Car Show Highlights

As the temperatures slowly drop into survivable levels, car shows begin to spring up all over the place. In the past few weeks I've attended three different shows, each one a diverse and unique collection of both weird and wonderful. Instead of creating three seperate posts, I've decided to take the highlights of each show and present them all at once. Think of it as a greatest hits collection. Now, on to the cars. Be warned, there are plenty.

1928 T-Bucket

1939 Chevrolet Coupe

1941 Chevrolet Flatbed

 

1941 Willys Pickup

 

1954 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery

 

1955 Chevrolet 210 Wagon

 

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air

 

1956 Ford Club Sedan

 

1959 Chevrolet Bel Air

 

1963 Ford Thunderbird Convertible

 

1964 Ford Country Squire

 

1964 Pontiac Tempest

 

1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero

 

1965 Innocenti S

 

1966 Chevrolet Chevelle

 

1967 Ford Galaxie 500XL

 

1968 Aston Martin DB6

 

1969 Chevrolet Camaro

 

1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS/RS

 

1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396

 

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

 

1969 Hurst Olds 455

 

1969 Pontiac GTO Judge

 

1970 Dodge Charger 500

 

1970 Ford Mustang Convertible

 

1971 Dodge Coronet Police Car

 

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

 

1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

 

1972 Ford Gran Torino

 

1973 Dodge Challenger Rallye

 

1973 Jaguar XK-E

 

1974 Plymouth Roadrunner

 

1975 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

 

1975 Triumph TR6

 

1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

 

1982 DeLorean DMC-12

 

1986 Lotus Esprit

 

1994 Jaguar XJ220

 

2011 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic

 

2012 Aston Martin Virage

 

 

Like I said, a lot of cars. But there's something for everyone, be it a muscle car, a hot rod, or a shiny new sports car. The car show season has only just begun, so hang around for more mouth-watering machines.



Working For The Weekend

After a long week of working hard, nothing is more welcome than a weekend to yourself. So take after the driver of this sweet '32 Ford, and go hit the town and have a good time. You've earned it.

Daily Drivers

Car shows are great. You get to see row after row of incredible machinery. Ferraris sit next to Mustangs, and Packards mingle with F-100s. But there's something about seeing those same cars on the road as daily drivers that I personally love. Sure, the car gets dirty and you have to be more careful, but in the end it's worth it. You're driving a vehicle that's fun, and you're improving your driving experience, as well as everyone else's. Here are some of the coolest machines I've seen being used as everyday drivers.

 

A daily driver needs to be capable of handling almost any situation, so a pickup truck is a wise choice. This 1953 Chevrolet 1500 shows its age, but also its character. It's clearly seen better days, but it's still a hardworking machine.

 

 

The Ford Falcon is an ideal car for urban living. It's big enough to be comfortable, yet small enough to be practical. This particular Falcon is a 1963 model. It could use a car wash, but otherwise it's a solid car. Plus, it looks good in red.

 

 

If you want something more spacious, take a look at this 1964 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan. The Bel Air model offered a terrific combination of luxury and performance. This particular example has seen some wear and tear over the years, but despite that, the lines of the car still look great. It's elegant and sporting, an impressive feat for a car getting close to fifty years old.

 

 

The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia's styling is hit or miss. It's either sporty and cute or bulbous and fat. Personally, I like it. The stylish design seats two, has plenty of luggage space under the hood, and uses the dependable and efficient VW air-cooled engine. This one is a 1964, and looks pretty good. The headlight covers are a nice personal touch, and the paint, although worn, still catches the eye.

 

 

The Ford Mustang has been around for years, and is now a household name. But this classic example harks back to the days when the pony car was just an infant. The Mustang's debut in 1964 was a huge success, and the car sold extremely well. This 1966 Coupe wears plenty of custom addons, including aftermarket wheels, Shelby-style stripes, a hood scoop and a modern sound system. All of these things make this Mustang a sporty stallion indeed.

 

 

No, it's not a GTO. This is a 1967 Pontiac Le Mans, the GTO's little brother. Apart from a different taillight design, the Le Mans and the GTO are almost identical aesthetically. The difference was in performance. The Le Mans was less geared for performance. This one, though, looks like a serious street machine. It's rolling on Cragar wheels, and has a super cool two-tone paint scheme. A nice car for sure.

 

 

This 1972 Chevrolet Blazer looks ready for anything. The green paint goes well with the white top, although the top is detachable for those sunny fall afternoons. On the road, the Blazer is small enough to be a very usable daily driver. Leave the pavement, however, and suddenly it's a hardcore off-roader. It's the best of both worlds.

 

These vehicles are all interesting cars. At a car show, none would be the star attraction, but out on the streets they're real eye-catchers. They do service every day as dependable workhorses, rain or shine. Consider this: When these cars were built, however many decades ago that may have been, they were built to be everyday machines. So why can't they still be? It's a question worth thinking about.

Top 10 Automotive Names

In today's automotive market, you might have noticed the ever-growing quantity of uninspired car names. You can buy a CTS, a Z4, an M6, an A8, a 328i or an E 500 AMG. All this alpha-numerical rubbish makes me long for the automotive names of the past. Take, for example, Firebird, or Torino. Those names suggest performance and style. G35 sounds like a movie rating or a microwave oven. So, to honor the great names of the past, let's take a look at my personal favorites in a Top 10 countdown.

10. Aston Martin Vanquish

The Aston Martin Vanquish was a V12-powered speed machine capable of eliminating lesser vehicles completely. James Bond drove one in Die Another Day. Such a vehicle needed a bold title to proclaim its abilities. "Vanquish" certainly meets those qualifications.

9. Lamborghini Diablo

  Diablo is Spanish for "devil", and what better way to describe Lamborghini's successor to the Countach than as a devil? The Diablo was lightning fast, super light, and utterly gorgeous. However, in true Lamborghini fashion, the car was also aggressive and wild. The name couldn't match up better.

8. Dodge Viper

The Dodge Viper is a beautiful, curvaceous machine. But underneath, it's all performance, not unlike a real viper, which is slithery and eye-catching, but not to be messed with. The new Viper, officially badged as an SRT instead of a Dodge, looks poised to strike when it hits showroom floors soon.

7. Ford Bronco

The Ford Bronco is small next to some off-road machines, but it packs a serious punch. Combining stylish looks with untamed performance helped make this Ford a strong competitor against its 4x4 rivals.

6. Bugatti Veyron

It's mind-bogglingly fast, eye-meltingly exotic, and it costs more than a private island. The engine produces 1001 horsepower, more than enough to propel you to its 200+ mph top speed. It's reserved for the wealthy and famous, and is unlike any car ever built. What is it called? Veyron.

5. Rolls-Royce Phantom

You don't drive a Rolls-Royce, you're driven in one. Very few individuals get the chance to enjoy all that a Rolls-Royce has to offer. It's often considered the ultimate in luxury, to the point that it's become a unit of measurement. The "Rolls-Royce of wristwatches", for example. The Phantom gets extra credit for having an incredibly imposing name.

4. Mercury Marauder

Mercury is rarely associated with muscle cars, but the 1969 Marauder offered premium luxury and American horsepower in one car. And what a good looking car it is. Hidden headlights and magnum wheels are a stunning combo. The name, Marauder, is icing on the cake. It just oozes power and style.

3. Shelby Cobra

Carroll Shelby came up with the name "Cobra" in a dream. Now, years later, it's still a dream car for many people. The fabulous British sports car design is killer as-is, but the souped-up American 427 under the hood takes the Cobra to the next level. Mr. Shelby passed on just months ago, but his creations, the Cobra especially, will live on for eternity.

2. Ford Raptor

The big American super-truck may not be as incredible as the other cars on this list, but the name is practically unbeatable. I mean, come on. Say it out loud a couple of times. The big blue beast is actually a pretty sweet ride. A 6.2 liter V8 provides plenty of horsepower, and the big wheels and lift kit make it nearly unstoppable. Say it with me now: Raptor.

1. Jensen Interceptor

The Jensen Interceptor is an iconic British sports car that has acquired a successful fanbase over the years. It's good-looking, sporty, and unique. But the name really puts it over the top. Interceptor just screams power, strength, and looks. The Jensen does meet those qualifications, but to be honest, when I think of "Interceptor", this isn't the car that comes to mind.

Now THIS is an Interceptor. The custom 1973 Ford Falcon XB used by Max Rockatansky in Mad Max and The Road Warrior. It's powerful, ominous, and mean. It's also first place.

And that concludes this Top 10 post. Keep in mind, these aren't the only cool automotive names out there. I had to narrow down a list of roughly 30 names into the ten you see above. If you think I missed a name, or you want to make suggestions for future posts, comment below! And, as always, stay tuned for more posts.