There are several companies that make Morgan replicas and kits, and a few have "rolled their own". ... View more

Something more like 45-50 mph top speed, with a 75 mile or so driving range, and the old Baker would be a great inner city/around town car... until you got in a wreck with a modern car. Still, I'd do it, but would use it more like an oversized, all weather golf cart. Would be perfect for those communities that allow golf carts on the side roads, like a beach car. Being registered for the road would mean you could take it on the main roads, but I wouldn't for any length of time. ... View more

I don't like the electronic throttle, and don't really care much for the keyless switch, but other than that it sounds great! At least you can turn the traction control off if you want more of an old-school experience. I think the brakes acting together is much better for normal riding, but it's going to be hard to do a burn-out if you can't hole the front brake independently. Not an issue for me, I outgrew showing off like that years ago! Just burning a tire up ($$$) just to please a crowd of people (that I likely don't know...) isn't my cup of tea. ... View more

You CAN have too much power... especially in a vehicle like this. There are plenty of rock crawler drivers who will disagree, but they are NOT your average driver. This is something someone is going to be driving on the street and will likely never leave the road -- most of them anyway, not for a while. Power does sell, especially when you stick the "Hemi" name on it, but the 360 hp Durango/Grand Cherokee/Commander 5.7L Eagle version (or 395 hp Ram 1500 version) would make a lot more sense than the "big boy".  That's still a lot more power than the 295 hp 3.6L V-6 -- up 100 hp if using the Ram 1500 version.   as for F360Spider's comment about the "worst handling" and stiff ride... well, it's not made to go fast or handle well on the road. Take a sports car down a rough dirt road, not to mention a rough trail, and it won't handle worth a darn and will ride harder... until it high centers and gets stuck. It's comparing apples to pineapples -- two totally different things. It's not "unstable" unless you're taking it to the local autocross course in stock (or rock crawler) form.  Too many people drive it like a car, and even call it a car, but it's 100%  SUV -- and I don't mean in the overgrown station wagon sense that the term "SUV" conjures up today... ... View more

The Jesse James bike is more rideable, with the engine placed like it would be in an aircraft (same engine as this bike) with the riders legs behind the cylinders. There are photos of it being ridden, but I bet the riders legs get hot after a while! Good winter bike? I wonder how much it torques over when you hit the throttle hard too... https://www.cycleworld.com/2007/04/01/radial-hell-cw-exclusive-feature/ ... View more

The K-car is one of the great unsung heroes in the car industry. Everyone knows about them, so that is something. Simple, basic transportation is often overshadowed by impractical (but powerful and/or gorgeous) cars. The K-car was Chryslers Model T or Model A... but the K platform lasted so much longer in one form or the other than the well known A.  few mass market, basic cars are well known and loved...  The K is more well known than loved, which isn't really fair, but the T and A were the same until the 60s, and neither would be so well known if it hadn't been for hot rodders. Those two were loved because they were so many peoples first driving experience as well. ... View more

The Model J would be the one I'd really like to own, though assuming I'd be driving it I'd never see much over 70. Brakes just weren't up to the power back then! I can't see taking that thing up to it's over 100 mph top speed! Speed isn't everything, presentation is a lot... and the Duesy has that in spades!!   That said, the Gull Wing is probably the most practical of the lot. Roomy and comfortable interior (compared to the other 19th-21st century cars), plenty fast, and great curb appeal.    Of the low slung, cramped (but fast!) cars I'd have to take the GT40. But if one of the Ferraris or the S7 were given to me, I'd be happy... ... View more

Reminds me somewhat of a Volvo P1800ES. A lot classier and just a tad faster than the Volvo though.... But I can afford a P1800ES!! ... View more

It's a great idea, but I bet it won't be affordable for hobbyists, just small aftermarket companies. They may be able to have custom battery packs made.  It think this is GM doing what they did in South Africa in the early 70s -- selling the competition motors (Toyota and AMC bought GM sixes for their cars) to boost production numbers to make them cheaper for GM to manufacture.  In SA the issue was heavy taxing on components not made in SA. GM had an engine plant, but didn't really sell enough to make it as profitable as they wanted. Toyota and AMC didn't sell enough product to manufacture engines there which are a substantial percentage of a car. So they pooled resources a few years before pulling out of SA altogether (at least AMC and GM, don't know about Toyota). Toyota may have produced a small four, I don't have any info on that, but they wanted/needed the larger GM six for trucks/Land Cruisers at least.   That said, the size and shape of the battery pack is an issue. I'm with others, if it would fit in place of a gas tank AND provide 100-150 miles of range, it would be a winner! Don't think that's viable right now, not until there is another break in battery technology. GM will have to get a generic battery size down, maybe daisy chainable packs of various shapes for easier packaging.    One thing to remember -- that small block 400 originally in the Blazer produced 290 ft/lbs, but that wasn't until 1800+ rpm (couldn't find the torque rpm rating in a quick search...). With an EV, you have FULL TORQUE as soon as you start moving. That has to help, at least in low speed situations, would for rock crawling for sure!! ... View more

Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS). It just quit, I didn't exactly break it. But in a Jeep XJ it's hard to get to, and in my 63 rambler it's even harder!! Quit in the Rambler (with 4.0L Jeep engine). Had to have it towed home, luckily it wasn't far away. The speed sensor rotor in the AW4 trans I'm using in the Rambler is a PITA. Apparently it's lost its magnet, so no more speed sensor for the TCU. I have a manual shift box on it, have for the last 10 years or so. Can't seem to find that rotor new. I kind of like manually shifting with no clutch, so haven't taken the output housing off to see what happened... ... View more

Well, we really won't know much until Ford says something or the engine comes out. It could be a big block version of the OHC modular, or a OHV pushrod engine. Seems like the OHV is a step back, but unless it's going to be a high rpm race engine pushrods will get the job done and might be cheaper to implement... ... View more

Most of these were only 10-15% over the Haggerty values, the exceptions being the Metropolitan at around 60% over and the Amphicar being about 30% over. Neither are traded often, but the Met seems to be an anomaly for sure! I can understand the Amphi because of the rarity and uniqueness (and not many sold), but the Met is highly unusual!! The others? 10-15% higher doesn't seem to be a big jump, and won't affect prices much. ... View more

As noted, electric vehicles solving climate/environmental issues is flawed logic. I wouldn't call it a hoax, just not well thought out and what people perceive... not scientific fact. Save in one area, but increase in another... "a wash" for the most part.   Back to THIS vehicle... It's meant to be a technology booster or demo halo vehicle. Practical enough to get enough buyers to make it worth the effort to build and sell, but not a huge mass market seller. What it does is kick-start the technology though. Like it or not, we are moving toward more electric vehicles. Even disregarding the environmental fallacy, there are advantages, even for hot rodders. Once over the battery expense, modifying is pretty easy. Mechanical engine skills don't come into play, you have to learn a new set -- like ohm's law and some other basic electricity and wiring.  Dropping in an electric motor is easier than a mechanical -- takes up less room and there are no leaky lines and hoses to run. The battery issue is the main one -- still expensive even if using bulky lead-acid batteries. And packaging for those is difficult, and less range. But getting into the 300+ mile range makes electric vehicles more practical, though wiring a home for the quick charge could be a problem. I wonder how many amps that takes? If charging at night during low demand it may not be an issue. I don't mean just low demand on the powerplant, but on your home electric service. Most have 200A panels. If that quick charger takes half of it you should be okay at night, but in the daytime you might throw your main breaker if the AC unit (or two in larger homes) is on and you try to bake something in the oven or start some other amp hungry appliance while your car is charging. Maybe the charger is smart enough to only draw the surplus over what other things are using. Would take longer to charge if a lot was on, but would be safer. ... View more

Oh go ahead and get a Rambler!!!  I don't think you'll regret it, I've been into Ramblers since 1979. The choice of a 63-64 Classic or Ambassador is a good one! If that loaded Ambo 880 with seized motor was at a good price (after factoring in about $4K to rebuild) it would have been great. But part of the Rambler charm is simplicity -- so do you really need all the power stuff? Three turns of a window crank and it's down, not like late model cars where you crank away in comparison. If you plan on driving it a lot I'd avoid the 63 models with six cylinder -- though the old 195.6 is very reliable it's just adequate for that size car and needs more maintenance. A 64 with the 232, however, is a totally different animal! A 232 can be retrofitted to a 63 easy enough though, and if it's an auto car the trans is up to the task. The manual in a 195.6 car is a T-96, and just adequate to the engine power and car size. It CAN be run behind a 232, but only if you're planning on geriatric driving. The torque tube can have issues, but nothing insurmountable. If  that scares you, get a 65-69 American. Open driveshaft, and even the 199 (smaller version of the 232) is more than adequate power. I drove a 63 American (the old 1950 Nash Rambler chassis with new exterior sheet metal) for 14 years with a hopped up 195.6 as a daily driver for 14 years, from 85 to 99.  I drove it everywhere, it literally went coast to coast (not in one trip though...). The thought of losing a water pump and it taking a week to have on rebuilt made me shy away from it for a long trip car, now have a 63 Classic wagon with a 4.0L in it, and some other mods, like a late 80s Jag IRS. It was built to drive, not as a collector car. Not enough value in a four door Rambler wagon to worry much about collectibility... ... View more

Let's see, value for a #3 car is $10K, you can get it for less than $3K (under 1/3), the problematic wiring harness has been replaced, you might need to have the transmission rebuilt (cost of what... $4-5K since it's a Mercedes?). All in you're still $2-3K under the value... which would probably be right due to the salvage title (totaled because of wiring issues, not body damage... a big plus!!). I've owned a couple salvage title vehicles.  The trick is to get them at about 25% under book value, as that's the best you're going to do when selling. For some cars (and people) it doesn't matter though. For me it's the value (mine were 6-10 year old cars intended for utility transportation, nothing special -- last was a 2003 Ford Ranger).  Took a little longer to sell even at a good price due to some not understanding what a "salvage title" means. Many assume it's a rebuilt total wreck, which usually isn't the case. Just means that it cost more to have it repaired by a reputable shop/dealer than the book value of the vehicle. On many older cars it can just be a crunched fender with bumper and headlight. On my Ranger is was a lower A-arm (cracked), fender, bumper, grille, and radiator. Get junkyard parts and do the work yourself and it was a cheap fix. A carfax will show what damage was done. "Frame damage" is something to avoid, but that can also be very little. You need to have some working knowledge of what's involved in a repair. In my case of selling after three years of owning after the repairs, I'd say that was proof everything was just fine... ... View more

Yeah, I don't think anyone will be taking a $72K vehicle on a jaunt across the desert. But many "yuppies" love to LOOK tough, like they could if they wanted to.  Same with most big SUVs and pickups, and Jeep Wranglers. The REAL off roaders pick up 10+ year old models then modify to do what they want. Real Jeeps/off-road vehicles are BUILT, not BOUGHT (unless you buy from a shop that builds them...)!! ... View more

This was just a list of "favorites", so very subjective. Really hard to see how the Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer didn't get there when the Chevy Suburban did though. Maybe because it's an SUV and not just a wagon, since it wasn't available in two wheel drive?   The Eagle has an interesting story. It starts with the "Cowboy" mini truck prototype of 1971. One reason AMC decided against building the mini truck (usually shown with Hornet front end -- but that was added later by the owner of the only existing prototype -- originally had more truck-like Gremlin front end) was it would be sold as a Jeep model and there was no 4x4 equipment for it. The second reason is that they were selling Hornets and Gremlins about as fast as they could make them and didn't want to add another model that would slow production.  But AMC engineers didn't rest... they developed the 4x4 system that would fit under a Hornet, then used it in the Eagle under a concord (which is an updated Hornet).  As a side note, they also used the Cowboy "uniframe" under the 1986 Jeep Comanche truck. ... View more

42 years to build five million cars, about 119,000 a year. Between 1908 and 1927 Ford built 15 million Model Ts... 789,483 a year... VW built 21,529,464 Beetles world-wide over 65 years ... 331,222 a year (again, averaged over the 65 years, final year was around 30,000, 1971 was 1.3 million).  Well, France is a small country compared to the US, and the VW was built in several countries, so the production figures are still impressive, especially compared to everything BUT those two production leaders. ... View more

Ramb;ler used ceramic coated exhaust pipe in the late 50s and early 60s with a lifetime warranty, back when car warranties were a year or less on the drivetrain. Lifetime was for original owner only though, so few needed replacing when people typically traded cars every 4-5 years (frugal Rambler owners usually kept them longer than the 2-3 years others traded). In the mid 90s an AMC dealer replaced the exhaust system for an elderly woman for free under the warranty. Car was a 63-64 Classic with just over 100K on the clock. she was giving it to her grandson and had all the paperwork, and he found the warranty info. Car hadn't been driven for 4-5 years when he got it running again. The dealer couldn't replace with a new ceramic coated system, they just sent her to a local exhaust bender. But the pipe lasted from 63-64 until 96 or so -- over 30 years. The dealer had the car in a local newspaper advertisement, boasting on the great warranty service provided by his dealership. I doubt he was under any obligation at this point, but the old lady had the car serviced every year at the dealership when she was driving, and they recognized the car when grandson drove up. ... View more

People form the general public (not car people!) see my Rambler in great condition and often comment something like "it must be worth a lot, I can't remember the last time I saw one". We all know POPULARITY drives price more than RARITY. If you have the only one left and no one really wants it, what's it worth? NOTHING!!!   Rare, prototype seats. Might be worth something to a Corvette collector. Maybe $90 for a curiosity, $900 if you just have to have everything historic Corvette... possibly $9K. But $90K is a fools errand!! Put them up with a $10K reserve and $1000 starting bid, drop starting and reserve if no takers. Maybe contact the Corvette Museum, but I doubt GM would kick too much in for them.... ... View more

While it definitely resembles a 58 Corvette, I don't think there is any copyright infringement. Roxor makes a copy of an early Jeep. They were sued by Jeep over the grille, whose seven slot shape IS copyrighted. So they changed the grille. There is no copyright on the overall design, might be on a couple design elements. It's not like anyone would mistake this for a 58 Corvette... maybe from the rear, at a distance, but that's about all. Proportions are wrong, as noted. Maybe someone not familiar with 'vettes ould at a distance, but anyone who has ever seen a late 50s model would realize something just isn't right once they got closer. Remember, a Taiwanese company made a complete steel copy of the Mustang and early Camaro, close enough that they could be used as repair parts and fit originals. Not turn-key drivers, but complete bodies, add original or repro front suspension, drivetrain, and interior parts, and have a new bodied car, no rust! The steel was actually slightly thinner yet stronger than the originals.   There isn't much "made in America" anymore -- not totally anyway. I've seen "assembled in xxxx from US made components" and "Assembled in US", sometimes stating from components in one or more countries, sometimes just stopping there....   If it can't be made using mostly machines it's probably mostly (if not all) made somewhere else. ... View more

Wow! Finally, a real reason for a southern boy to travel to New Jersey!!!   ... View more

If you aren't scared to USE a pickup for it's intended purposes (hauling and towing), then yes, it will pay for itself in savings. The thing is, most people baby their high dollar trucks and won't haul anything meaningful (like heavy furniture) because they don't want the bed scratched (or the bed liner!). I've run into that many times, even from some country boys! I grew up on a farm -- a pickup is a tool as much as transportation. Don't be afraid to get scratches INSIDE the bed - or a few small dings outside. IT'S A TRUCK -- USE IT!!! Of course it's hard to have that mentality for a $60K+ vehicle unless it was purchased as a work truck... ... View more

The Honda 75 0was a "big" bike in it's heyday. Don't forget all the smaller CB series either. A CB250 or 450 would be great around town bikes, even longer trips with just one rider. Back in the early 90s I was looking for a CB350 for my first commuter bike. I mean real bike -- I was stationed with my family in Okinawa Japan with the USAF and had an 80cc Honda scooter as my "second car". Instead I happened across a pristine (except for rusted through mufflers) CB175 twin. Just needed the carbs cleaned and new tires after sitting in a shed for about 10 years. PO was a college girl who rode it a few months then had it slide out from under her when turning into a gravel driveway. Parked it and never got back on, it was just pushed into dad's shed. He couldn't get it running when cleaning out 10 years later, and sold it cheap enough that I grabbed it. It was a great commuter for one person, not big enough for a 180 pound passenger for anything more than 10-15 minutes on the interstate though. I found a 350 and sold the 175 a bit over a year later, but it was a Suzuki T350 two stroke... which was actually 305cc, but much more power! I then had several Suzy two-strokes, a 76 T500 being the most fun bike I ever had. ... View more

Building over it may not be so easy -- the existing structure may not support a second story. Still, it's a big area. Why not save the separate Rotunda, remodel parts of it, and tear down the larger building, building around the saved Rotunda? Save some history and have a new building at the same time!   ... View more

I get it. I rode my daughter on my motorcycle (1980 GS1000... since gone...) a lot since she was six years old. When she was about 9 someone walked by as she was patiently sitting on the bike waiting for me to gas up and said "I bet you really like riding with dad!" She looked at them like they were nuts. What was so special about something she did anywhere from two to six times a week?  ... View more

Calling the load leveling controller a "processor" is a stretch!! It's an analog switch, little more. Probably has a relay or two to power the motor. The motor is really just a spring jack, motor powered instead of manual. I'm not dismissing the ingenuity of the system, especially for the time -- it's simple in concept. Wouldn't have been possible without the Torsion Level suspension, which is an elegant design by itself. ... View more

Much better looking than the current Z car! I agree that the original still looks a bit better. The roof "peaks" right in front of the drivers head then quickly falls off.  A more "rounded" roof like the old one would look better IMHO, not that drastic cut back. ... View more

I've had a trailer for a few years. Still look at the "for sale" ads for an older Class A -- they depreciate like luxury cars. I'm a handyman (by profession since I retired from the USAF, was in Civil Engineering doing base maintenance most of my 24 years) and would like to gut and remodel one. A Class A (or C) just isn't that practical though, as we don't go a lot and then would have to tow a vehicle for most trips, as noted. I have a sewer "caddy", but don't use it for black water, just grey. Using the public toilet on occasion isn't a big deal for me. You'll quickly fill the grey water if using the shower much anyway, takes a while to fill the black -- unless you're staying for more than a few days and only using the RV toilet. Still, it's good for two people on a long weekend even then. An RV can be like a boat -- a hole in the water (in this case in the ground) that you throw money in. Same as a vintage car -- throw money in the parking lot. You have to at least like it a lot, if not love it. The main reason I don't buy an older Class A and remodel is that I couldn't sell it and get my money back. Well, maybe... sans labor. Same thing I tell people about old cars -- don't get it unless you like it, because the only sure way to get your money out of it is to enjoy it for many years. ... View more

For $15K you can get any number of collector cars. AMCs have always been great bang for the buck cars, and you can even find a decent AMX two seater for $15K if you look hard enough. Almost any other AMC in #3 condition will be under $15K, and many will be #2. AMC just isn't appreciated -- it's popularity that drives prices up on the equivalent Big Three models. Want a mid 60s Chevelle hardtop but can't afford it? Consider a 67+ Rambler Rebel. Similar size and power as any small block Chevelle, half the cost for the same condition. Not only that, you will get as much or more attention because you'll likely be the only one at a show. My brother hated that my car got more attention than his when we took my 63 Rambler Classic wagon and his 65 Mustang coupe to Pigeon Forge one year!! ... View more