories program.

When the Ram 1500 TRX went extinct, the Hurricane twin-turbo straight-six-powered RHO took its place as Ram’s apex predator. Although the RHO produces 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque, it’s much less potent than its 702-horsepower predecessor, plus it can’t match the sound of a big V8 (a lesson second-generation Ford F-150 Raptor fans learned). To help fill in some of that sonic gap, Ram is offering two MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust systems through the Mopar eStore or your local dealership.

The $2,089 SPEQ Series and $3,099 xMOD Series setups have the same basic hardware. Both feature full stainless steel construction, three-inch mandrel-bent tubing, MagnaFlow mid-pipe chamber with the company’s No Drone Technology (aka passive noise cancellation), Tru-X X-pipe, pair of five-inch black chrome tips, and two years of warranty coverage.

What separates the xMOD system from the SPEQ package is the level of customization and the sound it produces. The xMOD allows buyers to mix and match different components. There are three different exhaust valve modules: Street, Speq, and Comp, in order of increasing loudness. The standard mid-pipe module is integrated with the exhaust valves, but the next level up has a valve-delete design that keeps them open for more sound. Whereas the SPEQ system sounds balanced during normal driving and more vocal under acceleration, the xMOD has “six unique exhaust sound combinations, ranging from sporty to pissed off,” according to Stellantis.

There may be no replacement for displacement but, as the third-generation Ford F-150 Raptor showed me, an exhaust can make a difference. The 2017 Raptor I tested had power but no vocal presence; the 2021 model I reviewed for The ClassicCars.com Journal (equipped with an X-pipe and a “trombone loop”) made a much more satisfying sound. To hear the Ram 1500 RHO’s Hurricane blowing through one of the new MagnaFlow systems, turn up your speakers while you watch the video below.