Welcome to Our Blog
Keep Updated
-
Popular Posts
-
Gallery
Vehicles for Sale
Monthly Archives: December 2011
Mullin Automotive Museum
The next Rétromobile, the car show that takes place each year in Paris, will feature some exciting car models from the Mullin Automotive Museum. The museum, located in Oxnard, California is generously showing the cars to lucky viewers, and many of the cars haven’t been shown in France since they were new, some almost a century ago! The 10 cars from the museum are sure to bring child-like glee from viewers of all ages. Among them are some of the most valuable and special cars in the world. Over the next few posts, we will highlight some of our favorites from the collection, so be sure to keep checking back!
A ‘Special’ Car
There are many cars which are regarded as especially exciting to spot because of their power, speed, and perhaps the most exciting, their rarity. It becomes a great adventure at car shows to find the oldest car, the “coolest” car, and the rarest car. So, what is one of the hardest cars to see? How about a model that only ever had two units built? Yes, just two!
The 1962 Studebaker Lark
As America began a new era in the early 1960s, the Studebaker Corporation was desperately tweaking a model which was losing steam. The Studebaker Lark was first introduced in 1959, but by 1961, its sales were already declining. The compact car was missing an iconic American car feature of the time: tail fins. Its design lent itself more to European style, making it difficult for the car to continue competing against other car companies such as the Big 3, which had better adapted to the fickle preferences of the American consumers.
The Plymouth Barracuda
In 1964, the Plymouth division of Chrysler rolled out a new 2-door: The Plymouth Barracuda. The car lasted a full decade before being discontinued and saw many changes in its short life. Throughout the evolution of the Barracuda, this pony car was Chrysler’s attempt to join the ranks of the Ford Mustang at a time when American demand for sporty compact cars was becoming even more insatiable. Though it sold far fewer units than the Mustang, it was a valiant effort by Chrysler.
Blast From The Past: The Essex
Here’s a car that isn’t necessarily the first one might think of when listing classic cars, but it has certainly earned its place in motor vehicle history: The Essex. First introduced in 1919, after being delayed by World War I, the Essex endured a tumultuous economy, huge sales, and its eventual demise in 1932. Though it only survived 13 years before being replaced by the Terraplane, an impressive 1.13 million Essex automobiles were sold in its short life.
The Life Of DeSoto
the very first DeSoto
There is no doubt that the Greatest Generation shaped the way we think about society and the way things used to be- their deep sense of community, patriotism, and respect sometimes seems to be a thing of the past. Perhaps that’s why we idolize the way they lived-the music, the old Coca-Cola bottle, the dancing…the cars. While the young men were fighting in “The War,” as so many veterans still say, the women anxiously awaited their return. The jubilee that followed the end of World War II, when combined with the booming economy led to great innovations and some of the best story lines for the love stories movie producers can hardly depict fast enough, it seems.
1970 Pontiac GTO
Imagine that today is a beautiful summer morning with the birds chirping, the sun shining, and the neighborhood kids already dragging out the sprinkler. You’ve taken a moment to enjoy your morning coffee on the porch, soaking in every last drop of sun you can, and you head to the garage. This story doesn’t end with a lawnmower or even gardening tools, no, this is something better. You open the garage door and step back, taking a second to enjoy the sight of your 1970 Pontiac GTO. Upon starting the engine, you can’t help but smile when you hear it roar to life before turning it off, popping the hood, and spending the next few hours, just…tinkering. Any little bit of fine-tuning you can justify, you’ll do. After all, what’s a bright summer’s day without a good muscle car?!
A Look At Ferrari
Fast cars are certainly exciting, but fast cars with a sleek body style and purring engine command a new level of respect and awe on the road. For years, car companies worldwide have been competing for the most anticipated car release of the year, and in 2012, Ferrari has car lovers on pins and needles for the release of the new Ferrari FF (FF stands for Ferrari Four). The 2012 model comes with a staggering price tag, starting at $300,000 for the two-door, four seater, which features an impressive 12 cylinder engine.
The Boss 429
When looking back at the history of muscle cars, one model stands out in American car-making: the 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. Though originally intended to compete with the Corvette, the Boss didn’t quite live up to Ford’s high hopes, and was discontinued relatively quickly after production continued from 1969 to 1970.
Each vehicle was hand assembled at the Kar Kraft facility in Brighton, Michigan. Production numbers were low, making each of the only 859 units just a little more special. In fact, some say that the Boss 429 may be the most valuable muscle car built in the 1960s because of its rarity.
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
When you examine the evolution of the automotive industry in the United States, the Detroit-area Big Three and their multiple divisions immediately come to mind, but there were some other companies that made a huge impact in the earlier days as well, and they weren’t all from Michigan. One of them is the Auburn Automobile Company, which was founded in Auburn, Indiana in 1900. The impetus for what became Auburn actually started even earlier, back in 1875 when Charles Eckhart started the Eckhart Carriage Company along with his two sons, who were named Morris and Frank.
