History originally published in Sport Compact Car December 1996 The Datsun 240Z is famous for its design, but nothing comes out of nowhere and that’s as true for the Z-car as it is anything else. The obvious predecessor to the Z is the 1500/1600/2000 Datsun roadster (read more about the 2000 roadster here) series, and […]
1983 Ferrari BB512i: “In the clearing stands a Boxer…” – A supercar champ
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 19, 1992 Not for its tough guy mien was this heavyweight contender dubbed Boxer. It was for the horizontally opposed, flat 12-cylinder engine mounted beneath that rear deck, the double lumps for clearance of the upper engine bits. The official name was Ferrari BB512I, B for Berlinetta – […]
Shelby GT350H: Let Hertz put you in the (race) driver’s seat
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek January 25, 1988. “Business travelers who want a change in pace in motoring… Sports car owners away from home… Vacationers who consider driving an enjoyable holiday sport.” Lace up your stringback gloves, gentlemen. The Hertz Sports Car Club puts you in the driver’s seat of a GT 350 H […]
Kurtis-Kraft: They stretch midgets, don’t they?
History originally published in AutoWeek May 19, 1986 Marty Himes tiptoes the red car around turns three and four of Williams Grove’s half-mile dirt track, not quite hanging the tail out. The flagman has been watching him and Marty has seen the official grasping the black flag like it has “Himes” written all over it. […]
1942-43 M4A3 Medium Tank: As a Yank Tank, Sherman’s strength was in numbers
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 24, 1994 Five seconds. That’s how much time a GI had to exit a burning Sherman tank, if he expected to get out of it alive. Inadequately armored and undergunned compared with its German adversaries, the Sherman M4A3 Medium Tank burned –even out-and-out exploded—much too often. Though that […]
1927 Volvo PV4: The first boxy Volvo
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 1, 2002 Volvo’s first sedan was immediately disowned by Helmer MasOlle. The landscape and portrait painter – and car enthusiast – had indeed designed a prototype sedan and its touring car counterpart. He gladly took credit for the open torpedo-bodied ÖV4, bearing strong resemblance to a Voisin he […]
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