Over the past 100 years, certain things in the automotive industry have ceased to exist. The advancement of technology has led to the death of flatheads and carburetors. Models such as the Ford Fairlane and Buick Riviera are now relics of the past. Even entire brands have been shut down—right, Plymouth and Scion fans? As our Pick of the Day, a 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe shows, particular body styles have also been casualties of time. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Coupes are still a thing, but business coupes are an entirely different matter. Back in the first half of the 20th century, they were commonly used by traveling sales professionals because their back rows offered room for their wares and gear, instead of additional seating. These days, pickups are used as WiFi-equipped mobile offices, people shop online, and Amazon offers same-day delivery of many of its items.
At one point in time, this ’37 Chevy Business Coupe was likely used as the transportation for an ambitious sales associate lugging around encyclopedias or a case full of Christmas light bulbs, determined to convert their product demonstrations into revenue. Currently, it’s a show vehicle that’s been displayed online and at Goodguys. Now we get to see the forward lean of its gleaming gray body, which sits at the perfect distance above a set of brown disc-style wheels thanks to an airbag suspension. The chrome bumpers have been removed from both ends of the car, making it even more eye-catching.
Once a place of pitch rehearsals and record keeping, the interior is now for luxurious cruising on a reddish-brown leather bench seat in the comfort of air conditioning.
Wherever that tall grille between the tinted headlights is pointed, the 350ci V8 under the hood and automatic transmission get the driver and his/her passenger there.
If you end up buying this attractively updated 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe for the $95,500 asking price, we suggest filling the trunk with your luggage and leaving the shelf behind the seats empty. Don’t worry about hawking hair cream or sewing machines—just think about the souvenirs you’ll bring back from your getaway in this car.
History has a funnyway of skewing the truth. We have discussed folklore of the Mopar “Wing Cars” and Chevrolet’s big-block 348 “truck engine,” but there are plenty of other examples of false narratives in automotive history that need to be put to rest. This time, it’s the 1977 Pontiac Can Am’s turn.
The Can Am has been a strong collectible for years within the Pontiac hobby and it has had many admirers beyond those into Ponchos. All were white with yellow/orange/red stripes and featured a shaker-equipped 400ci engine (or, for California and high-altitude areas, Oldsmobile’s 403). Only 1,377 were built. The story goes that Pontiac would have built many more if the spoiler machine did not break. As it turns out, Can Am expert and editor of Smoke Signals(the club magazine of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International) Tim Dye has shown us in Issue I 2025 that this narrative is not quite true.
Factory photo of the 1974 All American show car.
The story begins in 1974 with the bicentennial-themed All American, a Grand Am-based show car that was somewhat like a Grand Am given the Trans Am treatment. However, in June of that year, production consideration was rejected. Motortown, the company run by former Pontiac adman Jim Wangers, came up with an evolutionary proposal in 1976: an orange LeMans Sport Coupe with a shaker scoop and GTO Judge-inspired striping. Pontiac rejected this proposal too.
However, LeMans sales had been falling since 1973, so Pontiac executives were keen on giving sales a kick in the rear. Wangers was encouraged to meet with Pontiac product planners; the team ended up proposing two variations (LeMans and Ventura) of the same idea: white paint with a black lower body, a shaker hood, exhaust splitters, painted bumpers (white on top, black below), and a rear spoiler. The Ventura also had louvered rear quarter windows created to match the LeMans Sport Coupe’s. In Wangers’ book Glory Days, he said that the LeMans received white Rally II wheels, but photographs show only the Ventura got these wheels, while the LeMans came with body-colored Snowflakes.
The Ventura proposal did not receive approval (though, interestingly, the prototype ended up being sold to the public and is currently in the hands of Dye), but the LeMans proposal persevered and was approved in November 1976. Dealer announcements were made the following January, with the public first bearing witness at the Detroit Auto Show the same month. Production began in February; Can Ams arrived at dealerships in March.
The initial production Can Ams were “pattern” cars, meaning they were built with the same equipment: a Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential, GR70x15 white-letter tires, a Custom Sport steering wheel, Soft Ray tinted glass, Custom seat belts, dual horns, and floor mats. This was in addition to the “WW3” Can Am package, which included the Grand Prix’s instrument panel with Rally gauges, the Trans Am’s L72 400 (or the 403—42 were built, we now know!), Rally Tuned Suspension, a Hydramatic transmission, power steering and brakes, body-colored mirrors and Rally II wheels, a black grille, and several other items. At Motortown, the shaker hood, special trim (yellow/orange/red striping and black lower body paint that included the underside of the bumpers), Can Am decals, and decklid spoiler were added. The package’s initial cost was $1,214.43, plus $375 for the Motortown conversion.
At the time, Pontiac had 4,000 dealers, which placed orders for 5,000 Can Ams. However, according to a March 17, 1977, letter to Motortown, Pontiac desired to be released from its commitment to produce 2,000 vehicles for conversion due to a tool breakdown, specifically the machine that created the unique spoiler.
This has been the narrative for several decades, but Dye has been able to provide evidence that the spoiler was not the end of the Can Am. Per an internal company letter, “From the week of April 11 forward Can Am orders will be processed on a free-flow basis,” meaning production would continue. Additionally, a Car Distribution Bulletin dated April 26 stated that the Can Am option had been removed from “hold” status. It’s also worth noting there are Can Ams known with scheduled build dates through June 1977, proving that production did not cease after the machine breakdown.
If stories like this interest you, it would behoove you to join POCI. Not only does Dye produce the club magazine, but he also manages the Pontiac-Oakland Museum, which has a Resource Center full of internal company documents that allow hobbyists to learn about Pontiac straight from the horse’s mouth.
Today on ClassicCars TV we’re getting familiar with a unique restomod we spotted at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction! With its Jet Age fins, sweeping profile, and custom Pagan Gold paint job, this 1959 Buick LeSabre convertible reimagines mid-century American style. Under the hood is a 5.3-liter LS V8 paired with a 4L60 four-speed automatic transmission and a nine-inch rear end.
This modified Buick rides on an AccuAir suspension and comes equipped with disc brakes and 15-inch artillery wheels with wide whitewalls. On the inside, there’s a hand-built dash, molded seats, and classic features. Join us as we take a quick walk around this customized example of rolling Americana.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1985 Chevrolet Corvette, which has accrued only 23,793 miles since rolling out of Chevrolet’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory. It’s powered by a 5.7-liter V8 connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. Finished in Black and equipped with a matching removable roof panel over a Gray leather interior, this second-year C4 comes from the selling dealer in Pennsylvania with the original window sticker and manuals, clean CARFAX report, and clear title.
The Black wedge-shaped exterior is equipped with fog lamps, pop-up headlights, tinted windows, body-color removable roof panel, lift-up glass rear hatch, and polished quad outlets for the dual exhaust system.
This Vette rides on a set of 16-inch “salad shooter” wheels equipped with knock-off-style center caps and 255/50 Cooper Cobra and Cooper Radial GTZ tires.
Inside the cockpit is a pair of Gray leather seats surrounded by features that include woodgrain trim, power locks and windows, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering column with leather-wrapped steering wheel, power steering, air conditioning, and AM/FM/cassette radio.
The set of digital gauges includes an 85-mph speedometer, 6,000-rpm tachometer, fuel gauge, and readouts for the oil pressure, coolant temperature, distance to empty, fuel economy, and more. The analog odometer shows 23,793 original miles, which is a slight increase from the most recent CARFAX report (August 2020) showing 23,772 miles.
Under the massive fiberglass hood is an L98 5.7-liter V8 with Tuned-Port Injection. When new, the engine was rated at 230 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. It routes its output to the limited-slip rear end through a four-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel power disc brakes keep that power in check.
Underpinnings consist of front and rear stabilizer bars and fiberglass transverse leaf springs, a short/long arm front suspension, and a five-link rear suspension.
If you want to add this low-mileage C4 to your garage, bid on it right now. The auction for this 1985 Chevrolet Corvette ends on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).
Have you noticed that “square” is back? The boxy designs of vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s are once again making a comeback. Just look at the latest Hyundai Santa Fe crossover—even its wheel wells favor straight lines over rounded ones. General Motors had the right idea decades ago, with its square-body Chevrolet and GMC trucks that were produced from 1973 through 1991. This surviving specimen is about as good as they get.
“All original sheet metal,” the seller says. From the description in the listing, the sheet metal might be just about the only thing left that’s original. The Shamrock Green paint is new, the black vinyl bench seat has been reupholstered, and the engine and transmission have both been replaced. It’s somewhat like buying a “new” truck that’s actually 46 years old.
Plentiful power comes from a 454ci big-block V8 mated to a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. The odometer shows 60,372 miles, but the listing says there are fewer than 5,000 miles on a replacement engine and transmission. Lots of other maintenance items have also been done, including work to the exhaust system, front suspension, and brakes.
The bed has been coated in Line-X and looks to be in great shape. The underside is also as clean as a whistle, which makes you wonder what kind of life this truck had before it underwent restoration. Surely it wasn’t subjected to heavy-hauling at a farm or construction site, although no doubt it would have been up to any such task.
An overseas magazine ad for the 1979 Chevrolet pickups said, “The Brute’s Loose.” The truck was marketed for being tougher than ever, saying, “The famous ladder-type frame, double wall body construction and massive independent coil spring front suspension are still there, to help carry body/payloads up to 1,562 kg.”
The asking price is $21,000 or best offer, which is quite a bit less than a new full-size Chevy truck will cost you these days. Buy a truck that sets you apart from everyone else at the hardware store! Good thing it’s painted Shamrock Green, because it’s your lucky day.
A national gathering of Ford Motor Company’s best high-performance cars will converge in East Moline, Illinois on July 17-19 as the Boss Nationals carries on the tradition of recognizing and promoting the history of Dearborn’s best.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
If your blood doesn’t flow Ford blue, then perhaps a primer is in order: anything with the Boss name, from the 1969-70 Mustang Boss 302 and Cougar Eliminator, 1969-70 Mustang Boss 429 and Cougar, and 1971 Mustang Boss 351 are the vehicles of honor. And don’t forget the latter-day Mustang Boss 302 that was built for 2012-13! All were primo performance cars, with the vintage models being top collectibles for decades.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
In addition, this year there will be special recognition for Cobra Jet Fords and Mercurys built with the Drag Pack. That means any 1969-70 428 Super Cobra Jet and 1970-71 429 Super Cobra Jet vehicles, both mid-size and pony cars!
For the show field, there will be multiple judged classes plus one for non-judged cars, all held at the Bend XPO in East Moline, Illinois. The calendar of events is as follows:
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
Thursday, July 17: Load-in and set-up at Bend XPO Friday, July 18: Car show (including judging) and swap meet Saturday, July 19: Car show, more judging, swap meet, and awards Sunday, July 20: Must be out of the building by 9 a.m.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
New for 2025 is the Super Stallion Class for Thoroughbred Judged cars—this is for the best of the best! To qualify, car must have received two MCA Thoroughbred Gold, SAAC Division II, MCACN Pinnacle, or Boss Nationals Gold awards, or a combination of such.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
Registration , lodging, and more information can be found on the Boss Nationals website www.bossnationals.com. Plenty of food, pop (said some Midwesterner), beer, and Bosses to be had!
Of all the mid-size muscle cars of the 1960s and ’70s, the Dodge Charger is the absolute coolest of them all. It had a starring role in “The Dukes’s Of Hazzard,” and then it also starred in a number of “The Fast and the Furious” movies.
These Chargers are in my option the very definition of a badass muscle car: great engines, dramatic styling, and are big imposing cars. A fine example of a top-tier 1970 Dodge Charger R/T is our AutoHunter Spotlight for today.
This car is powered by its legendary, numbers-matching 440 Six Pack V8. The freshly rebuilt engine is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Finished in Light Gold Metallic with a white vinyl roof and matching “Bumblebee” stripe over a Black and Charcoal vinyl interior, it is offered by the selling dealer with a framed original broadcast sheet and clear title.
It is said to have received a complete restoration in 2019, with the seller stating that this Charger is one of 187 known V-Code 4-speed Charger R/Ts produced with Dana 60 rear end and 3.54 Sure Grip, according to the 1970 Charger Registry. Other features include the correct 14-inch Magnum 500 wheels that are clad in F70 Firestone Wide Oval raised white letter tires.
The interior of this Charger looks excellent, with correct Black and Charcoal vinyl upholstery, wood dash trim, center console with Hurst pistol-grip manual shifter, and factory AM radio.
Under the hood is where the awesome is most evident. The factory 440 Six Pack V8 looks correct in every way. If you are worried about power, don’t be as this engine produces 390 horsepower at 4,700 rpm and 490 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm.
When you take a look at the Chrysler broadcast sheet, which is the build sheet in Mopar-speak, you’ll find that this car is exactly as it was delivered from the factory when new. Having that broadcast sheet with the car is important in verifying that the vehicle is correct and raises this Charger to a level higher than Chargers that have been modified over the years. To me it is the perfect car to take to the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals or any local show; it is also eligible for many regional concours events due to it being such a nice, correct, and rare example.
If you are looking for a top-tier muscle car, this vehicle is one you should seriously consider placing a bid or three on, but do so quickly as the auction for this 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 Six Pack ends on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).
Whether it’s in real life, or in a movie or TV show, seeing a convoy of large, black SUVs usually means someone important (such as a politician or an executive) is on the move. Typically, those rigs are from General Motors, but soon you might see a group of 2025 Jeep Wagoneer COVs (Command Operations Vehicle) flying past you to bring a VIP to his or her next destination safely.
According to Stellantis, “The 2025 Jeep Wagoneer COV, developed at the request of and in cooperation with, federal, state and local government agencies” is a vehicle designed for VIP protection and law enforcement.
Fundamentally, the Wagoneer COV is largely a regular Wagoneer. It has leather seats for eight passengers, three-zone climate control, and a Quadra-Lift air suspension system. Its 10-inch heads-up display with night vision and 360-degree surround-view camera are a great fit for this important kind of work; they work in conjunction with approximately 130 other standard safety and security features to keep occupants safe. The Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6 under the hood delivers 420 horsepower and can bring the Wagoneer COV to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.
Of course, it takes special equipment to turn the three-row rig into VIP transportation. Whelen grille, side, and front and rear interior light bars make it clear to onlookers and other drivers that the COV is not your ordinary Wagoneer. Even those who can’t see the COV will know it’s nearby thanks to the Whelen siren system, which is connected to a speaker mounted behind the grille. Inside, a Power Distribution Center with dedicated circuits for equipment (camera, computer, radio, radar, siren, printer, modem, etc.), and cargo/weapon storage areas are there to make the driver and personnel’s jobs a bit less stressful.
Agencies that purchase the Jeep Wagoner Command Operations Vehicle will receive three years of Jeep Connect services, such as remote start, plus 10 years of access to the Safety and Security Package, which includes Recall Alert and Stolen Vehicle Assistance. If the Wagoneer COV gets swiped while you’re on assignment, be prepared for plenty of paperwork—including a pink slip.
During the muscle car era, it was not unusual for companies to offer exhaust extensions or fancy exhaust tips as an option. However, only one manufacturer offered a special exhaust tip option that came with a unique bumper. One of these cars, a 1971 Buick GS two-door hardtop, is our Pick of the Day. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Like Chevrolet, Buick changed its approach to its mid-size high-performance cars for 1971. In Buick’s case, the GS 350 and GS 455 were combined into a single Gran Sport series, available with 350, 455, and Stage 1 455. This was the year that compression was lowered for all of GM’s brands, so the standard 350 dropped from 315 to 260 horsepower, while the 455 dropped 35 to 315 horses. The top-dog Stage 1 went from 360 to 345 horses. The 350 came standard with a column-shifted three-speed, while either 455 required a four-speed or automatic to be specified. Unlike 1970, the 350 was not available with a floor shifter for the three-speed.
The GS (and Skylarks in general) were given a mild facelift, with the grille now featuring two nostrils underneath the front bar of the bumper; out back, the license plate moved up on the bumper to eliminate the trim that connected the taillights for 1970. For GSs, the grille’s pattern (which differed from the Skylark’s) was repeated in the grilles for the ram air system.
Interestingly, a front bench seat was standard. Compare this with other performance models within GM, such as the Pontiac GTO, and Oldsmobile 4-4-2, as they both came standard with bucket seats. Aside of bucket seats, buyers could opt for a vinyl notchback seat, which included an armrest.
New was the “Through Bumper Exhaust Extensions,” sales code E6 and UPC code N25. Unlike the Oldsmobile 4-4-2’s notched bumper with “trumpet” extensions, this option featured a rectangular hole punched through the bumper. Only 2,033 folks ordered a GS with this bumper.
This 1971 Buick GS is of 5,986 two-door hardtops powered by the 350 four-barrel. It’s also one of 552 painted Fire Red. This GS features Pearl White bucket seats with an added console. “All original with factory repaint,” says the seller. “The body is straight and free of dents or scratches.” The interior is in “outstanding shape,” presented as a clean and well-maintained cabin. Several options include console, tachometer (appears to be added), air conditioning, push-button Sonomatic AM radio, white vinyl top, driver-side mirror, and Buick’s famous chrome mags.
“Mechanically, everything is dialed in—all gauges, lights, and turn signals function properly,” adds the seller. Sounds like a “hop in and drive” car! And when you separate yourself from $42,995 to drive off in this Buick, be sure to shake that thang because the tail is what makes this one stand out.
As a youngster, I used to fixate on the passenger-side mirror of our car while looking out the window on family road trips. I remember reading the “Objects in Mirror” quote and not knowing exactly what it meant. Now, as a middle-aged adult with plenty of driving miles under my belt, I fully understand that it was an important reminder about the optical illusion that a convex mirror can create. The wider field of vision and minimized blind spots come at the price of a slightly distorted distance perspective.
I was recently going through some marketing materials and came across a pamphlet promoting the 2002 Acura NSX-T. The first page has that familiar mirror, with the saying “Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear,” and the second page says, “What Objects?” It’s a clever way of saying the car has left its followers far in the dust, but it also provokes a lot of questions.
Rules and Regs
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 111 pertains to rear visibility. Item S5.4.2 says, “Each convex mirror shall have permanently and indelibly marked at the lower edge of the mirror’s reflective surface, in letters not less than 4.8mm nor more than 6.4mm high the words “Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear.”
This code of regulations was made effective September 1, 1971 and applied to vehicles made after that date, so it would have likely affected all 1972-and-newer cars. My oldest car is a 1986 and my newest car is a 2019. I just checked them both. They are compliant. The only car I’ve seen that doesn’t have it is my Japanese-spec 1996 Integra, but it was subject to an entirely different set of standards unique to its target market.
“Are” or “May Be”?
A controversy stems from a so-called Mandela Effect regarding the verbiage on the mirrors. Many people believe the mirrors used to say, “Objects in Mirror May Be Closer Than They Appear.” I, too, have some recollection of this. But is that just because it’s been misquoted in pop culture my entire life? Or did some mirrors really used to have it written that way?
Maybe it won’t matter anyway – at the rate the industry is moving, we’ll soon have camera monitors in place of every mirror. Knowing that we have some seasoned automotive enthusiasts in our readership audience, I wanted to poll you all. Do you ever remember mirrors saying, “Objects in Mirror May Be Closer Than They Appear?” Tell us!
