Palm Springs Automobilist

BUICKS with the BARRIS Touch

2012-01-30T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that King of the Kustomizers George Barris' first car was a Buick, a 1925 Buick roadster passed down from family when he was just a teenager. But it would be a few years later when his touch would create some very special ones. This 1941 Buick convertible featured flow through fenders and a Cadillac grille. It helped young Barris get noticed, in fact he featured it on his business card. Many chopped and channeled "Kustoms" followed.

After the era of the chopped and channeled "lead sleds", Barris made quite a few customs for movies. This caught the attention of Buick Motor Division itself, who provided him with a new 1963 Riviera to customize. The result was the "Villa Riviera", a frost white custom which was used in the movie "For Those Who Think Young", featuring a young Nancy Sinatra.

After the movie was completed, Barris changed the color to Translucent Cherry. It seems much sportier in the red hue. But Barris wasn't completely satisfied and kept experimenting. Note the open roof section and the extended fenders. The headlamps are concealed behind the fender ends.

Here's the Villa Riviera again, this time wearing a Cherry and White scalloped paint treatment. The wheels have also been changed. It may have been more successful in solid Cherry.

Speaking of successful, AMT was so impressed with the Villa Riviera that they featured it as a build option for their 1963 Riviera 1/25 Scale Model. Note the groovy 1960's graphics.

The Buick Wildcat Mystique began as a 1965 Wildcat hardtop. The roof is chopped, the hood and front fenders are stretched, the rear deck is lengthened, and the bumpers are replaced by rolled pans. The hand made bar grilles front and rear complete the custom effect.

Note the rear grille effect, the W shape, and the lowered roofline. The styling accentuates the original Buick lines to their dramatic pinnacle. The interior is basically stock with some wood trim and upgraded audio added.

The color is pretty attention-getting too. It's finished in 40 coats of Apricot Pearl, and these Tangerine scallops were added shortly after completion. It was reportedly made for a movie actor, although that had not been confirmed and Barris' book makes no mention of the client.

And this is a great shot- George Barris, wife Shirley and children Joji and Brett pose in the driveway of their Lake Encino home with a very special 1966 Riviera. Built again for Buick, the car is painted in Gold Tangerine Murano Pearl and features an ASC Sun Roof, special wheels, and red line tires. It was used promotionally and helped Buick dealers such as Reynolds popularize the Sun Roof.

Of course, George Barris built many interesting custom and movie cars over the years, including the Batmobile, the Monkeemobile and other truly legendary cars, but we think its interesting that he got his reputation going with Buicks, and he certainly did some great custom Buicks in the sixties.

Secrets of the Buick Bible

2012-01-24T08:42:00.000-08:00

There are almost fifty years worth of history in this worn ledger. It was used to keep track of the Buick Company Owned cars in service, which means that every time the Los Angeles Zone put a company owned vehicle on the road, it is recorded in this book. Most of the entries were made by Phil Vogel, Buick's longtime Company Car Coordiantor. Phil called the notebook his "Buick Bible", and never let it out of his sight.

Inside the front page were telephone numbers for everyone at the Buick Zone office- even the IBM computer room. When this log was began in 1962, the Zone was located in the Miracle Mile on Wilshire. Phil was based nearby at Gunther-Langer Buick. All the company cars were shipped there. After they were used, they would be sold through local dealers. Reynolds Buick handled many such sales.

Each car was logged by model, color, trim, key numbers, license number, delivery date and driver. A glance above shows some of the drivers that Buick provided cars for. Jack Entratter owned the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Dick Van Dyke you've probably already heard of.

Here's where we start to unravel last week's mystery of the celebrities in the 1967 Buick interiors- company car entries for Robert Lansing and Charleton Heston. Lansing was given an Electra convertible, Heston a Riviera. Both cars were hard plated as opposed to sporting Manufacturers plates.

And here it starts to add up. Cliff Robertson and Van Heflin both got Sportwagons. Fess Parker got a Riviera and David Janssen must have looked great in an Electra Convertible.

Bill Bixby and Lloyd Bridges were both furnished with new Rivieras. And now we understand- every celebrity that appeared in the brochure sitting inside a new Buick was given a brand new Buick. By today's standards, it was a pretty inexpensive way to obtain endorsements. But I'd love to see who approved the budget.

There are more fascinating entries in the Buick Bible. Who was furnished with the most Buick courtesy vehicles? None other than Old Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Electra Limiteds for himself, and Sportwagons when he owned the Cal-Neva Resort, all on Manufacturer plates. Mr. Sinatra and Buick were close friends in the sixties.

The entries end in June, 1998, when Phil Vogel was hospitalized for surgery. He had a stroke shortly after and died. The Buick Bible was returned to Buick by his family and has been preserved for history. It's a treasure of information and an interesting insight into how the automobile business was conducted in Tinseltown in an era gone by.

(Originally posted on the Reynolds Buick GMC Blog)

Buick 1967: For The "In Crowd"

2012-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Automobile Manufacturers have passed out a lot of brochures in the last century or so, but I can honestly say that few automotive brochures in history can come close to the Buick Deluxe 1967 brochure. It was an outstanding offering at the time, and remains a singular effort today.

It wasn't just that the 1967 Buick models were singularly exciting, although they were- it was that such effort went into the piece to make it outstanding and memorable. It was billed as "The Magazine for the In Crowd," and was produced in the style of a magazine, with features and articles.

Here is the table of contents. Instead of being arranged by model, it is organized into articles about each body style. There's an article about convertibles, using renderings done in an interpretation of a turn of the century Art Nouveau style of rendering that was popular in the day.

The next article reviews all of the two door offerings, as seen with six of the major fashion models of the day. The Wildcat is shown with the glamorous Wilhelmina.

The Skylark Sport Coupe is shown with Delores Wettach

And the Electra 225 Coupe is paired with none other than Suzy Parker. She was the first supermodel and this was a big coup for Buick. Other fashion models shown in the brochure were Dolores Hawkins, Jean Shrimpton and Penny Ashton. It's worth noting that each of the models were identified by name, something that was highly unusual in the day.

Next the wagons are pictured in a setting that resembles a family photo album. Very charmingly done.

Note how the photos have "handwritten" captions (SportWagon shown)

Next article features the four door hardtops. In this section, each of the cars is shown with a sports legend- Buick called it the Sports Hall of Fame. It features Sam Snead, Joe Schmidt, Ted Lindsay, Bob Cousy, Frank Crosetti and Rocky Marciano each alongside a new Buick four door.

Here's Ted Lindsay of the Detroit Red Wings on the ice with a new 1967 Buick LeSabre.

But Buick saved the best for last- they went all out on their giant Interiors section. Hosted by movie Actress Diana Lynn, Buick showed each interior with a Hollywood celebrity behind the wheel.

Diana Lynn steps out of the new Riviera

Robert Taylor shows off the Riviera Custom Interior.

Cornell Wilde is forced to make do with the standard Riviera.

Charleton Heston looks comfortable in the Electra 225 Custom.

Cliff Robertson tries on the brocade seats in the brand new Electra 225 Limited Sedan.

Gardner Mc Kay looks good in the Electra 225 with base trim.

Bill Bixby looks great in the Wildcat Custom Convertible.

Stuart Whitman relaxes in the Wildcat 4 Door Hardtop.

Tony Franciosa smiles behind the wheel of the Le Sabre.

And Fess Parker does his best Daniel Boone in the western themed Sportwagon.

Van Heflin had just made a movie called "Stagecoach", so the Special Deluxe wagon was a good fit.

Bob Cummings smiles in a GS400- who wouldn't?

Lloyd Bridges picked the wrong week to give up Skylark. (Think about it, Airplane! fans)

Robert Lansing chose the Special Deluxe- pretty snazzy.

And David Janssen got the Special Deluxe. I wonder if he felt like a Fugitive.

The a special section showed colors and options, again grouping all the models together.

And finally a section on powertrains including a glamour shot of the 1967 430-4 bbl V8 in 360 HP tune.

And the back cover with the classic slogan:

So there's the revolutionary 1967 brochure- an unforgettable 60 page full color spectacular featuring just about every graphic style of the day in a shockingly different format, featuring the top sports figures, fashion models, and Hollywood Celebrities of the day. A classic from the first day.

One question remains- how did they get all of those celebrities into the interiors?

We'll save that one for next time. It's a great story.

(Cross posted on the Reynolds Buick GMC Blog)

Postcards from LA: The 2011 Auto Show

2011-12-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Buick Verano


Audi e-Tron


Fiat 500 by Gucci


Does this belt buckle make me look fat? (Dodge Laramie Longhorn)


These seats will never go near a working ranch. (Dodge Laramie Longhorn)


Fiat 500 by Gucci

Dig those Gucci seatbelts!


Nissan Leaf- No emissions, no range either.


My favorite new Nissan. The Gruyere was excellent.


Gangsta, Palm Desert style with the Murano Cross Cabriolet.


Obligatory GT-R shot.


Buick Verano

Breaking news: Porsche learns to paint the Panamera red.

The all new 2012 911. Or the old one. You tell me.

Nights in White Phantom.


Aston Martin Rapide. Doors for four, seats for two.


Aston Martin One-77. Hawt!


Bentley Continental GTC


Bentley Mulsanne


Smart Art


Mercedes SLS in other than Silver


Jaguar CX-16


Jaguar CX-16

La Cadillac Ciel. Je't adore.


Cadillac XTS


Cadillac XTS


Fill'er Up. Chevrolet Volt takes a drink

Chevrolet Sonic


Hot Wheels Camaro- The paint looks liquid

Hot Wheels Camaro


Corvette Z06


Camaro Transformers Special Edition


Camaro Transformers Special Edition


Toyota Prius V


Toyota Prius Plug In Hybrid


Infiniti G37 Convertible


Infiniti G37 Convertible


Smokey and the Bonsai

When cultures collide

USA! USA! WTF? WTF?

The post Bangle era at BMW. More angst, less anger.

Lexus LFA. Rebel without a purpose.


2013 Lexus GS

2012 Lexus GS


Audi R8 GT Spyder- for times when the regular R8 isn't fast enough.

Smooth. Audi e-Tron Spyder

2013 Chevrolet Spark


Is that Evening Orchid? 2013 Chevy Spark in Techo Pink


Happy Easter.

Fiat 500 Gucci: Putting the Cute in Couture

2011-11-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

There's a wonderful old tale of Queen Mary's visit to the Ocean liner that bore her name. She spent a full afternoon poking around Cunard's Art Deco flagship and then, upon returning home to Windsor, wrote in her diary "Toured the new Queen Mary today. Not as bad as I expected."

Now I'm not going to pick on Fiat, the Marketplace has done that for me. Projecting sales of 50-60,000 units and actually retailing 12,000 is a problem. Enough of a problem to get leader Laura Soave unceremoniously sacked. Actually I liked Laura, but from our first interview didn't think her plan- promising customization without the production capabilities to match- would work. And when I first heard of the upcoming Gucci edition, which made no reference to interior upgrades, I was skeptical.

But since it was this little car that caused the nice folks at Automobile to make me globally famous and put my cell phone number on the speed dial lists of designer car crazed supermodels, it occurred to me that I should at least take a look at the damn thing. And just like the Queen Mary, it's not bad.

The exterior comes in black or white (shades of the 1979 Gucci Seville) with two different stripe configurations, interlocking G wheel centers and a decklid badge. The interior has contrasting seat panels with the legendary seat stripe. Hardly earth shattering, but nicely tailored. And then the whimsical touch- Red and green Gucci seat belts. Take my gold card, I MUST HAVE IT! Well, no, but I smiled (and I never actually do that.) Clever and charming- I approve. Besides, my car chick friend Rockit dug the Gucci accessories. Now I'm ready to tour the Queen Mary. We'll see what I think of that.

Chevy Centennial: "My Dad's Car"- Part II

2011-11-20T23:00:00.001-08:00


A familiar 1965 Impala Super Sport


Fresh from the "My Dad's Car" Commercial


Herb Younger and his baby, the 1965 Impala SS


The Chevy, Herb and I

In my last post, we discussed the phenomenal Chevy commercial "My Dad's Car", about the sons that tracked down their Dad's much loved 1965 Impala Super Sport and bought it back for him almost three decades later. I haven't met anyone that didn't tear up watching that spot.

Last week was the Press Preview for the Los Angeles Auto Show. I was there with my sidekick Rockit and as we walked over to Chevrolet, I remarked to her that if Chevrolet were smart, they'd have that Crocus Yellow Super Sport on a platform and would be running that commercial behind it all week.

Well, they didn't, but during their press conference, they showed the "My Dad's Car" commercial, and we all teared up a bit. Then the curtain opened and the Chevy drove onto the stage to applause. Herb Younger and his sons were inside, smiling widely. The boys didn't realize that the commercial was making them all into rock stars.

Afterward, I went up and talked to Herb and Derek. Nice guys, super nice actually and just as cool as they seem in the commercial. Herb had a bit of back story, he was still in college when he bought the Super Sport, his first new car. Derek recalled how his Mom used to drive the boys to school in the four-speed Super Sport. Herb told me how he was asking $3000 for the car in 1985 and someone came along and offered an envelope with $2700 in it. He needed the money for his family and took it.

I think I dig this story so much because it's the opposite of O'Henry- the Father does the right thing and sells his toy to raise money for his family. His boys grow up and see an opportunity to say thank you to their Father. The car waited patiently to come home to all of them. Isn't that what families are all about?

Chevy Centennial- "My Dad's Car"

2011-11-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

Chevrolet released a new ad in their Centennial piece this week. Called "My Dad's Car', it tells the story of a man named Herb Younger who bought a new 1965 Impala Super Sport coupe and kept it twenty years. His sons Jared and Derek grew up in the back seat and all have fond memories of it.

Herb was forced to sell it to pay for his son's education during hard times in the eighties. So thirty year later, his sons began to search for it and literally chased it across North America for five years before locating it on line at a dealer in Montreal. They bought it online, shipped it home to California, and gave it back to their amazed and delighted father. Watch Herb take the wheel of the very same car he bought new forty-six years ago- he drives it like they've never been apart.

This five minute version adds depth to the backstory and allows the brothers to describe their quest to find their father's car and return it to him."It's not just the car- it's all of the memories and the feelings- it brings it all back."

Chevrolet does a compelling job of weaving themselves into the tapestry of family heritage.I think this clip says everything about why I love classic cars.Well done, Jared and Derek. Well done, Chevrolet.

Now pass the Kleenex.

Project Driveway

2011-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

The December iPad edition of Automobile Magazine launched this week, featuring a piece on the Gucci Fiat 500 for whom your humble servant was interviewed. Guess my forty year obsession with designer cars has finally paid off. So for those who are iPad bereft, here are the screen caps:

For those of you dying for more background, here is my three part series on the Evolution of the Designer Editions. Pay attention as there will be a quiz afterwards.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Have a Gucci day, everyone!

Chevy Centennial Part 4: Growing Up With Chevy

2011-11-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Chevrolet Centennial week continues with an album of random family photographs. Not even sure who everyone is- but guess who is in the background of each photo?

We grew up with Chevy. I think America did too.

1949 Chevrolet Deluxe

1955 Two-Ten

1956 Bel Air Convertible

1964 Bel Air

1956 Two-Ten

1957 Two-Ten

1963 Impala Sport Coupe

1964 C-20 Camper Special

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 Convertible

Another shot of the 1967 Camaro.

Chevy Centennial Part 3: Ten Chevrolets

2011-11-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

On this 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of Chevrolet, I thought I would recognize the occasion by taking a look back at some of the truly significant models on the Chevy timeline. I'm not prioritizing them, just listing them in chronological order. And I'm NOT claiming that these are the ten best, or the ten worst- just Ten Significant Chevrolets as my way of saying Happy Hundredth to an old friend.

1916 Chevrolet 490- Chevrolet entered the marketplace with large, high priced six cylinder cars and struggle. The 490 represents the first low priced Chevrolet and an instant hit. Four cylinders, three forward gears and a more substantial car feel than a Model T for $490.00. This one put the Bowtie on the map and positioned Chevrolet as a volume producer.

The 1929 Chevrolet Six introduced the venerable "Stovebolt Six" engine which powered Chevy for a generation to come. It was marketed as "A Six for the Price of a Four" and allowed Chevrolet to displace Ford as the number one automaker, a position that Chevrolet held on to for the next twenty eight years.

The first Corvette in 1953 sold only a few hundred units but started the long line of a legend. Originally a fiberglass roadster with side curtains, the sole powertrain was a six Cylinder with Powerglide. It is more significant for where it led than what it was- the first "sports car" by an American Manufacturer, and the glory days would come.

Chevy bet it all on the 1955 models and won big- a fully new car - frame, suspension and body and - and with a brand new engine. That 265 small block V8 was a brilliant engine that moved Chevrolet into the modern era. The 1955 is a masterpiece of restraint in an era of excess. Shown is the Golden Jubilee- the Fifty Millionth GM car, produced during the 1955 model year. It was the star of shows and parades across the country.

The Corvair was a revolution for Chevrolet- a fully modern compact car. The success of the Monza paved the way for the pony cars to come and the second generation was one of the finest engineered compacts in Chevrolet history. A sporty and much liked car, although the first generation- like other sporting cars- required an attentive driver.

The beautifully styled full sized 1965 Chevrolet was totally new and rode on a brand new frame as well. Many consider this to the the height of Bill Mitchell's styling success. Hugely successful and well loved, the 1965 model saw the introduction of the big block 396 engine, Turbo-Hydramatic Automatic Transmission and at mid year, the elegant Caprice Hardtop Sedan. The Caprice was a big hit and became its own series the following year.

The Camaro was Chevrolet's response to the Mustang, and was introduced for the 1967 model year. It was a hit from the start, combining oustanding styling with a wide range of power- from a sensible Secretary six all the way up to an SS396. The Z/28 option appeared at mid-year. Camaro did more to put performance at an affordable price point than probably any other car in their line up.

The 1976 Chevette was the smallest Chevrolet since the model 490. It was based on a European design, and represented Chevy's first real attempt to enter the real of the subcompact. Launched with a 1.4 litre base engine and a full range of options, Chevette was a cross between a European minicar and fully equipped Chevrolet. Certainly a more serious attempt than the seriously flawed Vega, Chevette sold very well and earned a reputation as a reliable- albeit unrefined- method of transportation.

Another risky move was the downsized Caprice and Impala of 1977. Almost 12 inches shorter and some 800 pounds lighter than their predecessors, and with fresh new styling, the gamble paid off and the cars were a smash hit. "The New Chevrolet" as they were called, were introduced to a theme song that sang "Now that's more like it." Beautifully in tune with the times, the New Chevrolet won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1977.

And that brings us to the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. A Hybrid Electric Car with a back-up Generator, the Volt represents Chevrolet's greatest Engineering Gamble since the 265 V8 of 1955. The Volt has experienced serious production delays and is only offered in a handful of markets, so combined with the high price has been unable to rack up impressive sales, but the reviews are phenomenal and the owners are ecstatic. The recipient of Motor Trend's 2011 Car of the Year Award, Volt has been criticized in the media but like teh first Corvette, I wouldn't call this one out. Volt is defining Chevrolet as a technology brand to be reckoned with.

La Belle L'Universelle- Workhorse at the Waldorf

2011-11-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

There was certainly a lot to talk about in the 1955 General Motors Motorama. That annual convention of glitter, girls, and gladiolas, the celebration of the superiority of General Motors products was at its zenith in 1955. The show opened at the Waldorf in New York in January, as was its tradition, and then moved on to Miami in February, Los Angeles and then San Francisco in March, and on to a final stop in Boston in April.

In addition to showcasing the "Golden Jubilee" Chevrolet- representing the 50 Millionth GM vehicle- there were a host of concept cars on the stage for 1955. Chevrolet showed its Biscayne pillarless sport sedan, Oldsmobile unveiled a low slung coupe called the Delta. Pontiac showed its futuristic Strato-Star Coupe, and Buick its red Wildcat III sport convertible. Cadillac showed its futuristic La Salle II in sport sedan and roadster forms, and the fabulous Eldorado Brougham which would lead to a production car in 1957.

Oh, and GMC showed a panel truck.

Stop the presses. Yes, GMC did show a panel truck in 1955, but that is about one-hundredth of the story. GMC created their only Motorama concept vehicle for the 1955 show, and it was far from any ordinary truck. Named L'Universelle, the truck was a long, low, sleek vehicle with 13 inch wheels. a mid mounted V-8 engine, and a revolutionary front wheel drive system.

It was drawn by legendary GM designer Chuck Jordan and represented the most stylish and though provoking cargo hauler GM had ever imagined. A wrap around windshield and streamlined side glass, unique bi-folding cargo doors on the side and the rear, and an extremely roomy cargo area were some of the special features. And lowness- extraordinary lowness resulting from the chassis design which incorporated front wheel drive and 13 inch wheels.

Finished in copper metallic with a copper leather driver's compartment, it was the most exciting and glamorous GMC truck ever conceived, which is why the story did not end after the Motorama. The public loved it. GMC dealers were clamoring for it. And so by late 1955, GM announced plans to produce it. Almost as soon as the glamour girl made its debut at the Waldorf, chassis engineers in Detroit began building a running prototype chassis out of a Buick Roadmaster. With the fiberglass nose of a L'Universelle attached to the body of a Roadmaster, the beast was hideous to look at but before long they had the chassis dialed in and the ride and handling were nothing shy of impressive.

Unfortunately, by that point they had realized that the production projections would not pay for the unique driveline they had created, so the lovely L'Universelle was quietly shelved. Many of the styling cues appeared a few years later in the Corvair based Corvan in 1961, and it was a popular and well liked little van.

But imagine what the L'Universelle could have been...

L'Universelle in the ballroom of the Waldorf for the 1955 New York Motorama

L'Universelle in Golden Gate Park

Cutaway drawing showing the unique FWD driveline of L'Universelle

Overview of the 1955 Los Angeles Motorama. Golden Jubilee 50 Millionth Car on Lower Right.
(Originally created for the Reynolds Buick GMC Blog)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

The little black kitten is perched atop the jack-o-lantern, his chartreuse eyes wide open. He is surrounded by gourds and pumpkins and stalks of corn. A picture perfect Halloween Greeting from Buick for the cover of their October 1954 issue of Buick magazine, a monthly lifestyle magazine for Buick's many devoted drivers and a highly collectible issue today.

The magazine also introduced the exciting new 1955 Buick line up, including this Halloween-appropriate 1955 Super hardtop coupe. Look carefully and note how the BUICK lettering on the masthead precisely matched the block lettering on the hood of a 1954 or 1955 Buick. Also fun to remember that although this issue is fifty-seven years old, the picture still works today!

To each and every one of you, Happy Halloween!

Chevy Centennial Part 2: Chevrolet's Bewitching Bonanza

2011-10-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

The presenting sponsorship is not a new concept. It dates back to the days of radio, when a program would have a single sponsor. Often the sponsor would be mentioned in the name of the program itself. The idea translated itself into television smoothly into the early fifties, and created a new opportunity for advertising called the "Roll-In".

The idea was simple- create a commercial that the program flows into seamlessly. The set, the actors in costume, all was continous. Generally the characters remained in character. "I Love Lucy" was a pioneer in this arena, with the Ricardos and the Mertzes seamlessly breaking into praise of Philip Morris and Hotpoint products.

Chevrolet was particularly adept that this as well. They broke into Prime Time Television with the Dinah Shore Chevy Show in 1953, and not only did Dinah share billing with Chevy, she also sang the Chevy jingle each week and appeared in the commercials as well.

By the early sixties, the concept was changing. The sponsorship tended to be shared by two or three different advertisers, so their name no longer appeared in the show's title. The concept of the rerun had also complicated the whole naming issue, but the roll-in advertising was alive and well. Also, some advertisers were beginning to sponsor several programs, so rather than "own" one program they became affiliated with several.

Chevrolet took an extremely prominent role in Bewitched- in addition to being one of the presenting sponsors (along with Quaker Oats,) Chevrolet furnished cars for the program and utilized its cast in roll-in commercials. You will note that there were different animated opens and closes for Bewitched that rotated weekly and bore the logo of that week's presenting sponsor.

But I've never seen anything quite like the spectacular Chevrolet created to launch their 1965 line up- they created a Super Commerical that blended the casts of three different Chevy-sponsored programs appearing together in a five minute announcement commercial. Bonanza, the Man from U.N.C.L.E and Bewitched were all Chevrolet sponsored shows and remarkably all took part in an unforgettable commercial.

The spot was called "Chevrolet's Bewitching Bonanza" and aired on Sunday, September 27, 1964 at the conclusion of that week's Bonanza. It opens on the set of Bonanza with Lorne Greene introducing Pernell Roberts as the latter drives a red Corvette onto the Bonanza set. Then Robert Vaughan appears along with a Corvair,and then the cast of Bewitched pop in- literally- ALL on the Bonanza set of Virginia City.

It is literally unheard of in advertising to mix the cast of the three shows in one five minute commercial and speaks to the emerging power of the television advertiser.

In this case, it is notable that all the actors use their real names versus their characters' names, but there is no mistaking the setting or the fact that they are all presented in character. Pernell Roberts for Corvette, Robert Vaughan for Corvair, Elizabeth Montgomery for Chevelle, Dan Blocker paired with Agnes Moorehead to introduce the Chevy II, and a young Michael Landon unveiling the full sized Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe. And the parade at the end of new Chevrolets through Virginia City is not to be missed.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Chevrolet's Bewitching Bonanza, presented by Chevrolet and your Chevrolet dealer:

Chevy Centennial- Part 1: The Sixties

2011-10-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Chevrolet celebrated its Centennial with a special commemorative commercial on last night's World Series broadcast. It's a fun spot showing photographs from the past and present. I enjoyed it, partially because I have so many pictures of Chevrolets in my family's album. I'll be sharing some of them soon.

But I thought it would be fun to highlight Chevy's big 100 by showing some of my favorite Chevrolet commercials. Here in the first installment, we'll look at the swinging sixties. Chevy is at the top of its game, and the advertising clearly isn't limited to what is physically possible.

Sister Division Pontiac was showing renderings of its cars in exotic European locations, painted by renowned artists Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman. Chevy went for a little one-upsmanship, and a live action commercial involving driving a new 1963 Impala convertible through the canals of Venice. No Photoshop in those days, so I'm wondering how they did this one. Submerged pontoon? Nuclear Submarine? However they managed to do it, I'm sure it was a budget buster.

The following year they decided to show a little American scenery instead. The helicoptered a new 1964 convertible (sans engine, transmission, and anything else heavy they could jettison) up to the 2,000 foot summit of Castle Rock in Moab, Utah. The hood, trunk, bumpers and doors were sent up on a second trip. Then the model (who was literally tied to the seat) and a production assistant who was concealed in the trunk. The result, named "Pinnacle," was a breathtaking spot which indeed put Chevrolet at its pinnacle. Still a legendary ad.

And some fun from the set of Bewitched. These three ads, all from the 1965 season, are "roll-ins" typical of the ere. Chevrolet was a presenting sponsor, and so they were able to use the talent and sets from the program and create ads in which the actors remained in character. The third one, for the 1965 Impala, is my favorite,

Congratulations to USA1 on 100!

Buick made them go slow, too

2011-10-18T13:36:00.001-07:00

The 1984 Buick Riviera Torch Relay Car

Certainly Buick in the 1980's is best remembered for creating two of the fastest production cars in history- the Grand National and the legendary GNX. These two rocket ships challenged the traditional view of Buick and along the way managed to embarrass a lot of Ferrari buyers. Darth Buick, as they were nicknamed, is the stuff of legends.

But Buick was a bit more versatile than that, and also managed to engineer a fleet of cars to go slow. Yes, slow. It's a fun story and it turns out there's a lot of engineering involved in making a slow car.

Buick's Offical Olympic Sponsor Logo

Buick signed on to be be a major sponsor of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It would be the first hosting of the Summer games on American soil since 1932, which coincidentally were also held in LA. Buick felt that the publicity of the Olympics would bring enormous new exposure to its fine line of cars.

The Torch Relay Route included 33 states

One major part of the buildup to the games was the Torch Relay. For the games of 1984, an enormous 84 day relay was planned, beginning at the United Nations in New York and ending up at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles some eighty-four days and seven thousand miles later. And the pace car for such an event would be a very special Buick.

Actually, more than one. Three Turbocharged 1984 Riviera Convertibles were prepared as Torch Relay Pace Cars. Powered by the same basic engine as a Grand National, these cars were modified not for speed, but for slow endurance. They had enormously advanced computer controlled cooling and electrical power output systems- they were designed to be able to traverse all kinds of terrain smoothly and at speeds of 2 to 12 mph. The Rivieras were accompanied at all times by a fleet of two new front drive Electra sedans, and affiliated GMC support vans. In all, a total of 32 specially prepared slow moving vehicles were constructed for the special Olympic fleet.

Period advertisement touting Buick's involvement in the Torch Relay

The Torch is carried through the Buick Plants (from All Things Buick)

The white Buick Torch Relay fleet performed flawlessly as it traversed the country at a speed averaging 6 mph. The route traversed the United States in a series of zig zags reaching major cities in 33 of the 50 states. In deference to Buick, the Torch Relay traveled right through Buick's Headquarters in Flint, MI where Buick employees carried the Olympic Flame between the plant buildings while their coworkers cheered them on.

The Torch passes through Northridge, CA

All told, over 3,600 runners were part of the historic event. Gina Helphill, granddaughter of Olympian Jesse Owens was the first torch bearer and Rafer Johnson was the last, carrying the Torch into Memorial Coliseum on July 28, 1984.

The Torch is carried through the City of Orange, CA

The Torch Relay pace car for that final leg was car number 31, one of the three Riviera convertibles. At the comclusion of the games, the car was presented to the Los Angeles Natural History Museum as a momento of the games from Buick. It remains in their collection today, in as new condition, and can be viewed once a month when their vehicle fleet is open to the public.

Torch Relay Riviera #31 in the basement of the Natural History Museum.

Field of Buick Dreams

2011-09-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

They're lined up like soldiers, like new cars on the dealer's lot- except that when these photo were taken they were already thirty years old, and the Buick dealer was only about a mile away on the same street. So they weren't new cars that were forgotten, but rather more like barn finds which lacked the protection of a barn. A field of dreams, so to speak. Tarnished dreams are dreams nonetheless.

They were all Buicks- primarily of the late forties and early fifties, but a few sixties interspersed as well - parked on a closed gas station on Calumet Drive, on the way out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The 1950 Super Estate Wagon with its weathered wood body reposed alongside the 1952 Roadmaster convertible whose bare top frame offered little protection from the weather. On the far side sat an intact 1949 Roadmaster sedan that looked like it could be driven away, and many more Buicks were parked all around them in varying degrees of recognizability.

These photos were taken in the summer of 1990. I can't imagine what happened to them. I'm certain that the city wasn't too happy about the car collection that slowly became a junkyard. I hope they got rescued and restored, although I find a rugged beauty in their weathered state.

(Cross Posted at the Reynolds Buick Blog)

A Date With Marsha

2011-09-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

No doubt about it, nothing adds more to a picture of a classic car than a pretty girl in period costume. Add a few accessories and voila, it's like you're shooting your own vintage car brochure.

Take these shots of my friend Marsha, posing with a 1960 Thunderbird I used to own. Our friend Paul shot the pics in sepia. He appears in the upper shot.

So here is my 1965 Lincoln Continental at a Charity Car Show. Nicely detailed, period luggage in contrasting color, but something is missing. What could it be?

Of course, a glamor girl in period attire. Let me just step out of the frame and...

Now isn't THAT better?

Paul and I will just hide off camera.

ciel

2011-08-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

La Cadillac Ciel. Je t'adore.

I'm up at Pebble Beach with Ciel, the new concept in which Cadillac reclaims their rightful position and demonstrates that they have emerged from their amnesia and remember who they are. Big. Dramatic. Commanding. Exquisitely detailed. A tribute to the glorious heritage of Cadillac, and one that imparts a great future as well.

The logical successor to the V-16 and the glory days of Eldorado. We MUST see this one on the road.

Fun at Concours D'Lemons

2011-08-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

As much as I love Pebble Beach weekend, I'm the first to admit that it's so far over the top that it's halfway down the other side. There's just too much fabulousness. Oh, look, another hundred point one-off Duesenberg, Yawn. A prototype Ferrari? Meh. What color? It does present the very real danger of one becoming so blase that they are in danger of banging their pipe on the fender of some random Rolls-Royce.

But thankfully there is some much needed comic relief in the form of the Concours D'Lemons, the celebration of the regrettable and unloved automobile. It's a place where Pacers and Gremlins play, where Vegas and Renaults line up proudly and where Deloreans reach their doors for the sky. Glorified Golf Cars pose next to dubious racing cars. Judges take bribes openly and even Cadillac Cimarrons win awards.

This is the event's third year. Rather than ruining it with too much description, I invite you to feast your eyes on the cars. Dark glasses may be helpful. Enjoy:

And for the real masochists out there, check out many more pictures here.

And did you guess that I really dig the Chartreuse Gremlin?

Best Duesenberg

2011-08-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend, the entire automotive world is descending on Pebble Beach for the Concours. It is a wonderful show that I have enjoyed many times, but there is one particular year I will never forget.

It was August of 2006. My dear and longtime friend had John passed away unexpectedly five weeks before the event. One of his favorite cars, a Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan (J-225 on 2245 Long), was already entered in the show for exhibition. His surviving partner Ken made the decision to go ahead and show the car. Longtime friends Tami and Steve came for emotional support. I knew how to drive the car. Michael the actor/ model/ dancer/ chauffeur brought his uniform. The team was assembled.

When I arrived on Friday, Ken was already in town. He asked if we could go to the Lodge for a drink because he didn't want to go back for the first time without John on show day. We checked in with the show organizers who asked if we wanted to move the car into the judged class, owing to one car having dropped out.

We talked about this over a Martini. There were three Martini stems at our table overlooking what was becoming the show field. One was for our absent friend John.

Moving the car to judging competition ...at Pebble Beach... with less than 48 hours notice...? "Why not" was my reply- what do we have to lose?

The car had been shipped up to Monterey by our good friend David Gooding and was stored in the Gooding Auction tent. David knew of an excellent detailer named Darryl. A quick conversation explaining our circumstance and he and his crew leaped into action. His crew spent two solid days polishing every tiny surface of the big Duesenberg. The undercarriage, the engine bay, it all shone superbly. We made a friend for life that day. We put the convertible top down, snapped the boot into place, and raised the rear seat windshield. The car looked superbly sporty. We were ready. "How do we look?" Ken asked. "Like a Million Dollars", I blurted out. He looked crestfallen- "That bad?", he replied. We both laughed. It was the first time I had seen him laugh all weekend. Note to self: A Million Dollars is NOT what it once was.

Sunday morning was crisp and perfectly clear. We maneuvered the Duesy into place and polished off the morning dew. By late morning, the judging team had arrived. They all knew the story and I asked their forgiveness as I honestly didn't know every control on the dash. They were beyond kind to the point of being truly gentlemanly. The car behaved flawlessly. The sun shone brightly, and it just felt right to have the car on the lawn. We had placed John's picture in a frame leaning against the left rear wheel. This was done so we would not have to tell the story a thousand times. We knew we didn't have it in us at this point. Tami wore a big yellow hat so I could spot her easily. She and Steve took Ken to look at cars.

About 1 PM, a gentleman in a blue blazer approached and asked if I was with the Duesenberg. I said I was ,and he asked if I would like to follow him. I said I would like that. I called Ken on his cell and told him to get his skinny ass back to the car. We started J-225 and I pulled her into line a line of stunning classic cars, between two other Duesenbergs in our class.

I wish that every gearhead could have the opportunity to show a car at Pebble Beach at least once. It's such an utterly genteel and magnificent experience that it simply must be experienced.
One thing that need be said is that the Pebble Beach Concours Committee understand the concept of anticipation. The fact that we were in line meant that we had won an award, we just didn't know which award. When our class neared the reviewing stand, the big Duesenbergs were pulled alongside each other bumper to bumper. We were side by side with two lovely cars, a sexy black Speedster and a pale green Convertible Coupe. We were the only convertible sedan in our class.

I looked over at Ken in the passenger seat. He was shaking like a leaf. I told him that considering where we had been five weeks prior, that any outcome was a victory. He agreed, and then the judges gave the nod to the green convertible for third place. I tried to catch the Marshall's eye, but he wouldn't look at me. Just then he gave the nod to the black speedster, and walked up to our car to shake Ken's hand.

We had won best Duesenberg at Pebble Beach.

As soon as we got parked, friends came running. Tami and Steve brought bottles of Champagne for a toast. The tears were not only of happiness. It was a very good day, the first good day in five weeks. But it was very emotional. Looking back, I guess Michael picked up the hooker in the thigh high boots to amuse us. He is so very thoughtful.

J-225 on Chassis 2245, Long

Rides of the King

2011-08-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

How else would a gearhead mark the anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing than by taking a look at some of the fabulous cars he owned? Elvis loved cars and bought them on a whim, sometimes for strangers. He is famous for buying his mother a pink Cadillac, but preferred black and white for himself.

In his own stable, Cadillacs and Lincolns dominated- mostly Cadillacs in number and Elvis and Cadillac are linked in the minds of many, but his favorite car in the '50's was his 1956 Continental Mark II and in the seventies, the King also loved him some Stutz Blackhawk. Not only was he the largest single customer of the Stutz Motor Car Company, but he did them the favor of having last photo ever taken of him behind the wheel of his beloved black Stutz.

So on the thirty fourth anniversary of his passing, remember the King via some of his coolest rides:

Driving his yellow 1955 Cadillac:

The 1955 Fleetwood purchased by Elvis for his mother, Gladys Presley:

Elvis and his white 1956 Continental Mark II:

Elvis' $100,000 1960 Cadillac Limousine, customized by Barris:

Another Barris Custom, Elvis' 1965 Cadillac Eldorado convertible:

Elvis and two of his Stutz Blackhawks, the white 1972 and the black 1973:

The last car purchased, his 1977 Seville, at Graceland and being driven:

Another pose of the 1977 Seville:

The last known photo of Elvis- Aug. 16, 1977 at 12:28 AM, returning home in the Stutz Blackhawk:

Elvis's funeral procession- the 1977 Cadillac hearse and parade of white 1977 Cadillacs:

A Biarritz for Bill

2011-08-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Being a devoted gearhead and rather known for it, I do get some delicious emails. Like the above teaser shot from a friend asking if it could be possible that this highly unusual barn find '61 Eldorado Biarritz could be a factory job instead of a backyard custom. Looking at the details, I said most assuredly and asked for some additional photos. When they arrived, I grabbed the laptop and stopped in to see my neighbor, retired GM Stylist Blaine Jenkins. We went over them together and came to the same conclusion- yes, it was.

Blaine said he recalled the car as being done for Bill Mitchell to test some styling ideas, most pointedly the radiused wheel arches that appeared for 1964. Notations of special features below. Please let me know if I missed anything.

First off are the wheel arches, beautifully crafted. The upper side trim predicts the 1962 Biarritz. Also notice that the entire lower body is trimmed in extruded aluminum. Blaine says the car stood on genuine wire wheels originally.

From the rear. ELDORADO nameplate is offset to the right side and flanked by yet-to-debut wreath and crest. Back up lamps replaced by a second red lens. Color inset molding seems wider than stock, and did you notice that the fins are bereft of their repeater lamps? Possibly a nod to the dwindling popularity of the tailfin.

Prototype steering wheel or retrofit? Veneer trim on dash is attractive. Look down at the extruded aluminum and leather floor covering- a VERY typical Design Center touch. And what do I see to the far right? Could it be the shifter peeking up out of the console? Yes, this is a FLOOR SHIFT Eldorado.

Totally custom door panel- unique door handle attached to special rolled cove. Beautiful custom wood inlays front and rear that match the dash and look at those thick leather hides. Totally custom armrest with that sexy reflector. Delicious.

Totally unique bucket seats with a biscuit and bolster pattern reminiscent of a Continetal Mark II. Console looks like it came from a Starfire- looks great with the wood trim. best of all is the patina of the leather. To quote lady Gaga, it was born this way.

Dramatic as hell. Does anyone remember this car? If you do I'd love to hear from you!

GM Futurliner: Forward to the Future

2011-07-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

Starting with the revolutionary Buick Y-Job of 1938, General Motors virtually created the concept car. A vehicle designed not for sale, but for trying revolutionary ideas and testing the public's reaction to them. These vehicles were fully operational, and GM Styling Chief Harley Earl actually tended to drive them as his personal transportation.

But one of the most ambitious programs involved GMC Truck and Coach- the legendary Futurliner. The Futurliner is special because it was created not just to dazzle the public, but to literally carry the superiority of General Motors from town to town.

Charles Kettering came up with an idea he called "Parade of Progress", which involved taking the impressive science and technology exhibits GM created for World's Fair displays and caravaning them through smaller towns across America. The transport vehicles themselves would be rolling advertisements for GM.

The Parade of Progress began in 1936 with a fleet of nine specially bodied trucks known as Streamliners. Their concept was to use specially designed trucks that would not only carry the display, bit could also house them. The success of the program convinced GM to reach for something grander and in 1940, the twelve Futurliners made their debut.

The Futurliners were made by the GMC Truck and Coach Division to a space age design by styling wunderkind Bill Mitchell. They were huge bright red coaches- thirty three feet long and almost twelve feet high- and featured a plastic domed driver's canopy, dual front and rear wheels with enormous whitewall tires, an entire lower body covered in ribbed aluminum and enormous gold GM letters on the front. They proudly carried the General Motors Parade of Progress lettering in cast aluminum on their flanks, and in addition to hauling the display, their sides opened up to house displays inside the vehicles. Mechanically they featured enormous four cylinder diesel engines and four speed transmissions. Quite a sight to see these twelve bright red spaceships coming down the highway- they very clearly carried the message that General Motors was carrying the future.

The Futurliners were utilized in the Parade of Progress until the war placed the effort on hiatus. They were stored until GM decided to resume the program in 1953. Several modifications were made to the behemoths- the plastic domes (which were very hot) were replaced with a more permanent roof and wraparound windshield, they were repainted in a two tone red and white combination, the powertrains were updated to six cylinder gas engines with Hydra-Matic transmissions, the net result of which made them much more pleasurable to drive. They carried the Parade of Progress to some thirteen million spectators before the program ended after the 1956 season. That newfangled television, which many people saw for the first time at the Parade of Progress, was seen as a better way to spread the word of General Motors.

The twelve coaches were sold or donated, and many had long second careers- Goebel Beer, The Michigan State Police, Peter Pan Coach Company, and even Oral Roberts made use of former Futurliners as promotional vehicles. Amazingly, nine of the twelve have survived in varying condition. One in Van Nuys has been converted into a Motor Home, a couple have undergone meticulous restorations - one sold for over $4 Million dollars at a Scottsdale Auction- and one is even being painstakingly restored in Sweden. GM's largest concept vehicles continue to fascinate and delight to this day.

Here's a GM Film from the 1940 launching the Parade of Progress (in three parts)

Part One:

Part Two:

And Part Three:

And watch the re-launch of the Parade of Progress in the spring of 1953:

And a great site about the restoration of Futurliner #10 is here.

(Cross posted on the Reynolds Buick GMC Blog)

Goodbye Mrs. Ford

2011-07-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I felt profound sadness this week at the passing of Betty Ford at age 93. Born Elizabeth Ann Bloomer, she and her husband Gerald inherited a spotlight they had not sought, and did their best to restore honor and dignity at a critical time in our country's history. I admire them both for that.

But Betty Ford went above and beyond her role as First Lady. Her fearless candor earned her the respect of a nation. Speaking openly about breast cancer, and later addiction, she brought secrets out into the open and helped people to find a road to treatment. In addition, she was one of the first political figures to embrace the cause of AIDS. She saved lives through her personal courage.

The Fords came to us in 1977 and have been a fixture in the Coachella Valley ever since, settling in Rancho Mirage where she opened the Betty Ford Center in 1982. The Valley was very emotional at saying goodbye to someone we have come to regard as "Our First Lady." I went to see the Motorcade on Wednesday as a small token of respect to someone who did more good than she will ever know. I chatted with strangers about a couple few of us had ever met, but who touched our lives.

Goodbye, Mrs. Ford. We will always have a very special place in our hearts for you.

News trucks await the motorcade.

CHP Motorcycle officers secure the intersections

BMW Motorcycles scream by ahead of the Motorcade

CHP Officers stand at attention for the Motorcade

The Motorcade turns onto Gene Autry Trail

Mrs. Ford rides in a top-of-the-line S and S Victoria Coach upon Cadillac chassis.

My last glimpse of her.

An Air Force 757-200, nicknamed "Air Force Two" awaits her on the Tarmac.

She will fly as Special Air Mission 90004, or SAM90004 on the trip to Grand Rapids.

west coast meet-t plus 20

2011-07-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

It's the largest Gay and Lesbian Car Show in the world, and this year was it's twenty-seventh anniversary. It's the annual meeting of the Freewheelers from San Francisco and the Great Autos Of Yesteryear, based in Southern California. For me personally, it was the 20th Anniversary. I first hopped a plane from Chicago to LA and hitchhiked North in a glamorous Lincoln back in 1991.

I haven't made it every year since then, but I've tried to, and this year was my sixteenth. The formula is simple- find a location halfway between LA and San Francisco, add in about four hundred people and a couple hundred amazing and rare classic cars, spend a day driving around the countryside and a day putting on a spectacular car show, and fill the rest of the time with cocktails and socializing with friends both new and longstanding. It's the annual meeting of the tribe, and my favorite weekend of the year.

This year did not disappoint. A cream yellow 1935 Packard that looked like it drove out of Chinatown. A Chrysler Town and Country that was built for a Western Movie Star, complete with a steer's head on the hood. 1961 Cadillac Triplets arranged like a showroom display. Near twin 1965 Wildcats in coupe and convertible. A stunning 1972 boattail Riviera that was my personal transport for the event. Every shade of pink imaginable, from Dusty Rose to Pepto Bismol. Lisa Douglas and Arnold, resting on the rear deck of a Lincoln Continental. A wonderful array of tailfins, colors, fabrics and style, all creating one unforgettable and irreplaceable show.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you West Coast Meet 2011:

texaco

2011-05-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

I walk at twilight through the neighborhood, past the long low houses and the tall palm trees. I make a right and the route takes me briefly past a small section of the busy highway, and I turn the corner at a nondescript electronics repair shop.

The building clearly once housed a gasoline station. It has the architectural lines of the postwar Texaco station designed by Walter Dorwin Teague. There are three doorways which once denoted service bays, and a slightly asymmetrical canopy on a mildly diagonal bias. There are four patches in the island where the gas pumps once stood.

Around the corner on the same property is a modest bungalow. It's very compact, two bedrooms at the most, and has been boarded over in the same manner as the Texaco. There is no sign of life at either of the buildings except in my memory.

I squint, and the palm trees disappear. I am in the little town of Byron, Michigan. Named for Lord Byron, few are aware of that fact outside of my Grandfather, the retired educator, who lives on a modest farm outside of town. His next door neighbor is the daughter of the local mechanic, John, who owns the Texaco station in town. He and my Grandfather are good friends. It is through this social interaction that I often found myself spending the Saturday afternoons of my childhood at the Texaco.

John returned from the war and bought a piece of land. The Texaco station, complete with two service bays, was constructed in 1946. Around the corner on an adjoining parcel he built a small house. It is simple and functional, like the Texaco, and conveniently trimmed in the same colors as the station, with a colorful flower garden to serve as a visual barrier. It's right out of "Umbrellas of Cherbourg", save the accents and Catherine Deneuve. He and his wife Majel raised their children in the house, and John walked fifty feet to work each day. The knowledge of this arrangement no doubt caused many a dinnertime to be interrupted for John, as a dead battery or a car in a ditch intervened. John would put on his coat and boots and off he would go into the night/rain/hail/snow. Such is the life of a mechanic and friend in a small town.

I seem to have been about seven or eight when we started hanging out there. Dad would ask if I wanted to go "to the farm", and off we would trundle toward Byron. Inevitably, we ended up in the Texaco station, where we were surrounded by a varying cast of the townsmen. They would come to get a tire fixed, a new battery, make a service appointment, or just get together with the guys and talk about machinery. It was the 1960's equivalent of the "man cave", or perhaps the men 's version of the beauty parlor. It was guys, gathering to discuss guy things. Most of my uncles were cast members, although some were less frequent visitors than others. Cars, farm combines, boats, motorcycles, and most of all, trucks- all forms of machinery were discussed and debated. And of course, cars to be played with- admired, repaired, tuned and tinkered with.

Looking to supplement his income, John the Entrepreneur tried many things. Once he invented a pipe expanding tool and had several hundred examples made. The clever tool filled up a giant wire display basket in the corner for years. Not a believer in obsolescence, he kept the inventory until it sold. John did not recognize expiration dates, it seemed. He acquired an International Truck franchise, which added a translucent backlit iH sign to the corner of the building. His contractual requirement was to sell one truck annually, and he would lobby his prospects until an order was procured. Apparently he was not one to stock inventory, either.

To fulfill the requirement for 1970, he ordered a heavy duty International Harvester chassis, for which my uncle Rick and he made a custom Wrecker bed. The whole thing was created on site in the Texaco service bay, and proudly bore a brass plaque bearing both of their names and the year 1970. the completed wrecker went on to serve both John and the little town for the next twenty five years. It is almost certainly still in service somewhere.

It was also that year that he took on Scorpion Snowmobiles, a cumbersome red metal-flake beast that my father bought out of loyalty knowing clearly that our family's Arctic Cats were vastly superior sleds. We tended to pawn the Scorpion off on my brother- I for one wouldn't be seen astride it- the Kawasaki-powered sleek black Arctic Cat Panther was my preferred mount. Scorpion politely went out of business before causing any irreparable family harm. We were secretly relieved-loyalty only goes so far where machinery is involved.

By now Father and I were seriously involved in Classic Cars and John was Dad's trusted mechanic and friend. Buicks, Chryslers, de Sotos, Packards, Dad's quirky Corvair ragtop, my Emerald Green Surfer-baby Lincoln Cabriolet and our prized Cord 812. He and Dad would spend happy days in the garage, and they kept the fleet humming. There is no substitute for a good mechanic.

John sold his business in the mid nineties after his energy and his acuity both decreased. I suspect it was very painful for him to have his talented hands diminish. I drove by the location once a few years later, it has morphed into an unrecognizable party store. I never returned. It's not random that dad started to sell off cars shortly after John retired from maintaining them. By now I had my own Classics to tinker with, first in Milwaukee and then in California. And while I am not the mechanic that John was, I was taught good diagnostic skills and an understanding of the machine that is the automobile.

I've played with cars all over the country, and it has taken me to places I never dreamed of. I drove a Duesenberg across the winner's ramp at Pebble Beach in tribute to a dear friend on a day I shall remember all my life. But it all came to life in a Texaco station owned by a man with an eye for machinery. A good friend and a good neighbor in a tiny farming town in southeastern lower Michigan. I remember him fondly as I walk past the converted Texaco station in Palm Springs. It is one of my favorite sights on my evening walk.

bust ALL your windows

2011-04-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Guess I'm still grooving on the spontaneous performance art we saw yesterday on the streets of Detroit. For those who missed it, here's the high-def version of the video, starring Angry Girlfriend and 2000 Cadillac Deville and set to Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows":

For those who say it lacks polish, may I present as an alternative the GLEE Version from Nov. 2009 when Mercedes catches Kurt stealing a glance, and kicks him right in the Navigator. (At the time she didn't know he was gay. REALLY, Mercedes?)

In the name of full disclosure, The official Jazmine Sullivan video in which she breaks everything BUT the car windows. Careful, She'll cut you:

And once all the windows are busted, let's walk through the broken glass with Annie Lennox:

Have a smashing day, everyone!

bust your windows

2011-04-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

An Operetta, captured on live video cam in Detroit. Set to Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows". Starring Angry Woman, a 2000 Cadillac Deville, and a cameo appearance by the Detroit Police Department.

It fits the music so perfectly. Should she be making videos or making license plates?

a car is born

2011-03-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

And not just any car, but "THE Car- Buick '59". A car so new it coincided with an advertising agency change to support it- the introduction of Mc Cann-Erickson after over twenty years with Kudner Advertising. Clete Roberts and no less than Bob Hope were engaged in the launch campaign. Watch the bat-winged beauty come down the line and then roar off into postwar suburbia, albeit a highly accessible version.

I must confess that as a child, I was afraid to cross the street in front of a '59 Buick. Although I love them MADLY today with their enormous swept bat wings, Fashion-Aire Dynsstar Grille and Dual-Diagonal Vista Vision Headlamps, I was afraid back then that they wanted to eat me.

And now I say what a way to go.

jewelry

2011-02-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

Did you hear the one about this guy goes to a car show and doesn't see any cars?

Because he's mesmerized by all the jewelry- nameplates in calligraphic sweep with bold connotations- plated in chrome or gold. Medallions of honor decorate the sail panel- and stand up ornaments perch atop the hood and fenders. Strips of polishes stainless race down the scupltured sides. An odd protocol seems to dictate the placement- model names do on the front fender edges or on the fins- the marque is displayed on the right rear. All seem to conform except for Plymouth, who proudly signs the left rear corner. Perhaps they are communist sympathizers. Mc Carthy will surely get tho the bottom of this.

Jewelry. Certainly as famous as anything by Tiffany or Cartier. What happened to jewelry?

Images from the 2011 Palm Springs Modernism Week Car Show. Enjoy.

selling mopar style

2011-01-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

Although they are being accused of circling the drain and there may be vultures on the fence waiting for them to fail, Chrysler aired this dramatic advertising during the Golden Globes recalling the time when their products exuded style and grace. Especially impressive in the late fifties, the evocative images both thrill and sadden- I honestly can't think of a Chrysler product since the 1981 Imperial that I find compelling. But oh, those Exner beauties...

bodacious boattail

2011-01-12T10:41:00.001-08:00

The joy of curating- you get to spend other people's money on cool cars, like this awesome 1972 Buick Riviera. I was ten years old when these big boats hit the market. I was mesmerized by the fluid lines and the crazy boat tail. At the time, in my GM Executive dominated neighborhood, the boattails were everywhere. It wasn't until years later that I learned the old factory idiom, "If it doesn't sell, drive it" and realized that the execs were driving these beasts because the public weren't buying them in great number.

No matter, I was crazy about them then and still am. I just look at the lines and try to imagine how they did it- the curved C pillar roof that literally turns 90 degrees to become an upper deck surface- all in the days of no computers. They bucked this baby out of wood and clay. The rear bumper had to make the engineers faint when they tried to figure out how to make it. Bill Mitchell's Stingray backlite, the ridge in the roof that repeats in the glass, a wildly styled Riviera only dash and package shelf to augment the theme- even the bumper guards are Riv-only and sharp as knives.

Oh, and she's not all show- despite the lowering of the compression ratio for 1971, this 455 has PLENTY of scoot. This particular example is a one-owner, 45,000 mile example just arrived from the midwest. Not a show horse, just a joyfully fun car from the heyday of Buick- come for a cruise in the boattail!

fill 'er up

2010-12-30T14:24:00.001-08:00

To celebrate a New Year, let's set the Wayback machine for a nostalgic look back at some great gas stations of the teens and twenties. Note several Texaco outlets and a Ford garage sprinkled amidst. Fire up the Jordan Playboy or Stutz Blackhawk and let's go fill 'er up.

Ethyl? Who's Ethyl?

blanche waits for santa

2010-12-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Looking for a festive holiday performance art display that your neighbors will remember for years to come? Well, here's one that's easy. Take one 1964 Cadillac Sedan de Ville, preferably in a Holiday compatible color. I chose Blanche, nicknamed for obvious reasons.

Position Blanche on your lawn. Use 300 outdoor red lights to outline the defining characteristics of the car, especially the tail fins and the peak of the hood. Now add nine hundred sequential blinking white lights on the horizontal surfaces to simulate snowfall. Add a festive holiday wreath on the grille, and optionally, a plastic Santa behind the wheel. Wait until dusk, turn on parking lamps, and enjoy. Serves thousands.

Santa's got a GTO

2010-12-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

Okay, another Christmas season is upon us, so it's time to put a little ho-ho-ho in our horsepower. Most of you know I'm crazy about the Ramones, and that enthusiasm extends to some of their tribute bands as well. Today's stop on the tour of the truly unusual features the world's only all-female Ramones tribute band, the Ramonas, and their festive little holiday number called "Santa's Got a GTO". This video features original imagery including renderings by legendary advertising artist Art Fitzpatrick.

So put some Octane in your holiday and take a look:

LA 2010: Fiat 500 - Couture Car at an Off-the-Rack price

2010-11-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of the LA Auto Show was the North American Debut of the 2011 Fiat 500. The 500, or "Cinquecento", was introduced in Europe in 2007. It has been thoroughly adapted for North American tastes and regulations and will be offered initially as a coupe in three different trim levels, Pop, Sport, and Lounge. All will be equipped with a 1.4 litre four cylinder engine and a choice of 5 speed manual or six speed automatic transmissions. There will be a high degree of standard equipment and base price will be a highly competitive $15,500, with a fully loaded model ringing the cash register at approximately $21,500. A convertible model will join the lineup sometime in 2011 (no price yet) and an electric version is planned for 2012.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to chat with Laura Soave, head of Fiat North America about the car and the marketing plan behind it. Soave, an Italian American herself, has personal experience with the classic 500 from childhood trips to Italy and as she drove the new car on stage, a photo of her at age three sitting on the hood of her uncle's 500 was projected on the backdrop.

Soave explained that the plan for Fiat is to merchandise a high degree of personalization and offer customers an unprecedented level of choice in a car of this price class. Three trim levels, fourteen exterior colors including "Rosso Brilliante", "Verde Oliva" and "Mocha Latte", fourteen different interior combinations, five sets of wheels and three different steering wheels add up to a LOT of choices. Soave, who comes from Lincoln-Mercury, admits her task is as much about selling Italian design and fashion as it is about marketing a car. She stated that there are over 500,000 potential build combinations and feels that the high degree of uniqueness will be attract style conscious customers who are tired of greige. When I called it "a couture car at an off the rack price", she nodded in agreement.

The process of shepherding customers through the selection process and keeping them interested for the 45 to 60 days it will take to build the Cinquecento will fall on the Fiat Dealer Network. Soave explained that Fiat has its own brand new dealer network of approximately 134 outlets nationwide, of whom approximately 80% have a Chrysler franchise presently. They will concentrate initially on major urban areas and the west coast. The Fiat sales staff will be non-commissioned and will be trained as consultants instead of traditional salespeople. This will allow them to take maximum advantage of the high degree of personalization and keep the experience as customer-focused as possible.

Fiat SpA has invested approximately $550 million in refitting a Chrysler plant in Toluca, Mexico which will be the sole source of the North American 500s. Approximately 50,000 units will be available for North America in 2011, with a potential plant capacity of some 70,000 units of all models in 2012 and beyond.

The first production units are special "Prima Editione" units which were reserved online. Those cars, identical except for color, will begin to appear on North American roads next month. The first press units will become available next month, and I'm looking forward to driving it. Benvenuta, Cinquecento.

LA Auto Show: Giant Minis and Tiny Caddies

2010-11-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

Our LA Auto Show week continues with a look at a couple of products that signal some shift in the industry. Today I'm looking at the MINI and the Cadillac. The MINI display was interesting indeed. First, I noticed that the "MINI" lettering was the largest of any exhibitor in the South Hall. Perhaps this was in compensation for having the smallest cars? One wonders, especially when the big news at Mini was the longer, wider, higher and taller MINI Countryman. It's their first crossover and their largest product to date, leaping all the way up to compact. Turbocharger and all wheel drive are options, and it certainly represents a new direction from the purveyors of the eensy-weensy. I predict it will be popular. My sidekick Rockit noticed that the name badge has more than doubled in size, and pulled a CD out of her (Chanel) bag for comparison- she's right, it's huge!

New direction also describes the activity down the aisle at Cadillac- much less emphasis on Escalade and the monster utilities, a prominence given to the CTS-V triplets, and a very interesting concept car.

The Urban Luxury Concept taken an urban minicar platform and gives it a Cadillac character. A truly tiny exterior size with a one litre hybrid drive train is unlike any Cadillac in recent memory, while the flip up Lambo-style doors, opera windows, vertical neon taillamps and giant toothy Cadillac grille give the little micro a Cadillac attitude. It looks like the love child of an Escalade and a Smart car, and while the overall look is less than smart, the concept itself is thought provoking and makes us truly wonder what the nice people at Cadillac have up their sleeve.

Next installment: A couture car at an off the rack price. Stay tuned!

LA Auto Show: MINIS in bondage

2010-11-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

MINIS in bondage. Burberry ponchos. An unwashed Volt, driven from Detroit. Gorgeous fashions at Porsche, and some cars as well. Hot Wheels Camaros. A Cadillac roller skate. A Sensible Smart. Matte finished. Twin turbine powered kittens. Hugger orange. A Mercedes Cupcake van. The LFA, a monster if ever there was one. The new Speedster. A Crossover Cabriolet. A chopped and channeled Land Rover- these are a few of the sights from day one of the Los Angeles Auto Show Press Day. Tomorrow, up close and personal with the Fiat 500. Enjoy!

sunday tour: casual concours

2010-11-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

My favorite show. The Great Autos Casual Concours, now in its second year in Palm Springs. Over 160 cars arranged on lush green grass under perfect Desert skies. A marvelous day indeed. Lots of great forties classics, a sea of fabulous fifties and swingin sixties, and of course seventies madness. Three alumni who previously shared my garage. And bestof all, the efforts benefitted the Desert Aids Project and other local LGBT charities. Fun for all! Enjoy!

See More Photos Here

casual concours

2010-10-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Great Autos Concours, one of my very favorite shows in Southern California, is this Saturday here in Palm Springs. While there will be cars from every decade, the club is especially rich in fabulous fifties and swingin sixties.

Here is the official announcement:

Classic Car Show Returns to Palm Springs October 30th to Benefit Desert Charities

Great Autos of Yesteryear car club is proud to announce their annual benefit classic car show will once again be held in Palm Springs this year on Saturday October 30th.

Come out to the "Casual Concours" to be held at the Indian Canyons Golf Resort (South Course)on Saturday October 30th from 10am until 3pm. Over 150 classic, exotic and special interest automobiles from all decades will be on display on the golf course greens in this beautiful desert setting.

For over 25 years, this annual event has been held in different southern California locations and last year’s show here was so successful, we are thrilled to return to Palm Springs for a second year. General admission is only $10 and all the proceeds from this year's show will go directly to three very deserving desert charities - Desert Outreach Foundation, Golden Rainbow Center/SAGE and the Desert AIDS Project.

Great Autos is also pleased to announce that once again Windermere Real Estate has graciously agreed to be the presenting sponsor. With the support of Windermere and their presence throughout the Coachella Valley, they helped bring in an unprecedented number of spectators last year and with their help, we look forward to an even bigger turnout this year.

The Indian Canyons Golf Resort is located 2 miles south of Downtown Palm Springs at 1097 E. Murray Canyon Drive. So mark the date of Saturday October 30th and come out and enjoy a dazzling display of cars and support some very deserving causes. Food and beverages will be available at the show for purchase so come have lunch and make a day of it!

Great Autos of Yesteryear car club is in its 27th year and is one of the largest Gay & Lesbian car clubs in the world with over 1,100 members. The club’s members have approximately 3500 collector cars.

I'll be there showing a client's car which is pointy on both ends. Stop by and say hello.

reynolds racers return

2010-10-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

Been busy this month assisting an old friend with a very fun project. Rather than delve too deeply into explaining things, I'll just let the press release take over:

Before I do, I'd like to point out that for a dealership to remain in the same family for 95 years with the same franchise alignment and to celebrate their 50th anniversary in the same location is pretty darn rare, especially in Southern California where dealers come and go at a frantic pace. Oh, and to celebrate, they've invited back a couple of historic racing cars which they owned and raced back when they were new. So let me offer my congratulations to Don and the whole Reynolds family. Stop by if you're in LA on Thursday.

REYNOLDS RACERS RETURN FOR 95TH ANNIVERSARY

Reynolds Buick-GMC-Isuzu will be celebrating its 95th Anniversary with a very special Open House featuring music, prizes, In-N-Out burgers, and two very special guests- legendary Reynolds Buick race cars which will be returning for the event.

Come see the actual 1970 Reynolds Buick GS 455 Stage 2 race car that was feared by all who raced against it. This is the actual car and is restored to the exact specifications of when Pete Reynolds. Pop Kennedy and Jim Bell ran 10.89 at 126.85 MPH. The car is owned and restored by Guy Parquette of Wisconsin.

Also Jack Mancini of Rhode Island is bringing his 1965 Reynolds Buick GS tribute race car to our Open House. This beautiful car recently went through a complete ground up restoration and is an exact replica of the '65 GS that Reynolds Buick raced. These cars are a must see and will not be back in California any time soon!

http://reynoldsbuickracing.com/

2011 GMC Denali HD Duramax: Prada Workboots and Chanel Coveralls

2010-10-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

I guess I've pretty much grown up with GM trucks. My dad brought home the first Chevy, a blue Camper Special with a 283 and a four speed, back in the 60's. I spent summers at my Grandfather's farm riding the lane in my uncle's 67 GMC pickup- the one he made a stake bed for and then dropped the Corvette engine into to make sure it had enough "pull". And speaking of pull, my own Silverado HD2500 Duramax has been the best hauler I've ever had. That truck has been as handy as my right arm, and it fits me like a favorite pair of boots.

So it didn't take me long to answer when the nice folks at GM asked if I'd like to try the new Duramax HD, to see how things have changed from my old truck. Ah, the things I do for my readers. It took a whole couple of seconds to get me to agree. As luck would have it, the Silverado I was scheduled was double booked, so they called to ask if I would like the Denali 2500HD instead.

I was honestly a bit dismissive at first. I used to hang out at the Roundup in Dallas back in the eighties, where guys would come in with their starched cowboy shirts and $600 python boots which had NEVER been near a ranch, and a 560SL waiting in the parking lot. A poser, I surmised. I was picturing the Roundup in my mind.

And I was dead wrong, as mistaken as a Red State Senator who thinks he can hide a sex scandal. The Denali HD 2500 is a real truck, all 6,562 pounds of it, and is capable of everything an HD2500 can do, including towing up to 15,600 pounds. It's just been shopping in nicer stores.

And a lot of shopping indeed. There's a whole outlet mall packed in there- a laundry list of luxury features, as one would expect on a truck with a $45,865.00 base price- inside there are 12 way power heated leather bucket seats with lumbar, dual zone automatic a/c, BOSE stereo, full instrumentation, power adjustable pedals, On Star, XM and a boatload more. Outside the Denali HD has its own unique chrome grille, 18" polished wheels, fog lamps, and a whole lot of chrome.

In addition, the test vehicle was equipped with the 397 HP 6.6 litre Turbo Diesel engine, Allison 6 Speed Automatic, Navigation, Moonroof, chrome side steps (a must!) heated and cooled seats, rear vision camera and upgraded 20" polished aluminum wheels. Throw in a destination charge and I'm rolling in a $61,189.00 pickup. Sixty-one grand. For a pickup. But it's a really NICE pickup. Really, really nice.

First thing I noticed is that the Turbo Diesel engine has REMOTE START. On a diesel. Glow plugs no more, "Wait to Start" light be damned, push a button 50 feet away and it chugs to life and idles as smooth as silk. No diesel chuggle on this monster, and only the slightest burble in the exhaust to give it away.

I pop open the door and climb up into the black leather cabin. Everything is contemporary, tasteful and tailored, and smells like a good leather bar. It's basically an Escalade interior, and there's nothing to complain about there. I pop it into reverse and the backup camera comes on- love this, especially when backing up to a trailer. The Driver's Information Center casually advises me that the front tires are at 60psi, the rears at 75. Yes, this beast is still a heavy honking truck underneath all the bling.

Out on the highway, the Denali HD rides like a stretch limo. There is no substitute for wheelbase. I watch the fuel economy on the trip out to the desert- 19.9 MPG when I pull into Palm Springs- in a 6.500 pound behemoth, and without a bed cover (which will add 1-2 mpg by improving airflow). ladies and gentlemen, I am impressed.

I spent a week crushing the Earth with the Denali HD. Mostly, I'm impressed with how something so large can be so well mannered. Yes, the front suspension gets a bit choppy on undulating road surfaces, but keep in mind this baby is bouncing 20" truck tires at 60 psi. The turbo diesel is a wonder- smooth throughout the range, very powerful, torque for days and unobtrusive to the point of being almost imperceptible. Throw in the remote start (so much fun I filmed it) and this powertrain is an out and out winner, which pretty much sums up my experience of the whole Denali HD. And while I probably wouldn't spring for the whole sixty-one grand worth of truck, there are an awful lot of eighty-three thousand dollar Range Rovers in Beverly Hills that can't begin to do what the Denali HD can. Yes, this baby has workboots. Prada workboots, that is.

Couture Cars: Designer Wheels and Special Editions of the 70's- Part III

2010-10-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Stork

This is the third installment of the series.

Part I

Part II

Part III

The Mark V Designer's Series had been phenomenally successful, so Lincoln came to market for 1978 with variations on a theme. Cartier remained monochromatic, but changed the actual color to triple Light Champagne. Givenchy continued successfully in Midnight Jade and Chamois, with a sumptous velour interior standard and leather as a credit option. Bill Blass switched from Navy and Chamois to a subtle Dark Cordovan with a Light Champagne top, and Emilio Pucci went wild, offering a Silver Metallic car with two tone oyster and maroon leather interior Pucci silk sunvisors , a black cayman grain landau top, and wild special stripe. It was stunning. Several new options debuted this year, includting turbine vane wheels and a simulated convertible top option, which woudl catch the eye of one of the designers the following year. Luxury groups continued to thrive as well, but the most luxurious Lincoln in 1978 wasn't a Designer Series.

An even more special edition came along that year in the form of the Diamond Jubilee Edition Mark V. Fully loaded with every conceivable option, it, along with a companion Thunderbird, celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Ford Motor Company, the Diamond Jubilee was Diamond Blue or Jubilee Gold and featured color matched tops, wheels, grilles and even bumper strips. The deck lid was padded to match the top, the dash top was hand stitched leather, the bucket seats and door panels were unique, and even a tool kit and umbrella were fitted. The opera windows featured imitation diamond chips, HFII had been willing to pay for real ones but the crime rate in Detroit deterred him- the notion of smash and grab was very real. Stunning, over the top luxury to mark the 75th Anniversary in a year which was not all good news for Ford- they actually recalled more cars than they sold. But they looked great in their designer editions.

General Motors introduced their special edition Seville Elegante in Black and Platinum Silver, with upgraded interior and genuine wire wheels, and the Custom Biarritz Classic in Arizona Tan and Demitasse Brown to commemorate the final days of the full sized Eldorado. Some excitement came to the de Ville series as well with the limited edition Phaeton, a factory simulated convertible top on a Coupe or Sedan de Ville in three color combinations. GM also pushed out a few LXXV, a special black and silver Buick Riviera coupe (with silver leather) that wished Buick a happy 75th birthday. And while GM resisted affixing a designer label to one of its offerings directly, the marketplace rushed in where GM feared to tread. The Cadillac Seville by Gucci, a symphony of overstatement with Gucci fabric-trimmed landau top, seats and headliner, and copious garish Gucci badging, was offered by a Florida company for $22,900, inclusive of a trunk full of Gucci luggage and Aldo’s blessing, if not the General’s.

If like the Village People, the designer party was about to end in 1979, one wouldn’t know it from the offerings. The Designer Continentals were completely revamped again.

Most dramatic was the Bill Blass Edition in white with two-toned navy sides, a white leather interior piped in Navy, and a white simulated convertible top. Expressive gold striping and no fewer than eighteen BB logos completed the look. It was so far over the top, it was already half way down the other side. The Cartier continued in its monochromatic Light Champagne, the Givenchy went ultra chic with a special color, in Cristal Blue-violet with dark blue forward roof section, and Emilio Pucci outdid himself- a medium Turquoise exterior color, dark blue full vinyl roof, and white leather interior accented with blue. Of course, the Pucci sunvisors again completed the look.

In addition, the Collector’s Series Mark V and Town Car were offered, in Navy or White with sumptuous special blue Kasmin cloth interiors. They were the successors to the Diamond Jubilee of 1978, offered to commemorate the final editions of the big Lincolns before the scheduled downsizing of 1980.

Cadillac kept up its special editions with d’Elegance trim on the deVille and Brougham, Elegante two-toned Sevilles (with genuine wire wheels, bucket seats and special slick top styling) and totally restlyed Eldorado whose Biarritz Edition of featured a stainless steel and landau roof combination, which the buyer could pair with an optional sunroof or astroroof. A very special models appeared as well, the Coupe de Ville d’Marchand was a factory built special edition in Black and Slate Firemist, and featured black leather inserts and red piping in a slate interior. It was a spring offering. The mid year 1978 Phaeton edition de Villes were continued as well. The aftermarket offerings were plentiful - the Gucci Seville was alive and well. The San Remo Seville, a highly customized four place Seville convertible with beautiful craftsmanship (and a super exclusive Ultima option with freestanding headlamps) debuted, and even a Pierre Cardin Eldorado featuring elongated front fenders and custom front and rear styling (along with a sumptuous interior) was announced, although actual introduction was delayed until 1980. They were sold in very small numbers, mostly to celebrity clients like Jack Webb of Dragnet fame.

Although the designer offerings would continue in 1980, their days were numbered. The newly downsized Continental Mark VI sold at approximately one-third the rate of its predecessor. The Biarritz and the Seville Elegante, newly styled as an expressive “bustleback” hardtop sedan took off like wildfire. The highline car would prosper in the Dynasty years, but for the designer cars, their days were as fleeting as the Jimmy Carter Presidency.

sunday drive: the metro stop

2010-09-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

An accidental happening. Much like Gulliver dropping in on the Liliputians, I didn't anticipate this encounter. If I had, I would have brought my good camera along. I was helping a client drop off his cute little '60 Metropolitan at a repair shop in the Valley which specialized in them. Seemed harmless enough.

And that's how I found the Metro Stop. Founded by Jimmy Valentine in 1975, it's a repair shop all right, and a showroom, and a museum highlighting the rarest and most unusual Metropolitans ever made. Several prototypes and show cars- A super early NKI convertible, the dressed up pearl white Westerner show car, a one off wagon prototype, a RHD Metro, a Hudson Metro, and even the only Metropolitan fire truck. Tons of memorabilia and Metro murals. And even the Astra Gnome, a one off failed attempt to not only bring the space ship down to earth, but also to mount it on a Metropolitan as well.

A family affair since the beginning, it's presently operated by Jimmy's daughter June. And if you're a fan of the Met, it's a must visit. Next time you're in North Hollywood, stop by and check it out.

But until then, take a look at the Metro Stop:

View their website here

And see kicky video of the Astra Gnome here:

2011 nissan juke: the serious toy car

2010-09-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe the whole toy car era is almost 20 years old now. It was 1991 when Nissan introduced the Figaro, a limited production home market only job with the look of a cartoonized fifties french runabout. It sold out instantly, with dealers holding a lottery to see who would win the right to buy one. It became an instant collectible, and inspired other vehicles whose design seemed to either look directly in the rearview mirror, toward the appliances on the kitchen counter, or above all to value whimsy over function.

Volkswagen brought out their Retro Concept One which came to market as the New Beetle. Ford took the license to bring out retro version of anything that had sold more than a few thousand copies in the first place, with Retro Birds and Retro- 'Stangs. Chrysler corporation brought out a pair of cars to market in the Plymouth Prowler and PT Cruiser which, in case everyone else missed it, looked MUCH more like miniature '37 Fords than anything the blue oval itself ever created. The trend created variants, with the Scion xB bringing the chest freezer to the automotive showroom, the Nissan Cube paying homage to the Flashcube, and the Kia Soul demonstrating that the paralleologram isn't just for geometry class anymore. All are highly styled products based on existing platforms for cost effectiveness.

But the new Nissan Juke refines the game. Call it Toy Car 2.0, or the Toy Car goes to College, because the Juke combines whimsical styling with a very sophisticated little chassis and a level of content and sophistication heretofore unseen in whimsical motoring.

The Juke is scheduled for introduction in the fall and is based on the Nissan B platform (think Versa) but with completely unique styling. Juke comes in one style, a four door hatchback.The overall profile is that of an exaggerated leaf, with the same contours applied on a smaller scale, with greatly enlarged wheel openings. The overall roof shape is similar, but the Juke conceals the rear door handles for a coupe look. The Nissan Z-car trademark boomerang taillamps are utilized, but they race up the C pillars. And the front end styling sets off the whole car- I find it rather froglike, if frogs happened to have parking lamps for eyebrows. Overall very fun and whimsical, definitely youthful, but beautifully executed. I for one found the parking lamps (bi-directional and visible from the driver' seat) to be a work of art.

Similar sophistication was evident in the chassis as well. While based on the B-platform. the wheels were pushed out for a wider stance and greater stability. This track of 60.0 inches from and rear with a wheelbase of 99 inches creates a large footprint creates the basis of a very stable chassis with handling characteristics of a much larger vehicle. The standard powertain is a 1.6 liter four cylinder engine featuring direct injection and a turbocharger. It develops 188 hp and 177 lb.ft of torque, but notable has a broad torque curve. It's mated with a standard 6 speed manual transmission and front wheel drive. A CVT automatic transmission is optional, and Nissan's Advanced Torque Vectoring AWD is available with automatic transmission only. This system splits torque not only front to rear, but also side to side across the rear axle. It marks the smallest chassis Nissan offers an AWD system on and incidentally adds only 64 pounds to the vehicle's weight. In addition, AWD cars will come with a rear multilink suspension with a stabilizer instead of a rear torsion bar setup. ABS, front disc brakes and Vehicle Dynamic Control (with traction control) are standard, as are 17" allow wheels and all season tires.

Nissan has positioned the Juke with three trim levels and a high level of standard content. All models have the 1.6 turbo engine, 17" alloy wheels. iPod connector and Bluetooth, remote keyless entry and speed sensitive electric power steering as standard. they all have 6 air bags and active headrests as well. The mid range SV adds intelligent key, XM radio, auto climate control, power moonroof and upgraded cloth. The top of the line SL adds leather seating, heated front seats, standard navigation (optional on other models at $500) upgraded audio and a rear view monitor.
Manual transmission is available on S and SV only, and AWD is offered on all three models. Pricing is expected to range from a base S CVT at $18,960 to a fully equipped SL CVT AWD at $24,550.

We spent a day driving the Juke along the picturesque Sunshine Coast of British Columbia on a later summer day. I sampled the SV AWD and the S FWD, both with automatic transmissions. Both cars impressed me a lot- the smooth powertrain with no noticeable turbo lag and a very even torque curve, a CVT so responsive it even has shift points, an excellent seating position and a great, surefooted feeling, owing both to the wide stance and to Nissan's electric power steering, which offered considerably more road feedback on the twisty rural roads than other systems I have sampled. By far and away I preferred the AWD, both for the better ride resulting from the multilink suspension and for the extra torque from the Torque Vectored AWD. It was instantly noticeable when I pulled away in the AWD version. Kudos also to Nissan's "low cost" Navigation- at roughly $500, it's a simplified but effective Nav system which omits the fancy features I never learned to use on my STS anyway but gives you what you need for $500.

It may well be that the appeal of this car is going to come down to the styling. If you like the whimsical look, there's an excellent car beneath that will deliver great economy, road comfort and some pretty impressive handling characteristics (especially with the AWD) and a terrific parkable city size. My biggest down side with the exterior is the relatively drab color palate - only a blue and a red in a sea of grey metallics. A Look At Me car in a dull color is like Britney Spears in sweats driving a Camry, and this car simply screams for some seventies colors- a bright yellow, lime or metallic orange.

So call me when the Lime Green ones come in.

The Edsel- Ford's Murder Victim

2010-09-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Labor Day 1957- The Russians announced that their Intercontinental Ballistic R-7 Missile could reach the west. The report of a successful test flight was announced on August 26 and dominated the news headlines of the week, until September 4th when the Americans announced their own bomb. It was called "the Edsel." and it the day chosen for its introduction was designated as "E-Day."

The Edsel, a medium priced car offered in four series, was positioned between the Ford and the Mercury on the Ford ladder. Its lower priced series were based on Ford, the upper series based on Mercury. It was the most researched car in Ford's history. And it was a thundering flop that lived only three model years.

Many post mortems have been performed on the ill fated Edsel and blame has been assessed: the controversial styling, the inexperienced dealer body, production snafus and the deep postwar recession. All are certainly factors, and had a role in the ultimate failure of the marque. But there's even more to the story.

The Edsel arose out of a concept known as the Breech Plan. It was conceived by Ford executive Ernest Breech, who was one of Henry Ford II's "Whiz Kids" who were brought in to save the company after the death of its founder in 1946. Breech had a reputation of being a trouble shooter and strategist, and he felt that Ford was missing too many segments of the market uncovered. He was a close friend of Henry II and it was not a surprise when Breech was named Chairman of the Board in 1955.

The Breech plan called for an alignment along the lines of General Motors- the Low priced Ford, a low-mid priced offering, the Mercury (migrating somewhat upmarket), the Lincoln, and a Super Lincoln. The board approved the plan in 1955, and of course the new low-mid priced offering ultimately became the star crossed Edsel.

Robert S. Macnamara was another of Henry Ford II's "Whiz Kids", who were brought in to save the company after the death of Henry. Macnamara was a Harvard MBA accountant whose expertise in cost management brought him huge accolades and reinforced his power within the ranks. And he strongly opposed the Breech Plan and the Edsel. Macnamara felt that the Ford Motor Company should concentrate on maximizing volume on the Ford nameplate (upon whose sales he just happened to be paid) and opposed the Edsel whose success he saw as distracting from his livelihood.

He was powerful enemy who made his displeasure known to all within earshot, both inside and outside of the company. Fairfax Cone, president of the Edsel's Advertising Agency wrote in his memoir that while in detroit for the Edsel's launch, he asked Macnamara what he thought of the yet-to-be-introduced new car. He wrote that he was shocked that Macnamara's response was "I have plans for phasing it out."

One cannot downplay the importance of such a powerful opponent. In the early fall of 1957, when Edsel was hoping for a strong launch, Macnamara offered strong dealer cash incentives of up to $750 on Ford cars, making the Edsel effectively $1000 more than a Ford. He succeeded in getting the Mercury, Edsel and Lincoln divisions merged and from there steered the downfall of the brand- first with consolidating Edsel products onto the Ford chassis only for 1959, and then reducing the make to a very slightly differentiated Ford for 1960.

Of course there were many factors going on in the market place in the late 1950's. The economy was in a deep recession. The controversial styling was a factor, but a similar look had given Studebaker record sales a few years back. Production quality was spotty. Dealer discounts on Fords made Edsel intenders into Ford drivers. And once the first comedian referred to the car as an "Olds sucking a lemon", the carefully crafted image began to shake.

First year Edsel sales of 61,000 were well below expectations, yet nonetheless represented the second best new nameplate introduction up to that time. But Macnamara was harping daily on what a disaster it was and now it needed to be dropped, and support within the company for the Edsel eroded daily. Edsel found its budgets slashed, its staffs reduced, and its options severely limited.

On November 14, 1959, Edsel became Ford's first murder victim.

Couture Cars: Designer Wheels and Special Editions of the 70’s-

2010-08-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Stork

Part II of the series. For Part I, go here.

High Gear

It all broke loose in 1976. Ford took the driver’s seat with the debut of the Continental Mark IV Designer Series. Four distinctive models, each with its own color scheme, designer identification, and distinctive special features chosen by a prominent designer: the Cartier Edition in triple pearl gray, the Bill Blass in Navy Blue and Cream, the Givenchy in Pale Turquoise accented with White, and the Emilio Pucci in Maroon with a silver landau top and Pucci fabric on the sunvisors. Each included alloy wheels, landau tops, and ultra plush velour interiors as standard with leather as a delete option. And each were very pricey- $2000 with velour or $1500 with leather. Yes, probably the first time in history where leather was a credit option. Very profitable, popular and prestigious entries, they accounted for 27% of Mark IV sales that year.

Other manufacturers noticed and the popularity of special models increased. Cadillac went for the velvet rope of exclusivity and produced exactly 200 identical Eldorado Bicentennial convertibles, with identical color schemes and dash plaques, and launching a specially trimmed Eldorado Biarritz coupe at mid-year.

Sporty Pontiac released a limited edition Trans Am SE, in black with gold pinstriping and trim, which was warmly received but would later become a sensation when a certain Burt Reynolds film was released. And sadly, the company that started it all seemed to back off at this point, as the Cassini Matador was replaced by a trim level called Barcelona, and the Cardin and Gucci were long gone, although the popular Levi’s editions would remain.

Ford shifted into high gear in 1977 and never looked back. The Continental designer series were totally revamped to suit the new Mark V. Cartier retained its cool and elegant triple Dove Gray look, The Bill Blass was newly suited in Navy Blue and Chamois Orange, including a Chamois landau top and special pigskin grained chamois leather. Givenchy got a completely new look in Midnight Jade with a Chamois forward roof section and Emilio Pucci started the year with a black and white ensemble of black paint, white landau and white leather interior. Pucci was always a limited demand item, but when the Adam-12 look failed to inspire it was replaced with Navy and Dove Gray at midyear. Such is the prerogative of fashion. The new styling and the Designer Series were a smash hit together- Continental sales hit 80,000 units and a large and very profitable percentage of them were Designer Series models.

The big news at General Motors was tiny indeed. The Chevette Sandpiper, in Cream Gold with triple yellow striped reef cloth interior (including yellow dash pad, headliner and carpeting) and special Sandpiper decals on its rear fenders marked the smallest special edition out of Motown. It sold in appropriately tiny numbers and was not continued. But the Trans Am SE went stratospheric, having been featured in Smokey and The Bandit. It soon became known as the Bandit T/A.

AMC, the little car company who so often couldn't, made one more stab at the market with the Matador Barcelona II Coupe. It featured two tone paint, a padded landau roof, stand up hood ornament and even body colored bumpers. This one deserves a video- have a look

Next- Part III- Winding Down

chevy cruze: is it chevy's jan brady?

2010-08-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

I spent some time last week in Washington DC with an all new Chevy compact sedan. No, not the Volt- the other one. The Cruze. C-r-u-z-e. No, I know you haven't heard of the name. It's new. In fact, It's an all new product which will be sold globally under the Cruze name, replacing a patchwork of different nameplates.

It's based on the front drive GM Delta II platform (same as that attention grabbing Volt) and will be produced in several countries, with the North American Chevrolet version coming from the retooled Lordstown, Ohio plant. Cruze will go on sale in the third quarter of 2010.

The Cruze will offer many choices- perhaps too many. Five different models- one more and they'd tie the Brady Bunch. And there really is a sixth because the much touted Volt is based on the same Delta II platform, which makes the whole Brady analogy totally fit. The Cruze is the Jan Brady of Chevy.

And it all makes sense, With the Volt wearing the Marcia Marcia Marcia "Look at Me" crown, the capable and competent Cruze is Jan- second fiddle to her more newsworthy and headline grabbing sister, but for many, many people a much better choice based on sound technology and superior affordability. And while the Doug Simpsons of the world may line up to spend $35,000 plus for the Volt, the George Glasses will probably be getting the better deal. I suspect in the long run, Jan will eclipse Marcia's popularity.

Cruze trim levels range from the Cruze LS at $16,995 base through the slightly more stylish Cruze LT with the 1.4T and alloys at $18,895, the LT2 adds leather leather, bluetooth, USB and more a $21,395 and for those who demand it all, the Diana Ross of Cruze is the LTZ with auto climate control, parking assist, 18" alloys and four wheels discs at $22,695. And for those who really need to channel their inner Diva, the RS appearance adds lower body fascia wrap, fog lamps and spolier to any LT or LTZ for $695. And for those Al Gore supporters, there's the $18,895 ECO with a standard six speed stick and expected 40 mpg EPA highway fuel economy.

I wouldn't say that the styling screams "Chevrolet!", keeping in mind the global intentions, but it is clean and contemporary, with the signature bisected Chevrolet Grill up front and gold bowtie badge flanked by jeweled headlamps. The sides are clean, and the roofline tapers smoothly rearward. The car features a wide stance and the wheels seems to fill up the wheel wells nicely (standard size is 16"), especially with the optional 17"s and 18"s. After all, bigger is better up to a point. Wheels. We're talking wheels here. The rear seems the least distinctive part of the style, again cleanly styled but didn't seem to speak any specific brand character. However, one must note that the styling of its Cobalt predecessor screamed "rental", so please don't think I was displeased with the new look at all. Clean and contemporary, and light years ahead of some of the entries of the recent past. Besides, Jan looked nice but Marcia was the glamour girl.

A big change one I climbed inside. Gone was the one piece molded door panel and black plastic everything you touch. The interior has a two toned theme on the dash and door panels, the materials are a HUGE (that word again!) improvement with soft touch dash facing and the current GM HVAC and audio controls which are very nice and tactile. The optional Navigation system (which I did sample) integrates nicely into the display, although I found the map a bit small. Still this is a Cavalier successor, and we're discussing the Navi screen. That's called progress. Speaking of progress, comfortable and well tailored seats. Ahhhh. Much nicer than the Chevy compacts I remember. Overall impression is very comparable to the Buick Regal I drove last month (and liked) although slightly smaller in scale.

Power for most Cruze models comes from the new Ecotec 1.4 Litre Turbo with variable valve timing, which produces 138 hp and 148 lb/ft of torque, mated to either a six speed manual or six speed automatic transmission. In the Cruise Eco variant, the car is expected to deliver 40mpg highway, with other versions likely achieving mid-thirties. The 1.4 Turbo is fitted to LT, LTZ and ECO models. The base LS utilizes a 1.8 litre conventionally aspirated engine developing 136 hp, and 123 lb/ft of torque. We did not drive that particular configuration.

The Chevy folks took time to point out the many safety features of their newest compact, including ten air bags (two front, two head curtain, four seat mounted side impact, and two front knee bags) along with collapsible pedals (yay!) stabilitrak electronic stability control and a bunch of GM favorites like Tire Pressure Monitoring, DRL's and automatic headlamps. Additionally, about 65% of the body is made of high strength steel and GM anticipates that the car will achieve five star crash ratings in every country in which it is sold, so it should be up to the rigors of Jan's paper route.

Driving impressions come from a day on twisty rural roads in suburban Virginia. I drove a targeted variety of Cruze models, those being an LTZ with Nav and one without. So I'm an option Queen. I admit it. But at least I mixed up the colors.

The 1.4 litre turbo 4 cylinder is silky smooth at idle and pairs well with the six speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is smart and shifts are smooth. we're light years ahead of the Cobalt and Cavalier. The ride is smooth and controlled, and I far preferred it to the Corolla S which was provided for comparison. Interior materials were much nicer as well. I especially liked the soft touch dash and the door panels which are much more substantial feeling than the Toyota or the Cobalt. We were also provided with a Civic sedan for comparison, and it had a ride and handling more on par with the Cruze, but I can't get used to the Star wars instrument panel and the A-pillars that seem to me modeled after the old Gm Dustbuster minivans. The little Chevy held its head high against the gold standard of the compact class, and that is simply something I've never been able to say before.

Jan Brady for Class President! Now what will they do for Cindy?

sunday driver: amc matador barcelona

2010-08-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

There on the field at Motown 2010, surrounded by over 220 fascinating and unusual cars, cars with fabulous design, incredible color, loving restoration, and impeccible provenance. How could one possibly choose a favorite?

And then I saw IT.

It must have known of my unabashed love for weakly branded products, of my glee upon seeing a botched facelift, my delight in watching the overmarketing of what was had been, in fact, a most plebian chariot.

I've already written about the exciting Oleg Cassini Matador Coupe, how AMC slapped a few logos and some copper paint on a Matador Coupe in an attempt to cash in on the cache of a designer label. Well as time passed they cut Oleg out of the deal to save on coin, and created the Barcelona Matador, and the really wild Barcelona II, with a landau top and painted bumpers.

And for 1978, they decided the world needed a Barcelona SEDAN. Yes, the lowly sedan, fresh from service on Adam 12, fitted with cow catcher bumpers and a coffin nose, became the basis of the overpimped Barcelona package. Same Golden Ginger Metallic over Sand Tan color scheme. Same woodgrained gauge faces. Same individual comfort lounge seats in velveteen crush fabricx with woven accent stripes, same grain on the vinyl roof, same two-toned sport wheels and an absolutely wild two tone pattern which bears no more relation to the lines of the car than the safety bumpers did. Special Barcelona insignias and hood ornament set off the look. AMC emblems proudly affixed front and rear, but who needs them- who ELSE would have made this car?

Barcelona- Because Spain is EXACTLY like that.

rides of the king

2010-08-16T14:08:00.001-07:00

How else would a gearhead mark the anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing than by taking a look at some of the fabulous cars he owned? Elvis loved cars and bought them on a whim, sometimes for strangers. He is famous for buying his mother a pink Cadillac, but preferred black and white for himself. In his own stable, Cadillacs and Lincolns dominated- mostly Cadillacs in number and Elvis and Cadillac are linked in the minds of many, but his favorite car in the '50's was his 1956 Continental Mark II and in the seventies, the King also loved him some Stutz Blackhawk. In fact, the last photo taken of him was driving his beloved black Stutz. So on the thirty third anniversary of his passing, remember the King via some of his coolest rides.

Driving his yellow 1955 Cadillac:

The 1955 Fleetwood purchased by Elvis for his mother, Gladys Presley:

Elvis and his white 1956 Continental Mark II:

Elvis' $100,000 1960 Cadillac Limousine, customized by Barris:

Another Barris Custom, Elvis' 1965 Cadillac Eldorado convertible:

Elvis and two of his Stutz Blackhawks, the white 1972 and the black 1973:

The last car purchased, his 1977 Seville, at Graceland and being driven:

Another pose of the 1977 Seville:

The last known photo of Elvis- Aug. 16, 1977 at 12:28 AM, returning home in the Stutz Blackhawk:

Elvis's funeral procession- the 1977 Cadillac hearse and parade of white 1977 Cadillacs:

priscilla on the prarie with twins

2010-08-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend in the Michiana shores with longtime friends and twin Clenet bloggers Ron and Mario and see what automotive adventures we could find. Saturday morning we were up early loading Priscilla, their 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty-Special Brougham (jeez, is that enough names?) for a run to Kankakee, IL for a driving tour with the Chicago Lambda Car Club boys. Mario drove, Ron navigated and I deployed footrests and tested picnic tables, because that's what a journo does. All for you.

We steered south of Chicago for a rendezvous at the 1947 Jaenicke's Root Beer stand in downtown Kankakee for tire kicking and root beer. It's a way cool place, obviously a de-franchised A & W Root Beer stand, still in its signature orange. A delicious selection of cars began to assemble. besides Priscilla, there was a 9,500 mile 1973 Eldorado coupe in Taupe and companion Cotillion White 1976 convertible, a sky blue 1964 Imperial, a heavenly 1962 Imperial in Silver Lilac that I acquired for a client and helped restore back in 1992- it was great to see it looking so pristine. Lots of fun rides- when was the last time you saw a '61 De Soto coupe? Best color went to a 1972 Monte Carlo whose orange matched the hot dog stand, and oldest was a sweet 1941 Cadillac sedanette.

After everyone chugged their root beer, we went down the block to tour the Bradley House, a Frank Lloyd house on the river which was recently restored and only opened for tour this summer. It was great to see such an intact example and recall just how revolutionary Wright was in 1900.

From there we toured to a local park for a picnic and even a delightful pontoon boat ride on Kankakee river. All in all a delightful time with friends both two legged and finned. Photo link is here. Thanks to Ron, Mario, Priscilla and the LCC Lake Michigan guys for a great day. As my summer tour draws to a close, I must admit that the people of the midwest have been terrific. I'm really going to miss them.

motown 2010: really big shew

2010-08-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I seem to be blogging my midwestern trip in a somewhat non-linear fashion so I spologize if the sequence of events seems somewhat out of order. There's still one dispatch due from Detroit but today we are focusing on the Motown 2010 show sponsored by the Lambda Car Club, and one of two large gay and lesbian car shows annually.

The West Coast Meet is held annually in San Luis Obispo, CA, and is alternately hosted by the Freewheelers Car Club of San Francisco and the Great Autos of Yesteryear of Los Angeles. Their event is always large and well attended.

By contrast, the Lambda Car Club (primarily on the east coast and midwest but extending all the way to Phoenix) has an annual Grand Invitation hosted by a different member region each year. As I mentioned earlier, I attended Destination Detroit, the first show in the Motor City, in the summer of 1990. It was there my 1956 Desert Rose and White 1956 Imperial was named Best In Show, although in reality I think the award it received was really "Most Pink Car". Undeserved awards nonwithstanding, it was a great event and set a high standard for those shows to follow.

We returned to Detroit in 2000 for "D2K', an outstanding event in which we were exposed to significant Manufacturer sponsored event, including a Lincoln concept car under the porte cochere of our hotel and an unforgettable GM Cocktail Party full of legendary GM Motorama cars. Another one of the record books.

My excitement for Motown 2010 was twofold- first that the Detroit folks produce an excellent event full of Automobile History, and second that it marks the third Grand Invitational I have attended in Detroit- the car show twenty years in the making, as it were. Quite a few original attendees from 1990 and 2000 were in attendance, along with at least three of the show cars on the field.

In terms of sheer numbers, the event was huge- over 400 attendees displayed 230 cars on the show field, ranging from a 1916 Cole to a trio of 1991 Fleetwoods. The variety of the cars never fails to delight, and the only way to accurately portray the show is to link to the album. It's mind blowing. I apologize in advance that there are just shy of 400 photos, and my ongoing technical problem with flickr leaves me unable to tag the photos at this time.

Many thanks to our friends at the Lambda Car Club- Detroit Region for producing such an outstanding event. I hope you all enjoy the pictures.

Tonka Truck meets Manpurse- 2011 Kia Sportage

2010-08-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

KIA showed off their new 2011 Sportage in San Francisco last week. It's the fifth all new product in just under two years, following on the heels of the Soul, subcompact Forte sedan, the two door derivative Koup, and the Sorrento SUV.

It's the third generation of Sportage, and this one looks like it came from Extreme Makeover: Kia Edition. It has a much larger footptrint- wider and longer with expressive exterior styling in the flavor of miniaturized Audi Q7 (no surprise to learn it was penned by former Audi stylist Peter Schreyer) and giant 18" wheels (standard on EX) which are worthy of the coolest Tonka trucks. Did I mention that the target audience is single and male? It's a stylish and playful look which has a MUCH more upmarket look than its predecessors. Status seekers might consider swiping a set of interlocking rings for the grille, I think the car could carry it off.

A much more upmarket execution permeates the interior as well. I called it a Manpurse inside- a black on black compartment with comfortable, well tailored leather seats, an Infinity Audio System with Bluetooth, USB, Sirius Satellite Radio heated and cooled driver's seat, and a ginormous Panorama sunroof. Yes, it's a lot of black but so is a Coach bag, and I found much more pleasing it more honest than fake wood or fake aluminum or fake carbon fibre which the Europeans love so much these days. (And didn't they malign us for our fake wood in the 70's? All fashion comes back, I guess...) The storage console is larger now, the glove box is cooled (Evian, anyone?) and the door pockets are roomy. All in all, a well designed Manpurse, and the rear seat will be more than comfy for taking the French Bulldogs to Palm Springs for the weekend. Also coming later in the year is Kia's handsfree UVO system, developed by Microsoft and rather similar to Ford's Sync. But more of that when it comes on stream.

Power comes from the 2.4 litre Theta four cylinder engine. In this guise, it produces 176 hp, and gets 22 mpg in the city and 31 highway. Compared to the last gen's V6, it has a bit more power, a bit less torque, and quite a bit better highway fuel economy. For those who need more go, a 270 hp turbo will be introduced mid-year.

Driving impressions are favorable. The Theta engine idles very smoothly and is quite adequate for the car's needs, although I think the Turbo will be much more suited for sporting drivers. While not a sports car, the Sportage handled quite nicely on the twisting roads of Half Moon Bay, the increased width made it feel quite stable, and the ride was quite pleasant for a vehicle of this wheelbase. Again a big improvement over past generations and in no way a "penalty box."

Possibly the biggest improvement is invisible to the naked eye- residual value. In the retail biz, the better the residual, the lower the lease payment and traditionally Kia has not been blessed with high residuals. However, one of the benefits of Kia's reinvention has been an improvement in the residual values that lenders have assigned to Kia models. In the case of Sportage, the improvement has been dramatic. A 36 month residual value of 61% has been assigned to the base Sportage, up twenty-two percentage points over the 2010 model. This is as dramatic of an improvement as I have ever seen in one year and, when combined with the price point of the car ($18,990 base and fully equipped in upper twenties) should result in a very compelling affordability story. Perhaps I should have mentioned that first.

So if your taste runs toward the tailored Audi look but budget constraints preclude such a reality, you might take a look at the Sportage. I was quite favorably impressed.

motown 2010: walter p chrysler museum

2010-08-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

After stammering out of the GM Heritage Center in a daze, we managed to stagger back into the car and drive a few miles down the road to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. This one is a more prominent building arranged on three levels with an awesome rotating spire-o-mopars as a focal point. This one is more like a museum than a big toybox, with a fascinating section following the early engineering advances of Chrysler Corporation.

A delicious blend of special treats- ranging from one of the very first 1924 Chryslers ever produced, to a gorgeous 1934 Airflow, one of the seven 1941 Thunderbolt disappearing hardtop coupes, a sampler platter of wooden bodied Town and Countrys, an excellent representation of the finned Mopar, an exquisite Dodge la Femme (previously documented here) displayed complete with all accessories- and my all time favorite, the elegant Engle-bird 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car. Again, I will let the photos speak and the link to the photos is here. (I must apologize that my flickr account won't let me update at the moment, so I can't caption. Technical support to come! Enjoy