Tag Archives: Chrysler

Chrysler VH Valiant Charger at the 2018 Sunday In The Park at Lime Rock

October 5, 2018 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Say hello to the Thunder from Down Under. Most people, including me, had never heard of this car. Chrysler used to sell their own homegrown cars in Oz–and this is one of the most desirable. Here we find a 1972 VH Valiant Charger, with its very own, never-seen in America Hemi-head inline six. These were potent, rare, and valuble cars in their day, and are seldom seen now. That this one is in America is an even larger oddity as it looks to be similar in size to a Dart, but is shaped like a Cricket, and has the name of an intermediate. Enjoy the photos of this “shrimp on the barbie” mini muscle car. Continue reading Chrysler VH Valiant Charger at the 2018 Sunday In The Park at Lime Rock →

Car Shows, Cars We've Seen

Classic Mopars at the AACA Fall Meet, Hershey, PA

Gallery November 1, 2017 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

I regret that I showed up late for this event. In fact, I showed up so late that I managed to miss most of the show. While I ate plenty of crow for that, I got to see most of the show leave along the exit road, and learned that at the AACA meet, always expect the unexpected. Among these Mopars featured today include the usual suspects, such as Superbirds and a Hemi car or two. However, take a good look at that 1942 DeSoto–one of the rarest years of the brand and a car almost never seen even by keen-eyed enthusiasts. My personal favorite? Take a good look at the cover photo. I have not seen many two-door late C-Body New Yorker coupes, and a black over tan example caught my eye and never gave it back. Enjoy the photos of these classic Chrysler products, and byproducts. Continue reading Classic Mopars at the AACA Fall Meet, Hershey, PA →

Car Shows

Highlights from the 2016 Philadelphia Auto Show

February 3, 2016 ndubs77 1 Comment

The Philadelphia Auto Show was lively this year, with many of the newest releases on display.

I must admit that I am completely in love with the blue Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio you see above (it’s stick too). I also got my first look at the new Fiata (124 Spider), Cadillac XT5, Honda Ridgeline, and the oh-so-sleek Volvo S90. I also got a good look at the new Toyota Prius, which was regrettable on the eyes.

There are a lot of great new cars to be excited about!

Enjoy the gallery.

-Nick

Continue reading Highlights from the 2016 Philadelphia Auto Show →

Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars, SUVs and Crossovers

Jeep Renegade Limited Review: The Italians Have Made A Jeep You’ll Love!

October 7, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

When you think of Jeep, you think of the iconic Jeep Wrangler. Drawing its heritage all the way back to the army jeeps of World War II, the Wrangler has become the staple off-road vehicle of choice for many.

Many people just love the Wrangler’s unique style, though, without much interest in actually using its vast off-road capabilities. These buyers spell big opportunity for Jeep.

You see, while the Wrangler is quite “cool”, it’s strict off-road focus gives it some pretty serious drawbacks when it comes to everyday on-road driving. Anyone wanting to drive a Wrangler for its style points will have to be willing to sacrifice on fuel economy, practicality, handling, comfort, and security (with open models). Kind of a tough sell.

The big solution for Jeep was to create an all-new model that would take the Wrangler’s DNA and distill it into a more useable package for normal on-road use.

The new Jeep Renegade is that solution. Where the Wrangler is an off-roader first and daily car second, the Renegade is daily car first and an off-roader second.

Renegades are selling well, and I do think Jeep may have a home run on their hands here. Honestly, there are more buyers out there who just want a Jeep for the unique style of the brand, rather than to actually go rock crawling in the desert.

My girlfriend, Gab, is a perfect example. She’s all about the Jeep image, and she loves the car’s features, but she’s not all about getting it muddy or traversing the Mojave desert in her spare time.

Gab got this black 2015 Jeep Renegade Limited a little over a month ago, and she’s been letting me drive her around in it. I feel I’ve gotten to know the car pretty well at this point, and now it’s time to share my take on it with you, my dear readers.

So put your boots on and lets get to it! Continue reading Jeep Renegade Limited Review: The Italians Have Made A Jeep You’ll Love! →

Car Shows

PT Cruiser Monster Truck at Hopewell Cruise Night

August 31, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

Clearly this just needed to be posted. It’s a PT Cruiser gone PT Bruiser!

We caught this at the last Hopewell Cruise Night, down the road from most of the action. There were a few other such vehicles with it, but the PT Cruiser has a place close to my heart… it was my first car in Gran Turismo 3 as a kid, mostly because I knew what it was at the time.

This thing is a beast!

-Nick

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

2015 Elks Lodge Car Show (Lodge 2414) General Gallery

Gallery May 19, 2015 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

This past Saturday, I was in a conundrum. I knew that the local Elks Lodge up the street was putting on a car show, but I wasn’t sure if they’d let me put my Miata in the show. I decided to just drive it over and see what would happen. I was the first guy to show up in an imported car (there was already a Toyota Truck in the show) but they let me in for a few bucks and I gladly obliged, hiding the Miata, in all its scratched-up, four-cylinder glory, in between a few Corvettes. For my efforts, I was rewarded third in class for import cars–which came with a nice $25 gift certificate to the local Italian establishment, Mama Rosina’s.

In all, this was a very well-done show. While the variety of cars was a bit limited, the people made this a very friendly, neighborhood-type show, with people from all over the local area coming out to show off their best cars. We had everything from a 1956 Bel Air (that was all original and awaiting restoration) to a late-model Maserati GranTurismo, C7 Stingray, and a 2014 Super Snake that shook the ground on startup. Enjoy the photos from Riverside Park in Piscataway, New Jersey. Continue reading 2015 Elks Lodge Car Show (Lodge 2414) General Gallery →

Car Shows

1967 Chrysler 300 Convertible at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours

Gallery April 23, 2015 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Chrysler, at one point, was all about really big cars. I’m not talking “big” in today’s terms. I’m talking “it takes up one whole city block” big. Chrysler didn’t do small cars until the late Seventies–and the proof was how they sold the 300. Continue reading 1967 Chrysler 300 Convertible at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours →

Car Shows

1954 Desoto Adventurer II Ghia Coupe At Hershey

March 30, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

Following up our Corvette Rondine spot is another Italian-American beauty, this 1954 Desoto Adventurer II Ghia Coupe. This is one of the cars that stole the show at The Elegance at Hershey last year, and I certainly had to pick my jaw up off the ground when I caught my first glimpse of it.

Styled by Italian designer, Ghia, this Desoto Adventurer II is a one-off concept car done as a design exercise. The idea was to make a European-style grand touring car on an American platform… too bad they only made one. Beneath its swooping lines Adventurer II is based on a the Desoto Firedome Sportsman, and gets its power from a 276ci (4.5L) Hemi V8. It also has a 2 speed transmission, which is quite exotic today.

The car was fully restored in 1988, and now appears at concours events like The Elegance at Hershey. This was stunning car in a beautiful venue, and we’re glad we can share it with you all. Enjoy!

-Nick Walker

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours

February 27, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

This past weekend, I found myself getting a small tan in sunny Florida, while my cohort in the Northeast froze like a Popsicle. 80 degrees, plenty of sun, and low wind make great bedfellows with classic cars on a golf course, and with palm trees abound, the 2015 Boca Raton Concours was a sure thing. This was the first time I’ve attended this show, and I was suitably impressed.

Now in its 9th season, this show is very close in terms of timing to Amelia Island, but takes place much further south, just 60 miles north of Miami. The show is held on the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort and Club, one of the best establishments in South Florida. The show was on the golf course and featured Cadillac products, as well as anything related to the Ford Mustang, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Best of Show was a familiar face and a familiar car–the same car that won Best of Show at Greenwich last summer, a stunning Minerva owned by Joseph Cassini, won the prize at Boca this weekend. Please enjoy this gallery of fine automobiles–features will be coming very soon of a stunning Ferrari 275 GTB NART Spyder, as well as a few gorgeous old Mopar muscle cars. Enjoy, all! Continue reading Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1970 Hemi ‘Cuda at Hershey and the Quail

February 10, 2015 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Just because we feature a car here on Mind Over Motor doesn’t mean its fifteen minutes of fame should end. A year and a half ago, a 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda with Chrysler badges was making its first-ever appearance at the Greenwich Concours, and took home the Chief Judge’s Award last year on its debut. Fast-forward a year, and the ‘Cuda was back in action, after spending a bit of time in France–the country where it made history.

This is not a normal Hemi ‘Cuda. Most of them are designed to look good and race along Main Street between Maple Avenue and Pine Street against a Chevelle SS-454 (and win). This one fought for space alongside Porsche 911 racers and BMW 3.0 CSLs all over France–one of just four E-body Chryslers to ever do so. Nowadays, it’s retired, but it spent time in France on some of its old tracks during the past year or so. I can only imagine the sound of that thundering big-block V8 ricocheting across the French countryside, both getting everyone’s attention and ticking off the locals, who probably would rather not see such a brash American messing around their French roads. I personally wish that it happen more often. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda at Hershey and the Quail →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1936 Chrysler Imperial C-10 Airflow at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours

December 16, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The Chrysler Airflow was the first time, and not the last time, that Chrysler Corporation would build something that was so ahead of its time aerodynamically that the design ended up being a sales failure despite its innovation. In the mid-1930s, automakers were not necessarily looking at aerodynamic styling outside of motorsports applications. Chrysler, however, decided that even without a big racing program in the Depression, that the theory of streamlining the panels on their new mainstream model, now called the Airflow, could be a success. They weren’t just wrong, they were far enough off the mark with the American public that the endeavor nearly killed the company by 1938, and the more traditionally-styled models were quickly pressed into service to bring sales back to normal levels. Not many Airflows sold thanks to the radical, streamlined styling (with influence by Orville Wright) and seeing one at a Concours event, while not unheard of, isn’t a common occurrence. This gold example at Radnor looked incredible, with only 60,000 miles since new. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1936 Chrysler Imperial C-10 Airflow at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Rockefeller’s Imperial Limo at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours

November 6, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

When it comes to the Rockefeller family, it’s hard not to think of money, prestige, fame, politics, and limousines. This particularly extravagant limo is a 1960 Imperial with a body by Ghia and an interior to die for. 17 of these Ghia-bodied limos left the factory in 1960 and this is the only one ordered without the third set of rear-side windows (making this a 5-window model as opposed to a 7-window). Nelson D. Rockefeller ordered this car when he was elected Governor of New York back in 1960 and outfitted it with emergency lights, a fabric rear seat, and vinyl half-roof. Governor Rockefeller rode in genuine style from his inauguration in 1960 (in this car) and until the end of his time in Albany, and had a penchant for Imperials, using this and another later model in the late Sixties. To make this an even more exclusive type of vehicle, there was actually a sister Ghia-bodied limo like this one, but it was owned by the one and only Jacqueline Kennedy. Rarefied air, indeed. It’s fit for a Rockefeller, it’s fit for a Kennedy, it’s probably even fit for royalty. Enjoy the photos of this regal official car. Continue reading Rockefeller’s Imperial Limo at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours →