Durn if that aint' the rootin' tootin'est goldurn articlee I done ever read in thischeer Hagerty thang. But sombody needs to tll ole' Matt there that he don't got to write like Jethro Clampett talks. He can write reglar, an' we'll still git it. ... View more

The 2004-2009 Mustang was a pretty-looking car--a nice blend of retro and contemporary styling that really captured the best elements of the classic 1960's Mustang designs. But every "facelift" since 2010 has been a styling mistake. The current Mustang is now such an outlandish, overwrought, viscerally painful design, that it looks like a misshapen child's toy. When I see one go by, I actually wince. ... View more

"...the only street-legal set of New York license plates that actually read [sic] NEW YORK." Excuse me, but EVERY set of New York license plate readS (you need that s, because the word "set" is single in number and requires a singular predicate) "New York:" it's right there, dead center, in block caps, at the top of the tag. The vanity part is redundant. In any case--as others have already pointed out--the seller cannot (and you can verify this on the NY DMV web site) transfer his plates to a vehicle he does not own. Which makes this whole article pretty silly. ... View more

LOL! I guess Jack figures Hagerty has plenty of writers who do thoughtful, captivating articles about cars, car maintenance, and car culture. Somebody else has to do the right-wing ranting and whining; and running out of steam on those fronts...well...heck, just make stuff up! Beats real research and journalism any day! Go Jack! ... View more

Fantastic memoir-ette, Douglas! Our love of cars ties all of us together, nor matter our social or cultural background. But you tell it like it is, too; and only a fool would pretend that the racial divide wasn't (and still isn't) a hard thing to cross--no matter that what mattered to all of us--black brown or white--was our love of the Detroit muscle scene of that wonderful brief and vanished era. And kudos to you, Hagerty, for your thoughtful publishing of these articles by and/or about African Americans in the car scene. Maybe--maybe--someday, it really won't make a difference what the color of our skin is. ... View more

Nice photoshopping! I particularly love the faux coffee-cup stain on the "period brochure." Very nice alt-reality touches! ... View more

It comes with one: watch the video. ... View more

Reading comments like yours makes ME want to puke. ... View more

Spoken like someone who has never driven an electric car. We own one, and it's both fast and fun, ... View more

Great story Hagerty! Keep up the EV reporting! The morons who think EV's are a conspiracy of some kind can be ignored. Real enthusiasts like everything automotive. ... View more

Star drive wood screws are even better. The only thing I use now. ... View more

I think they are prefect for the quasi-retro aesthetic statement this design is trying to make. ... View more

Chip Foose "reimagines" the Pontiac Solstice! ... View more

Way to go girl! Passion, commitment, and technical creds. J is an car enthusiast's enthusiast! ... View more

Shades of the legendary Moto Guzzi V8 of 1955-1957! ... View more

Tahend, you nailed it! That guy had the unmitigated gall to "improve" the XKE--a car generally taken to be pinnacle of automotive design. (Even Enzo Ferrari said so.) The hutzpah of such an no-talent designer is unmatched. I wish Hagerty would give him the boot he so richly deserves. ... View more

Yes, this seems to be an increasingly dreadful failing across the publishing industry, both on-line and in-print. Dollars to doughnuts, there is no longer such a job as "copy editor." And the journalists themselves seem to have become largely illiterate, almost always misusing words like comprise, enormity, and simplistic, as well as failing to understand the difference between less and fewer, or that unique cannot be quantified. ... View more

Especially one would allow anything as ugly as the 2020 version in his driveway. (But, I gotta admit: I'd take a nice, 1956-57--if I could afford one.) ... View more

That bed bottom is clearly not real teak boards--probably vinyl. That tacky bit--along with the inept and cheap aluminum edging of the "upper bed" (?) should be and indication of the level of workmanship here. That should lower the price another 10 grand, at least ... View more

Well several of these exotics are almost as ugly as the C8, so noting lost to the rest of us... ... View more

Embrace, I mean. (I am my own copy editor.) ... View more

There is no such expression as "comprised of." Comprise means "embrase." Don't you Hagerty writers have a literate copy editor? ... View more

Grinch 😉 ... View more

The magnet trick was great before manufacturers--especially motorcycle manufacturers-- started using stainless steel fasteners. I'm not complaining, mind--I love SS: but removal safety is a bit compromised. ... View more

Spot on. It's clear from the primary cover and the un-finned rocker boxes alone that this is pre-unit Triumph motor. ... View more

Why the blazes can't EV's have a conventual car-like arrangement of switches and controls, rather than these maddening video game screens? An EV is just a car with a different propulsion system. Why can't we be allowed to operate it like a car, rather than like a computer? Why all the confusing cell-phone tie-ins, endless menus and the blasted touch screens that requires the driver to concentrate on the screen rather than on the road? In several states it's (thankfully) illegal to operate your cell phone while driving. Where, then, is the sense in having to use your phone to operate the car itself? Where has rationality gone? We bought a used 2013 Leaf and we love the 70% reduction in fuel costs per mile--not to mention the economy of eliminating almost fluid changes, as well as every bit of intake, exhaust, and emissions control systems related maintenance. But we also love the way it does what cars should do: go (fairly fast, too!) stop, turn--all while allowing us us operate the AC/heater and radio like we always have--with nice, simple, tactile and intuitive knobs and switches. No touch screens needed, and even the gauges look fairly conventional. I also detest this keyless operation fad. Never mind that it is easily hacked, putting your ride at the convenient beck and call of cyber-saavy thieves. (Fortunately, no one wants to steal a 7-year-old stripper econo-box.) But this proximity key thing is a nobody-asked-for fix for a-nobody-knew-it-needed fixing problem. We'd love to switch up to a long-range EV; but not until you can get one with controls that look like a car's controls and with an information display provided by analog-like gauges. ... View more

LEMO is Mor`on airbase in Spain.  Self explanatory. ... View more

A GMPP easy-to-install software and sensor upgrade option for less than $700 (installed and warranty approved by GM) was available (still is, in fact) for the Turbo cars that upped HP to 290 and torque to 340.  Hello?  Anybody listening?  I mean this is from a 2.0 liter motor!   Here is what Hot Rod Magazine wrote about the BASE turbo Solstice:    "Think about that. Here is a 122ci four-cylinder that makes nearly as much power as the 350ci LT1 V-8 in a '94-'97 Trans Am, while weighing a little over 3000 pounds and providing that magical 30-plus-mpg rating. That is 130 hp per liter, or 2.13 hp per cubic inch—more horsepower per unit of displacement than any GM engine has ever achieved, even surpassing the vaunted 638-horse LS9 V-8 that powers the ZR-1 Corvette."   Despite its niggling ergonomic flaws, some budget parts-bin trim, and its lack of top-down luggage space, there was absolutely nothing in the Solstice's sports-car niche to beat it.  The handling was world-class and the acceleration (of the above mentioned modified car) would leave a contemporary Mustang GT--at almost twice the price--in the dust.  All the while getting econo-box mileage.   The Solstice/Sky was--and remains (on the used market)--a performance bargain never equaled in any sports car, foreign or domestic, before or since.  When you factor in its timeless, drop-dead gorgeous styling, it was, in effect, a 21st-century 289 Cobra: fast, sporty, and insanely beautiful--warts and all.   I own one, I'm keeping it, and I predict it won't be long before Haggerty is writing about how this car's value in the collector's market is shooting through the roof.  You heard it here first. ... View more

Rob, I love the way you think about your projects. (When I do it, however, most of my friends call it over-thinking--even though my long-suffering wife is both willing and patient enough to listen to me exposit endlessly on the possibilities, vagaries and potential financial dangers of a attempting a repair like this.)    But it is precisely this kind of situation we amateur car guys face all the time, and I love the way you detail all the overriding considerations, assessments, changes of viewpoint, and even the false starts.    Your writing is terse and incisive, and the whole mood of the  piece just seems...well...just so damn real! ... View more

Noting will assure that old parts or new ones will be to the necessary spec.  There is no "rule" of how to proceed.  Expensive parts are just as likely to be flawed as inexpensive ones.  Expert mechanics are as likely to err as the well-informed, careful, spare-no- time-and-effort DIY owner/builder.    Sure,  someone with better diagnostic tools can determine in advance whether a part is suitable to be put in service.  But what hobbyist wants to pay someone to make that investigation, when there is a good chance he will just say, "Yup, yer parts are good."   I've had occasional good luck with relatively cheap tires, and occasional bad luck with very expensive ones.  I've had trusted mechanics screw up a tire install, and I've had emergency, shot-in-the dark, fly-by-night, shops get it right the first time.   Actually, the only real lesson to be learned here--and I'm pretty sure Rob would agree--is:  "When it comes to playing with your cars, sometimes you get lucky and things work out; other times...not so much." ... View more

Wright's work was a mixed bag.  His Prairie houses, Falingwater, Taliesin East and West were all beautiful designs--more than enough masterful work to credit him as one of the best architects of his time.  (He, or course, would claim to be the only one.)   But the Guggenheim, however, is a dog turd, and this proposed resort building is equally disastrous.  I think Strong was spot on comparing Wright's silly proposal to Breugel's tower of Babel.  And kudos to Strong for seeing that the emperor (of architecture) had no clothes. ... View more

Nihil novi sub sole.  Jesse James did a much prettier radial-engine-powered bike in the early 2000's  Google it. ... View more

Sam, you verb nouns like there's no tomorrow:  "arted?"; "lightweighted?"  But it's OK.  Shakespeare did it, too.  Besides, it helps convey some of the astonishment a spectator feels watching these other-worldly operators drive their other-worldly mounts in such other-worldly fashion.   I'm both a biker and a sports-car guy, and I often think, watching a car race:  I could do that.  Watching a bike race, though, I think:  No way could I ever do that! ... View more

Every one of those tips is God's honest truth.  I do just what you said--first time, every time. Especially the first time: if it looks a bit like maybe it might need an impact driver...it absolutely does. ... View more

I can't begin to tell you how bogus Fort 9's amateurish "lab testing" is.  None of his tests take place in the sealed\environment of a modern gas tank, nor even the partially sealed environment of a pre evap emissions compliant tank.  Not to mention his lack of distinction between the ability of a hydrophilic additive to draw moisture from the fuel itself or the air surrounding it.    This guy has never done a legitimate test of materials.  He shoots bb guns at helmets to "test" their impact resistance.   He also sets fire to them--a standard not even included in any MC helmet testing done in legitimate labs.  So who cares?   This guy's "work" is  joke. ... View more

Doh... ... View more

Great article!  Well-researched and informative.  Should be on the reading list of every voting citizen in the country.   As both an automotive enthusiast and an environmentalist (maybe one of a dozen or so on the planet?) I well recall Car & Driver's constant editorializing, snidely and loudly condemning federal attempts at emissions control and auto safety.  It's nice to see Bedard has finally come around to realizing that today's cars are cleaner, safer, more reliable, a better value, and even more fun--not to mention cheaper (in real dollars)--than ever before.    Yes, it took some time for auto makers to stop whining and start putting our excellent engineers to work developing the amazing technologies we have today; but the concept of "invent what we need" was proven to be the right idea.  The federal regulators were right, and the nay-sayers--in both the industry and the automotive press--were wrong.   As for us hobbyists who love tinkering with the technology of pre-regulation machinery, thankfully we still can own, work on, and drive the character-laden (read slow, guzzling, ill-handling, unsafe, uncomfortable--but decidedly beautiful and soul-satisfying) sports and muscle cars of the 50's and 60's we love so much.  Best of both worlds, I'd say.   Again, kudos, Mr. Robinson, for this fascinating look at the history of auto emissions regulation in America.  This is journalism at its very best!     ... View more

What a silly piece. This article gives new meaning to the term, "first world problems."  Hey, Jack.  Just go to one of the zillions of auto and boat upholstery shops out there.  They will make you anything you want AND put it in your car for a fraction of what the car makers want for "upgraded" interiors.    Sheeesh, what a whiner. ... View more

I'm a die-hard Corvette fan, but it's hard to substantiate the statement that the T-Bird: "failed  to dethrone the Corvette as America’s sports car."      From its introduction in 1953, to the demise of the two-seat T-Bird in 1957, Chevy managed to sell only 14,466 'Vettes--a five-year sales slug.  Ford, on the other hand, rolled out 53,166 'Birds--almost 4 times the Chevy's total production and sales--and did it in only three years.    For my part, I never understood why Ford gave up the two-seater market it had all but completely taken from Chevrolet.  Had Ford answered the killer '57 'fuelie 'Vette with a similarly spec'd drive train/chassis, a prettier bodied car, and a trip to the track,  it might have maintained it's quadruple sales lead--maybe even been a player to this day.          ... View more

Nice!  Long time since I've seen as pretty a race car as that on the flats.  I'm glad they kept the stock look.   Just one thing, Brendan Gillogly: please learn the proper use of the word "comprise."  "Comprise" means "embrace."  So you can say, "The crew comprises Rick, Micheal, and Scott." Or, if you prefer, you can write "Rick, Michael, and Scott constitute the crew."    But the expression, "is comprised of," makes no sense.    Just sayin'.... ... View more

Yeah, Plymouth should have built a Prowler with a Chevy engine...right... ... View more

Wow!  What a tale!  And thus, the anemic little Sprite became a hero car! ... View more

Please, please, please, remove those rub strips on your Corvair!  Possibly the prettiest body ever to come from GM should not be wearing pasties! ... View more

I may be wrong, but I'd bet dollars to donuts, you couldn't order a 1962 Impala with a 4-speed AND cruise control.  Cruise control was first used (by Chrysler) only in 1958; and Caddies didn't come with it until 1960. I'll bet that cruise got added after the Impala left the factory. ... View more

Number 6:  The car is butt ugly, inside and out. ... View more

I realize the front fender trim strips are necessary to carry the line of the eyebrow trim over the headlights; but it just looks awkward to have that line quit abruptly at the front door cut.  Besides, the piece divides the fender and contradicts the nice door and rear 1/4 treatment.  I would have (reluctantly) deleted the eyebrow trim to avoid this problem.  But overall, it's amazingly well-done: true to the era, to Exener's work (of the period) and overall a fine blend of stocker, custom, and restomod.  Oh, and I agree  about the wheels--very out-of-character. ... View more

Baruth loves to twist the facts to make a point.  Trump--another unreliable source--calls them "alternative facts."  I call it bull-loney.  And Baruth is full of it.  I spent a lot of time trying  to track down the actual MSRP for the Datsuns Baruth mentions.  But with only the NADA citation, I was reluctant to go to press.  I wanted a real price.  I finally found a price for a VW beetle in 1967--the year I graduated high school.  I got that price right off a copy a NY dealer's actual invoice--$1,758.00.  If there were mainstream cars available for less than a VW bug back then,  I never heard of them.   Now, I don't know where Baruth gets his figures, but the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics says that amount of money in 1967 is worth $13,495.00 today.    There are several cars to be had today for less than that.  But the Mistsubishi Mirage outdoes the Beetle in all specs, from interior room to fuel economy--at almost exactly the same (relative) price.   Are cars better?  Of course?  Do they last longer?  Yup.  But are they more expensive.  No way.  Yet I constantly hear this wail about the high cost of living from  the mathematically challenged.  Gas is cheaper now than it has ever been--in real dollars.  And consumer goods are always cheaper and better than they were.   There is a lot to miss about cars (and life) years ago.  But the cost of goods relative to income is not among them.    Hagerty, would you please fact check this charlatan? ... View more

Yeah, and Trump won the popular vote. ... View more

NIce piece.  Well written, and moving, too.  Thank you! ... View more