Tag Archives: American Cars

Class: Of Course! Custom 1985 Pontiac Parisienne at the 2014 River Edge Car Show

July 22, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Michael Levy is the sort of guy who thinks differently from the rest of us car guys. When we zig, he zags. When we tell him that a mid-Eighties Pontiac isn’t a car we want in a collection, he begs to differ, then goes the extra mile. This is a 1985 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham, a car from the mid-Eighties automotive toss-up that was General Motors’ full-size cars. 1985 was the final year for Pontiac to sell a big sedan on this platform (from here on out, it was just wagons, and only through 1990). The Parisienne was pretty much identical in almost every way to the Chevy Caprice of the era, except that it was a Pontiac product. Michael, however, has other ideas. He took this Parisienne and made it his own, by making a number of changes. The badges have been Frenched in (made flush to the bodywork), and the paint, despite being the right colors of the car from the factory, were redone in a matte finish, not metallic like the original. The interior is still pretty much stock, but the Grey Poupon in the center console indicates that we’re not talking about a normal set of tastes. Under the skin, he’s added sequential turn signals (a la the current Mustangs), a train horn, and even a shovel and tarp in the trunk–for those of you who owe him money. It’s currently running a 305, but he did mention plans to put a 350 in it soon. He’s painted the wire wheel covers to hide the center of the spokes, making a “floating” effect appear between the trim rings and the center caps. However, the best modification to this Parisienne has to be the suicide doors–this was the one modification that was making everyone do a double-take, including me. It’s done so well, it looks like the factory should have done it in the first place. This is no Rolls-Royce, and it’s not a pimpmobile. It’s a “class-mobile”, and I absolutely love the uniqueness of this car. I enjoyed seeing this car in River Edge last week, and I’m sure you will all enjoy it as well. Enjoy the photos. Great car, Michael!

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show

July 15, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

On Sunday, I attended the River Edge Classic Car Show in River Edge, NJ thanks to a tip from my aunt, who happens to live there. I was expecting this show to be another small neighborhood car show in a small town in Bergen County. To say the very least, I was completely and utterly wrong. Despite the rain all over New Jersey and the threatening, humid air hovering over the city park, the show went on and was a runaway success. Admission was free, food was reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was friendly and full of good vibes. All sorts of cars were welcome, from a gorgeous early 1930s Chevrolet sedan all the way up to a restored 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, among many other fantastic cars. There were muscle cars, hot rods, offbeat classics, Mustangs, and even a Lotus Esprit V8. I was incredibly impressed at the variety and the caliber of cars on display out on the street on Sunday afternoon. The weather held up, everyone had a great time, and I even saw a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that I’d judged in 2007 (more on that car in a future post). A great day was had. Enjoy the photos, everyone!

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1963 Lincoln Continental Sedan at the Greenwich Concours

July 10, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The Lincoln Continental was once a great marque. Lincoln needed to sell more product and in 1960, the Mark V was outdated and outclassed by its more modern rivals, so Lincoln was the first to take the plunge and shear off the tail fins. Lincoln told Elwood Engel, Ford’s design head at the time, to design something modern for their luxury product. He worked wonders, creating a boxy shape that became an instant classic. The suicide-doored sedan and corresponding convertible were chiseled and mature, and became the definitive Lincoln shape for a decade thereafter. This is probably my favorite year of the postwar Continental–1963. The angle of the grille and the ratio of chrome to paint up front are dead-on perfect and the upright top of the fenders shines through brilliantly. My grandpa had a convertible one of these in the early 1960s and remembers it fondly, just as I caught a glimpse into the past thanks to this example. The eggshell white paint may seem a bit plain to some but I think this is the consummate color for the Contiental of the Sixties. In fact, to me, no other color really captures the shape and the inner lines. The suicide doors, long since out of style by the time this body launched in 1961, have always looked perfect. Values have been healthy for this car for some time, and I can see why–this is easily my favorite Lincoln of the postwar era, even more so than the ones from the late 1940s. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1969 AMC Javelin SST at the Greenwich Concours

July 8, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The AMC Javelin, in my opinion, tends to be an unloved pony car among the early examples of the late 1960s. After American Motors realized the Rambler Marlin was too big and heavy to compete with the lithe Mustang, Camaro, and Barracuda, they launched the Javelin in the spirit of the muscle car era, with a catching profile, low front end, and a nicely extruded wide stance. This 1969 SST model, the top-of-the-line trim level available that year, is optioned exceedingly well, including AMC’s nasty 390 cubic inch V8, body-color bumpers, and spiffy side stripes. Apperntly, this car is still with its original owner, who bought it for his daughter to use in high school and has restored it back to factory condition quite recently. I think it’s fair to say this among the Javelins I have seen through the past couple of years or so, this one is easily my favorite and even has a classy, stylish Sixties vibe to it with the vinyl roof, whitewalls, and Magnum 500 rolling stock. Enjoy the photos of this independent classic. Continue reading 1969 AMC Javelin SST at the Greenwich Concours →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts.

July 4, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Hello everyone, and welcome to Independence Day. On this day in 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia to mark the birth of our great nation, the United States of America. And on this day in 2014, I would like to feature some of the best burnout pictures we have from the CF Charities Supercar Show last month in Warminster, Pennsylvania–just a stone’s throw from Philadelphia. The burnout may not be distinctly American, but few other automotive gestures are quite as fitting in this great nation as stepping up to the plate and spinning the rear tires into a pulp of rubber, smoke, and mayhem. These great citizens, some of which brought a few foreign cars (this cementing this American smoking institution as a great melting pot), were more than happy to show off their tire-shredding skills. Everything from a slightly crunchy BMW E36 coupe to a hard-boiled Ford F-350 dually packing a 7.3L PowerStroke turbo diesel V8 (with copious amounts of added diesel soot) took part, and much fun was had by all. Enjoy the photos, and happy Fourth of July. Continue reading Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts. →

Opinions

The Hellcat Challenger is here! Fathers, hide your daughters.

July 3, 2014 ndubs77 3 Comments

It’s America’s birthday this week, and to celebrate Chrysler has released the glorious details on their new 6.2L supercharged Hellcat V8 engine. Commies run for cover!

In a stroke of PR genius, their previous release had said that the new engine would produce “at least 600hp,” but when they announced the real number it was a massive 707hp! This comes as a massively pleasant surprise from Chrysler as their product line has been a bit lacking in recent years compared to rivals from Ford and GM. But just as we thought the horsepower wars might be tapering off for a while, as focus turns to lighter weight, Chrysler launches their long-awaited counter-offensive, and it’s about damn time!

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Six Pack Convertible at the Greenwich Concours

June 26, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

Right about now, the Dodge Challenger is playing third fiddle to the current Mustang and Camaro. It’s not selling as well as its competition, it’s not as fast, and it’s quite a lot heavier. However, there are a few things it does better than the other two pony cars on the market, and the same was true 44 years ago when the Challenger first launched in 1970. It looked more aggressive and had slick lines for its era, and offered style that the Camaro and Mustang couldn’t match. Today, the same is true–the Challenger, despite its oversized dimensions now, has strong lines, just like this sexy convertible. Retina-searing orange, black stripes, and a black interior never looked so strong in the sunshine.

Clad in Hemi Orange paint, this 1970 convertible looks like a high-class, high-speed machine of the early Seventies, and that’s exactly what it was for. The Challenger never sold as well as the Mustang or Camaro, and the convertible is quite a rare machine, especially in eye-catching R/T trim. This one in particular sports the same engine as the black Road Runner I featured here a few weeks ago–the rip-snorting, eardrum-liberating 440 Six Pack V8. Unlike that Road Runner, this Challenger is controlled by the timeless four-speed manual transmission topped with the Hurst Pistol-Grip shifter. This is quite a rare combination–according to the Standard Catalog of Chrysler, only 61 R/T convertibles were equipped with this engine and transmission combination out of 1,070 R/T convertibles. As a result, KBB lists the value of this particular car at close to six figures. I’m not at all surprised–although values of muscle cars have stabilized, Challengers, and especially ones of this pedigree, are still worth an absolute suitcase of money and I can see why. I haven’t seen too many Challengers, especially 1970 models–but this might be one of the best convertibles that’s not at an auction right now. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Six Pack Convertible at the Greenwich Concours →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1930 Cadillac Series 353 Cabriolet at the Elegance at Hershey 2014

June 24, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Anyone who has read up on their European history over time has probably heard of the Rothschild family. They’re known today as being much more low-profile than most would expect for being as wealthy as they are (the family is supposedly worth 500 billion dollars), but their control over the world’s wealth is known as a staggering truth. However, I’m not here today to talk about the entire family’s history. I just want to talk about this absolutely stunning car. This is a Cadillac–but it’s not just any old pre-war Cadillac. This particular French-market Cadillac 353 Cabriolet was owned by Baron Edmund James de Rothschild for a number of years. This custom-bodied behemoth is a four-door cabriolet with a full-folding roof, in separate sections for the chauffeur or the passengers. These versions are known as closed car (both sections closed), sedanca de villa (front section open), or an open tourer (all sections open).

Cadillac sold 14,995 cars in 1930, but less than one percent of them were bodied by custom coach builders (less than 150). This car is an aluminum-bodied, long-wheelbase, three position double cabriolet, a truly unique body style. The bodywork was performed by Georges Kellner et Filis and is the only known Cadillac he penned. Unfortunately, the Baron passed away just four years after the car was ordered, and it was kept thereafter at one of the chateaus owned by the family and used just for special occasions. In 1969, a noted collector named James C. Leake purchased it and had it restored ten years later. The current owner, the Richard Driehaus Collection, has not changed the car since acquiring it in 1998. Despite being an older restoration, this Series 353 looks absolutely stunning on the field at Hershey and I would be overjoyed to see it again soon, whether that be this year or in the future. Enjoy the photos of this legendary automobile. Continue reading 1930 Cadillac Series 353 Cabriolet at the Elegance at Hershey 2014 →

Car Shows

Highlights from The Elegance at Hershey 2014

June 23, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

We made it out to The Elegance at Hershey 2014 in Hershey, PA where Hershey’s chocolate is made. It is a great event at a wonderful venue, the five star Hershey Hotel. With beautiful gardens and fountains supplementing all of the stunning cars, it is surely a great place for photos.

There were many rare cars this year, everything from a French-market Cadillac built for the Rothschild family to the best-in-show winning Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor” Speedster. Enjoy the highlight gallery of the event and check back for features on some specific cars.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

June 17, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

The Tri-Five Chevrolets of the 1950s are legendary, but I feel like the model produced just one year later is better than its three older brothers. 1958 marked the appearance of the top of the line Impala for the first time, and the name would stand as Chevrolet’s standard-bearer in the full-size market until 1985. The name is still of course used today (despite being dragged through the mud since my pre-teen years) as Chevy’s full size car. In ’58, the lineup got a redesign which brought quad round headlights across the board and marked the appearance of the three taillights per side that would stick to Chevy’s top of the tree models until 1966. Six-cylinder and small-block V8 engines were available as they were for 1957, but the ’58 brought with it the debut of the big-block V8 option. Although it only displaced 348 cubic inches at the time, this top V8 option was available with a set of three two-barrel carburetors and mechanical lifters, which increased output to 315 horsepower–32 more than the fuel-injected 283 that topped the lineup a year earlier.

This one on display at the Greenwich Concours at the end of May was a very straight example, sporting a rear antenna with the correct rearward slant, flashy chrome, and a clean set of knock-off style hubcaps. The Tropic Turquoise paint finish shined brightly against the cloudy but still bright daylight sky, and the white roof set everything off nicely. The ’58 chassis was a one-hit wonder and for 1959, the lineup got revised again, making this car a bit more unique than it would be. It stands to reason that the 1958 Impala and its lesser models of the year are becoming more and more collectible as time goes on–prices are beginning to rival what the 1957 models have been going at lately. I’m a sucker for the ’58 Impala, as it was a classier and more filled-out car than the 55-57 series, but not as over-the-top as the 1959 and 1960 cars. The earliest Impala strikes a great balance between the outlandish style of the late Fifties and the reserved taste of the early part of the decade. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Cadillac ELR Reviewed (6.5/10)

June 13, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

The Chevrolet Volt hasn’t sold well, despite its fantastic technological design. The reason Volt hasn’t sold is because it costs around $40,000 when a Toyota Prius costs around $25,000; who would’ve guessed, but most cost-conscious consumers would rather save their extra fifteen grand.

GM knows the Volt is in trouble, so they’ve decided to attack the problem from a different angle — if the Volt is too expensive, then why not make it into a Cadillac, called the ELR, which can command a higher price. On the surface that seems like a good idea: take an over-priced economy car, turn it into a luxury car, and add a couple grand to the price tag.

Here’s the problem, though. GM didn’t just add a couple grand to the Volt’s price tag, they went and doubled it. So now, a way over-priced economy car has become a way over-priced luxury coupe.

Knowing all of this, when given the opportunity to take an ELR for a spin, I decided to put my predispositions aside, and see what the car had to offer. Maybe, just maybe, GM could’ve sprinkled it with some sort of magical pixy dust that would make it worth the $80,000…

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Car Shows

Fast & Exotic American Things At The CF Charities Supercar Show

June 11, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

We went to the CF Charities Supercar Show this past weekend, and there was some serious American metal there. Not muscle cars, as you might expect, but an array of hyper-exotic supercars from US manufacturers, oh, and of course an imposing Black Hawk helicopter courtesy of the US Army. It was a very exciting event with eye candy in many forms, fast cars, deadly aircraft, and beautiful women — our founding fathers would be so proud!

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