Old Cars Weekly

There are innumerable vintage Chrysler products that trip my trigger, from as far back as 1933 Plymouth and Dodge coupes and 1942 De Soto business coupes to today’s Dodge Challengers and Chargers. When it comes to MoPar muscle cars, the midsize B-body cars have always been boss in my eyes, so much so that my childhood collection of built 1:24-scale Dodge Super Bee model kits remains intact, even after several moves. But I’m probably the only guy on the planet who’s never been a big fan of the E-body Challengers and Plymouth Barracudas. Sure, they look great in factory illustrations, but on the street, they often hug the ground, and with today’s resto-mod trends, owners are bringing their E-bodies even lower. To my eye, a lowered Challenger or ’Cuda looks heavy,…

Gran Coupe questions The Aug. 15, 2022, edition of Old Cars includes mention of sighting a 1970 Plymouth Gran Coupe at the Iola Car Show. I was a proud owner of one such car from July 1978 to December 1979. The car was purchased from my mother-in-law, and it was a fine car with a 383-cid V-8 and an automatic on the column. I have never seen another since I sold it back in 1979. I hope that Old Cars does catch up with that car for a full story about these cars and perhaps determine how many were produced. Mine had the paisley vinyl roof with matching seat covers with a dark-brown exterior. It also had hubcaps and not rally wheels. Did 1970 Gran Coupes come in any other colors? I have…

MoPars gear up to take over Carlisle CARLISLE, Pa. — The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, billed as the largest MoPar event in the world, will return to the Carlisle (Pa.) Fairgrounds July 14-16. More than 2,800 vehicles from all eras of the Chrysler brand are expected to be on hand, including Classics, muscle cars and-high performance new models. Cars, parts, tools, memorabilia, collectibles and more will be for sale in the Mopar Automotive Flea Market, along with all the latest Chrysler products in the Manufacturers’ Midway. A wide variety of MoPars will be up for sale in the Chrysler Nationals Car Corral. A notary service will be available. All vehicles in the corral must be for sale, in running condition and cannot be displayed on trailers. Special displays will include the Malaise Era area…

“I recently spotted this suicide-door 1951 Mercury four-door sedan at an old car repair/hot rod shop in Superior, Wis.,” reports “Weathered Wheels” ace spotter Steve Isola. “This car must have been hiding in a garage or barn for many years and is only now seeing the light of day. Can’t be a native northern-Wisconsin car — it’s much too straight and rust-free. Plenty weathered, with fading and peeling paint, broken windshield (driver’s half) and crazed plastic taillight lenses (Ford and Mercury should have kept the glass lenses of ’49 and ’50). It’s amazing to find any 1949-’51 Mercury that hasn’t been customized and chopped. Think of the possibilities starting with such a clean palate. All the pieces are there, too – bumpers, grille, side trim, hood and trunk ornaments, window…

Appreciation Down Under for the beloved LaSalle LaSalles were intended to be the entry cars to Cadillac ownership as that luxury marque’s companion offering, but if Sallee Speaks editor John Byrden has a say in the matter, the brand carries a mystique all its own. His recent issue revealed the interest in LaSalles, a 1940 convertible coupe, to be exact. He noted, “In today’s age, it has become rare to see a LaSalle of any year out and about cruising on the streets, even more unusual is being able to find a LaSalle that has been in the same family since new.” The 1940 LaSalle’s first buyer was a Californian. His wife “was of great class but short stature, so he lowered the LaSalle approximately six inches to get her in and…

We’ve seen some pretty nice vehicles being used over the years as starting gate vehicles for harness racing, but this ad for the 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury takes things a step farther. We’re not sure if this sharp red convertible was the favorite or the longshot going in, but it’s breaking hard from the gate. “With it’s New Golden Commando 395, biggest V-8 in the low-price field, it gives you instant response without the least bit of strain,” the ad proclaims. “... And there are many features that make Plymouth a runaway winner in the low-price class.”…