Tag Archives: American Cars

Opinions

RIP Paul Walker, you will be dearly missed

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Paul Walker and Skyline

As most of you have probably already heard, Fast And Furious star, Paul Walker was killed in a horrific crash yesterday. He was attending a charity car event yesterday afternoon, and he went for a ride in his friend, Rodger Rodas’ (who was a former racing driver), Porsche Carrera GT. Somewhere during the ride, the driver lost control of the notoriously twitchy Porsche, and they crashed. No details have been released yet on the exact circumstances of the crash, but the car was ripped in half, and the fuel tank had ruptured, engulfing the car in flames. Both men were killed in the accident.

This tragedy has shaken the car enthusiast world to the core. I know that my whole generation was, in many ways, brought into our love of cars by Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in The Fast And The Furious, so we all owe Paul a lot of gratitude.

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Car Shows

New Hope Auto Show: Buick Super 8 Woody Wagon

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Buick Super 8 Woody Wagon

This Buick Super 8 is a woody among woodies. It rolled in a little later in the day at the New Hope Auto Show this summer, and it immediately ripped our eyes away from the corral of supercars. This is one of those cases where they literally just don’t make them like this anymore. With modern safety regulations and cost concerns, the woody is a thing of the past. While that is quite sad, it also makes spectacular examples, such as this Buick, that much more special.

The details on this Super 8 Wagon were nothing short of immaculate. It is from an era when American cars were at their peak, a level that modern American companies wish they could reach now. I’m sorry, but next to this Buick Super 8, a Verano or a Lacrosse might as well be invisible. GM, and other American companies, need to bring this sort of luscious flavor back into their products. They may not be able to use large wooden panels anymore, but how about some inspired design and a bold sense of style?

I’ll let the photos do the talking from here. Enjoy.

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Opinions

The ATS-V Is Coming, How Can Cadillac Screw It Up?

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Cadillac ATS-V Rendering, Courtesy Of Motor Trend
Cadillac ATS-V Rendering, Courtesy Of Motor Trend

We all know the Cadillac ATS-V is coming. The rumors have been swirling for some time now, and many people have taken it upon themselves to photoshop what they hope the car will look like (see above). But the issue for me now is, wondering if, and how, GM may go about screwing up this highly anticipated car.

This is not to say that I don’t have faith in GM’s ability to make great cars, they have a number of great cars out right now. However, there are still enough instances of idiotic, old-school GM rearing its head in our post-economic-crisis world to make me worry that they may find a way to drop the ball here. And if there are any cars that the bean counters need to not screw up even one tiny bit, the ATS-V is certainly among them.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan

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When people think of a Chrysler with wood paneling, of course the Town and Country comes to mind.  However, this particular body style rarely is brought up.  Loren J. Hulber, however, bucks this trend and was happy to bring this pristine 1948 Sedan to the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance.  Only 1,175 wood-bodied sedans were produced for 1948 and this was the final year for that body style, making this Chrysler quite rare today.  These cars needed hand assembly after the panels were fitted due to the difficulty of the curved frames of the wood.  This Sumac Red example features a Highlander plaid finish interior, and won the American Classic Postwar class.  Nick and I saw it yet again at the St. Michael’s Concours, where it also won its class.  I was happy to see not only two different Town and Country models in the same place, but joyful that the rarer (and very striking) sedan was the award winner instead of the more often-seen convertible variant at this show.  Note the unique wood roof rack as well.  Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan →

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! 1940 Buick Eight Woodie Wagon, Carmel, CA

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After a long day of watching race cars tear around Laguna Seca and shooting some amazing cars in the paddock, Nick and I headed back to Carmel as the customary Pacific fog began to roll in.  Luckily, I got some pictures of this very well-kept Buick wagon which was making rounds over on Ocean Avenue in the early portion of the evening.  The driver seemed to be happy just to have the car outside that evening.  We stopped shooting cars as the lighting got worse, but luckily, this car arrived before that happened.
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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

Test Driven: 2013 Chrysler 300 SRT (Grade: C)

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Chrysler’s SRT lineup screams for attention these days.  The Challenger SRT appeals to the little kid inside of us, even if it’s not as dynamically capable as the competition.  The SRT Viper has the bedroom poster market cornered for the company (even if sales aren’t great right now) and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is a screaming deal.  Meanwhile, the sole Chrysler product to wear the badge, the 300, sits in the corner of the showroom and doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention.  At Pebble Beach, the first car I took out on the Seventeen-Mile Drive was this icy black 300 SRT.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after a lot of thinking, I believe I have an answer.

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Car Shows

The 2013 Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance

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Maserati 300S
Maserati 300S

We attended the Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance last weekend. As always it was a wonderful event with a fantastic turnout, and the Fall leaves beginning to turn just made the pictures that much better. I’ll let the photos from the event do the talking from here. Enjoy.

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Opinions

The Cadillac ELR Proves That GM Hasn’t Quite Lost It’s Stupid

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2014 Cadillac ELR
2014 Cadillac ELR

It’s like that quote from The Godfather, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me right back in!” GM has shown a lot of promise recently, Cadillac in particular with the new CTS and its turbocharged V6. Of course, in true GM fashion, such applaudable brilliance must be subsequently balanced out by some action of unfathomable idiocy. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the $76,000 Chevy Volt, which Cadillac refers to as the ELR.

Lets get this straight, the whole entire reason that the Chevy Volt hasn’t sold well is because it is too damn expensive. Like $40,000 in a world where its competition cost $25,000. So naturally GM’s brilliant marketing people had a meeting and said, “I know what will really sell well. Let’s make a Volt with a Cadillac body on it and make it double the price!”

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Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine

This comes on a similar note to the Lincoln Indianapolis Boano Coupe we featured a few weeks ago. This 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine was created by, Italian design house, Pinninfarina for the 1963 Paris Auto Show. Those of you who know Corvettes know that 1963 was the first year of the iconic C2 Sting Ray. While I personally believe the Stingray is the best looking Vette of all time, especially the ’63 split window coupe, the Rondine’s Italian style is breathtaking.

The Corvette Rondine was the top-spec Sting Ray underneath, with the fuel injected 327ci V8 under its hood making 360hp. There is one key difference, though, and that is the body of the car. The Rondine had a steel body whereas the Sting Ray’s was made of fiberglass. This resulted in the Rondine being a bit heavier than the standard Corvette, however I’d say it is worth it for those beautiful curves.

The Corvette Rondine marks another fantastic example of an American car being fitted with Italian styling. Whether the Rondine looks better than the Sting Ray is entirely subjective, but it certainly is a unique and interesting automobile. The Corvette Rondine recently sold for a hefty $1.6 million back at the 2008 Barret Jackson Auction, and its value is certain to keep appreciating. It is always a pleasure to see such a stunning car as this, and the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance was the second time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this car in person. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance: 1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster

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1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster
1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster

We attended the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance a few weeks ago, and right as we walked through the entrance we were greeted by this stunning machine.  It is an Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster, and I was told it is the same model that was used recently in the Great Gatsby. The difference is that the one in the movie was quite plain, while this one is nothing short of immaculate. Just look at the way those orange accents flow along the lines of the car, and of course, there is also the hood ornament… a naked woman made of crystal. What’s not to love? Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1950 Chrysler Town and Country Newport Coupe at the St. Michaels Concours

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Anyone who knows me well will understand that I’m a sucker for Chrysler woodies.  They’re very pretty and are often worth a lot more money than one might think.  This particular 1950 model is the first one I’ve ever seen in public.  It’s a Town and Country Newport, in the final year of production for the wood-body model.  This was the only hardtop woodie ever built by Chrysler–only 698 were produced, making it a rarely-seen car with an exorbitant $4,000+ price tag in its day.  Those factors make this quite the intriguing car.  The black paint looked smooth as silk and the chrome was blindingly bright in the unimpeded sun.  The backdrop of the alluring clouds and gorgeous hotel, along with the smoothness of the Chesapeake Bay, made shooting this car, at least for me, an utter no-brainer.  It didn’t win any awards that day, but it stood proudly next to its rival wood-paneled cars.  Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1950 Chrysler Town and Country Newport Coupe at the St. Michaels Concours →

Car Shows

Bucks County Exotics Meet 10/5/2013

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Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster

I attended the Bucks County Exotics meet this past weekend with my friend, Rich. It is a “cars and coffee” style event, and often times there is a cruise afterward for those who wish to partake. This time around, the route took us through many of the scenic covered bridges in Bucks County, PA. The turnout at the meet was phenomenal, and the cruise was a great time (and no speeding tickets to boot). Surely this is one of the better ways to spend a Saturday morning. Enjoy the photos.

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