Journal Classic Cars

It’s time to out myself—I don’t “get” the infatuation with Steve McQueen. I tend not to have adoration for the rich and famous, knowing that they are also going to end up six feet under just like the rest of us. Then again, Steve McQueen was an enthusiast like you and me, had racing experience, and possessed the means to buy and do things we can only dream about.

So, who would be today’s Steve McQueen? I humbly submit a very unexpected human bean.

McQueen’s career came of age in the 1960s, a decade in which it seemed everything accelerated and evolved—not unlike the 1950s, but with much more tension. If the 1950s were wet behind the ears, the 1960s were years of maturation, a moment of maturity before the opportunity to become jaded reared its head. (I wasn’t alive then, but that book on the Punic Wars was written by someone who wasn’t alive then either, so . . . !) Sometimes called the “King of Cool,” McQueen rose in a decade that had many others that could wear that title, such as Michael Caine and Robert Mitchum. Neither of those actors were auto enthusiasts, but James Dean and Paul Newman were, both of whom could also claim the crown.

Over the weekend, while my six-year-old was handling the TV remote control (the dexterity of kids today with modern tech is nothing short of amazing), I happened to catch sight of the thumbnail for Handy Bean and said, “Hey, Dante, want to see the preview of this thing and see if you enjoy it?” To my surprise, my stubborn son said yes, and the preview was good enough for him to view several episodes, which are actually shorts. If you’re familiar with the character Mr. Bean, these clips come off as online how-to demonstrations (like what you’d find on YouTube) but with the hands and first-person perspective of the goofy Mr. Bean. I then was reminded that Rowan Atkinson, the actor who plays Mr. Bean, is an enthusiast with enough funds to buy (and crash) the best street cars in the world. He has also legitimately raced several disparate vehicles.

I’d have to ask my wife for confirmation, but I don’t perceive Atkinson as handsome in the way the previously mentioned actors seem to have been. And certainly Mr. Bean is the antithesis of cool.

I will go out on a limb and call Atkinson “Steve McBean,” the current King of Cool.

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1967 Chevrolet C10 custom pickup. It is powered by an LS1 5.7-liter V8 paired with a 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission. Features include power steering, air conditioning, lowered suspension, and tubbed rear-end. Finished in red and white two-tone over a black leather interior, this second-generation C/K pickup is now offered by the selling dealer in Missouri with a clear title.

In October 2025, the body was refinished in red; the roof and rear of the cab, as well as one of the bed’s interior panels, were painted white. In addition, the floor of the bed was fitted with varnished wood planks and stainless steel strips. Other exterior features include chrome bumpers, wheel arch and side trim, dual side mirrors, and a fuel cap behind the driver-side taillight.

A set of 20-inch Raceline Scoundrel wheels, wrapped in 245/35 Lexani LX-Twenty (front) and 29 x 15.00 Mickey Thompson S/R (rear) radials, give this truck an instant custom look.

The cabin is fitted with a black leather bench seat, black door panels, Classic Performance Products tilt steering column, power steering, aftermarket steering wheel, and air conditioning. The Alpine AM/FM/cassette stereo features Jack Daniels knobs and pumps out music through a custom speaker system.

The Dakota Digital gauges include a 160-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and readouts for the oil pressure, temperature, voltage, and fuel level. The odometer shows 747 miles, but this truck is mileage-exempt, according to its title. 

Thanks to a donor 2002 Chevrolet Camaro, this truck received an LS1 5.7-liter V8 and 4L60E four-speed automatic in 2024. According to the selling dealer, the Camaro had only 20,000 miles on it at the time. The engine has been upgraded with a Texas Speed & Performance camshaft and an aftermarket intake.

There are more updates underneath, such as a lowered suspension, Wilwood power front disc brakes, and tubbed rear end with a 3.73 limited-slip differential, KYB rear shocks, and adjustable Panhard bar. A dual exhaust system with an X-pipe lets out the V8’s roar.

Whether this 1967 Chevrolet C10 custom pickup is on the road or in a parking lot, you can’t miss it. If you want to buy it, don’t miss the deadline to bid on it: the auction ends on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

The 1980s are hot! Atari has “recharged” the likes of Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. Visit any airport and you’ll find travelers wearing track suits. The returns of Top Gun and Cobra Kai are notable as well. And all the Gen Xers who didn’t earn enough money working at Babbage’s are now snapping up Monte Carlo SSs, IROC-Zs, and Mustang GTs to relive their high school days. In case you missed out and need to complete your unfinished youth, perhaps our Pick of the Day will do the trick: a 1985 ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC Convertible. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Salem, Ohio.

As you may know, the Mercury Capri went from being a German pony car to an American pony car starting in 1979. Unlike the Mustang (which was available as a coupe, hatchback and, eventually, a convertible), the Capri was only available as a hatchback. That would change for 1984.

Nine years after the final Mustang convertible, a Detroit entrepreneur named Peter Muscat made a proposal to Ford: Let’s build a two-seat Mustang convertible together! However, with a convertible project set for 1983, Ford was in no need of assistance, but the automaker directed Muscat to the other side of its Dearborn HQ to chat with Mercury. Those running Ford’s corporate cousin were receptive to the proposal, so Muscat coordinated with American Sunroof Company (often referred to as ASC) as a contractor for the conversion. ASC recruited McLaren to help with the suspension and wheels.

The 1984-86 ASC/McLaren Capri was offered in several configurations, but here we are focusing on the 1985 5.0 SC Convertible, which featured a windshield with a steeper rake, custom exterior paint and accents, and a “Euro-style” manual top with Haartz Cambria cloth and a tonneau cover. This custom vehicle rolled on special 15×7-inch cast-aluminum wheels with low-profile BFGoodrich 225/50/15 tires, and McLaren-engineered springs and Carrera 50/50 shocks for better handling and a lowered ride height. Inside, upgrades included special leather Recaro seats with inflatable lumbar support, polished hardwood dashboard appliques, custom console and interior trim with special rear storage compartments, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, and a 140-mph speedometer. Ford’s trusty and increasingly lusty 302 HO V8 was among the last of the carbureted performance Mustang engines yet mustered 210 horsepower with a five-speed that allowed the pony car to dip into the 14s, though automatics received a tamer fuel-injected job with 180 horses.

Alas, Ford discontinued the Capri pony car for 1987, but the manufacturer was impressed with what Muscat had done, so for 1987, ASC/McLaren switched to the Mustang. That ride lasted through 1990.

This ASC/McLaren Red 1985 ASC/McLaren 5.0 SC Convertible is one of 257 two-seat roadsters convertibles built (of which 100 were this hue with a tan roof). Power comes from the fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8 backed by a four-speed AOD automatic. Note the Desert Sand Recaro leather bucket seats with integrated speakers in the headrests! The seller does not give us many details on this vehicle, but we do know the odometer reads only 81,405 miles. I spy power windows and power door locks, air conditioning, a tachometer, an aftermarket Kenwood stereo/cassette player, and plenty of documentation and paperwork. Do you dig the gold cast aluminum wheels?

There are some folks who were never quite able to shine in high school but got their chance in the reality of college and beyond. However, some folks will always feel something is missing. This is the car for them, a drop-top that finishes the youthful episode that never really felt completed. For $16,900, it’s a recharge a shrink could never offer.

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

You learn something new every day: After decades of thinking that many of Ford‘s SUVs have names that start with the letters EX because they’re synonymous with adventure (Explorer, Expedition, Excursion), I recently discovered that the Expedition’s name has a connection to the United States Marine Corps. Coincidentally, I gained this knowledge on November 10^th, the same day that this division of the U.S. armed forces celebrated its 250th anniversary.

Now a retired Major General in the Marine Corps Reserve, Leo V. Williams III graduated as part of the Naval Academy’s class of 1970, then served as an infantryman and artillery officer in the Marines until 1978. He also earned his master’s degree in business administration, which led to a job offer from Ford the same year. As a member of the truck operations product planning group, Williams worked with his fellow “concept developers for the F-150 pickups and new products like the Aerostar minivan and the first Ford Explorer SUV.” That led to an opportunity to name the SUV that followed the Explorer.

After the enormous success of the Explorer, The Blue Oval was keen on giving its larger sibling another name that started with the letters EX. At the time, Williams was a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. Given that the new vehicle was meant to be perceived as capable of going anywhere and doing anything, and that the Marines are an “expeditionary” force with those abilities, it seemed natural to Williams to name the vehicle Expedition. It also helped that Jeep was a big competitor at the time and drove Williams and his colleagues to show customers that they could get the same things Jeep offered in a Ford vehicle.

Williams wasn’t alone in favoring the name Expedition. He said, “At the time, Ross Roberts was the head of Ford Division, and Bob Rewey was the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales. I knew they were both Army veterans, and we would occasionally talk about our military experiences. When the suggestion came to them, they both smiled and said, ‘Yeah, this makes sense to us.’”

Next year marks another major milestone: the 30th anniversary of the Ford Expedition, which started production in 1996 for the 1997 model year.

The Cadillac Eldorado hasn’t always been a personal luxury coupe, but in 1967, that’s what it evolved to be. Previously, the Eldorado was a premium Cadillac, offering a higher level of luxury and/or sportiness depending on the type of Eldorado (Biarritz? Seville? Brougham?).

Below are four Eldorados that are currently listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. Can you tell us which model year each one is from? Post your answers in the Comments section below. If you are struggling, just click on an image for a hint.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

If it’s Tuesday, that can only mean there’s a new automotive game at The ClassicCars.com Journal. You can also play past puzzles for even more fun!

Taking the necessary steps to get your vehicle ready for winter is critical in maintaining its value and performance. What you don’t want? Spring arrives, you’re ready to hit the road, and boom… broken gasket, oil leak, dead battery. Now your weekends are spent in the garage rebuilding instead of cruising. Oil changes, fuel stabilizers, battery disconnection, and seal protection are essential prep steps.

How Does Winter Affect Your Car?

Don’t wait for the spring startup disaster. Get a free quote now and use code 250OFF for $250 off your first year of coverage.

The holidays are near, and classic car enthusiasts face a familiar dilemma: put your pride and joy into winter storage or risk corrosive effects of road salt on seasonal drives. Most collectors make the smart choice… garage it until spring. But here’s what many don’t realize: sitting idle for months creates its own mechanical threats.  

Temperature swings cause seals to fail as cold weather thickens engine oil and other vital fluids, making them move less freely through internal systems and causing gaskets to dry out and seals to crack. Cold starts stress engines, with battery strength dropping by approximately 35% once temperatures reach freezing. Salt-contaminated moisture destroys electrical systems, and road salt causes strong chemical reactions with exposed metal, potentially damaging fuel and brake lines. Condensation builds fuel systems and electrical components.

When spring finally arrives and you turn that key for the first time in months, that’s when disaster strikes. When your engine refuses to start or begins to leak from failed gaskets after months of storage, your car insurance won’t help. It covers accidents, collisions, theft, and body damage, but mechanical breakdowns. Forget about it.

Insurance vs. Vehicle Service Contracts.

This is where the distinction between insurance and Vehicle Service Contracts (VSCs) becomes critical for classic and exotic car owners.

Insurance=Accidents

VSC=Breakdowns

Traditional auto insurance protects against collisions, theft, and physical damage to your vehicle’s body. But mechanical failures (the kind accelerated by winter weather) fall outside insurance coverage. The VSC market is growing rapidly, expanding from $32.29 billion in 2024 to a projected $44.31 billion by 2030.

What is Legendary Car Protection?

For classic cars, repairs, especially engines or transmissions, can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $10,000 or more. Legendary Car Protection provides Vehicle Service Contracts (VSC) specifically for classics, exotics, and everyday vehicles. This coverage helps protect engine failures, transmission issues, electrical problems, and full powertrain protection that insurance doesn’t touch.

What makes us different:

✓ No mileage restrictions – because we understand collectors drive their cars

✓ Coverage for vehicles from 1930 to today – classic muscle cars, vintage Europeans, modern supercars, and everyday drivers

✓ Month-to-month Flexibility – cancel anytime, no long-term commitments

✓ Certified specialist network nationwide – Shops that understand your vehicle

✓ Comprehensive powertrain coverage – engine, transmission, electrical, A/C systems

Whether you’re protecting that ’70 Dodge Challenger R/T, 1963 Corvette, or Ferrari, we cover the mechanical realties insurance ignores. Limited Time Offer: Use code 250OFF at checkout for $250 off your first year. Get your free quote today.

Classic car owners who make the smart choice of storing vehicles decades old face compounding risks because sitting idle doesn’t preserve mechanics; it degrades them. Rubber seals become brittle without regular lubrication. Gaskets dry and crack from temperature fluctuations. Fuel systems collect moisture and of course batteries lose charge even when disconnected.

You have avoided road salt all winter, the smart move. But the hidden threat?  An $8,000+ mechanical failure that your insurance won’t cover.

Ready to protect your investment?

Get a free quote at LegendaryCarProtection.com or call us at 800-927-7268.

Limited Time: Use code 250OFF for $250 off your first year of coverage.

Don’t let spring startup turn into a nightmare. Protect your car today.

The Cadillac Brougham was literally the last of the classic Cadillac big rear-wheel drive cars. In the 1987 Prestige Brochure, Cadillac called the Brougham”The Spirit of Cadillac.” What can be a bit confusing is that even though the Brougham is basically an old rear-drive Sedan DeVille or Fleetwood Brougham, Cadillac renamed the big car “Brougham.” The reason for the name change is because the new, downsized 1985 Sedan DeVille was based on a front-wheel drive platform, yet there was still demand for a large rear-wheel drive Cadillac sedan. Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight is the first model year for this reconfigured model, a 1987 Cadillac Brougham.

This car is painted Light Sapphire Blue Metallic with a dark blue vinyl top and a Blue Royal Prima cloth interior, This classic Cadillac is offered by the selling dealer with a clear title.

Based on the photos provided, I am guessing that this is an all-original example of the last of the classic Cadillac sedans. The paint and chrome all look to be in excellent condition with no issues that I could detect. I am surprised that the seller did not make a bigger deal about the overall original condition of this Brougham, as nice examples of these cars are harder and harder to locate as people tended to drive the wheels off them since they were the epitome of the classic American luxury car. This one features stock 15-inch steel wheels with the optional wire wheel hubcaps.

The interior looks to be in excellent condition, with the Blue Royal Prima cloth seats looking as nice as they did when this car rolled off the assembly line in Michigan. Of course, it has power windows, power front seats, reading lights for rear passengers, climate control that Cadillac touted could be set to “single degree increments,” and faux wood trim everywhere. This car features cruise control and the optional Twilight Sentinel light system. Every bit of the interior looks to be in exceptional condition.

Under the hood is the not-so-mighty but factory original Oldsmobile 307ci V8. It is not a powerhouse with 140 horsepower but does feature 225 lb-ft of torque. The car is no speed demon, to be sure, but it will cruise all day at 100 mph on the highway. Like the rest of this Cadillac Brougham, everything is original and in exceptional condition including the underhood pad. There is no rust on the underside of this car either. It is the very definition of a preservation car, something rare in these late-1980s Cadillacs.

If the idea of buying an end-of-an-era American luxury car appeals to you and you are looking for a very nice original example of one, this 1987 Cadillac is just the ticket. Why not place a bid or two and find out what classic American luxury cars were all about? If you are interested, you should act fact as the auction for this 1987 Cadillac Brougham ends at 1:45 p.m. (MST) on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, or you’ll miss out.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

What a happy coincidence that I found this cool build while our media team was in Las Vegas getting plenty of footage at the SEMA Show (stay tuned to see that). Our Pick of the Day looks like what a company would’ve made for the event back in the early ’90s. This 1991 Chevrolet Suburban overlanding rig is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Hickory, North Carolina.

The Chevrolet Suburban has been around for 90 years and gone on countless on- and off-road adventures in that time with thousands of owners. This final-year “Square Body” model was modified by the selling dealer for overlanding, which is defined as “self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal” by Overland Journal.

The dealer began by removing the frame and sandblasting and refinishing it, along with rebuilding both axles. It adds that “the brakes and suspension have been refreshed with new calipers, wheel cylinders, brake hoses, ball joints, leaf springs, bushings, shocks, steering linkage, and steering box.”

Of course, the wheels and tires were upgraded too. Now this Suburban gets over nature’s obstacles on a set of black 15-inch wheels wrapped in Nexen Roadian all-terrains. A spare is mounted at the rear on a custom swing-out carrier.

When you’re days away from home and hours away from civilization, you need to know your engine and transmission are in good shape. As part of this Suburban’s conversion process, the dealer rebuilt the 350ci V8 and equipped it with Edelbrock E-Street aluminum heads, flat-top pistons, Edelbrock four-barrel intake, Edelbrock AVS2 carburetor with electric choke, Comp Cams camshafts, stainless steel shorty headers, and more. The small-block is paired with a rebuilt 700R4 four-speed automatic, and a rebuilt and resealed dual-range transfer case. The dealer states, “Additionally, the fuel tank and lines, radiator and hoses, and starter and alternator have all been replaced with new units.”

Overlanding can leave “forest pinstripes” on paint, but it’ll take a lot to mar this rig’s black Rhino Linings finish. If Mother Nature puts up a fight, there’s an externally mounted axe on one side and a shovel on the other. Really stuck? Just use the 10,000-pound Smittybilt winch to get out.

Inside, the floor has been covered with heavy-duty vinyl that can be easily cleaned after you splash through water and mud. New black vinyl covers the front bucket seats and the rear bench. A custom switch panel controls the auxiliary exterior lighting, which includes a light bar in the grille guard and spotlights.

Once the day’s journey has ended and it’s time to sleep, a ladder provides access to the Smittybilt four-person tent, which comes equipped with a built-in rain shield and canopy.

You could spend the time and money it would take to assemble a rig like this, or you could just buy this updated and thoughtfully built example that’s completely turn-key. If you wish to purchase this 1991 Chevrolet Suburban overlanding rig, reach out to the selling dealer to ask for the price by clicking any of the pictures in this article or the below link.

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

Last night, while I was washing my son Hayden’s baby bottles, my wife started watching the new Hulu series “All’s Fair.” The legal drama starring Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Naomi Watts, and Niecy Nash shows the professional and personal problems their characters go through while starting their own law firm. The first episode was filled with designer fashion and high-end cars, many of which had mid-engine layouts. One noticeable exclusion was the C8 Chevrolet Corvette.

It’s no surprise that a show about highly paid LA attorneys features vehicles from Bentley, Maserati, and Lamborghini. Mid-engine cars in particular are automotive shorthand for “I’m a big shot.” Since 2020, the Corvette has had the same configuration, but it was absent from the lineup.

The more I thought about “All’s Fair,” it became clearer that the C8 is missing from other programs filled with mid-engine cars. My wife enjoys watching reality TV shows such as “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” “The Kardashians,” “Selling Sunset,” and “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” I can’t stand all the constant fighting and embarrassing behavior on those shows, so they’re far from my first choice of what to watch, yet I endure them for her. I’ve seen those programs enough to know the vehicles they typically showcase—many of them are high-end SUVs, including the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Land Rover Range Rover, and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. If the ultra-rich housewives go anywhere as a large group, it’s typically in a luxed-up Mercedes Sprinter conversion van or something similar. Of course, there are also plenty of performance cars but, in all my hours of watching (way too many!), I can’t recall ever seeing a C8 Corvette. Not one. Why is that? I have a few theories.

Product Placement

This might explain most of the vehicle choices because television is a business, but let’s get into some of the potential historical and cultural causes.

Made in the USA

Don’t get me wrong—the C8 is an aspirational car to many. If I win Powerball, I’d quickly spend some of my winnings on an Arctic White Stingray Convertible with an Adrenaline Red interior. But I think the fact that the Corvette is so familiar to people in this country makes it less mysterious and exotic than machines from Europe, even though many of them also have dramatic styling and a V8 behind the passenger compartment.

Strength = Weakness

As far back as I can remember, one of the main advantages of the Corvette has been its value proposition. It offers close to—if not the same—performance as many European rivals at a fraction of the price. But no matter how eye-catching, powerful, or fast it is, it’s still not a European exotic, which has long been the go-to vehicle for people who want the world to know that they’ve made it and they’re living the dream. Although getting a deal is nice, it’s not the stuff of fantasies.

Power of History

Back when the Corvette was a front-engine car, it was compared to more expensive mid-engine European offerings. Like many of those, it had a long history, racing pedigree, head-turning lines, stunning power, and impressive lap times. One fundamental thing that kept the Vette from being on the same plane as certain Ferraris, McLarens, and Lamborghinis was its engine placement. That changed with the C8, which is now in its seventh model year, but that was after nearly 65 years of the Corvette being an American car with a pushrod small-block behind its nose. Just like its value, perhaps the Corvette’s history works against it (at least in terms of screen time on dreadful shows).

I also consider the ages of some of the people in these shows and how those might affect the way they view the Corvette in general. From what I’ve seen, Kim Kardashian doesn’t appear to be a big fan of supercars but, for the sake of easy math, let’s use her as an example. She was born in 1980, which means she lived the first 40 years of her life in the era of the front-engine Corvette, which at times was criticized for having a low-rent interior. First impressions, especially those made in your formative years, are hard to forget.

Have any of you who watch “All’s Fair” or reality TV noticed the same thing about the C8 Corvette? What are your theories behind its lack of on-screen presence? Tell us in the Comments section below.

At the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction, Luke hunts down some of the most unique and unexpected builds across the entire docket. We all know Barrett-Jackson is where the world’s greatest collector cars roll across the block, but that’s only half the fun—among the legends, you always stumble upon the oddities, the one-off builds, and the truly unique that make you stop, point, and say, “What the heck is that?” This Top 5 list covers everything from a John Deere-themed Smart Car to a wooden-bodied Willys Jeep that looks like it came out of Bedrock. Stroll with Luke as we take a closer look at what makes these vehicles stand out!

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