Curbside Classic -

How The 1938 Lincoln Zephyr Ushered In A Design Revolution Thanks To A Hot Radiator

– Posted on July 20, 2026

(Updated 7/20/2026) The 1938 Lincoln Zephyr’s low and horizontal mustache grille may not look very revolutionary to most of us today, but it played a key role in triggering one of the most significant and lasting design transformations, not unlike the 1959 GM cars and the 1960 Corvair. GM Styling Head Harley Earl was quoted as saying: “Oh my God, how did we miss on that one? That’s going to ruin us”. Ironically, the new grille was not the result of stylistic creativity for its own sake, but the very pragmatic solution to a technical problem. Thanks to a link of an interview with Ford designer “Bob” Gregorie provided by CC commentator redmondjp on the 1936 Ford post, here’s the story of how it came to be, and its lasting influence. Read the rest of this entry »

Curbside Find: 1993 Saturn Wagon – Better Looking Than The Sedan, By Far

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on July 20, 2026

(Updated 7/19/2026) I’ve never been a fan of the gen1 Saturn S Series sedan styling. But I have to say, running into this wagon reminded me that the wagon was quite well executed; much better than the gen2 that started in 1996 and carried that awkward curved sedan rear door line into the wagon. This is clean, and a bit refreshing to see, as low little wagons have become something of a rarity.

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1976 Chevrolet LUV For Sale: One Of Few That Are “Very Clean”

Aaron65

– Posted on July 20, 2026

A few years ago, I dreamed that I owned a blue Chevy LUV, and I fretted that I wasn’t driving it enough. Although few remember their dreams exactly, I can say with some confidence that it was a later-model 4×4, but I would have liked this 1976 LUV just as well. It “runs great and is very clean,” it’s for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Beecher, Illinois, and the owner is asking $11,500 (cash only).

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When Chrome Ruled: Classic 1950s GM Cars In Vintage Photos

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 20, 2026

Text by Patrick Bell.

General Motors was at the top of the heap during much of the twentieth century. Nearly 58 million domestic new cars were sold in the U.S. during the decade of the 1950’s, and GM’s share was 46.5% (all per Wikipedia). Let’s take a look at some of what they had to offer during that decade.

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The Historic Streetcars That Still Roam San Francisco, Part 1

tbm3fan

– Posted on July 20, 2026

Few cities embrace transit history quite like San Francisco. Alongside its world-famous cable cars, Muni’s fleet of beautifully restored PCC streetcars continues to carry passengers through the city, something that turns an ordinary commute into a rolling museum of American public transportation. Each car tells a story, not only of San Francisco, but of the many cities where these iconic streetcars once ran.

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1964 Ford Falcon Futura Convertible: How Much Did The Mustang Affect Falcon Convertible Sales?

Aaron65

– Posted on July 20, 2026

This cute little 1964 Ford Falcon Futura Convertible couldn’t have known when it was new that it was sitting on the cusp of irrelevance, as the new Mustang was patiently waiting for its April 1964 introduction to swoop in and steal most of the sporty convertible market. But how badly did the Falcon Convertible’s sales suffer at the hands of the pony car juggernaut?

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Curbside Classic: Jaguar Mark X – Luxury Before the Age of Sharp Edges

Perry Shoar

– Posted on July 19, 2026

(Updated 7/19/2026) Though known for their performance, the classic Jaguar shape suggests a lushness incongruous with grand touring and dynamic prowess in the current idiom. When this US-oriented high roller was conceived, however, it was still a while before sober-looking German models would redefine the elegant, high-end sedan and with its resplendent contours, the Jaguar Mark X represents a very different aesthetic sensibility.

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Classic CARmentary: 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD — America’s Middle-Class Dream

Adam Dixon

– Posted on July 19, 2026

(Updated 7/16/2026) By the late 1990s, the Jeep Grand Cherokee had become more than just another SUV. For many middle-class families, it was a rolling symbol of success, the kind of vehicle that announced you’d finally “made it.” Fortunately for buyers, it also happened to be one of the most capable and well-rounded sport utilities on the market.

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Curbside Find: 1956 Continental Mark II – Waiting For Its Second Chance

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 19, 2026

Today’s 1956 Continental, uploaded to the CC Cohort by robadr, is going to make for something of a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty short post. Longtime readers may remember this very car from its first appearance at CC back in 2016. Time spent outdoors has clearly taken a toll on the vehicle, with its condition now looking rougher. On the bright side, it’s now parked outside a repair shop, suggesting it’s about to receive some long-overdue attention. Whether that’s the start of a quick mechanical intervention or the first step in a protracted restoration, that’s anyone’s guess.

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My 1988 BMW 735i: The Car That Came Back When I Needed It Most

D. Crane

– Posted on July 19, 2026

Most of us never see our old cars again after watching them disappear down the road with their new owners. Every once in a while, though, fate offers a second chance. Four years after selling my 1988 BMW 735i, I stumbled across it for sale while helping my father look for a truck. I couldn’t resist bringing it home, unaware that the car would once again become part of one of the most important chapters of my life.

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1963 Cadillac Sedan De Ville With Rare Factory Bucket Seats And Center Console

Aaron Severson

– Posted on July 19, 2026

Bucket seats aren’t usually associated with vintage Cadillacs, but they were a factory option through most of the 1960s — for a while, they were even available on the four-door De Ville. This 1963 four-window Sedan de Ville has leather buckets and the new-for-1963 center console.

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Junkyard Classic: 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser – This One Came With The TruCoat!

Jim Klein

– Posted on July 18, 2026

(Updated 7/18/2026) Oldsmobile had a long and storied history before its I suppose timely demise due to lack of interesting and unique product as well as a general loss of distinct purpose. But many of us coming of driving age in the 1980’s will remember a very long stretch of time that the midsize Cutlass Ciera was ubiquitous on our streets, with the herds really thinning out within the last decade or so. So seeing this first-year 1984 wagon, the Cutlass Cruiser, was a bit of a surprise. Read the rest of this entry »

Vintage Postcards: Malls And Shopping Centers In The 1950s-1960s

Rich Baron

– Posted on July 18, 2026

There was a time when the local shopping mall wasn’t just a place to buy things—it was a destination. These vintage postcards capture that moment when sprawling shopping centers were shiny new destinations, complete with acres of parking, eye-catching architecture, and the promise that you could find just about everything in one place. Whether they’ve since been demolished, remodeled beyond recognition, or continue serving shoppers today, each image captures a moment in time that’s unlikely to be seen again.

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My 2023 Tesla Model 3 RWD, Part 2: How One Tesla Won Over Three Family Generations

Tyler Schild

– Posted on July 18, 2026

Last week, I left off standing in a Tesla delivery center, having completed the easiest car purchase of my life. What had started as a carefully planned order for a Radiant Red Chevrolet Bolt EUV Premier had suddenly turned into a Pearl White 2023 Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive, thanks to expiring Oregon rebate money, a disappearing supply of Bolts, and a very understanding wife.

So there I was, key cards in hand, sitting in my brand-new Tesla for the first time.

And now I had to figure out how to drive the thing.

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Auto-Biography: 1971 Ford Econoline E100 – What Might Have Been

Paul Niedermeyer

– Posted on July 18, 2026

(2013. Updated with a new ending 2018. Updated 2026)

At eight-thirty on the morning of February 12, 1971, two weeks after turning eighteen, I sat on a wooded hillside looking down on the large back storage lot at Towson Ford. Instead of going to Towson High that morning, I had walked here to retrieve my Boy Scout backpack, which I had packed and then stashed under a bush the night before. I was about to leave everything behind today: family, friends, school, job…something out there was calling me and I was going to heed the call. I had planned to hitchhike after picking up my paycheck when the dealership opened at nine–and then, as I sat there looking at all those new 1971 Fords, an idea popped into my head, one that undoubtedly changed the trajectory of my life.

Why not just take one of them and drive…all the way to California?

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