Pontiac, Plymouth and the Chevrolet Chevelle are becoming increasingly popular with people searching the marketplace of collector car advertisements published on ClassicCars.com.
For the past several months, Pontiacs, Plymouths and Chevelles have been moving up on the list of top searches for vehicles regardless of year of production. In October, the 1970 Chevelle cracked the top-10 list when it comes to searches by specific model year.
“The Chevelle is one of the most iconic of the Chevy muscle cars with literally one for every budget,” notes ClassicCars.com East Coast editor and collector car marketplace analyst Andy Reid. “Also, the car lends itself to customization, allowing owners to build the exact Chevelle they want, which helps to drive the market for these cars.
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle
“For the Pontiac cars, these have always seemed to trail the offerings from Chevrolet, which has always been a bit odd as the cars from Pontiac, especially the Firebird, were always a higher-spec offering than Chevy’s Camaro.
“Maybe people are finally waking up to that fact and are now chasing the cars that were better built, but somehow cheaper than their lesser rivals in the GM offerings.”
Among all-year searches, Pontiac cracked the top-10 list in September and in October raced to seventh place behind the usual leaders — Chevrolet, Ford, Mustang, C10, Buick Grand National and Dodge.
Meanwhile, Plymouth continued its climb up the second-10. Speaking of all-year searches, the Chevelle moved up to the top-dozen.
1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS
1967 Chevrolet Impala
The year-make-model list continued to be topped, in order, by the 1969 Ford Mustang, the 1967 Mustang, and the 1967 Chevrolet Impala. However, for the first time in many months, the 1969 Dodge Charger was nudged out of the top-3, supplanted by the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
Also moving up among year-make-model searches’ pursuits in October were the 1955 and 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.
There was a time when the OEMs, the original equipment manufacturers of automobiles, had disdain for the annual showcase of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a group of companies that formed the automotive aftermarket and provided the stuff to make cars and trucks go faster or look different.
Early on, Detroit automakers would send people to the annual SEMA Show, but very quietly to scout out emerging trends. But as the show emerged as an ideal place to display all things automotive, automakers from Detroit, Japan and Europe recognized an opportunity to show off what their own designers and engineers could do in terms of personalization and customization.
The OEMs realized that the SEMA Show provided a sort of automotive-enthusiast focus-group opportunity to access the potential market for prototype parts before going through the expense of actual production.
Although the coronavirus pandemic limited overseas involvement in the 2021 SEMA Show, several OEMs were present, showing not only their own ideas, but how others were using their vehicles as a canvas for automotive creativity.
Here are some examples:
Dodge Challenger Holy Guacamole concept
Mopar displayed this 1970s inspired 2020 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody in a color called Rotten Avocado with a “Gold School” Shaker hood scoop, lowered Mopar coil-over suspension, and staggered 20-inch Forgeline wheels. Inside are green-and-yellow plaid seat and door inserts and wood-panel trim, just like back in the ‘70s. And, yes, it has a Hemi.
1988 Chevrolet Camaro ZZ632 Hoonigan concept
Chevrolet worked with Hoonigan to create a showcase for Chevy’s new and most powerful crate engine, the ZZ632/1000, which is rated at 1,004 horsepower and 876 pound-feet of torque. A Jerico 4-speed transmission relays that power to American Racing VF530 rear wheels, and a custom 4-link rear suspension and Baer Brakes help keep things under some sort of control.
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 homologation prototype
Back in the mid-1960s, Bill France banned Ford’s 427cid “Cammer” V8 engine as being too exotic for NASCAR racing. This prototype, by Matranga Hot Rods and Brown Auto Design, imagines that France had given the engine his OK and Ford had built the 500 vehicles needed for homologation. The body features a teardrop hood and re-contoured and narrowed bumpers. Since this is a street machine rather than a racer, it has leather seating, Vintage Air conditioning, and a period 8,000-rpm Ford tachometer so the driver knows when to shift the 6-speed Tremec manual gearbox.
Ford Maverick XLT Supercrew
Ford displayed this modified Maverick by Tucci Hot Rods of Marcy, New York, which Tucci said was inspired by race cars of generations past. Personally, I thought this was about the coolest vehicle I saw at the show. The color is spectacular, as is the unique wing above the pickup bed tonneau cover (with a similar but smaller 3D-printed lip spoiler up front), and then there are those 20-inch wheels with custom white turbofans. A Borla exhaust exiting the center of the rear end helps extract all the power the 2.0-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine can produce.
Bronco Badlands 4-door
Also modified by Tucci Hot Rods is this Bronco Badlands mounted on triangular tracks by Mattracks for travel over snow to the summit, where your passengers can use the roof-mounted snowboards while you enjoy the drive back to the ski lodge.
Chevy Beast concept
Based on a full-size 4×4 pickup truck chassis, albeit with a widened 90-inch track, Chevy says the Beast was built to showcase power and off-road capability. Components include a supercharged Lt4 6.2-liter crate V8 rated at 650-horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, custom suspension, 20-inch beadlock wheels with 37-inch AMP tires, and a quartet of Recaro off-road vehicle seats with 4-point restraints.
Jeep Wrangler Overlook concept
Stretch a 4-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara by a foot, raise the roof with a multi-window Freedom Top, add a third-row seat and head off-road on an adventure with friends, family or both.
Off-roading is aided by a 2-inch suspension lift kit with Fox shocks, 20-inch wheels and 37-inch BFGoodrich tires.
Tacozilla Tacoma Camper
I’ve ready media reports claiming this modern interpretation of vintage Toyota camper was the best thing at the show, but I disagree. In fact, I was pretty much unimpressed. The vehicle takes its name from the old “Taco” nickname for the compact Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, and how it carried a camping shell on its bed back in the day. Toyota says this update, based on the mid-size Tacoma TRD Sport model, pays homage to the early camping units and to the current micro-housing craze. The camper part, by Complete Customs of McKinney, Texas, has sleeping space above the cab, a full bathroom with shower, and a kitchen with a 3D-printed dining table that converts to a piece of backlit wall art when not in use.
With my first glance at the photo of the 1972 Chevrolet Nova being advertised on ClassicCars.com, it looked to me as though the car’s body was covered in rust. Seemed unusual for a dealership to say it was “proud to offer” such a vehicle. And then I noticed the asking price of $46,000.
Intrigued, I clicked to the ad, where the dealership explains what I’ve selected as the Pick of the Day, a 1972 Chevrolet Nova that was painted by Kelly Graval to match the Monster Energy Khaotic can, complete with graffiti, paint splatters and butterflies. The car was then offered up as the grand prize in a giveaway promotion.
It was just a little more than a year ago that Monster Energy had Kelly “Risk” Gaval, a Los Angeles-based graffiti artist and fashion designer, turn what had been a gray-and-silver Nova into a work of art, reflecting its Khaotic and Papillon flavors.
“Adding to the curb appeal is offset 18″ custom wheels with deep-dish 18″ in the rear that tuck nicely into a mini tubbed body, black bumpers, black mirrors, Corvette brake calipers, black grille; the stance is accomplished with coil over shocks, frame connectors, and tubular upper control arms,” the dealer adds.
“Peering into the interior, one should notice the black vinyl bucket seats, black carpeting, AM/FM/CD player, custom steering wheel, tilt steering, seat belts, aftermarket gauges and air conditioning.”
The Nova is powered by Chevrolet V8 mated to a Turbo 400 3-speed automatic transmission and a 9-inch Ford rear.
Under the hood and are a March pulley system, oversized aluminum radiator, headers, an Edelbrock carburetor, aluminum Edelbrock intake and dual electric cooling fans, the dealer says.
The car has power steering and power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes.
“If you are looking for a custom piece of artwork with muscle behind it, this is the car for you,” says the dealership, which is located in Tampa, Florida.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is a 2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S that’s one of just 1,086 examples built throughout the model’s four-year generation.
According to the seller, this luxury car is in excellent condition with just under 17,000 miles on the odometer.
It features an aluminum tube with a carbon fiber transmission tunnel and is finished in Titanium Silver with a spoiler integrated into the trunk, vented front quarter panels, and a widened rear stance.
Equipped with the Sport Dynamic Package, the braking and steering systems are improved, braking with larger calipers and rotors behind a set of 11-spoke, 19-inch wheels.
The interior is upholstered in Obsidian Black premium leather and features power-adjustable seats, an Alpine stereo system with a 6CD changer, and automatic headlights.
Power comes from a 5.9-liter quad-cam V12 linked to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
This Aston Martin Vanquish’s auction ends November 15 at 12:20 p.m. PDT.
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and gallery of photos.
Following up on its successful inaugural Passion of a Lifetime auction in 2020, Gooding & Company will return to Hampton Court Palace in London to conduct a live collector car auction at the 10th anniversary Concours of Elegance, the California auction company has announced.
Gooding, which recently announced long-term sponsorship of the Concours of Elegance, will present its high-caliber auction on September 3, 2022.
“The London Auction will provide enthusiasts and attendees the thrilling opportunity to view and purchase some of the world’s most prized, revered and valuable concours-quality cars at the spectacular showcase planned for Concours of Elegance over the weekend,” the auction company said in a news release. “Gooding & Company is currently accepting consignments for a limited number of spots in this extraordinary curation of highly sought-after marques and models.”
Gooding noted that the Concours and the auction will be held at one of the UK’s most-revered and spectacular venues, the historic Hampton Court Palace, where construction in 1514. The palace later became one of King Henry VIII’s favorite residences. The palace, which had been extensively renovated over the years, is a popular tourist attraction and open to the public.
“We could not be more thrilled to return to the Concours of Elegance as the only and official auction house in 2022,” said David Gooding, founder and president of the auction company.
Gooding achieved the highest auction price for a Bugatti with the 1934 Type 59 Sports | Gooding photo
“It’s an honor for such a prestigious auction house to be a partner at the Concours of Elegance,” Concours chief executive James Brooks-Ward said in the release. “For many years, David Gooding has been a friend of the Concours, bringing his extensive automotive knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to our Steering Committee.
“In 2020, Gooding & Company hosted its first auction outside the US at our event, breaking a number of global auction records in the process.”
Gooding plans to conduct three additional auction events during 2022:
• Geared Online: Scottsdale Edition, an online-only sale with showcase in Scottsdale, Arizona, from January 24-28, during the famed annual Arizona Auction Week.
• Amelia Island Auction at Amelia Island, Florida, on March 4 in conjunction with the annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
• Pebble Beach Auctions in Pebble Beach, California, on August 19-20, in conjunction with the Monterey Car Week and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
For more information about Gooding events, visit the auction website.
San Francisco-based tour company Painted Ladies is brightening the Bay area’s streets with its fleet of colorful vintage Volkswagen buses, each vehicle equipped with a flirty set of eyelashes above the headlights.
The company, named after the colorful row of Victorian houses in San Francisco’s Alamo Square, was started by a husband-and-wife team of Josh Armel and Virginie De Paepe.
“Painted Ladies Tour Company is a company that started out as a dream,” the couple shares on their website. “My wife and I wanted to share the city we both love so much with others in a way that deepen connection through a unique and intimate experience.
“Every tour we provide, we share, we laugh, we think, we get silly and serious and create long lasting memories together.”
As a fully licensed charter and sightseeing business, Paint Ladies Tour Company gives tourists a ride in one of their VW buses, showing them the city’s most popular attractions such as Union Square, Chinatown, Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The company also operates a Sonoma Valley wine country tour, taking tourists to award-winning vineyards for wine tasting.
The compact size of their vibrant VW Type 2 Transporter buses makes it easier for tour guides to get closer to city sites that most tour busses can’t.
All the buses in the fleet have names with California connections:
Pearl: 1968 model named after a Janis Joplin album recorded in California
Poppy: 1975 model named for California’s state flower the Golden Poppy
Skye: 1971 model inspired by California’s big blue skies
Buttercup: 1974 model named after the California Buttercup
From left to right: Pearl, Skye, Poppy and Buttercup
“Before joining the active fleet, each Bus gets a makeover typically involving a new engine and transmission, along with upgrades to tires and brakes if need,” Volkswagen says in its story about the tour company. “To enhance safety, each vehicle gets lap belts for every seat, plus shoulder restraints in front.
“Add a new sound system and convenient USB charging ports – which weren’t standard in 1968,” Arnel noted with a laugh – and the result is a unique roadgoing experience that blends classic and modern.”
He has also replaced a few of the bus’s vinyl headliners with birch wood panels that he then covered with fun wallpaper prints.
To learn more about the Painted Ladies Tour Company and its VW buses, visit its website.
On the end of the opening day of the 2021 SEMA Show, my iPhone reported I had taken more than 18,000 steps and covered 6.4 miles as I made my way from the Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Hall, across the shortcut to the Central Hall, and then into the North Hall and finally all the way to the spectacular new West Hall. And then back again.
I covered the same territory on the second day, but this time I walked only 4 miles. I saved several thousand steps by starting the day with a trip through the Tesla Tunnel, or as it is officially known, the Las Vegas Loop.
Actually, this approximately 2-mile stretch is just the first section of the Loop, which recently was approved to extend some 29 miles — down The Strip, to the new football stadium and on to the airport, with around 50 new access stations.
The Loop is being built by The Boring Company, like SpaceX and Tesla, an Elon Musk enterprise.
A Tesla rolls past the cutting blades and down into the tunnel
The driver
GPS tracks location
Colors change as your travel through the tunnel
Reaching midpoint
Central Hall station
Rolling again
The company takes its name not from the tiresome, dull or tedious definition of the root word, but from that part of the definition relating to excavating a tunnel with a revolving tool.
Speaking of which, at the South Hall entrance to the Loop, you can see one of those revolving tools used to cut the pair of one-way travel tunnels beneath the convention center complex.
As you might expect, Tesla electric vehicles are used for the trip through the tunnels, which are lit like a rainbow in varying colors along the route.
Using the least expensive parking option available — $10 a day in a lot just east of South Hall, I walked across the street, approached the Loop facility, and was instructed to head to the Car 4 sign. I waited only a few seconds before a Tesla pulled up.
I got into the front seat, a couple of fellows got into the back seat, and the driver reminded us to buckle our seatbelts and, since we were in Nevada, to follow local regulations and secure our masks over our noses and mouths. We made a smooth left turn and headed down a ramp.
The underground ride was smooth, quiet, colorful and serene. We chatted with the driver — the fellows in the back seat saying they wanted to exit at the Central Hall station — and enjoyed the light show as we traveled through the tunnel.
West Hall arrival area includes a sample of the pre-cast tunnel enclosures
Awaiting the next passenger at West Hall
The return trip begins
At Central Hall, the tunnel opened into more of a cavern, but again with lots of colorful lighting. We pulled over so the rear-seat passengers could exit. The driver and I were off again, on our way to the West Hall, where we went up a ramp to another above-ground station, located just to the west of the West Hall.
Total trip took maybe 2 minutes. And there was no charge, presumably because of underwriting by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
With its fleet of electric-powered Teslas, The Loop reportedly can handle around 4,400 people an hour. The end-to-end trip would take 20 to 25 minutes walking at a decent pace, but less than 2 minutes if you ride through the Tesla Tunnel.
There are older vehicles with very low mileage that are not surprising, such as Ferraris and other exotics, show cars, drag racers (which accrue their mileage a quarter-mile at a time) and, of course, the little-old-lady-from-Pasadena creampuffs that never got much drive time from their retiree owners.
But a Chevy Blazer? That’s a tough and practical SUV that you’d more likely expect to find with loads of miles on it.
The Pick of the Day is a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer, a sporty 2-door model that has been driven fewer than 27,000 miles in more than two decades, with some custom flourishes added and looking to be in clean and well-maintained condition. The Conroe, Texas, dealer advertising the Blazer on ClassicCars.com figures that the SUV has been driven an average of 100 miles per month.
“When you locate a vehicle with almost no miles you start to wonder ‘why?’” The dealer says in the ad. “When you locate one with high miles, you wonder ‘why would anyone buy that?’
“But when you find a 23-year-old vehicle with only 27k miles, you realize you have found a real ‘gem.’ The miles aren’t so super low that everything has gone bad from non-use. This is a vehicle that has been used sparingly and been very well-maintained.”
The rear-wheel-drive Blazer is a survivor in very-good original condition, the seller says, mostly original but with a few tweaks.
“It has obviously been lowered and the job was done right with a BellTech lowering kit and spindles,” the ad says. “The only other upgrade was a set of 18″ American Racing Torque Thrust wheels wrapped in new ZR-rated tires.
“Our inspection found only a few small paint imperfections on the hood, an immaculate interior, and everything mechanically working as it should.”
The Blazer boasts full factory upgrades, such as power windows, locks and mirrors, as well as power steering and brakes. There’s a roof rack up top and the interior does appear to be in fine shape.
Power is provided by a 4.3-liter V6 with automatic transmission, which should make this compact truck a great highway cruiser. The enigne compartment looks extra clean.
There’s been some rekindled interest in 2nd-generation Blazers since Chevy recently rolled out its latest version, so the asking price of $19,900 for this low-mileage example seems quite reasonable.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
The long-awaited “Hot Rod Hootenanny” — aka California Hot Rod Reunion — was finally held October 22-24, 2021 after the dreaded Covid-19 delay last year.
When Steve Gibbs and Bernie Partridge came up with the idea of the California Hot Rod Reunion in 1991 and the inaugural was held a year later, the fragile balance of nature on this beautiful planet was of no concern. We take so much for granted in this busy world, but sometimes there is a “wake up call” and we have to regroup and examine what is important for our survival.
Vintage gassers in action again
The California Hot Rod Reunion is not necessary for survival but, in a strange way, its staging is a step toward normality and a reassurance to keep our sanity and mental balance.
Not only does the Reunion still run on the old Famoso drag strip in Bakersfield, but it is a hard-core, nitro-fumed, quarter-mile display of speed, passion and dedication born on the dry lakes and streets of Southern California just before and especially after World War II. The running theme of the Reunion is “celebrating the way things once were in drag racing when cars were home brewed and the racing was more unpredictable.”
The Reunion ran for three days, and with cloudy weather and temperatures in the 70s, the track was perfect for nitro-burning front-engine dragsters, nostalgic Funny Cars, muscle cars, street rods, super stockers and gassers.
The non-profit Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona produces and benefits from the event, which is presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. It is said that the Reunion puts “history in motion and allows spectators and participants to experience the smoke and thunder of drag racing history up close and personal.”
A reminder that speed belongs on the strip, not the street
‘Barnstormer’ tribute and its trailer
The Auto Club is involved in preserving and celebrating drag racing’s roots where fans, drivers, mechanics and legends of the sport can share stories and mingle and relive memories. Past Reunions has been highlighted by the presence of “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Chris “the Greek” Karamesines, Don “the Snake” Prudhomme, Tom “Mongoose” McEwin, Linda Vaughn and many more.
This year at the free Friday night honoree reception at the Double Tree Hotel, Grand Marshal “Isky” Ed Iskenderian (who recently celebrated his 100th birthday) was unable to attend, but the honorees were in full force including Ron Attebury, Sherm Gunn, Dick Kalivoda, and Mike Thermos.
At the track, as a stroll-a-long break from the racing, fans enjoyed walking along Famoso Grove, capturing sights of hot rods, customs, classics and trucks on display, and winding up at the huge automotive swap meet at the top end. A vendors midway kept enthusiasts enthralled with the latest automotive innovations while thundering sounds of blown and injected Hemis reverberated in the background.
By early evening, the highly popular “Cackle Fest” was staging with dozens of nitro-burning front-engine fuelers gathered together on the strip with engines running, their nitro-fueled flames lighting up the night say.
A big attraction in the “cackle” group was the tribute “TV Tommy” Ivo Barnstormer Top Fuel dragster and the see-through glass trailer that built by the late Ron Johnson. Connie Braun, Johnson’s daughter, and her siblings Kol Johnson and Christine Griffin brought the Barnstormer for all see and hear and to “share in dad’s passions for historic race cars. We love racing because dad loved it,” she said.
Of the 23 race cars the TV star and drag racer owned, the Barnstormer was his favorite.
Dan Horan raced both in Funny Car and in Top Fuel, winning the later category (above)
Randy Bradford’s Fuel Altered-winning ’48 Fiat
Wally Trophies await the winners
Drew Austin (right lane) and Jerry Espeth line up for the start of the Funny Car finale
On Sunday morning the National Anthem and pre-race ceremonies kicked off the ear-splitting final eliminations for all classes. In a field of 16 Nostalgic Funny Cars, a newcomer in the Funny Car ranks, Drew Austin in his 1970 Chevrolet Camaro, had qualified 11th in the 16-car field but opened the final day with an incredible 5.548-second, 260.11-mph performance to beat Bill Morris’ ’69 Camaro (5.799 at 222.11 mph). In the semi-final round, Austin beat Jerry Espeseth’s 5.663 (69 Camaro) and won the Wally Trophy with a 5.636 blast at 256.60 mph.
Even though Dan Horan did not win in his 1969 Camaro Funny car, he got a Wally Trophy by taking the final round of the Nostalgic Top Fuel competition, putting away Adam Sorokin with a 5.716 at 256.60 mph to Sorokin’s 5.98 at 226.66 mph. Horan also claimed top speed at 5.652/261.78 mph,.
He also said this would be his final ride in the dragster, announcing, “Next year I’m handing that car over to my son Ryan.”
In the wild and wooly Fuel Altered, Randy Bradford in the ’48 Fiat housing a big 417 Donovan engine ran 6.276 at 195.8, sending home Shawn Callen in a Chevy-powered ’32 Batam, which did a 6.570 at 203.98 mph.
The California Hot Rod Reunion is the concluding round of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage racing series, won this year by Dan Horan (Top Fuel) and Bobby Cottrell (Funny Car).
“The Reunions have become part of the museum’s core programming,” noted the facility’s curator Greg Sharp, “and we consider them a living history exhibition that keep our history vibrant and relevant.”
In the latest episode of “The Drive with Alan Taylor,” automotive journalist BJ Killeen and Taylor talk about the SEMA show in Las Vegas and the collections they are excited to see on display, including the Chip Foose Experience. Killeen also shares her excitement for the release of the 2023 Kia Sportage.
The next guest, automotive industry analyst Karl Brauer, joins the show to discuss Hertz ordering 100,000 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles to offer its customers. He also talks about the unveiling of Chevrolet’s 2023 Corvette Z06.
Wrapping up the episode is Gas Monkey Garage star Richard Rawlings announcing his big sweepstakes event in, which every dollar spent at Gas Monkey Garage, you are entered to win a trip to Dallas and pick a car from his garage to take home.
Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] – Chip Foose Experience [00:06:08] – Charging Stations [00:12:31] – 2023 Kia Sportage [00:19:53] – Tesla and Hertz [00:26:42] – 2023 Corvette Z06 [00:35:55] – Where do real truck people live? [00:42:16] – Hypertech [00:47:56] – Power Programmer [00:54:48] – React Throttle Optimizer [01:02:08] – Gas Monkey Garage NO RESTRAINT [01:11:14] – Sweepstakes! [01:18:10] – American Dining Rebuilt
To learn more about “The Drive with Alan Taylor,” visit the podcast’s website.
