American

There have been many great automobile designers who have left their mark on the motoring landscape. Among these greats would have to be the contributions of Howard “Dutch” Darrin, whose design talent was favored among many of Hollywood’s elite. Quite simply, if you were famous and you wanted a car with a bit more flair,…

The innovative American Motors Company of Indianapolis, IN, is best remembered for their famous “Underslung” models. These striking designs placed the frame rails below the axles, giving a significantly reduced center of gravity along with a sporting profile. Significantly oversized wheels remedied the problem of ground clearance. This design innovation resulted in a chassis with…

This 1958 Chevrolet Apache Cameo Carrier is the rarest of the Cameos, and it was the last year it was produced. Just 1,405 were made for 1958, and only a few were fitted with the NAPCO 4×4 system. This Cameo was treated to an exhaustive, no-expense-spared, frame-off restoration to the most exacting standards. The truck…

Initially, the DUKW was rejected by the U.S. Army, but the unexpected rescue of a ship that had run aground convinced them of its efficiency and seaworthiness, subsequently confirmed by a channel crossing. Developed by Sparkman & Stephens in collaboration with General Motors Corporation, each letter of its name has a meaning: “D” for a…

What emerged from this two-year restoration process is nothing short of remarkable — Donald Healey’s own Nash-Healey, exactly as he built it, with no expense spared to ensure 100% historical accuracy. Restored by Tsikuris Classics — under the supervision by noted authority Bill Emerson. All major components are original to this car. With ownership history…

During the 1950s, Italian coachbuilder Ghia built numerous one-off “dream cars” for Chrysler Corporation. One, the slab-sided and extremely modern “Thomas Special,” named for Chrysler export executive C.B. Thomas, was so well received at European shows that a limited run of duplicates was produced for European customers. Others soon followed, including the so-called Ghia Special.…

As advanced as the Model J Duesenberg was upon its introduction in 1929, most of the technical advancements contained within were confined to the body and chassis. The design of the front end and fenders — as well as that of most coachbuilt bodies — still bowed toward late-1920s convention, albeit stylishly. As a result,…

Every Shelby 427 Cobra is rare simply by nature, but some reach the level of “exceptional” — a fact Carroll Shelby acknowledged when he signed the glovebox door of CSX3301 with the inscription: “One of the rarest CSX3301 Carroll Shelby.” This Cobra was completed at AC Cars for delivery directly to Ford Advanced vehicles in…

Hudson designer Frank Spring (who left Murphy Coachbuilders in the 1930s to join Hudson) contracted with Carrozzeria Touring of Milan to build 25 production models of his dream sports car. Touring created a Superleggera coupe with an aluminum unibody built over a steel tub frame. Unique to the Italia were aircraft-style doors, custom bucket seats,…

For much of its history, Chrysler was a frontrunner in building some of the most interesting and exciting high-performance cars Detroit had to offer. Foremost among them are the formidable early Hemi-powered Chrysler 300 “letter cars” of the 1950s, which, by virtue of their cost and long list of standard and optional features, were reserved…