Journal Classic Cars

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car. The limited-edition Firebird was originally sold in Canada and shows 3,460 kilometers (2,150 miles). Built to commemorate both the 1980 Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 races, all were powered by a turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. According to the build sheet, this F-body was originally delivered to Smyl Motors Ltd. in St. Paul, Alberta. Equipment includes T-tops, power windows, Delco AM/FM stereo with cassette, and more. Finished in white with multicolor accents over an off-white vinyl and cloth interior, this Trans Am comes with documentation, owner’s booklets, T-top bags, original pace car decals with instructions, and Canadian registration.

The Cameo White body is accented with silver trim, red and black striping, and black/silver/gray/red “Screaming Chicken” hood graphic. Other features include front and rear fender flares, rear spoiler and exhaust splitters.

The original color-keyed 15-inch aluminum wheels are wrapped in the original 225/70 Goodyear Polysteel Radial white-letter tires.

The cockpit features Oyster vinyl and cloth high-back bucket seats with matching rear buckets. The instrument panel is trimmed with engine-turned aluminum. Amenities include air conditioning, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt steering column, tinted glass, rear defroster, and power decklid with space-saver tire in the trunk.

Instrumentation includes a 140-kmh speedometer, 6,000-rpm tachometer, hood-mounted boost indicators, clock and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure and voltage.

The turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 was rated at 210 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque when new. Interestingly, per the built sheet, this Trans Am came factory-equipped with an engine block heater. The three-speed “M33” automatic transmission is backed by a 3.08:1 Positraction rear end.

The chassis features Pontiac’s Radial Tuned Suspension. Steering is power-assisted. Power disc brakes can be found on all four corners.

The auction for this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car ends on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 4:40 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car. The limited-edition Firebird was originally sold in Canada and shows 3,460 kilometers (2,150 miles). Built to commemorate both the 1980 Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 races, all were powered by a turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. According to the build sheet, this F-body was originally delivered to Smyl Motors Ltd. in St. Paul, Alberta. Equipment includes T-tops, power windows, Delco AM/FM stereo with cassette, and more. Finished in white with multicolor accents over an off-white vinyl and cloth interior, this Trans Am comes with documentation, owner’s booklets, T-top bags, original pace car decals with instructions, and Canadian registration.

The Cameo White body is accented with silver trim, red and black striping, and black/silver/gray/red “Screaming Chicken” hood graphic. Other features include front and rear fender flares, rear spoiler and exhaust splitters.

The original color-keyed 15-inch aluminum wheels are wrapped in the original 225/70 Goodyear Polysteel Radial white-letter tires.

The cockpit features Oyster vinyl and cloth high-back bucket seats with matching rear buckets. The instrument panel is trimmed with engine-turned aluminum. Amenities include air conditioning, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt steering column, tinted glass, rear defroster, and power decklid with space-saver tire in the trunk.

Instrumentation includes a 140-kmh speedometer, 6,000-rpm tachometer, hood-mounted boost indicators, clock and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure and voltage.

The turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 was rated at 210 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque when new. Interestingly, per the built sheet, this Trans Am came factory-equipped with an engine block heater. The three-speed “M33” automatic transmission is backed by a 3.08:1 Positraction rear end.

The chassis features Pontiac’s Radial Tuned Suspension. Steering is power-assisted. Power disc brakes can be found on all four corners.

The auction for this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car ends on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 4:40 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car. The limited-edition Firebird was originally sold in Canada and shows 3,460 kilometers (2,150 miles). Built to commemorate both the 1980 Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 races, all were powered by a turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. According to the build sheet, this F-body was originally delivered to Smyl Motors Ltd. in St. Paul, Alberta. Equipment includes T-tops, power windows, Delco AM/FM stereo with cassette, and more. Finished in white with multicolor accents over an off-white vinyl and cloth interior, this Trans Am comes with documentation, owner’s booklets, T-top bags, original pace car decals with instructions, and Canadian registration.

The Cameo White body is accented with silver trim, red and black striping, and black/silver/gray/red “Screaming Chicken” hood graphic. Other features include front and rear fender flares, rear spoiler and exhaust splitters.

The original color-keyed 15-inch aluminum wheels are wrapped in the original 225/70 Goodyear Polysteel Radial white-letter tires.

The cockpit features Oyster vinyl and cloth high-back bucket seats with matching rear buckets. The instrument panel is trimmed with engine-turned aluminum. Amenities include air conditioning, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt steering column, tinted glass, rear defroster, and power decklid with space-saver tire in the trunk.

Instrumentation includes a 140-kmh speedometer, 6,000-rpm tachometer, hood-mounted boost indicators, clock and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure and voltage.

The turbocharged 4.9-liter V8 was rated at 210 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque when new. Interestingly, per the built sheet, this Trans Am came factory-equipped with an engine block heater. The three-speed “M33” automatic transmission is backed by a 3.08:1 Positraction rear end.

The chassis features Pontiac’s Radial Tuned Suspension. Steering is power-assisted. Power disc brakes can be found on all four corners.

The auction for this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Pace Car ends on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 4:40 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Hyundai Motor America donated $50,000 to the Banner Health Foundation to help build a Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. The donation is part of Hyundai’s corporate social responsibility initiative, Hyundai Hope, and will assist in creating a dedicated play space for pediatric patients and their families. A ceremonial check was presented to the Banner Health Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“The opportunities and benefits that a safe and supportive space like the Play Zone will offer families is at the heart of Hyundai Hope’s mission,” said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor America. “We are proud to partner with the Banner Health Foundation to bring this to life and continue to uplift children and families in the community.”

Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, consisting of 30 hospitals, three academic medical centers, and other health-related entities operating in six states. Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center is focused on helping kids feel safe while receiving advanced care from pediatric specialty physicians and researchers. The Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center will be a non-medical, supportive environment for kids where they can ask questions, build coping mechanisms, reduce anxiety, and prepare for treatments in a bright, positive environment. Children will also participate in recreation and therapeutic play, which can ultimately improve children’s emotional outlook and uplift their mood.

“I’ve had the opportunity to provide clinical care to patients in a play zone and the magic of the space is truly incredible,” says Hadley Trull, associate director of Child Life, Diamond Children’s. “The honest conversations that come from a relaxed environment and the creative outlet this space provides are unlike anything that can be offered in a hospital room.”

Hyundai Motor America donated $50,000 to the Banner Health Foundation to help build a Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. The donation is part of Hyundai’s corporate social responsibility initiative, Hyundai Hope, and will assist in creating a dedicated play space for pediatric patients and their families. A ceremonial check was presented to the Banner Health Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“The opportunities and benefits that a safe and supportive space like the Play Zone will offer families is at the heart of Hyundai Hope’s mission,” said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor America. “We are proud to partner with the Banner Health Foundation to bring this to life and continue to uplift children and families in the community.”

Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, consisting of 30 hospitals, three academic medical centers, and other health-related entities operating in six states. Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center is focused on helping kids feel safe while receiving advanced care from pediatric specialty physicians and researchers. The Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center will be a non-medical, supportive environment for kids where they can ask questions, build coping mechanisms, reduce anxiety, and prepare for treatments in a bright, positive environment. Children will also participate in recreation and therapeutic play, which can ultimately improve children’s emotional outlook and uplift their mood.

“I’ve had the opportunity to provide clinical care to patients in a play zone and the magic of the space is truly incredible,” says Hadley Trull, associate director of Child Life, Diamond Children’s. “The honest conversations that come from a relaxed environment and the creative outlet this space provides are unlike anything that can be offered in a hospital room.”

Hyundai Motor America donated $50,000 to the Banner Health Foundation to help build a Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. The donation is part of Hyundai’s corporate social responsibility initiative, Hyundai Hope, and will assist in creating a dedicated play space for pediatric patients and their families. A ceremonial check was presented to the Banner Health Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“The opportunities and benefits that a safe and supportive space like the Play Zone will offer families is at the heart of Hyundai Hope’s mission,” said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor America. “We are proud to partner with the Banner Health Foundation to bring this to life and continue to uplift children and families in the community.”

Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, consisting of 30 hospitals, three academic medical centers, and other health-related entities operating in six states. Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center is focused on helping kids feel safe while receiving advanced care from pediatric specialty physicians and researchers. The Play Zone at Diamond Children’s Medical Center will be a non-medical, supportive environment for kids where they can ask questions, build coping mechanisms, reduce anxiety, and prepare for treatments in a bright, positive environment. Children will also participate in recreation and therapeutic play, which can ultimately improve children’s emotional outlook and uplift their mood.

“I’ve had the opportunity to provide clinical care to patients in a play zone and the magic of the space is truly incredible,” says Hadley Trull, associate director of Child Life, Diamond Children’s. “The honest conversations that come from a relaxed environment and the creative outlet this space provides are unlike anything that can be offered in a hospital room.”

Any Duesenberg is bound to attract attention, but the car featured on this episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage” has always stood out from the rest.

This four-door was built as a show car for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, where it became famous in its time as the “Twenty Grand” Duesenberg because of its then-outrageous price of $20,000. Leno notes in the video that the average American car cost less than $1,000 at the time, and the average house was less than $2,000.

The one-off Twenty Grand was not the most expensive Duesenberg ever built—the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe cost $25,000 when new—but it was too expensive to attract a buyer the first time around. Duesenberg repainted it black and brought it back to Chicago in 1934, where it was eventually sold to a wealthy buyer. It’s now part of California’s Nethercutt Collection, where it’s displayed alongside other classics from storied automakers like Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza.

Like other Duesenbergs, the Twenty Grand is powered by a straight-8 engine based on Indianapolis 500 racing engines. This car’s engine displaces 421 cubic inches and has a supercharger, generating 320 hp. Like the car’s price, that was an astounding figure in the 1930s. 

The race-bred engine and the performance it provided meant that Duesenbergs were considered driver’s cars in their time, but this car was also designed to be chauffeur driven. Its unique coachbuilt body includes a partition and a complete set of gauges for rear-seat passengers so they monitor what the driver is doing. It gives new meaning to the term “back-seat driver.”

The car was restored in 1979 and has been shown frequently since then, although because of its value it isn’t driven very often anymore. That means the driving portion of this video is limited to a bit of taxiing around an airport apron, but it’s rare to see this unique Duesenberg in motion at all.

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

Any Duesenberg is bound to attract attention, but the car featured on this episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage” has always stood out from the rest.

This four-door was built as a show car for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, where it became famous in its time as the “Twenty Grand” Duesenberg because of its then-outrageous price of $20,000. Leno notes in the video that the average American car cost less than $1,000 at the time, and the average house was less than $2,000.

The one-off Twenty Grand was not the most expensive Duesenberg ever built—the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe cost $25,000 when new—but it was too expensive to attract a buyer the first time around. Duesenberg repainted it black and brought it back to Chicago in 1934, where it was eventually sold to a wealthy buyer. It’s now part of California’s Nethercutt Collection, where it’s displayed alongside other classics from storied automakers like Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza.

Like other Duesenbergs, the Twenty Grand is powered by a straight-8 engine based on Indianapolis 500 racing engines. This car’s engine displaces 421 cubic inches and has a supercharger, generating 320 hp. Like the car’s price, that was an astounding figure in the 1930s. 

The race-bred engine and the performance it provided meant that Duesenbergs were considered driver’s cars in their time, but this car was also designed to be chauffeur driven. Its unique coachbuilt body includes a partition and a complete set of gauges for rear-seat passengers so they monitor what the driver is doing. It gives new meaning to the term “back-seat driver.”

The car was restored in 1979 and has been shown frequently since then, although because of its value it isn’t driven very often anymore. That means the driving portion of this video is limited to a bit of taxiing around an airport apron, but it’s rare to see this unique Duesenberg in motion at all.

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

Any Duesenberg is bound to attract attention, but the car featured on this episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage” has always stood out from the rest.

This four-door was built as a show car for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, where it became famous in its time as the “Twenty Grand” Duesenberg because of its then-outrageous price of $20,000. Leno notes in the video that the average American car cost less than $1,000 at the time, and the average house was less than $2,000.

The one-off Twenty Grand was not the most expensive Duesenberg ever built—the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe cost $25,000 when new—but it was too expensive to attract a buyer the first time around. Duesenberg repainted it black and brought it back to Chicago in 1934, where it was eventually sold to a wealthy buyer. It’s now part of California’s Nethercutt Collection, where it’s displayed alongside other classics from storied automakers like Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza.

Like other Duesenbergs, the Twenty Grand is powered by a straight-8 engine based on Indianapolis 500 racing engines. This car’s engine displaces 421 cubic inches and has a supercharger, generating 320 hp. Like the car’s price, that was an astounding figure in the 1930s. 

The race-bred engine and the performance it provided meant that Duesenbergs were considered driver’s cars in their time, but this car was also designed to be chauffeur driven. Its unique coachbuilt body includes a partition and a complete set of gauges for rear-seat passengers so they monitor what the driver is doing. It gives new meaning to the term “back-seat driver.”

The car was restored in 1979 and has been shown frequently since then, although because of its value it isn’t driven very often anymore. That means the driving portion of this video is limited to a bit of taxiing around an airport apron, but it’s rare to see this unique Duesenberg in motion at all.

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

One thing I love about the collector car world is that, despite the seemingly ever increasing prices of many cars, there are still quite a few great cars that are available at more affordable prices. One of my favorites is the Chevrolet Corvair.

The Corvair was designed to be the Chevy competition with the smaller and more economic cars that were starting to make their way in the early 1960 to the US from Europe. It was at the time one of the most expensive development projects ever undertaken by GM, and the car that came from this work was something GM had never built: a sporty looking rear engine car powered by an air-cooled boxer 6-cylinder engine. Sales when launched were quite strong, but a book called Unsafe at Any Speed by Ralph Nader (yes, that Ralph Nader) said that the car was dangerous and the rear engine was a bad design. This was really not true, but the book and stories of cars spinning caused buyers to think that the Corvair was a bad car. If you have any doubt, consider that the Corvair was a very successful racecar when new which is something a bad design could not accomplish.

Since then, the Corvair has had a continued following of enthusiast owners, a strong parts network and one of the most fun car clubs in the country. These enthusiasts love the cars and do everything they can to spread the word about the Corvair.

The Pick of the Day is my very favorite version of the Corvair, a 1964 Corvair Monza Spyder Coupe. The Spyder designation often means convertible but for the Corvair it means that the car is turbocharged, with the engine producing 150hp instead of the stock Monza 110 hp.

The La Verne, California seller describes this Corvair Spyder as having been professionally stored for 40 years and then in 2017, the car emerged and received a complete and professional service on all mechanical parts including new paint, shocks, carpets, tires, spark plugs, fuel filter exhaust and more. All exterior trim was replaced with NOS parts. Chevy only built 6,480 Corvair Monza Spyders in 1964, which makes it one of the rarest Corvair models.  The car includes its original spare tire and looks to be ready to use and enjoy immediately.

For the asking price of only $21,900 this Corvair Monza Spyder represents a lot of car for the money.

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