Journal Classic Cars

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1982 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade.  

At over 40 years old, this all-terrain utility Jeep delivers both vintage looks and rugged versatility. Retro graphics, tubular bumpers, and fender flares give the right amount of curb appeal. It is being offered for sale by a dealer in Missouri with a clear title and upgrades including 35-inch Toyo tires, a CD audio system, a Rough Country suspension lift, and a removable hardtop.

The longstanding CJ, or ‘civilian Jeep’, evolved from a military-grade off-road vehicle during World War II and dates back to the mid-1940s under the Willys-Overland company. Over 1.5 million CJs were eventually produced over a period of about four decades through the 1980s. When the CJ-7 generation debuted in 1976, its wheelbase had been stretched by 10 inches, the chassis utilized twin C-section rails, and the rear end was modified to allow the suspension to be mounted closer to the body.

According to its accident-free CARFAX report which starts in 1996, this CJ spent much of its life in Oklahoma and was registered in the Tulsa area before being relocated to Missouri in 2012. It has resided there ever since, and it last changed hands in December of last year. The listing doesn’t specify exactly when some of the upgrades were installed, but this Jeep appears to have been enthusiast-owned since it has features like black tubular bumpers, fender flares, taillight guards, and a full-size spare tire out back.

The well-presented interior shows garnet red vinyl bucket seats which match the door panels. The odometer shows 97,427 miles, which lines up with the last reading of 93,329 miles on the CARFAX report in 2012. True mileage on the chassis is unknown, however.

There were six different engines and four different transmissions available during this generation. This CJ-7 draws power from a 4.2-liter inline-six mated to a rebuilt five-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. As far as tech specs are concerned, one of the most important components of this build is its suspension. A Rough Country lift was installed that included springs, bushings, shocks, and hardware.

The CJ-7 was followed by the YJ-Series Wrangler but continues to be a favorite among Jeep enthusiasts and automotive collectors in general. This could be your best chance to snag a clean and tastefully-modified example.

The auction for this 1982 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade ends Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 12:45 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

When it comes to classic Shelby Mustangs, the 1968 GT350 is a turkey of sorts. While the 1965-67 featured 306 horsepower from an upgraded 289 High-Performance, the 1968 made do with a 250-horsepower 302. Gee, Carroll, whatsamattah?

Some of that can be explained due to the discontinuation of the solid-lifter 289 at the end of the 1967 model year. When installed in a Mustang, the four-barrel 302 was rated at 230 horses, but Shelby installed an aluminum Cobra intake manifold (actually, an Offenhauser piece) and a 600cfm carb for the horsepower bump.

Another explanation is that Ford took over Shelby production and handed modifications to the A.O. Smith Corporation in Ionia, a nice westward hike from Detroit. (In fact, incomplete 1968 Mustangs were built in Metuchen, New Jersey and shipped by rail all the way to the Great Lake State for the Shelby conversion to be completed.) Did Ford’s involvement result in a lack of effort with the Shelby GT350?

But the 1968 Shelby GT350 also was more grown up, functioning more as an American GT than a quasi-sports car. Those days of the two-seat GT350 without creature comforts were gone. The following year, the introduction of the 351 Windsor would fix the power deficit as well.

Join Muscle Car Campy as he road-tests this 1968 Shelby GT350. In the hands of the same person who has owned it since 1972, this four-speed fastback has received an improved camshaft and headers to truly wake up the 302 and give it the character it so deserved.  

Just in time for a weekend off-roading adventure in the dog days of summer, we’re looking at this AutoHunter Cinema feature of a retro-themed Jeep ’41 Concept built to salute Jeep’s long-standing military history. Based on the Wrangler 4xe, the Jeep ’41 Concept features a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain capable of 49 MPGe. Appropriately, this Jeep is finished in Olive “D.A.R.B. ‘41” Matte Green with tan soft top and black powder-coated steel bumpers over a tan and camouflage interior. A variety of aftermarket parts and modifications from Jeep Graphic Studios and various other suppliers add to the custom build.

Check out AutoHunter Cinema on YouTube for other great videos.

Did you grow up with Mom driving you around in a station wagon? Or maybe you got stuck driving Mom’s Country Squire?

In this episode of Drive the Bid podcast from AutoHunter.com, Derek Shiekhi, “Jalopy Jeff” Sutton and I discuss our favorite family haulers. Though somewhat replaced by the minivan, and then the SUV, the station wagon enjoys wistful nostalgia from Americans from sea to shining sea. Once eschewed as anathema for anything cool on four wheels, the station wagon is now fondly held to higher stature in the collector car world. Plus, there have been some really awesome wagons in modern history.

Do you have a favorite wagon?

Other discussions include news on the throwback 2024 Bronco Sport Freewheeling Edition, the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse, and a shipping vessel with over 2,000 vehicles that’s on fire near the Netherlands.

Of course, each of us picked our favorites currently listed on AutoHunter, including a 1970 Ford F-250 4X4 dually that’s been upgraded with a bit of old/a bit of new, 1950 Plymouth panel wagon, and a modified 1968 Chevelle.

All this can be seen in the above video from AutoHunter Cinema, created by the experts behind ClassicCars.com, the world’s largest online collector car marketplace. AutoHunter brings forth a dedicated live customer support team, quicker auction listings and exclusive benefits for both buyers and sellers.

The Grand Prix was Pontiac’s submission in the personal-luxury coupe world after watching Buick receive approval to produce the Riviera. Over time, the Grand Prix lost its way and became somewhat of a bloated chariot (albeit a distinctive one). However, for 1969, Pontiac engineers were granted a stretched A-body platform called the G-body, and the Grand Prix was able to strut its stuff as a unique take in the segment. One of these pieces of Poncho history, a 428-powered 1969 Grand Prix, is available now on AutoHunter, the online auction platform powered by ClassicCars.com. Backed by a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission, this GP features bucket seats, center console with factory automatic/manual shifter, air conditioning, upgraded stereo, and more. Finished in Palladium Silver with black vinyl top over a black vinyl interior, this Grand Prix comes with a clear title in the seller’s name.

Under previous ownership, the exterior was refinished in the original color of Palladium Silver. Features include black vinyl top, driver-side mirror, and wheel well and rocker trim.

A set of 15-inch Pontiac Rally II wheels is wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.

The front and rear seats are upholstered in black vinyl. Features include center console with Rally Sports Speed Shifter, tilt steering column, air conditioning (with new blower motor and HVAC controls), and RetroSound AM/FM/AUX radio that was installed in October 2022. The dashboard and center console were restored in 2022.

The instrument panel includes a 140-mph speedometer, clock, and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. The odometer currently reads 97,750 miles.

Power is provided by a period-correct 428cid V8 backed by a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission.

This vehicle was factory-equipped with an independent front suspension and a solid rear-drive axle. Braking is provided by power front discs and rear drums. Like all 1969 Grand Prixs, this vehicle breathes via a dual exhaust system.

Bidding for this handsome 428-powered 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix closes on Monday, July 31, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

A James Bond Aston Martin movie car is headed to auction—but it’s not a Goldfinger DB5.

Part of RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week sale, scheduled for Aug. 17-19, this 1973 Aston Martin V8 was used in filming of the 1987 James Bond movie The Living Daylights. This more obscure entry in the Bond canon marked Timothy Dalton’s first appearance as 007, a role the British actor would only keep for one more film.

The Living Daylights also marked the return of Aston Martin to the Bond franchise after a long hiatus. Like the many Astons that have served as Bond’s transportation before and since, the V8 was equipped with plenty of gadgets, including a rocket booster and deployable skis.

Multiple cars were used in filming, including four complete drivable vehicles and seven fiberglass shells. The car up for auction, designated car 10 during production, is one of the four drivable cars. In addition to the rocket booster and ski props, it was updated to look like a more recent Aston Martin V8, and received a roll cage and a sunroof to match the other cars, for continuity reasons.

Car 10 was pushed down a hill and into a snowbank for a chase scene, which meant removing the engine and transmission to lighten the car. It survived, though, and was kept by Bond prod uction company Eon Productions until 1995, when it was sold to British James Bond collector Peter Nelson, along with two of the other Living Daylights Astons (Eon Productions kept the fourth complete car).

The car changed hands a couple more times, finding its way to the U.S. and being restored to roadworthy condition. It got a new 5.3-liter V-8 from the more powerful V8 Vantage model, along with the correct 5-speed manual transmission. Corrosion was repaired as well, and the front was repainted, according to the auction listing.

The Living Daylights may not be the most iconic Bond film, and the Aston Martin V8 may not have the iconic status of the DB5, but this is still a genuine Bond car that’s expected to bring a big hammer price. So while one of the James Bond DB5s sold for over $6 million in 2019, RM Sotheby’s estimates this car will sell for $1.4 million to $1.8 million.

HIGH-RES GALLERY: 1973 Aston Martin V8 from The Living Daylights (photo via RM Sotheby’s)

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

When you ask most car people, even Aston Martin fans, the car that they identify as James Bond’s first Aston Martin, they almost always say it is the DB5 used in the film Goldfinger. While that may be correct for the films, in the Ian Fleming books things are a bit different. While the book Goldfinger is also the first time Bond would drive an Aston, it was not the DB5. When the book was published in 1958 the DB5 did not even exist. Instead it the same model as my Pick of the Day, a 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark III.

The Aston Mk III, as they are known by most Aston aficionados, is an interesting transition car for the company that I believe offers the best of everything. They are the last car to use the Lagonda based twin-cam 6-engine that was developed by none other than W.O. Bentley. This is a legendary engine and was a great design.

The body of the Mk III was basically a modified version of the old 2/4 but modified in a way that to me perfects the original DB2/4 design. What they did was change the grill to the shape originally used in the DB3 racecar which became the same grill shape that every other Aston Martin car has used since. People seem to overlook that the Mk III was the first road going model to use this grill and that small change make the design somehow look much more modern and elegant.

The Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, seller offering this car describes it as a car that was delivered new in 1958 by the Aston Martin dealership in Pasadena, California. The buyer owned the car until 1983 when he sold it to its second owner, who kept the car for more than 39 years. In 2007 this Aston Mk III underwent a complete mechanical restoration totaling more than $85,000 and happily still retains its original numbers-matching drivetrain, has all original body panels, interior, and glass. The paintwork shows signs of age through cracking and blemishes while the interior and glass are extremely nice.

The quality of the paint makes me wonder if it is original to the car and something I might ask the seller if I was a buyer. If it is original, this Aston Mk III would be a nice entry for the preservation class at an event like Pebble Beach. It is also a car that you could easily drive and not have to worry about the stray stone chip or two you might acquire on tours like the Colorado Grand, a tour that this car would be perfect for.

Bond’s Mk III, according to the book Goldfinger, was painted in a color called Whisper Grey. This is not a real factory color, but this one is painted in Ivory and carries an Oxblood leather interior. To me that would easily be close enough.

If you had not figured it out yet, I love this specific car. If I would not have to sell a bunch of stuff that my wife would object to me selling, think a lot of IRA money, I would have already bought it and be on the phone with Camille at Passport to arrange shipping to me for pick up in Monterey in a few weeks. While not as elegant or as popular as the DB5, the Bond connection is a big deal to me. On top of that the Mk III has more headroom and interior space than any other DB Aston Martin, making it the perfect car for my 6’4″ height. Yes the steering and handling is also a bit more primitive than the DB4 and later cars, but it is a very advanced car for one built in the 1950s and I would not mind those minor drawbacks.

This 1958 DB 2/4 Mk III is being offered for a market correct price of $280,000, which is a lot less than you would have to spend on a DB4 or 5. It is even less expensive than a DB6, and also more rare than any of the above cars being one of only 83 total Mk III cars built in left hand drive.

If you are looking for a blue chip GT car and the DB4-6 are too expensive, this car would be a perfect substitute. For me it would not be a substitute at all but a car I would likely keep forever.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

There’s a little Kansas liberal arts school in a town of 14,000 that has an endowment that could make some Silicon Valley scenesters blush. Would you believe $1.5 billion? Yes, you read that right. How does McPherson College do it?

As Hagerty tells it, a benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous promised that (s)he would donate $500 million if McPherson College could raise half that amount by June 2023. The school met the goal and, then, the Patron of the Great Unknown followed up on the promise by doubling it. That one billion, combined with McPherson College’s $250 million endowment and $342 million in fundraising, brings the total to $1,592,000 for a school with around 800 students.

Why does McPherson matter to you? It’s the only place in America were one can earn a four-year degree in automotive restoration. The program emphasizes the following:

• Historic automotive technology
• Automotive restoration management
• Automotive communications
• Automotive restoration design
• Automotive restoration technology

Currently, the 150-odd students in the program are working on a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet to make the school’s first debut at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this coming August. Donated by Pennsylvanians Richard and Mary Hoperman, the unrestored Mercedes made an appearance during Pebble Beach Car Week before arriving at its new home in Kansas for restoration. “Our Mercedes-Benz 300 S will stand as a commitment to our mission to be the center of excellence for restoration education,” says McPherson on its website.

This past Friday, McPherson College’s president announced the endowment at an event last week. “Today is historic, not just for McPherson College, but for all small liberal arts colleges in America,” says Michael Schneider. “I am incredibly grateful to our anonymous donor for giving us an unprecedented opportunity — and responsibility — to build and implement our strategic vision of becoming a destination learning community.”

Barrett-Jackson has had an association with McPherson College since 1999, establishing several scholarships including the Nellie Jackson Scholarship (in honor of the matriarch of the Barrett-Jackson organization), available to female students in McPherson’s automotive restoration program. In addition to the three scholarships, Barrett-Jackson has provided internships for both students and graduates of McPherson.

“It is important to me and the industry to give young people a chance to learn these skills,” says Craig Jackson, Barrett-Jackson chairman and CEO. “I am proud we can provide opportunities for the restoration tech program to grow and add new people to the profession.”

McDonald’s may be king, but In-N-Out outranks it as everyone’s favorite fast-food restaurant. However, not everyone has access to the chain, being a SoCal tradition since 1948 and more recently available to those in the Southwest, Northwest, and Rockies. In celebration of 75 years of hamburgers and more, In-N-Out is holding a 75^th Anniversary Festival at the (newly christened) In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on October 22, 2023. The day will be full of cars on display, drag racing, live music, food, and more. Best of all, the restaurant chain is looking for a few good vehicles to recruit for the show — do you have a hot rod, classic, or muscle car to bring?

There are two core aspects of the celebration: the Festival will include the car show, drag races, and other activities like carnival games, several stages featuring bands playing your favorite tunes throughout the decades, special In-N-Out displays including Cookout Trucks and other concessions, and a myriad of vendors. There will also be a Rock 2 Freedom Benefit Concert (which will require a separate ticket) to benefit the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation, a non-profit created by the burger chain that helps those who are enslaved by any substance or person to gain freedom and healing from substance abuse, and to create, educate, and assist with solutions to eliminate human trafficking. Performing on the main stage will be .48 Special (In-N-Out Burger’s family band) followed by funksters 311 and that little ol’ band from Texas, ZZ Top.

But enough about music and improving the world — you wanna hear about the car stuff, right? Purchasing a car show ticket grants you entry for one vehicle, entry to the Festival, and a commemorative gift. Purchasing an Elimination Bracket Racing ticket will grant you entry for one vehicle to race in one of five classes: Ford, GM, Mopar, Miscellaneous Muscle Cars, or NSS A/FX; the driver will also receive a ticket for entry to the Festival. Purchasing a Fun Run ticket grants the less competitive to two Fun Run races, plus one entry to the Festival. As you may have guessed, all NHRA rules will apply.

Of course, since your hot rod, classic, or muscle car is the greatest ever, you just may win an award. Space is limited, so help fill the slots with some spectacular vehicles, will ya?

ClassicCars.com chatted with Cheston Carson, Product Specialist at Dodge, at Barrett-Jackson and went on a Thrill Ride in both the 797-horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcat Redeyes. These thrill rides give people the opportunity to experience the dynamic performance of these vehicles in a way you can’t every day. Not only is it an educational experience, it’s fun for the whole family! With a variety of options, from Challenger and Charger Hellcats to Redeyes, the Dodge Thrill Ride is available at every Barrett-Jackson auction and is free to everyone attending the event. If you’re visiting the inaugural New Orleans auction September 28-30, you don’t want to miss this!

Check out the latest 4K video and many others at ClassicCars.com YouTube channel.