Without giving too much away, let’s just say that this little guy’s expression perfectly captures the theme of today’s CC, and why I’m sitting here writing it. Yes, I’m back, for today at least. See you in a couple of hours!

[Note: This CC is an unused leftover from last week]

This old Suburban, like the old house behind it, has escaped the jaws of the wrecker and is still hard at work. It’s got a yard of topsoil in the back, as its owner gets ready to do a bit of landscaping around this old house he recently moved to this location. Will forty year-old Escalades be hauling top soil? (Read More…)

The boattail Riviera is a fitting finale to Curbside Classics for now. I’ve had a thing for fastbacks since day one, and I’ve been indulging in them this week. This Riviera also represents the difficult ending of an era, where the large luxury coupe, especially GM’s, was the standard bearer for American design innovation and leadership. What started as a revolutionary concept with the 1958 Thunderbird, and was elevated to timeless elegance in the 1963 Riviera, now struggled to regain its former glory in the dying days of the giant car.

The 1971 Riviera was a bold effort by GM styling head Bill Mitchell to recapture the magic that seemed to permeate GM in the sixties. The result was controversial and flawed, but its hulking and brash shape has certainly enriched our streets. For me, CC is about the visual thrill of rediscovering the unique shapes and designs of the past, no matter how imperfect, and the boattail Riviera certainly does that as well or better than any other car in my collection. It’s a car worth stopping for. (Read More…)

Transitions are almost never easy, and leaving TTAC and Curbside Classics is downright painful. But for a number of reasons, that’s what needs to happen right now. Two of them are in the picture above. (Read More…)

Pity the poor Barracuda. It beat the Mustang to market in 1964 by 16 days, but was utterly trounced by that seminal (and genre name-giving) pony car. In their first full year (1965), the Mustang outsold the ‘Cuda by 9 to 1. Well, despite that huge glassy fastback, it was hard to fool anyone that the Barracuda was anything other than a Valiant Signet with a fishbowl grafted on. That hardly made it an inferior car per se, and the fold down rear seat and resulting flat floor made it highly practical for certain uses. But the distinctive long-hood short-deck proportions of the Mustang instantly became iconic and a must-have; a glass-back Valiant just wasn’t going to do the trick, unless of course you found yourself in the right position to fully appreciate the Barracuda’s unique qualities. (Read More…)

Eggcrates, so many eggcrates. What a popular material to fill in the blank spaces. Now which car did this one come from? As usual, it’s either going to be too easy or too hard. Well, the interior of the Bronco II went fast; talkingtoanimals nailed it on the first guess, but it kept folks guessing for a while. On your mark, get ready, set, go!

Not suitably impressed by the recent 446,000 mile Neon? How about a 1980 Fiat Brava with a half-million miles, on its original engine no less! It just goes to show that anything can be kept going forever, with the right attitude, perseverance and a (full time?) dedicated mechanic. 818now.com has the full story on Gil Cormaci (is chauvinism at work here?) and his stereotype defying Fiat that recently rolled over its odometer for the fifth time. (Read More…)

[An expanded and updated version of this CC is here]

We’ve had a lot of utilitarian vehicles last week, and even into this Monday, so with yesterday’s Corolla AE86 leading the charge, we’re going savor some delicious sporty coupes. This Alfetta GT coupe is an interesting follow-up to the AE86, for at least two reasons. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, this lovely Alfa was not only a feast for the eyes in that largely vulgar mid-seventies period, but was also an influential one. The Alfetta GT was one of a few key designs of the period that had a profound and lasting effect on styling trends, including the Corolla itself. The other reason: cars like the fast, cheap but ultra-reliable Corolla GT-S helped put Alfa out of business in the US. (Read More…)

Here’s a video of the AE86 being put through its paces by the Drift King himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya. Not so much drifting in the current sense, but hustling the Corolla in his style on a race track. As much as I can appreciate the skills that go into drifting, I prefer to see a car being driven as fast as possible, not just for show. In the next video, he’s pitted against a newer Civic EK9 in a three lap grudge race.

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Is it a stretch to say that finding this beater Corolla AE86 GT-S on the street is the equivalent of finding an original and beat up 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda? Maybe, but they’re both legends, and while the odds of finding the GT-S are definitely better, they’re not exactly easy to come by either. I’ve had my eye out for one for quite a while, and suddenly this showed up in the neighborhood; a wish fulfilled. Now I’d be happy just to catch that non-hemi beater ‘Cuda I’ve seen driving. Anyway, with all the excitement building about the coming FT-86 coupe and a possibly even cheaper and lighter RWD car, it’s time to take a look at its inspiration. (Read More…)

The horsey car! Sometimes the past reappears for just a moment in all its perfect clarity, like a vivid dream. You shake your head to make sure you’re awake, but yes, there it is, the exact car you brought home in the spring of 1984, in the same color and trim, and it still looks brand new. And suddenly the words of a certain verbally-precocious one-and-a-half-year-old son shouting “horsey car” rings in your ear as fresh and clear as that day when he pointed at the spare tire cover and said it for the first time. If this 1984 Bronco II doesn’t jostle some memories in TTAC’s Editor-In-Chief on a Monday morning, I don’t know what will. To the best of my knowledge, his automotive awareness began right here. And fortunately, a rollover was not part of those memories. (Read More…)

Let’s try something a bit different here. This interior shot means that google is not going to be your friend. On the other hand, anyone who’s ever had one will probably recognize it instantly.

The ’81 Cougar grille kept things hopping. One close answer: KitaIkki said “Cougar”. That covers a lot of territory, but he certainly deserves some recognition.

Just what every Mother would want: a color-coordinated magenta Miata to go along with her purple irises and yellow tulips. (Read More…)

Many new Automotive Histories as well as updated and expanded versions of many of these articles below are at the author’s new Curbside Classic site here]

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As we were walking home through the Lane Events Center parking lot, where a Tattoo Convention was in high gear, I noticed the 1970 Caddy in the distance, and as soon as I saw the big dubs, I kept walking. They generally just don’t do it for me. But then I thought, what the hell, it might mike a good Outtake. And as I walked around the other side of it and raised my camera, I realized I’d stumbled into another two-fer. With matching dubs, no less. (Read More…)