1960s
Why wasn’t the 1971 ‘boat-tail’ Buick Riviera shrunk to compact size?
David Burrell has written what may be the most detailed account of how William Mitchell vainly tried to shift the “boat-tail” 1971 Buick Riviera to a mid-sized platform. Burrell’s story in Retro Autos (2021) even […]
Defense of Virgil Exner’s 1962 Plymouth doesn’t add up
(EXPANDED FROM 4/23/2021) Once in a while a work of automotive history is smacked down by a critic who sanctimoniously points to alleged inaccuracies. Sometimes these kind of critiques are on target (if unduly indignant). […]
Did the odd styling of the 1969 Chrysler two-door hardtop hurt its sales?
Curbside Classic commentator nlpnt (2024) recently argued that the fuselage Chrysler’s best-looking body style was the wagon. Conversely, I would add that the two-door hardtop was the least aesthetically pleasing body style. Of course, these […]
What are the top-10 coolest American car interiors from 1955-70?
Rare Classic Cars & Automotive History has a video that ranks the top-10 “coolest” interiors of Big Three cars from 1955-70. Host Adam Wade’s (2024) list is worth viewing but I would like to offer […]
Would you believe that there was once a car in this picture?
A fairly popular type of auto history post includes photos of street scenes from the past. Readers tend to focus on naming the cars. It’s good, clean fun if you have nothing better to do. […]
Why did Patrick Foster settle for fanboy fluff in his 1968-70 AMC Javelin story?
I had high hopes when I saw that the August issue of Collectible Automobile included a story about the 1968-70 AMC Javelin. Patrick Foster has been studying American Motors’ history for decades, so I expected […]
Was the Environmental Protection Agency run by ‘zealots’ in the early-70s?
MB stopped by to respond to our article, “Oldsmobile’s John Beltz sounded like a rather cautious GM executive.” He wrote, “The EPA zealots ruined American cars in 1970 thanks to their requirements based on a […]
Ninety-year-old reader would buy another two-seater Thunderbird
EG stopped by to respond to our article, “Car and Driver playfully roasts a 1964 Ford Thunderbird convertible.” I have owned nine Thunderbirds. The best one was the two seater. They should have fired the […]