It’s pretty clear that I hold anything with the Cord name in a good amount of regard. They were innovators in the 1930s and were tragically out of business by 1938. The 812 was one of the most advanced cars they’d ever made, right before the demise of the company. The 812 included a supercharged straight-8 by Lycoming hooked up to a semi-automatic transmission, as well as a fully independent front suspension with front-wheel-drive–a first for anything built in America. This was also the very first car from the States to utilize concealed headlights, which could be raised by a set of interior knobs. Many other features, including a set of variable speed wipers and a concealed fuel filler, were also either not seen previously on other cars, or had not been a common feature at the time. Unfortunately, Cord did not produce many and was not able to sell them well during the Depression, despite intense initial interest. This butter-yellow convertible looked striking against the rolling hills and leafy trees of Malvern, Pennsylvania. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1937 Cord 812 at the Radnor Hunt Concours, 2013→
At Radnor this year, there was more than just one Chrysler Town and Country. While I was taken aback by the handsome red sedan we featured previously, it was hard to ignore the Dove Gray example parked right next to it. This one is also a 1947 model, but restored in 2005. The combination of the gray paint and red interior, along with a red top, looked incredible on the field under the tree. The wood trim had a shine that no other wood-paneled car at the Concours was capable of matching that day. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1947 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible at the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours→
Jaguar’s F-Type is a car that has taken a lot of thought out of me. When I was at Pebble Beach, it was already on sale, and I’d already had some seat time in one back in June 2013 on a parking-lot racetrack in Queens, NY. However, due to the limited amount of time I’d had with it, I was looking forward to taking another crack at this little sports car in the Golden State. I got my wish when I strapped myself into this sleek black beauty, and took it for a rather educational drive around the Seventeen Mile Drive. Continue reading Test Driven: Jaguar F-Type V6S, Al’s Take (Grade: B+)→
While fighting through the ever-thickening fog on the evening before the main event at Pebble Beach, Nick and I were attempting to do some car-spotting before the sun disappeared and the fog descended, which ended up thwarting a good amount of our efforts to get some good pictures. Luckily, that didn’t happen with this Spyker C8, which certainly wasn’t at all camera-shy.
On Day 2 of the New Hope Car Show, the European classics come out to play. This year, the venerable marque of Rolls-Royce was healthily represented. In fact, its representation was so healthy that I was spoiled for choice. It wasn’t until after I’d spent about an hour perusing the models in the field that I came across this shining red Phantom, owned by one of the more humorous people in the show. The tan convertible roof and luggage compartment, combined with the gorgeous wire wheels and whitewall tires, made this particular Phantom II stand out from the crowd that sunny day. In fact, it stood out so much that my Kodak z990 camera actually broke that very day and I had to go get it replaced. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1931 Rolls Royce Phantom II at the New Hope Classic Car Show 2013→
While Day 1 of the New Hope Classic Car Show was wrapping up, Nick and I were taking pictures of cars that were no longer surrounded by undesirable clutter. While he ran off to photograph a Ford Thunderbird, I saw this sleek black land yacht sitting out in the back of the lot, unnoticed. I certainly didn’t like how no one wanted to look at it, so I started taking pictures. This is a 1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar I, the final year of the model, which was a sportier version of the Olds 88 at the time. They were made for just two years, and I haven’t seen one since this point. In this sleek black paintjob, this big Olds packs a 425ci big block Oldsmobile V8 punch and a four-speed manual transmission, all wrapped up in a well-optioned interior for the era. Only 6,552 were sold for the 1965 model year, making this a fairly rare example of what Olds was selling in the 1960s. The fenders looked nice and straight, and the lines made the car look a bit smaller than it actually was from my perspective. Enjoy the photos.
The Lamborghini 350GT is known by many as the first car to be sold bearing the Lamborghini name back in the Sixties. However, it wasn’t the first car the company built. That honor goes to the sleek green shape seen here. This is the Lamborghini 350GTV, a prototype that eventually became the basis for the 350GT. This car is the origin and the first use of the vaunted Lamborghini V12 engine that would later go on to power most of the lineup until today. The bodywork also contributed to the 350GT. It was featured at Pebble Beach this year in honor of Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary. I can honestly say that it doesn’t look too similar to any other Lambo I’ve seen, save for maybe the 350GT. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Presenting, the Lamborghini 350GTV→
I don’t like the phrase “lame-duck.” It implies a constantly negative connotation. I don’t like negative connotations when it comes to anything that’s orange, Italian, and far too loud. Despite that, the Gallardo, one of Lamborghini’s most successful models, is indeed on its way out. This particular orange Italian screamer was the third car of four that I drove in Las Vegas last summer and, thanks to the scorching temperatures, the one I was the most fearful of not being able to drive. Luckily, this Lamborghini stayed cool in the heat, while I roasted in the sunlight before taking the wheel. It didn’t disappoint.
On our way back from the St. Michael’s Concours at the end of last September, Nick and I stumbled on a rather strange sight. We were stuck in traffic with traffic leaving Dover Speedway after a NASCAR race, and weren’t really paying much attention to the cars around us until this traffic light. What we initially thought was simply a pickup truck with a cover on the bed turned out to be something much more wacky. As we inched closer, we both realized that this must be the ultimate redneck chariot. Complete with a NASCAR-style spoiler, a set of roll-cage-like bars on the rear window, and a smorgasbord of sponsorship decals, this big Chevrolet limo might just be the classiest way to travel to and from a NASCAR event. I can’t say that I like it. I can’t say that I’d want it. But I can say that I sort of respect its insanity. Someone took the time and spent the cash to create what might be the most unique limousine I’ve ever seen. Props to the guys who thought this up.
Those of you who have been following the site for a while should know by now that I’m a sucker for the Cord L-29. It’s an ahead-of-its-time, FWD luxury car that looks expensive and has a late-Twenties look that is timeless in my opinion. Of course, I always love seeing them at Concours events, and at the St. Michael’s Concours last September, I saw another great-looking example, this time courtesy of the Hershey Museum, who brought theirs out to the Chesapeake Bay that weekend. This one had its roof up for most of the show but the black-and-gray paintjob made the car look like a proper late-Twenties time capsule. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Cord L-29 at St Michael’s Concours d’Elegance→
After Nick and I finished shooting the Aston Martin One-77 off of Ocean Avenue in Carmel the first full day were in California last summer, we thought we were done for the day in Carmel. We were a bit wrong about that. Once we got back to the rental car, a black Lamborghini Diablo was staring both of us square in the face, sharing its portion of the pavement rather reluctantly with a Ferrari F430 Scuderia. Of course we took pictures of it–why wouldn’t we? This is one of the slickest-looking Diablos I’ve seen, especially with the black Murcielago rims which give this example a most sinister look. Continue reading Spotted! Lamborghini Diablo, Carmel, CA→
We, here at Mind over Motor, are about to wave goodbye to 2013. I, however, don’t want to wave goodbye to some of my favorite reviews of 2013. I didn’t put up as many reviews as I would have liked this year–and there are plenty of reviews on the way for 2014, I assure everyone. However, of the cars that I took out for a drive this year, here are my four favorites. Continue reading Al’s Favorite Drives of 2013→
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