Tag: Buyers Guide

Buyer’s Guide: What to Consider When Shopping for a 1955, 1956, or 1957 Chevrolet – Daniel Strohl @Hemmings

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The so-called tri-fives don’t seem to be waning in popularity at all

It’s easy to pick on the 1955 to 1957 Chevrolet passenger cars – known to many as tri-five Chevrolets – as ubiquitous and basic collector cars. They sold in such vast quantities that, it seemed, everybody at one point owned one, knew somebody who owned one, or wanted to own one. As a result, they’ve almost lost their mystique over the years. But it’s also worth remembering two things: There was a reason the cars became popular and remained so in the first place, to the point where they’re now considered pop culture icons, and there’s always a younger generation coming along intrigued by the cars and all they represent, but not yet studied in their ways. So what should anybody new to tri-fives consider when looking to buy one?

What Makes Tri-Fives Iconic?

Even mid-Fifties Ford fans will admit that – despite the fact that Ford’s passenger cars handily outsold Chevrolet’s in 1957 – the latter has gone on to become the darling of the collector-car world and the poster child for post-war American optimism and culture.

Did Chevrolet somehow capture the chrome-and-glitz zeitgeist better than Ford? Was it the new Chevrolet small-block V-8 that captured hot-rodders’ attention and made bold horsepower claims? Or was it the fact that Chevrolet found a formula for a modern car that set the tone for its output for the next few decades?

After all, here was a thoroughly redesigned car that ditched its predecessors’ torque tube and vestiges of pre-envelope styling. It introduced to the Chevrolet lineup ball-joint independent front suspension, suspended brake and clutch pedals, 12-volt electrical systems, and tubeless tires. What’s more, it brought jet-age futuristic styling in the form of tailfins, wraparound windshields, and trim packages that evoked high-speed travel.

Ford may have presented itself as the more affordable of the two, but did that really matter in terms of legacy when America’s middle class had gobs of purchasing power at the time and a desire for futuristic, auto show-inspired cars in its driveways?

So while mid-Fifties Fords have their fan base, the tri-five Chevrolet appeals across wide swaths of the collector-car hobby. As a result, it’s a car that’s readily available no matter where you are in pretty much every configuration one can imagine, from project car to stock restored to extensively modified.

What Makes Tri-Fives Iconic?

1955 Chevrolet 150

How to Identify a Tri-Five Chevrolet

Over its three-year run, the tri-five Chevrolet was offered in three basic trim levels, at least eight different nameplates, and at least 21 different body styles, with significant styling changes from year to year. Telling them all apart, however, isn’t too difficult.

Let’s begin with model years. The 1955 Chevrolets all had fairly square egg crate grilles flanked by semi-oval front marker lamps with triangular taillamps mounted to the tops of the rear quarter panels. The ’55s are also the only tri-fives to feature a fuel filler door mounted on the quarter panels. The following year, Chevrolet hid the fuel filler behind the left taillamp, widened the grille to encompass rectangular front marker lamps, and shrank the taillamps to small round lenses in a larger chrome decorative bezel in roughly the same location. Then for 1957, the grilles became more sculptured, with the front bumpers wrapping up at the ends to nearly encapsulate them. The hood ornament of the prior two years gave way to bombsights set into the leading edge of the hood, the headlamp bezels were opened up and fitted with mesh to permit fresh air intake, and the leading section of the fenders was scored with hashmarks. Around back, the ’57s featured pointer fins, the fuel filler door behind a piece of chrome trim on the fin, and taillamps mounted at the base of the fin.

To distinguish the three trim levels, look primarily to the chrome spears mounted to the sides of the cars. The base 150 came with no side trim in its first year, a single spear extending from just behind the headlamps to a piece dropping down from the post-B-pillar notch in 1956, and a single spear extending rearward from the same notch in 1957. The mid-level 210 had a side spear similar to the 1957 150’s, though mounted a little lower, followed by a full-length spear that swooped downward at the rear in 1956, and a branching version of the downward swooping spear in 1957. The top-of-the-line Bel Air always used some variation on the same year 210’s side trim: In 1955, it added a simple spear extending rearward from the headlamps; in 1956, it added a second horizontal piece paralleling the main one from the headlamps back to the notch; and in 1957, the Bel Air added a stainless steel panel between the two side trim branches.

Note too that certain body styles only exist in certain trim levels during the tri-five Chevrolet’s run. No two-door or four-door hardtops were ever available in the 150, convertibles could only be had as Bel Airs, and business coupes (“utility coupes,” in Chevrolet parlance) were only available as 150s.

Station wagons had their own nomenclature depending on the trim level. The 150 series had the Handyman, available only as a two-door; the 210 and the Bel Air had the Townsman, available only as a six-passenger four-door; and the Bel Air had the nine passenger three-row Beauville. And let’s not forget the Nomad, the sporty two-door station wagon from the Bel Air series that took its name and greenhouse from the Corvette Nomad Motorama show car.

While all of the above applies regardless of the number of cylinders under the hood, Chevrolet did add trim to differentiate the V-8 cars from the six-cylinder ones: a small emblem under the taillamps on 1955 models and a vee-shaped piece of trim on the hood for 1956 and 1957 models.

What to Consider When Buying a 1953-1956 Ford F-100 – Daniel Strohl @Hemmings

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Long a staple of the street rodding scene, the Effies remain simple to restore or customize

Can a pickup truck be beautiful?

Attractive, sure. Stylish, yes. Handsome, absolutely. But is “beautiful” the right word for a pickup, especially one designed and launched in an era when light-duty trucks were still largely sold to farmers, ranchers, and handymen, and generally not seen as acceptable in suburban driveways past five o’clock?

Maybe not when the first Ford F-100s were new or when they were just used trucks plying rural backroads, but in the 70 years since their introduction, the F-100s have gone from workhorses to showponies, earning all sorts of descriptors in the process, including “beautiful.” They’ve also inspired a loyal following, making them one of the simplest and most accessible generations of Ford truck for budding collectors to get into, regardless of what one decides to call it

What Makes F-100s Desirable?

That loyalty and enthusiasm for the first generation of the F-100 goes back decades, as Dave Emanuel wrote in the April 1984 issue of Special Interest Autos. “No other truck, and damn few cars have ever inspired the almost maniacal fervor found in F-100 aficionados,” Emanuel wrote. “In fact, Ford’s early Fifties pickup is every bit as much of a ‘cult’ vehicle as the Chevrolet Corvette or VW Beetle.”

Part of that could be due to the F-100’s simplicity. It had classic and unadorned lines, was fitted with as few gadgets as possible, and sat on a chassis little more complex than a haywagon yet as rugged and durable as grandfather’s ax.

Part of that could also be due to the $30 million worth of research, development, and engineering that Ford claimed to have put into the trucks with the express purpose of making them more driver-centric. Ford’s engineers and designers even went so far as to create a positionable dummy, the “Measuring Man,” meant to emulate the dimensions of a typical American man, and sized the cab and its fixtures around the dummy. For the time, it was indeed a “revolutionary new approach” to truck design, as Ford claimed in its own sales literature for the trucks, intended to “make the driver’s job simpler and less tiring and to permit him to get this job done faster.”

Ford’s ad men even dubbed the trucks “Triple Economy,” referring to their greater load-hauling capacities, their economical drivetrains, and a number of “Driverized” cab upgrades that “reduce fatigue, conserve energy, help keep the driver fresh and alert for better, safer driving.”

Indeed, while the side and front profiles of the new-for-1953 pickups weren’t radically different from the previous Bonus Built F-1 pickups, the number of changes that Ford made to the trucks – everything from larger windshields to wider seats to a four-inch-shorter wheelbase – led to an entirely new nomenclature system, with half-ton pickups now designated F-100. (Medium- and light-duty trucks adopted similar nomenclature from F-250 up to F-900.)

Or, as Emanuel and numerous other authors have noted, the popularity of the 1953 to 1956 F-100s could come from how easy they are to modify. “Here was a truck that had barely launched its hauling career when it became a favorite of the street rod set,” Tom Brownell wrote in his “Ford Pickup Color History.”

Whatever the case may be, the F-100 has become a mainstay on the collector car market and remains as popular as ever with enthusiasts looking for an old truck to tool around in.

Ford brochure image

1953 Ford F-100

Can a pickup truck be beautiful?

How to Identify an F-100

While the F-100 came in a number of different configurations during the mid-Fifties, including chassis and cowl, chassis and cab, and even stake truck, collectors tend to gravitate toward the pickup and the panel truck, which we will focus on here.

The 1953 through 1955 trucks can all be distinguished mainly by their grilles. From a double horizontal bar between the headlamps in 1953, the grille switched to a single bar with two vertical supports in 1954, then back to a double bar with a large V notched in the middle in 1955. The 1956 double-bar grille differed slightly from its predecessors, largely in its use of frenched headlamps.

For 1956, Ford’s stylists also decided to update the F-100’s cab with a more upright wraparound windshield. That required extensive modification to the cowl, the vent windows, and the doors as well as a longer roof.

While F-250 and F-350 pickups could be had with an 8-foot bed starting in 1953, the half-ton F-100 made do with just a 6-1/2-foot bed until 1956, when Ford offered an 8-foot bed as an option.

Each year saw minor changes in what little trim the trucks came with. To distinguish Deluxe or Custom cabs from base trim levels, look for small chrome “teeth” on the grille in 1953, “sergeant’s stripes” hashes on the grille in 1954, a slotted upper grille bar in 1955, and a chrome-plated grille in 1956. Similarly, to distinguish trucks powered by the V-8 from the straight-six, look for a V-8 emblem for the former or a three-pointed (later four-pointed) star for the latter.

The VIN, located on the glove box door from 1953 to 1955 and on the driver’s door frame post in 1956, will not only identify the truck’s model year and tonnage rating, it will also identify which engine the truck originally came with. The first three digits correspond to the truck’s series, so look for an F10 for an F-100, F25 for an F-250, or F35 for an F-350. The fourth digit is the engine code (D for six-cylinders; R, V, or Z for V-8s). The fifth digit corresponds to the model year (3 for 1953, 4 for 1954, and so on)

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Buyer’s Guide to the 1964 Pontiac GTO @Hemmings

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The Pontiac Synonymous with ’60s Performance is Still a Perennial Favourite

For some Baby Boomers, Pontiac’s GTO is the automotive equivalent of Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner guitar shred at Woodstock: powerful, iconic and emblematic of an extraordinary era in American history. Pontiac offered a GTO until 1974, then dusted off the badge again for its last hoorah 30 years later on the 2004- ’06 edition. A few versions of the model were significant, at least one was legendary (we’re looking at you, The Judge), but it was the pure-and-simple ’64 that lit the fire. The GTO’s origin story is almost as legendary as the car’s performance reputation. In the late 1950s, Pontiac General Manager Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen resuscitated the brand with an infusion of electrifying styling and performance. The division also firmly established itself in motorsports and became America’s third best-selling automaker. All of this attention neatly coincided with many Baby Boomers reaching driving age. When Knudsen left for Chevrolet in the early 1960s, Pontiac was flush with talent, and the young engineers he’d hired to aid in the division’s turnaround were promoted. E.M. “Pete” Estes became Pontiac’s general manager and John DeLorean became its chief engineer.

These young execs recognized the need for a fast, agile, affordable car that could further expand Pontiac’s performance image. The perfect candidate arrived in ’64: the mid-size A-body that replaced the compact Y-body. The new car eschewed the earlier model’s advanced unit-body platform, swing-axle rear suspension and transaxle, in favor of more traditional architecture: a full-frame, a solid axle with four-link rear suspension and a conventional drivetrain layout. As a result, the 389 V-8 engine from the full-size line, and three- or four-speed manual transmissions could easily fit in the A-body. Paired with heavy-duty suspension, the car’s handling qualities could be elevated to equal the big engine’s performance.

As the story goes, during tests of a ’64 Tempest at the Milford Proving Grounds, Pontiac chassis engineer Bill Collins noted that the 389 would fit in the new chassis, engineer and engine specialist Russ Gee proposed the swap and DeLorean agreed. Soon after, a running prototype was completed.

The name “GTO” was chosen for this performance edition; it’s an acronym for “Gran Turismo Omologato.” When used on a Ferrari, it meant it was homologated by the Fédération Internationale D’Automobile for racing. Pontiac’s GTO wasn’t, but the name implied exotic performance, and that was good enough.

At the time, GM had limited its intermediate cars to a 330-cu.in. V-8 ceiling, so to get around that, the GTO was offered as an option instead of a model. Thus, for $295.90, code 382 turned a Le Mans into a GTO with all of the performance bona fides, plus emblems, blacked-out grilles, and hood scoops to make it stand out. Just $2,776 ($27,000 in 2022) bought you the base pillared GTO sports coupe.

Many road testers were enthusiastic about the GTO’s style and acceleration. Others panned it for its name and other short-comings, like its brakes. Nevertheless, the overall impression was positive. A masterful marketing campaign for the GTO by Jim Wangers and his team at Pontiac’s ad agency MacManus, John & Adams, did more than a little to create that same impression among buyers. With 32,450 GTOs sold that first year, the formula for success was established.

What is a First Generation GTO Worth?

First generation GTOs have been a mainstay of the collector car hobby for decades due to their popularity among Boomers. According to multiple value guides, 1964-’67 GTO prices have remained fairly steady over the last five years averaging in the $50,000- $60,000 range, overall. The ’64—which we’re singling out for analysis here—has followed a similar trend. One of the more notable, recent sales of a ’64 GTO occurred back in July 2022, at a GAA Classic Cars auction in Greensboro, North Carolina. The car was a nicely restored black coupe and it changed hands for $88,000. At Mecum’s Chicago auction in October, a good-looking black ’64 convertible sold for $64,000; at the company’s Kissimmee sale in January, a stunning black convertible sold for an impressive $107,250. Meanwhile, on the more affordable end of the market, a very presentable, driver-quality ’64 coupe was sold by its second owner on Hemmings Auctions in September for $24,460.

The GTO’s traditional fanbase is still a driving force in the collector car hobby, but it’s gradually turning the market over to Generation X and Millennials, who may be less interested in cars of the early 1960s. Still, the original GTO isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s probably safe to say that expertly restored examples and cars with professional-grade restomod treatments will continue to command lofty prices, but the overall value trend will remain steady into the foreseeable future. If you’re in the market for one of these pioneering American performance machines, here are some points to keep in mind.

First Generation GTO Engine Options

The GTO’s standard-issue 389 was topped with a Carter four-barrel carburetor and rated at 325 hp at 4,800 rpm/428 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. The Tri-Power option swapped the four barrel for three Rochester two-barrel carburetors. The center carburetor acted as the primary and, when the throttle was two-thirds open, the outer carbs kicked in via a vacuum-diaphragm-controlled linkage.
Pontiac advertised the Tri-Power 389’s output as 358 hp at 4,900 rpm/428 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm. Both engines came standard with a cast-iron, dual-plane intake manifold; 421 H.O.-spec cylinder heads with larger ports; 1.92-inch intake/1.66-inch exhaust valves and HD valve springs; cast-aluminum pistons helping to deliver 10.75:1 compression; a cast crank and rods spinning in a block with five main bearings and two-bolt main caps; and iron exhaust manifolds feeding dual exhaust. The single four barrel and Tri-Power 389s used a hydraulic flat-tappet cam with 273/289-degrees advertised duration and .410/413 lift activating 1.50:1 ratio rocker arms. To help keep the package cool, a seven-blade 18-inch declutching fan was also included. The 389 is a generally reliable engine but be sure to check for any odd noises, smoke, and leaks that would indicate mechanical issues due to age or neglect. Many owners added Tri-Power to their ’64 GTOs years after purchase, so be diligent in checking engine codes and date codes to ensure that a purported factory Tri-Power GTO is accurately represented.
There are no new stock-replacement engine blocks or iron heads being reproduced, and though cores are getting scarce, they are still available. If you’d like to modify your GTO, large-bore aftermarket Pontiac-style blocks, various aluminum cylinder heads and intake manifolds, and carburetor and EFI options are offered. There are also solid and hydraulic flat-tappet and solid and hydraulic roller camshafts, forged rods and pistons, cast and forged cranks, and stroker kits on the market.

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What you need to know before buying a GM TH-200-4R Overdrive Transmission – Jim O’Clair @Hemmings

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The overdrive four-speed automatic is replacement for older three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matics or two-speed Powerglides

Many classic cars that used an original Powerglide two-speed or TH-350 three-speed can benefit from installing a TH-200-4R four-speed automatic without having to perform major modifications. The 200-4R can be used on many other GM passenger cars because it was manufactured with both a Chevrolet and a B-O-P bellhousing bolt pattern. The taller, fourth gear allows the engine it is installed behind to rotate at lower RPM than a three-speed transmission, and this not only will save on gas and engine wear, but it also allows you to change to larger rear axle ratios without severely impacting streetability.

TH-200-4R transmissions are very easy to locate from salvage yards, and most replacement parts are still available from transmission parts suppliers and auto parts stores. Heavy-duty parts for racing applications are available from transmission parts suppliers, as well.

Will a TH-200-4R fit in my car?

Your engine size should be a consideration; many muscle-car enthusiasts recommend using the TH-700-R4 or 4L80E overdrive units on large V-8 and higher performance engines. However, in many V-6 and small V-8 applications, a TH-200-4R will fit with fewer modifications.

The TH-200-4R, like the TH-350, uses a 27-spline output shaft, which is similar in length to the TH-350 and the TH-200, making it a natural for many overdrive conversions. The TH-200-4R is also similar in length to the Powerglide and the B-O-P Super-Turbine 300 (two-speed), which makes it a popular unit for converting from a two-speed to a four-speed automatic.

The TH-200-4R has a 2.74:1 first gear ratio, and overdrive is 0.67:1. Its odd-shaped 16-bolt pan has 13mm bolt heads. The TH-200-4R was used in GM rear-wheel-drive cars equipped with the 231 Buick, 301 Pontiac, and the Oldsmobile 307, 350 gas and 350 diesel engines from 1981-’90; however, many Chevrolet 267 and 305 V-8s also used the TH-200-4R because of the multi-fit bellhousing.

The transmission identification is on a plate on the right side of the case towards the tailshaft. This ID plate is attached by one rivet. The plate will have a two- or three-letter transmission code in large letters.

Which TH-200-4R should I get?

The most desirable TH-200-4Rs for performance enthusiasts are the units manufactured for Buick Grand National, Olds 4-4-2 and Chevy Monte Carlo SS in 1986-’87. These units used a special valve body. They also had a larger reverse boost valve, second to third intermediate servo, and a specially designed governor assembly. Their BQ, OZ, CZF, KZF or BRF transmission codes can identify these more desirable units.

This transmission is ideal for swapping with a TH-350 or a Powerglide, because the overall length and the bell housing bolt pattern of the TH-200-4R are the same, and your original driveshaft does not have to be shortened. The output shaft is 27-spline, the same as the TH-350’s. Moving the crossmember will be necessary, because the TH-200-4R crossmember is mounted on the extreme end of the tailshaft.

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What you need to know when looking for a 1986-1987 Buick Grand National – Mike McNessor @Hemmings

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Angelo’s, in Anaheim, California, is one of the few classic drive-in hamburger joints still standing. Out front there’s a big sign, with flashy neon lettering, that can cast an instant spell over even the most jaded hot rodder. The servers zoom around the place on roller skates (of course) and you can order a beer with your burger. In other words, it’s got all the trappings of a hot cruise-in spo

Angelo’s was such a scene in the 1970s and ’80s that it made the cover of the April ’82 issue of Hot Rod magazine. It then appeared on the July ’85 issue of Car and Driver as the backdrop for a photo featuring GM’s hot “G-bodies”: the ’85 Oldsmobile 442, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, and the Buick Grand National, all basking in the nostalgic neon glow of Angelo’s big sign. The magazine’s cover line read “Modern Muscle” and the comparison story’s message was clear: These cars were fun throwbacks to the 1960s muscle car era.

Nearly 40 years later, GM’s G-body performers can be seen as something other than fun cars with retro flair—we can see them as bridges to the performance vehicles of today. One of them in particular: the all-black turbo-boosted one

The 1986 Grand National grille has a chrome strip across the top, embossed with the word “Buick,” and thin, vertical chrome strips in the center and on the sides. The brightwork on the grille was eliminated for ’87.

While Buick’s Grand National rode on the same 1960s-design underpinnings as the 442 and Monte Carlo SS (perimeter frame, coil springs, A-arms and ball joints, and solid rear axle), under the hood it packed some advanced technology. Turbocharging was nothing new when Buick applied it to its V-6 engines in the 1970s, but it came of age under the hood of turbocharged Regals when combined with computer engine management that governed sequential fuel injection and distributorless ignition. Intercoolers were nothing new in the 1980s either, but they boosted the Grand National’s power for 1986-’87. In stock form, these cars were fast for their time, but in the late ’80s and 1990s, tuners seized on the Grand National (and its turbocharged stablemates), unleashing more horsepower and creating a performance cult rivaled only by the one surrounding the 5.0 Fox Mustang.

Today, Grand Nationals are on every list of collectible American cars of the 1980s— the most desirable being the 1986s and last-of-the-line ’87s. The very last Grand National ever built sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in January for an incredible $550,000, but 1986-’87 Grand National values across the board have been on the upswing for the last decade. In 2012 you might’ve picked up a nice ’86 Grand National for around $20,000 and a nice ’87 for less than $30,000. Now you can expect to pay upwards of $50,000 for an ’86 in similar condition and more than $60,000 for an ’87. The ’87s have traditionally commanded higher sums but they’re more plentiful: 20,193 ’87s versus 5,512 ’86s.

Interested in grabbing the keys to one of these 1980s performance icons and cruising it to Angelo’s or some classic drive-in hamburger joint near you? Even better, maybe you want to hit the occasional street night at the nearest drag strip? Here are some things to keep in mind about these turbo fliers from Flint.

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1971-’76 Cadillac De Ville and Fleetwood Buyer’s Guide – Jeff Koch @Hemmings

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*Strong ’70s sales mean that a rear-drive Caddy from the era remains an affordable, driveable classic*, *Photography courtesy of GM Archives and author’s collection.*

Even though Cadillac’s lineup was all new for 1971, it remained distinctively Cadillac. The generous proportions, the toothy grille, the clean flanks, the subtle fins —you could never mistake it for anything else. The Calais (available as a two-door or four-door hardtop) was the entry-level ’71 Cadillac; from there you stepped up to the de Ville (Coupe or hardtop Sedan, depending on the number of doors you choose). The two-door Calais had a unique roofline but both Calais and De Ville rode a 130-inch wheelbase. The Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham, at 133 inches between the wheel centers, was a pillared-sedan-only proposition. The Fleetwood 75, with its 151.5-inch wheelbase, was a full-on limousine, with strictly limited production. The lineup held until 1975, when the Fleetwood Sixty Special was renamed the Fleetwood Brougham, and the Fleetwood 75 limousine became, simply, Fleetwood.

Despite power and torque numbers dropping, and a fuel crisis that made single-digit thirst resolutely unfashionable, Cadillac had some record-breaking sales years in the first half of the ’70s. For 1971, sales were down 21 percent overall from ’70, and Cadillac sat in 11th place in Detroit’s annual tally of who sold what. Non-Eldorado Cadillacs accounted for 159,155 copies. But a year later, customers returned in droves: Cadillac shot up 42 percent and straight into 9th place with 225,291 rear-drivers sold that year, with hardly a change made to the cars themselves. Sales jumped again for ’73, with Cadillac topping 300,000 units, 251,103 of which were rear-drivers. Alas, it was a strong year for Detroit overall, so despite its favorable sales performance, Cadillac slipped into 10th place.

You might imagine the fuel crisis, arriving in late ’73 as it did, would pummel Cadillac for 1974, but the division still sold 199,543 Calais, De Ville, and Fleetwood models, and remained in 10th place. Cadillac sold 218,651 full-size rear-drivers in ’75 and remained 10th during a strong bounce-back year for the industry. Finally, Cadillac stormed into 9th place for 1976, with 274,801 Calais, Deville, and Fleetwood models sold (and a healthy 3.74 percent of the overall market).What all this means is that there are plenty of these big C bodies available. Consider: More than 611,000 Coupe de Villes were sold from ’71 to ’76. But how can you tell if you’re getting a good one? We spoke to Mike Steiner of Palm Springs, California; we feel that the two-dozen-plus ’71-’76 rear-drive Caddys he’s owned and restored over time, including the dozen currently with his name on the title, qualify him as an expert worth talking to.

BODY

Lower fenders, front and rear, as well as rockers, and what lies beneath the vinyl top are all places to look for rot. Front fenders can be swapped out, and quarters can be patched, but it’s what’s lurking beneath the elk-grain roof cover that’s the scariest. “Rainwater and dirt seep in under the chrome molding at the edge of the vinyl covering,” Mike says. “The dirt that gets in there stays —and stays wet. By the time you see a hint of it beneath the roof on the rear quarters, it’s a huge issue.

“”If the car spent any time in snow country, check beneath the doors, where the outer skin folds over the inner stamping; if there’s any rust, you can’t fix that. The metal is thin and if you try to take the doors apart you won’t get them back together.” Speaking of doors: “Door strikers had a plastic sleeve starting in 1973; if these break, the door won’t close properly, and you have to slam it.” The sleeves are not reproduced, but Mike has a solution: “The sleeve is the same size as a half-inch copper pipe coupling. Cut some to the appropriate length, remove the bolt from the door, wrap electrical tape four times around the bolt, then slide the copper sleeve over and you’re done.

“But the toughest part of making the body look right? “The ’74-’76 back bumper fillers are the worst! GM used a rubber that disintegrated in the atmosphere. Something about the formulation just saw them dissolve over about a dozen years. Olds and Buick had the same issue. Several aftermarket companies make replacements but none of them fit well. With originals, you could make them fit; the aftermarket ones are fiberglass or hard plastic and will shatter on impact.”

ENGINE

Cadillac’s 472-cubic-inch V-8 lasted through 1974. It was rated at 345 gross horsepower in 1971 and 220 net horsepower in 1972, with 8.5:1 compression both years. By 1974, the 472 was rated at 205 horsepower. Starting in 1975, Cadillac pivoted to its 8.2-liter (500-cu.in.) V-8, essentially a stroked 472, for all of its C-body models. Power dropped to 190 horsepower, while torque stayed the same as the previous few seasons, 360 lb-ft at just 2,000 rpm. Electronic fuel injection became optional in 1975, while new open-chamber heads were standard.”That Cadillac V-8 is indestructible if you don’t run it out of oil or water,” Mike reports. “I’ve pulled desert parts cars out of the yard, thrown a battery and gas in, and had them start up and drive.” Occasionally, “the diaphragm in the fuel pump can go bad.” Carburetors are GM Quadrajets and are infinitely rebuildable. Ignitions ran breaker points until GM’s popular and durable HEI ignition, with its integral coil, arrived on some models for 1974; all Cadillacs had HEI for 1975. “I’ve seen coils burn up on HEI ignitions,” Mike reports, “but it’s not a normal occurrence.”

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12 Motoring Classics From the 1950s Under $25,000 – @Hemmings

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The period following World War II was an amazing time of optimism and prosperity in the U.S., with industry booming and technology advancing rapidly. Meanwhile, Americans were feeling good about life in the free world and many were flush with cash thanks to the strong job market. This all meshed to create a perfect storm of consumer demand that was advancing beyond the need to obtain products that hadn’t been readily available during the war—now, people were buying to satisfy desire as much as need.

The domestic automakers were perfectly poised to satisfy that demand, coming off of war contracts that had been followed by frenzied car sales after years of halted automobile production. The war had also pushed the development of technology, and style was once again a primary criterion for car shoppers. Detroit spent the decade trying to outdo itself, yielding some of the most ornately styled and trimmed cars of all time, while also recognizing that even truck buyers thought about aesthetics. Meanwhile, European automakers were pursuing their own versions of performance and style, creating some landmark designs as the decade unfolded.

This period would shine brightly, but relatively briefly, as trends continued to evolve rapidly and the 1960s would see its own characteristic features. By the 1970s, cars of the ’50s seemed like artifacts of a long-gone era, and nostalgia for that time kicked in with substantial force, driving collectors and restorers to latch onto the remaining examples to keep the memories alive. That drive hasn’t ever fully subsided, and cars and trucks of the 1950s are still very popular with car enthusiasts and collectors, including many who hadn’t even been born when those models were new.

Yet, ’50s cars still make for an excellent enthusiast ownership experience. In many cases, parts are available, and if not, strong networks of fans and specialists are ready to help locate spares to facilitate restorations or even just to keep these models on the road. Speaking of the road, cars of this period tend to be decent drivers, as the highway system was coming online and the ability to cruise smoothly at 60-plus mph became more the norm.

We wanted to illustrate that there are models from the 1950s that are also still attainable by gathering a selection of examples that are enjoyable to own, fun to drive, and still affordable. In this case, we’re considering anything costing $25,000 or less in good, presentable, and driveable condition to be affordable—that seems to be what the market thinks, too. Ponder these examples from a fantastic period in automotive design and let us know what else you think ought to have been included

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The 1965 Shelby GT350 saved the Mustang | Buyer’s Guide – @Hagerty

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Hagerty’s Marketplace Editor Colin Comer gives a deep dive on the ever-popular Shelby Mustang GT350. Not only does Colin detail the fastback Mustang’s origin story, but he also provides expert tips on buying, owning, and maintaining such a rare classic.

The Fox-body Ford Mustang is the best blank canvas pony car | Buyer’s Guide – @Hagerty

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Hagerty’s Editor-at-Large Sam Smith takes a look at the Fox-body Ford Mustang and offers a general overview of the highly affordable but highly variable third-generation pony car. With an easy-to-modify structure, Sam not only covers the pluses and minuses of the Mustang’s massive aftermarket, but also the nuances of owning, buying, and maintaining this iconic classic.

Episode chapters:

1970-1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Buyer’s Guide – David Conwill @Hemmings

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The right balance of luxury and performance, plus decent support today, make the first-generation Monte Carlo a good buy

Because it was derived from the Chevelle, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo remains an easy car to own today. Mechanical parts, in particular, are readily attainable, and the cars themselves are affordable. Popular pricing guides suggest that a small-block powered ’71 in top condition can be obtained for right around $30,000. Those who don’t mind a fixer-upper can find bargains down in four-digit territory

The complete interiors of the Chevelle and Monte Carlo will interchange, and their problems are shared as well.

.Fixing one up isn’t too bad, either. We spoke with Rob Peters, president, newsletter editor, and storekeeper for the First Generation Monte Carlo Club, and Sam Michaels, the club’s treasurer, to get some insight on what to look for when evaluating a potential purchase.

“I’d say that probably 70 percent of the parts are shared with the Chevelle,” Sam says. That’s a two-way street, however, as back in the 1980s, when investor interest in Chevelles was really taking off, the less-valuable Monte Carlos were sometimes stripped of parts to improve Chevelles.

Disc brakes, for example, were standard equipment on the Monte Carlo, and the spindles interchange with the Chevelle. Likewise, the Monte Carlo dash is the same as in a Chevelle SS, with the addition of woodgrain veneers, so not a few of those were gobbled up to produce clones

“The clocks rarely work,” Sam says, and Rob adds that many cars have been hacked to install a later radio. Additionally, dash pads crack, as does the original piping on the seats and the trim on the quarter panel, where passengers tend to brush against when getting in the back. Rob also points out that the special gauge package on Super Sport models was an option, so don’t discount an SS just because it doesn’t have one. Conversely, since that gauge package is reproduced, you can now add one to a vehicle not originally equipped

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