Ford has such a long, rich history of producing vehicles in the U.S. that it’s easy to assume it has the most significant ones in a museum. Yes, the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation has vehicles in it, but those aren’t its main focus. As the following video from CBS Saturday Morning shows, it wasn’t until several years ago that Ford became serious about organizing a collection of significant models here.
According to Ford historian Ted Ryan, Henry Ford II was of the opinion that Ford Motor Company should build cars, not collect them. Luckily, current CEO Jim Farley has a different way of looking at things, but it took him visiting a Ford collection in the UK to realize there should be something similar in the States. In late 2023, he sent out an email which said, “Go find the best of the vehicles in America and find a way to get them together so that our employees can learn from what we’ve done and enjoy the best of what Ford has done over the years,” as Ryan puts it.
After that, other Ford employees started coming out of the woodwork to tell Ryan about the cars they had squirreled away in various company buildings, such as the first F-150 and the last Mustang produced at Dearborn Assembly in 2004.
Overall, the Ford Heritage Fleet totals approximately 500 vehicles, nearly 200 of which are in the United States. Fifty of those are currently housed in the executive parking garage at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. They range from first- and second-generation GT supercars to the doomed Ranger EV of the late-1990s and the 2004 Bronco concept, along with plenty of other one-offs that never made it into production. Of course, there are plenty of Mustangs in the collection, including the 10-millionth produced and the 2015 model that was disassembled, carried up the Empire State Building in pieces, and then put back together on the 86th floor to commemorate the pony car’s 50th anniversary.
If you were in charge of the Ford Heritage Fleet, what would you add to it? A first-year Thunderbird? A Harley-Davidson F-150? A 1968 Mustang GT 390? Tell us in the comments below.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega hatchback coupe. This model, produced from 1975-76, was supposed to be the future of high-performance cars in America but, due to emissions issues and high cost, the Cosworth Vegas didn’t quite make the bang that was anticipated. Powering this Bow Tie is an aluminum, fuel-injected 2.0-liter DOHC inline-four with four valves per cylinder—pretty heavy stuff at the time regardless of country of origin. This particular ’76 is equipped with the optional five-speed manual, manual front disc brakes, racing mirrors left and right, gold cast-aluminum wheels, and more. Painted Black with gold stripes over a black vinyl interior, this landmark car is offered by the selling dealer with the original owner’s manual, sales brochures, and clear title.
One of 1,447 built for 1976, this Cosworth Vega is painted Black with complementary gold striping. Other features include dual racing mirrors and gold, 13-inch cast-aluminum wheels, which are wrapped in 205/70 Grand AM Radial GT tires.
The Custom black vinyl interior features a pair of bucket seats (adjustable on the driver’s side) with a manual shifter mounted in-between on the floor. Other features include engine-turned instrument panel, four-spoke sport steering wheel, manual steering, and manual left-hand remote mirror. Additions include an aftermarket Kenwood AM/FM/cassette stereo with Pioneer rear speakers, and an added power outlet.
Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the temperature, voltage, and fuel. A clock is also housed among the gauges, and an aftermarket Sunpro gauge is mounted underneath the dashboard. The odometer shows 54,446 miles, though the title reads mileage-exempt.
The aluminum 122ci DOHC four-cylinder features electronic fuel injection and factory headers, giving it a factory rating of 110 horsepower. This little powerhouse is hooked up to a five-speed manual.
The undercarriage features manual front disc brakes and a single exhaust exiting from behind the rear left tire.
The Cosworth Vega held plenty of promise in a time when everything at dealerships were mega-bummers. Eager performance, ahead-of-the-curve specs, and Cosworth tie-in make this 1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega hatchback coupe a Malaise-era pocket rocket before that term was coined. Don’t get caught napping if you plan to make a bid on this rare vehicle—the auction ends on Monday, June 30, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).
Now’s your chance to win not just one, but two iconic pieces of American muscle car history—all while supporting the families staying at Ronald McDonald House Central Valley.
First up is a true classic: the 1965 Pontiac GTO. Known as the original muscle car, this GTO boasts a powerful 389 V8 engine, 4-speed manual transmission, and unmistakable style. Features include power steering, power front disc brakes, posi-traction rear differential, power windows, and more.
But that’s not all—you could also win a stunning 1969 Camaro SS in Lemans Blue. Inside, it’s outfitted with striking black-and-white houndstooth upholstery, factory in-dash tachometer, Rosewood steering wheel, and a beautifully restored dash with woodgrain trim. Under the hood, a built, date-correct 396CI engine puts out 375HP, paired with a Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission, Edelbrock Air Gap intake, Holley 750 CFM carburetor, and MSD ignition. This true Super Sport was lovingly restored and it shows—from the immaculate engine bay to its smooth drivability.
Every ticket you buy helps keep families together during one of the most difficult times in their lives. Ronald McDonald House Central Valley offers a “Home Away From Home” for families with children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. The House features 18 private guest rooms with two queen beds, TVs, and restrooms, plus shared kitchens, laundry, and living spaces. Families stay for an average of 15 nights—sometimes much longer—and never receive a bill.
Your donation makes this possible. Show your support today and enter to win at www.rmhccv-win.com. Use code CLASSICCARS at checkout for a special offer!
Let’s come together to support these families—and maybe drive away in your dream car!
Of all the classic David Brown-era Aston Martin models, the one I feel is the best value (and also the most usable and pleasant to drive) is the DB6. I know some of you think the DB6 is not nearly as good a car—either as a styling exercise or as a driver—when compared to the DB4 or 5, but I beg to disagree.
There are a few big reasons for this. First, the DB6 is the most comfortable of the classic Aston Martin DBs. It has more headroom and legroom and is a perfect GT car. Second, I actually love the updated Kamm tail on the DB6; the car still has the classic DB4/5 lines but has that subtle update that made it more modern. Finally, of all the classic DB Astons, the DB6 is much less expensive than the earlier cars, so much so that I am calling it a bargain.
The seller describes this DB6 as a nicely optioned left-hand-drive US-market example finished in the classic livery of British Racing Green over tan Connolly leather trim. Its chassis and twin-cam 3,995 DOHC inline six-cylinder engine are matching and, unlike some DB6 cars that came with automatic transmissions, it is equipped with a desirable 5-speed manual gearbox. Options include electric windows, Blaupunkt radio, and electric antenna.
The seller also provides this car’s recent service history, which includes a new fuel pump, new fuel sender, new fuel lines, rebuilt carbs, a full brake service with a rebuilt master cylinder, and a new battery.
Most importantly, this car includes its original owner’s manual, Heritage Trust Certificate, and factory service manual. According to the seller, this DB6 is in excellent condition and has been fully sorted by vintage Aston Martin experts.
Now if this were a DB4 or 5, the price would be well in excess of $500,000 but, because it is a model many Aston “experts” don’t like as much, it is being offered for only $395,000. To me, that seems like a lot of car for the money.
If you have always wanted a classic Aston Martin, this DB6 may be the perfect choice (especially if you’re tall).
The pendulum swings in mysterious ways. First, it seemed every brand’s future was moving towards EVs, and now some are pulling back from this declaration. Audi is the latest to make that announcement.
According to Autocar and relayed to us by Car and Driver, Audi is reversing its 2033 plan to eliminate internal combustion engines. In a nod to that finance class you took years ago, Audi is swinging back to ICE so as to keep its portfolio diversified. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner told Autocar that “Audi is launching from 2024-2026 a completely new line-up of internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and that gives us complete flexibility for at least another seven, eight, maybe 10 years, and then we will see how our markets develop.”
2025 Audi S5 (Image courtesy of Audi)
That doesn’t mean the all-EV plan won’t happen, but this change in strategy is certainly fantastic for enthusiasts. For now, Audi will put its money towards ICE and hybrid technology, which means absolutely cool-but-unaffordable models like the RS6 Avant can remain on our dream car list while the future will show no established deadline for an EV-only lineup, bucking the European Union’s current 2035 EV mandate.
2025 Audi S5 (Image courtesy of Audi)
Additionally, Audi will be leading Volkswagen Group’s development of hardware and software for all larger models within the Volkswagen Group’s umbrella, which includes the Audi A5 on up. “[Audi is] thinking about everything … we are car guys, let yourself be surprised,” adds Döllner.
Part camper, part passenger van and part time machine, the Volkswagen Vanagon is a lifestyle on wheels. Its iconic boxy design gives it an enduring element of charm—it is no wonder there is such a community surrounding it, even three decades after the final unit was imported to the United States.
With an engine that achieves just 67 horsepower, it’s a clear example of a case where automotive enthusiasm doesn’t always have to center around having the flashiest car with go-fast capabilities. Besides, the Vanagon is all about recreation—chill vibes, road trip partners and taking the scenic route.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1981 Volkswagen Vanagon. The van is being sold by a dealer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and the auction will end Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).
The van is finished in ivory paint and comes with a clean CARFAX report that corroborates the low odometer reading of just 36,286 miles. Exterior features include running boards, black-finished bumpers and raised-white-letter tires—the overall theme is a simple, straightforward look.
The Vanagon, known otherwise as the Type 2 “T3,” was sold from 1980 through 1991 in the U.S. market and quickly became known as one of the most versatile vehicles on the planet. It could be configured as a standard van or a Westfalia-style camper. Today’s example comes with triple bench seats upholstered in brown vinyl; it’s eager to haul the fam or a group of friends. It’s also equipped with a Bluetooth-compatible audio system so everyone can contribute to the road trip playlist.
The Vanagon was all about utility: One ad said, “It gives you the best of a van and the best of a station wagon.” Another read, “When it’s time to leave it all behind, take more with you in a Vanagon.” The Vanagon boasted more behind-seat storage than a Plymouth Voyager, and Volkswagen called attention to a few other things that set it apart from the competition, like a four-wheel independent suspension that delivered a “uniquely European” ride.
The Vanagon’s engine is located beneath the rear cargo area and is accessed via a hatch. Inside, power comes from an air-cooled 2.0-liter flat four that was rated at 67 horsepower and 101 lb-ft of torque. A synchronized four-speed manual transaxle sends power to the rear wheels.
Check out the Facebook group “Volkswagen Vanagon and Westfalia Owners Unite” (at 29,600 members strong) for a glimpse into just how much of a cult following the Vanagon holds today. If you play your cards right and get in on some of this week’s AutoHunter action, you could join the community and make that group grow to 29,601.
The auction for this 1981 Volkswagen Vanagon ends Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).
It’s Tuesday once again, which means we have four cars posted below that are currently listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. Do you know what year/make/model they are? Do you know what they have in common?
Post your answers in the Comments section below. If you need a hint, simply click on the photo of the vehicle that’s making you pull your hair out.
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.
