Uniquely American in many ways, the custom-car craze truly found its calling in the late 1940s, blossoming throughout popular culture in the following decade. For many owners, the restyled early post-war Mercury coupes have been the way to go for these changes, and the 1949–51 cars quickly became an open […]

This 1932 Chrysler Imperial CH cabriolet not only carries all the swagger and allure of its time, but it is also an example of unrivaled provenance and matching body, chassis and engine numbers, as well as the legacy of being Bohman & Schwartz’s first joint build. Their name is not […]

NCRS Shipping Data Report No-expense-spared rotisserie restoration by Mike Swedal of Swedal Classic Car Restoration Correct 302-ci engine Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission 12-bolt 4.10 Positraction rear end Cowl induction hood Stainless chambered dual exhaust X77-D80 coded trim tag Factory paint code 71-71 LeMans Blue with white stripes Original owner’s […]

One of several businesses created in the early 1900s under the ownership of the entrepreneurial Kissel family of Hartford, WI, was the Kissel Motor Car Company. The first Kissel Kar was manufactured in 1905, a 4-cylinder runabout with shaft drive. The earliest cars were bodied by a sleigh manufacturer and […]

The Classic enthusiast will behold this Duesenberg at first glance and wonder what looks so familiar. Finally, it will click: The body resembles a Packard roadster of 1930–31. The reason, of course, is that the body is a Packard roadster of that vintage. The body, as noted by prominent Duesenberg […]

“The Marmon Sixteen looks like no other car. It borrows little from the past. It will lend much to the future. It is the one example of unhampered coordination of effort by artist and engineer.” — Marmon advertising, 1931 The model Sixteen debuted in 1931. Extensive use of aluminum in […]

Dual-Ghia’s allure is more than its sheer exclusivity or the intrigue of an American-Italian co-production. It’s the style, the overcome-the-impossible swagger and Rat Pack panache. Very few concept cars in history have made it to production, but thanks to Eugene Casaroll’s tenacity, this one did and it’s every bit the […]

The end of 1962 brought major revisions which rendered the Cobra into its third — and most illustrious — form to which the model owes its revered status. Now utilizing rack-and-pinion steering and Ford’s new 289-cubic-inch V8, the 289 Cobra harnessed the perfect balance of handling and raw power for […]

This 1987 Buick GNX with 8.7 miles is number 480 of 547 created for the single model year, which is indicated on the plaque mounted to the passenger’s side of the dashboard. Ralph’s Buick in Mena, AR, initially sold the vehicle in 1987, and it was then shown in the […]

The most famous design from Pasadena, CA, coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy, the Duesenberg Model J “Disappearing Top” convertible coupe saw production of about 25 examples, all with the distinctive convertible top that hid neatly within the smooth rear deck when lowered. Yet there is a much rarer machine, the “Disappearing […]