History originally published September 7, 1984 America was a different place in the Thirties. It was a land of coal and coke, iron and steel. It was a time when motor oil was judged by where it came out of the ground. Man was muscle and sweat was honest. The throb of the foundry was […]
Intermeccanica Italia: Italian-American with an identity crisis
History originally published in AutoWeek April 2, 1984 I was skirting the Virginia shore of the Potomac River on the downstream side of Washington, DC, the Italia’s chino-creased fenders framing the asphalt and vintage geometry of the George Washington Parkway, when the Mustang appeared in my peripheral vision, coming in from an entrance on the […]
Social climber: The BMW 507 was upwardly mobile
History originally published in AutoWeek October 24, 1983 The BMW 507 is a beautiful car. It is well-proportioned, refined and visually harmonious. It is a shape of classic grace and timeless elegance. The 507, however, is more than a collection of well-drawn curves. Those who know the model know it was designed by Albrecht Goertz. […]
Callaway’s LM—as in “Le Mans”
News report originally published in Car and Driver October 1995 Here’s the deal—bring an LT1 Corvette and at least $80,000 to Old Lyme, Connecticut, and you too can have a reasonable facsimile of a proven enduro race car. So says Reeves Callaway, who will take your money and Vette and return to you a Callaway […]
Sunbeam Tiger: An overpowered cat just ready to pounce
History originally published in AutoWeek October 10, 1983 Christopher Columbus, as every schoolboy knows, discovered America by accident. He was actually trying to prove a point, that the earth was round and that China could be reached by sailing west as well as East. Columbus didn’t reach the Orient, but at least people stopped worrying […]
Armed and Crazy
Feature originally published in Truckin’ March 1983 The energy crisis, while also affecting things like the price of home heating oil, along with the dual whammy of smog regs and increased insurance costs emasculated performance cars, created the custom van craze. Some of the most fuel-thirsty vehicles available were heavily adorned with, well, everything including […]
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