Purpose of the article stated right here: ' ...the classic-car market operates in the ventricles of the heart, where logic does not apply.' ... View more

What a scream. Thank you. I am a sucker for retrospectives about common vehicles and their advocates. I own two very ordinary oldies and my newest will get there in time. Compared to those PsOS Fiesta and last gen Focus with that Power Shift automated manual, the Tempo was boring but honest and a good reliable choice for the value hunter. Ford burned a lot of people pretending there was nothing wrong with that automated manual garbage transmission. For ten years. https://www.freep.com/in-depth/money/cars/ford/2019/07/11/ford-focus-fiesta-transmission-defect/1671198001/ But this: ' ...the classic-car market operates in the ventricles of the heart, where logic does not apply.' is the nugget. Somehow spending $$$ on an old Valiant or N Body is a lot more satisfying than buying a new car and that "new car smell". [Smells like money being burned to me....]. I will have to disagree about the updated roofline. That possibly held the record for the most awkward, cluttered and inelegant attempt at an update until Saturn gave the '74 Matador four door treatment to the L Series in 2003.Or the last Gen Toyota Celica. ... View more

A Gremlin with the "AMC 4" [ an engine and line purchased from VW/Audi ] would be a find, as would a 78 Concord so equipped. Much more interesting for the Isle of Misfit Cars than a V8 would be. From Granny's 60 Rambler Ambassador wagon [ 327 4BBL ] to the 62 Classic wagon my parents had and their later 71 Gremlin and 72 Ambassador, AMC had a significant influence on my own automotive tastes. Horrible quality control on the 71 and 72 though. There was a reason AMC instituted the "Buyer Protection Plan" in '72. I'd still love to have them both again. ... View more

That shade of green was on the 71 in the showroom of Schwind Boeker Buick AMC in Davenport IA when my parents bought their 71 Gremlin and I have never forgotten it. Not a blaring avocado shade, but subtle minty mist metallic. What a beautiful color. The next year they traded for a 72 Ambassador Brougham in Cordoba Brown with matching vinyl top and 304 V8. The downsized full size before downsizing became a thing with GM in 77. ... View more

What? What? Something is off with this ? /sarc. LOL. LADA just another word for LOVE. ... View more

“It’s some horrible car, isn’t it?” LMAO. Every trip in a car is still a treat, even at this late date. I have three examples of discontinued makes sitting in my driveway of shame and have been obsessing about Chevy Sparks for the past two weeks. It's a sickness. These articles are such a treat. All common sense blows right out the window when a car finds you. ... View more

Young people won't have a clue what it is, much less what a Fleetwood is. ... View more

That has got to be the very least of Pininfarina's styling efforts. From it's first appearance I thought it boring and anonymous and hardly worth what was being asked for it. My opinion of it has not changed with thirty years hindsight. This is the automotive styling equivalent of a nothing burger. Tail lights: nothing special, no distinctive shape, could have as easily been found on a Buick. The grille could have been cribbed from a Chevy Corsica. Profile is generic. Nothing to see here, folks. Almost as bad as those Sedan De Blobs of the early '00s. But.... if someone wants one and it blows yer skirt up, go for it. You have my 100% respect and I won't question anyone's reason for wanting one. [Not with my misfit wish list]. The back story alone is enough of a jumping off point. Happy motoring. The Allante never cut it. For me. ... View more

My "newest" car just turned 16 in Jan. Purchased new. The idea that i would be looking at replacing a battery pack would be a non starter. To the junk yard if that were the case. I will keep this car for another 10 years. Far more environmentally friendly and economically feasible for the ordinary slob. Maybe that's the point: the ordinary slob will get to take the bus in future-topia. ... View more

I think the die was set back when the definition of a "classic" car was created by the ACCA back in the early '50s. ... View more

I'd walk across the show field to see that car, Revs. That "two many doors" crap is just snobbery. And people miss a lot of interesting old cars that way. I hope your son is never one of 'them'. Snobs are boring sheep mostly, remind him of that. The Trabant I saw at Woodley Park in Van Nuys one year was the highlight of all my car show experiences when the owner took me for a spin in it. Add that one to my Fantasy Garage as well. ... View more

I can see it. But I've been more doctrinaire in my youth than now. I never would have considered a non Big Three brand. VWs ? Ugh. Japanese cars ? Never. What a mistake. Perhaps because the Big Three abandoned me or I got more curious about what was outside the US. Now my fantasy garage would include an '70 Audi 100, Morris Marina, '60s Corona, Austin Allegro, 74 Datsun B 210 along with Studebaker Larks and Ramblers. By the time I saw a right hand drive Honda Civic driving down Golf Links here in Tucson, all I could do was smile and give a thumbs up. Then again, maybe once a misfit, always a misfit. All three of my cars are from orphaned brands. ... View more

So many of the affairs on the car are exactly that. I love my cars.... they love my wallet. ... View more

That group has been around since the late '60s. See" The War Against The Automobile". It's also an attack on individual mobility and sovereignty, so not to be dismissed as a crack pot idea. That same sort of thing horrified the elite classes when train travel became more available to the "peasants" in the UK. All those unwashed moving aimlessly about and all. ... View more

This is true though the start of my love for Olds and interest in GM was triggered by my Father's 1984 Oldsmobile Ciera. Not the car his '70 Delta 88 was, but I found it impressive: quiet, roomy, comfortable, efficient in size and weight and fuel economy. But then so were the Celebrity, 6000 and Century and they all looked alike and came with an Iron Duke 4 cyl as standard equipment.... WTF.....A tractor motor in cars trimmed like smaller Caprices, Bonnevilles and Electras ? Good work GM. ... View more

That "Not Your Father's Oldsmobile" nonsense has been retread by GM a couple of times with "Re-imagine Saturn" and the endlessly tedious "That's Not A Buick" , designed to deny the heritage and former focus of a brand to highlight the new direction, usually attempting to take it upscale or to go Euro or appeal to the younger [but un-moneyed] crowd. Like a cat covering a turd in a litter box, hide it and no one will be any wiser. As if the things that built a brand [performance, luxury, honest value] are somehow outmoded and embarrassing They can retire this misguided theme along with "First Ever " and "Most Awarded". I've seen ads for "First Ever Gran Torino" from back in 1972. Stop it, just stop it. ... View more

I think the same. I have a diecast S Series 2 door as well, in black. The S Series I had got Saturn a sale of an 05 ION [built 04] because that '95 was so solid at 116,000 miles when I bought it. I still have the ION and have had very few problems. It looks like a late model, still. Plus it was built under the old contract before it was dissolved in Jan 05 at Spring Hill. ... View more

Saab had nothing to do with the S Series. Any Saab interior parts you're referring to may be found in the L Series which was a conglomeration of Opel/GM parts and based on same platform as the Catera,Opel Vectra B, Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5. Vauxhall/Opel V6 used in the L made in the UK is expensive to repair. The ION Supercharged 2.0 shared developed with engineering from Opel, Saab and GM Powertrain NA as was the Ecotec. S Series parts are unique to the S Series. The S Series engines consumed oil. They weren't worn out and went on to cover hundreds of thousands of miles. Keeping the oil level up is part of the ownership routine. Parts are obviously widely available still as the young woman [and my little brother and others on Saturn Fans can attest]. If any morphing was done it was GM US and Opel small cars as even the early '80s J Body was shared around the world and sold as Vauxhall, Holden, Opel and Isuzu. Saab didn't have anything unique to offer GM but Opel did. ... View more

They have a great back story, a dedicated following [see: Saturn Fans], unique engineering with their space frame, Saturn dedicated engines and transmissions, distinctive polymer panels, Saturn specific styling and nothing shared with any other GM cars. First new brand to be built in the US since Kaiser -Frazer. One can see why the other GM divisions were p-oed. If ever there was an all GM car, it was Saturn. Every dollar, designer, worker, engineer came from GM. Fascinating story. Love the cars, but an incredible waste of money and talent in the end. GM and the UAW never learned a bloody thing from the experiment. ... View more

'Saving and driving *ordinary* junk is a special passion. ' My 63 Valiant may have been a year away from the junk yard when I got it. That was 40 years ago. Amen AG1962, from the Isle of Misfit Cars ... View more

What a treat. Thank you for telling it. I'm hot for that car, absolutely. ... View more

Allante.... still a four letter word. All that effort and less attractive than a Beretta. ... View more

Exactly. It's why a car like that suits a "youthful" brand like Chevrolet, which used to be the starting point for first car buyers and young families. Surprised the question had to be asked, actually. ... View more

What if Cadillac made a Cavalier ? Or a Tahoe ? Yes why not? Looks like the same GM badge engineering heritage the company has used for the past 50 years. ... View more

The original Golf/ Rabbit is still a good looking car. I never appreciated it then. A couple of decades of tortured sheet metal passed off as "styling" [looking at you Honda Civic...Hello Veloster Get outta here Chevy Spark ] make it [-and the current one] look clean, sleek and beautiful. Regardless of what I think of VW in general, the styling on them is clean and attractive, as it is with Audi. ... View more

Or if that term is being used in place of "boosted" it might mean power brakes. No one knows what to call a hard top any longer. ... View more

Mechanical vs. hydraulic ["juice"]. ... View more

Correct. The absolute worst reason to buy an old car. Speculators have done a lot of damage. ... View more

It was a part of Driver's ED instruction than when driving in the rain and through pools of water one should tap the brakes to dry them before going into that "first time you hit them when wet" situation in the first place. Knowing the limitations of what one is driving keeps one out of those situations. ... View more

Great story. I love this car and the energy behind the brand revival, even though the car itself looks more like a bath tub Packard than the original Clipper. ... View more

And forget the Gremlin ? ;-}  Of the ones you featured I like the Ford I-6 emblem the best. I have only seen it once or twice and those cars were just ordinary used cars when I was a kid. I still love the Mercury bust used and the AMC Concord "coat of arms" used in 1978. The AMC Hornet emblem was well done as well. The big Valiant V. Olds early 20th Century badge on modern Cieras.  And the eternal Chrysler "Fratzog", lest we forget   ... View more

Willys Aero. Just what I would have bought while it was in production. Second the IKA Torino. Same reason. But I do not think either Willys or Kaiser offered a V8 at the time, so there was nothing to cut. Perhaps "cut 'potential 'V8s from the line up " would be more accurate because I have read the design Kaiser was working on or had contracted for went to AMC after Kaiser stopped building passenger cars. ... View more

That investment angle always makes me laugh. The $$$$ I have put into a $500 car because I loved the car.  Satisfaction and happiness is a far better return on my investment than flipping a car for profit. Great if you can do it, but the cars I like....well... my dream car is a 1960 Comet ..... good luck with retiring on the money made on one of those . ... View more

True, mine works hard, but it could do it. I would love a 4th gear. And on the column with the other three. ... View more

Excellent.  My own 63 Valiant has been ridden in, worked on and pushed by everyone I have ever loved over the last nearly 40 years. It truly is a reminder of where I have been. It's a time machine as well as on the two lane roads outside of town..."Suddenly it's 1963 and Rt. 66". Wide open spaces and winding roads Not far off as when I was a kid we traveled those same roads in a 63 Dart 270 wagon.  As far as safety, I have never felt unsafe in it, but have lap belts which are always used. It's a three speed manual, un-boosted steering and brakes. It takes conscious effort to drive: no texting, talking on the phone, eating or drinking. Though I did see some fool enter the Hollywood 101 in a VW Beetle with one hand shifting and the other blapping on the phone. And an idiot in a late model car pull out from a space in the morning with a bowl of cereal in his hands. WTF ? Human stupidity will over-ride any safety features even on a modern car.  So, yes: less passive safety in an old car. But... old cars require that one drives them differently. They don't perform like newer cars and demand more attention when driving. And mechanically.  Mine love my wallet, but this Valiant has never left me stranded when it stopped or developed a problem. I have always been just a short distance from home or a short push into my parking space when things go haywire. The car has instincts: It knows it's going to sit if something gives, so it makes it as close to home as possible. Strange but true. And I can't stop trying to bring my 86 Olds Calais back to where it was when I bought it in 1994. Cha Ching both. But the trip to Salt Lake and back [1800 miles]in it was worth every cent. Besides, that's just my booze, tobacco, nudie bar, vape, designer clothes, romance chasing and fine dining [as if] money going for a mechanical friend instead. It's a win all around. Loved this piece, thanks. ... View more

No mention of the deep dip rustproofing used by Nash/AMC for years to combat this very problem. Chrysler did the same when it went to uni-body in 60.   By the early '80s AMC was using two sided galvanized steel and Zeibart rustproofing. That's not exactly " It took almost a century for the auto industry to move from a total disinterest in the prospect of rust protection to a dedicated effort to make good on the multi-year perforation warranties that became commonplace by the time the ’90s rolled around."   Galvanized steel was around in the '60s. Some makers bragged about two sided galvanization so the suggestion that the industry just looked the other way for 100 years is hyperbole.   All the points are well taken, and, yes, I learned all about bondo as a teenager in the midwest in the '70s. I hated seeing our 66 Mercury Montclair begin to rust within 3 years .   It is also why I loved the concept of the polymer panels on Saturn products. A direct response to the quick rust out of Japanese cars and a selling advantage. That all four fenders could be removed for easy replacement just like Checkers and Studebaker Larks was an added perk only a geek who had done rust "repair" every spring on that beautiful 66 Mercury could appreciate. Good article. Doesn't go far enough and paints a picture that's true..... to a point.    Chrysler's notorious Aspen and Volare were rushed into production, part of the reason they rusted so quickly. Cut costs, sloppy assembly.   The Vega, same thing: a weapons grade corporate cluster hump. I saw those things rusting the front fenders within two years of intro. More bad design, cost cutting and sloppy build quality.   Of all of them I'd say Ford was the least interested in investing $$$ in rust resistance tech and had a couple of class action suits lobbed at them because of it.   I guess I was sort of hoping for more details about industry attempts at rust proofing. That's probably too wide a scope to expect.    But as is, it makes the US industry look like ignorant boobs while the Europeans and Japanese ride to save the knuckle draggers  in the US once again, the hapless fools.   Not the full story by a long shot       ... View more

Nice drawing. Not an improvement. He's very talented but he made the Pacer look like a Pinto. Adding a ridiculous blind spot to a design that gave superior visibility is just ignorant. ... View more

Modern Chrysler's best recent ad was the one featuring their old '50s cars and the new ones "arriving" at posh locations.    Exactly what good ads do: create a mystique, desire, an image.    Especially good was Jaguar's ad with Etta James singing "At Last" in the background. Mystique. ... View more

56Tiger: the walls of my bedroom were covered in old car ads. I always wanted my life to be like what I saw in them. Happy people, sunny places, everything perfect in the world. So much for a 10 year old's fantasy..... ... View more

I had never seen the last three from the 70s. I recognized the style from the Pontiac ads in my Dad's old National Geographics [ a car ad lover's dream, BTW ].   Mercury copied this for it's 65 and 66 models "In The Lincoln Continental Tradition": glamorous places, action, sleek expensive looking settings and of course Mercury out front. A blatant imitation but more fun for lovers of car ads who get amped by advertising hype and the "selling of the dream". Great piece. ... View more

All interaction has been co-opted on new cars: boosted steering, brakes, windows, locks, doors, automatic transmissions, lane departure, ABS, traction control, rear view cameras.    Hearing someone claim that having a manual in a modern car lets them feel like they're more in control makes me shake my head a little. Yes, it's true up to a point. The rest has been taken out of the driver's hands.   Not dismissing them so much as thinking it's a shame they don't know what they've lost and what they've missed. And a little sad that sort of engagement is nearly extinct.   I have a 63 Valiant: 3 speed on the column, no power assist anywhere. It takes deliberate action and engagement to drive it and for that I love it. Like driving a truck in comparison to newer cars. Probably even full sized '60s fare.   The more I see and read of new cars, the more I like what I have: 57, 34 and 15 years old the three of them. Something happens to the newest one, I'll go backward when I look to replace it.   What drives me ? The smells, sounds, the comfortable old shoe feel of older cars. Even a well used newer one. A little character from miles and years. The cars everyone loved to then and loves to now hate on.    Yes, some quirky personal preferences, but the same enthusiasm. Especially for the inhabitants of the Isle Of Misfit Cars.    Motor on Y'all. Let's Terraplane !   ... View more

Sajeev. Baruth. Is this the new version of TTAC ? ... View more

Michael Lamm. I used to look forward to his "Used Cars" columns in Motor Trend when I was 12 years old. I learned to keep a record book in my car to record gas and repairs from my first car to my current three.   It was a treat to meet him at AeroBooks/AutoBooks in Burbank where he was signing his book about the 1955 Chevrolet. He is definitely an unsung hero of automotive writing. ... View more