Indie Auto

Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant

by Steve in Links 5

(UPDATED FROM 11/24, 2023) A March 1964 Car Life article offers a fascinating take on why Studebaker shifted production from its South Bend main plant to a much smaller one in Hamilton, Ontario — which turned the brand into an import from Canada. Among the major players, Sherwood Egbert comes off the best in writer Gene Booth’s account. The [...]

The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder

July 17, 2026 18

(UPDATED FROM 1/6/2023) The 1956 Lincoln was one of the brand’s most-important postwar cars. Almost 54,000 cars left the factory — an all-time record not broken until 1966. The Ford Motor Company was clearly intending to make a [...]

1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor

July 14, 2026 4

(UPDATED FROM 7/17/2024) A few years ago I came across a 1975 Mercedes-Benz SL. In all honesty, I wasn’t nearly as enthused as when I photographed a previous-generation W113 model, with its iconic “pagoda” roof. The R107 models, [...]

Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?

July 10, 2026 16

(UPDATED FROM 7/1/2024) General Motors has been criticized for going too far in downsizing its 1986 E-body personal coupes, which included the Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado. Sales fell off a cliff, but [...]

J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable

July 10, 2026 4

(UPDATED FROM 4/18/2024) The most valuable books I have bought in recent years have been J. “Kelly” Flory Jr.’s American Cars reference guides. This multi-volume set provides wide-ranging information on U.S.-made cars during the postwar [...]

1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations

July 7, 2026 10

(UPDATED FROM 78/2024/ Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman’s artwork in Pontiac’s advertising played an important role in the brand’s popularity during the 1960s. Others have done a thorough job of showcasing the team’s most iconic ads [...]

Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road

by Steve in Current Events 4

The above photo was taken two days ago during a trip across Washington state. Gas prices had come down from the previous week, when I paid a low of $4.89 and a high of $6.09 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Those prices are not just a product of the Iran war. Washington has the third-highest gas taxes in the U.S. behind California and [...]