I always find your articles enlightening and enjoyable. And I share the challenges of ethanol fuel, as we can not get ethanol-free anywhere near where I live. My solution is to add Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel each time I add fuel. I also try to exercise them regularly, weather permitting. But... it would take more driving than I would do to burn through a full tank of gas before it got to be very old. My compromise is to add fuel in 5-7 gallon increments, keeping the tank about half full, especially before winter. My winter (in Virginia) is not as severe or long as yours, but I am curious your advice on my compromise: is it better to fill the tank full to prevent room for condensation, but then to have fuel get older before the next fueling, or to keep at least several gallons (at least five) in a tank, and to add fresh more regularly? So far, I haven't had any major fuel problems, but have had the usual fuel hose, fuel pump, and carburetor maintenance issues likely caused (or at least contributed to) by the ethanol fuel. ... View more

Great story! This is what it is all about, a car that makes you feel good, brings back memories, puts a smile on your face... whether that is a practical econo-sedan or a muscle car or luxury liner. And it's especially great when a car like this is preserved, so often these are the cars that many of us had and bring memories, but that were rarely saved or seen on the road or at shows. I bet he will always draw a crowd, full of people with lots of stories of their cars! ... View more

Wow, fun, practical, economical, inexpensive, simple, and even 'cute' (remember the 'say hi to Neon introduction advertising campaign?)... all the things that you can't get in many, if any, new cars! Neons were everything from cheap basic first cars to ACR racers. It's sad that the US companies have all exited this market. ... View more

Of course part II of this story... what did the neighbor do?  Did they buy it because they loved it, or because they knew what a special car it was and then they made a tidy profit?  Since these cars are so rare and coveted, you could likely be able to trace the history on the car. ... View more

I am surprised not to see hardtop wagons in this list... a great period design to give sportier, open air riding and styling on a practical wagon.  All of the 'big four' (GM, Ford, Chrysler, and American Motors) dabbled in these with some striking designs in the late 1950s into the early 1960s.  A couple of my favorites would include the 1960-62 full size Chrysler and Dodge wagons, and the 1959-60 Mercury wagons... but they all were great examples of style and innovation at work! ... View more

What about the shameless AMC plug in 'The Man With the Golden Gun', where he drove the Spirit right out of the showroom (and did the fly-over the river where the bridge was out), while chasing the villain who was driving a Matador coupe.   ... View more

The concern with car covers is that any mice love to be in an enclosed area.  It has seemed impossible to completely eliminate mice, so I prefer to have my cars uncovered in the (detached) garage, with hoods up and dryer sheets strategically placed... and so far the mice have not been a problem! ... View more

The Chrysler astra-dome dash really is a marvel, it is most incredible at night when lit with the indirect lighting of the electro-luminescent gauges.  This dash was on all 1960-1962 Chryslers (Windsor, Newport, Saratoga, New Yorker, as well as 300).   The 1960 Plymouth dash is also very neat, but it is a totally different car than the 1958 Plymouth that was Christine.  Plymouth was all new for 1960, including the dash.     ... View more

Fun article and photos!  But surely the Citroen ID had hydraulic brakes rather than mechanical... although manually rather than power assisted?   Also, an early contender for great steering wheels... the 1942 Desoto Fifth Avenue, with a cigarette dispenser in the hub of the steering wheel!   https://jalopnik.com/cars-once-came-with-built-in-cigarette-dispensers-1795733052   ... View more

What do you recommend for older engines that I had understood needed the zinc for lubrication, but that are new enough to have catalytic converters (ie. 1970s-early 1980s)?  Thanks again for the great information.   ... View more

Any comment on my current practice, which is 'regular' motor oil, then adding (usually Lucas) zinc additive?  Would that be the same effect as the Rotella T4 with zinc? ... View more

Fun article, there were so many 'over the top' interior options available until about the early 1980s, when everything became standardized (and largely shades of grey and black).  The Chrysler Highlander plaid option had several lives; it was actually originally available through 1953 (at least it is still shown in the brochure, though I have not seen one in person newer than 1951).  The original material was most frequently a red plaid, but at least for some period it was also available in a blue/green plaid.  The Highlander plaid option resurfaced in 1961 in a red plaid and in 1962 as a blue/green plaid, available on the Newport.  Finally the Highlander trim resurfaced as an option on the 1975 Newport; I have seen each of these three later versions, thought they are obviously a pretty rare find. ... View more