The Lesser Known Kaw
I used to own an odd little dual sport called the Sherpa Sherpa and - as often happens with odd little things one gets to like - I stupidly sold it...
1976–1980 Dodge Aspen R/T and Plymouth Volaré Road Runner
A reeling and soon-to-be bankrupt Chrysler Corp. produced one of the most pathetic paper-tiger muscle cars ever in the embarrassing 1976to 1980 Dodge Aspen R/T and the Aspen’s sister car, the...
The Stinker: 1978–1985 Cadillac Seville Diesel
As the second energy crisis in a decade kidney-punched an inflation-addled nation, several automakers began to eye the diesel engine as a way to attract customers interested in high-mileage vehicles. The...
Return of the Beetle – Mark I
I've begun to notice a fair number of old (Mark I) Beetles on the road. The original ones. Last sold here (new) in the late '70s. Not at car shows (or...
Almost Fast: 1983-1988 Monte Carlo SS
If you were a kid in high school (or college) during the '80s - and into fast cars - you probably remember the last full-frame, rear-drive/live axle, carbureted, cast-iron pushrod V-8...
Classic Cars and The Smog Police
It's been more than 40 years since the federal Clean Air Act went into effect, which among other things means there are quite a few "antique" and "classic" vehicles (usually...
Good Luck Finding Performance Tires for Your Classic Muscle Car
If you own a '60s or '70s-era muscle car, you've probably become aware of an ironic problem: It is virtually impossible to find high-performance tires for these high-performance beasts.
The BF Goodrich...
In the Rearview Mirror: 1977-81 Z28 Camaro
The smart athlete retires gracefully, at his peak - before he starts to slip and give off that “has-been” stink. To their credit, that’s what Chevrolet managers did when they discontinued...
Conspiracy . . . or Merely Convenient?
Many new cars are optimized for ethanol - "flex-fuel" compatible is how it's usually described. The problem, of course, is that a majority of cars in service are not optimized for...
The last real Trans Am – and the end for Pontiac
Let's dial back the clock a quarter century and return to the early days of the Reagan Era - when Pontiac made a last-ditch effort to keep the Trans-Am from becoming...