In 1953, General Motors wowed the automotive world with the introduction of a 50th Anniversary Buick, the Skylark, as well as the Oldsmobile Fiesta, the Cadillac Eldorado and a fiberglass sports car called the Corvette. All four cars were successful, but it was the mighty Cadillac that retained the most star power. Today, 1950s-era Read More
1967 Volkswagen 21-Window Samba Bus
As readily recognizable as the immortal Volkswagen Beetle itself, the VW Type 2 and its derivatives enjoyed an even longer period in production than their progenitor. The original was conceived in the late 1940s by a Dutch Volkswagen agent, Den Pon, who drew up plans for a van based on the Beetle floorpan and running gear.
Known as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle being Type 1), the result of Pon’s efforts arrived in 1950 and almost immediately proliferated into Read More
1954 Dodge Firearrow III Concept
Chysler’s financial crises of the early 1950s couldn’t stop the string of Virgil Exner’s Ghia concept cars
In 1953, Dodge unveiled its first concept car, the Firearrow, a sleek out-of-this-world roadster that provided a glimpse of what everyone’s new automobile would look like in just a few years. While this stylish open-top car looked like it was ready to ply the highways of tomorrow, it was just a rolling concept Read More
1937 Oldsmobile L37 Convertible Sedan
This is the only Oldsmobile to have been recognized by the Classic Car Club of America as a Full Classic
There was a time when neither Ford nor Chevrolet were America’s leading automobile producers. You have to go back to the dawn of the auto industry, but from 1903 to 1905, Oldsmobile was top dog. Rolling out of Lansing, the little single-cylinder, curved-dash runabout was touted as able to go Read More
1959 Jaguar XK 150S Roadster
Jaguar people may argue, but I believe the 150’s appeal lies in the “creature comforts” our traveling companions often demand
Jaguar’s series of XK sports cars established the company’s reputation as a manufacturer of good-looking, fast automobiles sold at a reasonable price. The 1949 launch of the XK 120 caused a sensation and, at the time, its 120 mph top speed established it as the fastest standard production car available. Read More
1941 Chrysler Town & Country Barrel Back Estate Wagon
Built for a limited time, the Town & Country remains arguably the rarest, most desirable pre-war Woody produced
Conceived in 1939, the Town & Country Estate wagon represented Chrysler’s desire to create an entirely new car that was both luxurious and dramatic. It had to be elegant enough for city driving and chauffeur driving, but utilitarian enough for country living.
David Wallace, Chrysler’s president, was the driving force behind Read More
1970 Intermeccanica Italia Spyder
If Italias offer style and performance, why would they sell for under $50,000? Well for one thing, their handling is a bit suspect
In 1959, chemical engineer Frank Reisner combined his fascination with automobiles and professional talents to establish Carrozzeria Intermeccanica. Born in Hungary in 1932 and raised in Canada, he raced sports cars and “specials” in the late 1950s before moving to Italy.
Over the next few years, Read More
1903 Cadillac Runabout Rear-Entrance Tonneau
Founded by Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer, the Cadillac Automobile Company of Detroit completed its first car in October 1902. The firm’s superior manufacturing technology-precise gear cutting was Leland and Faulconer’s specialty-soon established it as the foremost builder of quality cars in the United States. The company was formed using funds supplied by two of Henry Ford’s ex-backers and took its name from Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the great French 17th century explorer who founded Detroit in Read More
1961 Mercedes-Benz 300d “Adenauer”
From the onset, the 1951 Mercedes-Benz 300 was aimed at the American market. The car’s outstanding quality was matched only by its breathtaking price-it cost as much as three Cadillacs. But the price ensured exclusivity, and early customers ranged from renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to actor Yul Brynner. The 300 was also the choice of royalty and heads of state, including the Shah of Iran and West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, who used six of them and in whose Read More
1955 Lincoln Indianapolis by Boano
Felice Mario Boano and his coachworks may be little known but the influence that he, his son Gian Paolo and their companies had on the evolution of modern automotive design is vastly out of proportion to their size.
Felice Mario Boano and his coachworks may be little known but the influence that he, his son Gian Paolo and their companies had on the evolution of modern automotive design is vastly out of Read More