Columns
-
1957 DeSoto Adventurer convertible
All Adventurers built between 1956 and 1958 were limited in production, but the 1957 model was especially so, having been introduced later than the rest of that year’s DeSoto line. There was no mention of the model in the catalog and no Adventurer brochure — just an insert for the owner’s manual, welcoming owners to…
-
1932 Ford Roadster
The famous ’32 Ford roadster that raced the quarter horse in 1944 Russetta Timing Association tag: 120.9 mph at Harper Dry Lake, 1944 Starred in several hot rod B movies in the 1950s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance “Best Historic Hot Rod” Named as one of the Most Significant 1932 Fords of all time in 2007…
-
1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Heavy Chevy
LS3 402-ci, 300-hp V8 Documented one-owner car, with original title and Protect-O-Plate Factory air conditioning This rare special-order Heavy Chevy was marketed as a lighter version of the SS and advertised much lower stated horsepower as an insurance beater. Heavy Chevys were factory coded as a base Chevelle and theoretically avoided the SS title, which…
-
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302
5.0-L DOHC 32-valve V8 6-speed manual transmission 945 miles from new There was no mistaking the Boss 302 for other run-of-the-mill Mustangs. Like the original, its unique exterior décor set these cars apart, as if the running gear didn’t do that. Produced for just two years, a total of 3,249 Boss 302 Mustangs were built…
-
1952 FWD F-Series Fire Truck
by B. Mitchell Carlson and Stuart Lenzke This FWD Pumper, Engine 2632, was in service as a front-line pumper until 2004, when it was replaced by a new pumper engine at the Baker Rural Fire Protection District in Baker City, OR. Department personnel bought the retired engine from the department. The firefighters believe the old…
-
1971 Chevrolet Corvette 454/365 coupe
71,000 original miles Original matching-numbers 454-ci, 365-hp LS5 engine 4-speed manual transmission One of 1,455 equipped with the factory alarm system Four Season air conditioning (not operational) Power steering and brakes Original AM/FM radio Original luggage rack T-tops with original covers Pop-out rear window Original order copy Original owner’s manual in plastic sleeve with brochure…
-
1961 AMC Metropolitan Convertible
At a time in automotive history when American manufacturers were consistently arguing that “bigger is better,” Nash dared to be different. After creating a well-received concept car called the NXI, Nash believed that a small, efficient car could be successful amongst the sea of large cars being offered by the Big Three: Ford, GM and…
-
Raising the SCM Family
I’ve raised a family of three over the past 30 years. They include my daughter, Alexandra, 26, my son Bradley, 10, and Sports Car Market, which is nearly full-grown at 30. Just as I’ve watched Alex and Bradley mature and develop, I’ve seen SCM go from a little black-and-white newsletter that we printed on our…
-
Shoddy Repair Costs Shop $42m
A lot of people will be surprised to learn that a dealer body shop’s shoddy repair work resulted in a $42m negligence verdict. And it wasn’t even the shop’s customer who sued, but a downstream purchaser of the car. Matthew and Marcia Seebachan purchased a used 2010 Honda Fit from a Texas Kia dealer in…
-
Swingin’ Gullwing
If you were to think of a sports car that epitomized the mid-1970s, the Bricklin SV-1 would be the perfect choice. The car was the brainchild of Malcolm Bricklin, a somewhat eccentric auto-industry executive whose resumé includes bringing Subaru to North America. His idea was to build a much safer V8-powered sports car to compete…