Mike Streets could have crammed one of many and readily available Ford V8 mills into the engine bay of his 1974 Pinto Wagon. Instead he chose to transplant a 2.3-liter single overhead cam turbocharged four-banger from a 1988 Ford Thunderbird in place of the aspirated stocker. Why? "A V8 would have been too easy", said Mike - who is a former SCCA Pinto road racer and current … [Read more...]
New Hope in Dodge Colt Wagon
From a long time ago, in a junkyard not that far away, comes this Dodge Colt Station wagon. The Colt is from a time when forces of economy gripped the nation. Escalating gas prices caused Americans to abandon their full-size automobiles for smaller, more thrifty versions. With Mopar there was no compromise, along with a new hope. One could choose from a full-size Dodge Diplomat … [Read more...]
Longroof Rides to Surf No More
In celebration and hope that most of America made it through the Independence Day weekend without starting a conflagration or losing a finger, we bring you this last in long line of American longroof family chariots. This 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park station wagon represents the beginning of the end for purebred full-size American wagons. As hard as it is to believe … [Read more...]
A Brasilia in California
Even though almost a million units were produced over its nine year production run, the Volkswagen Brasilia is high on the list of cars one is unlikely to see rolling along the roads of North America. This 1975 Brasilia was driven up from Mexico by a man known to us only as Luis. The Brasilia was slammed after he got it back to the USA. The suspension was left stock for the … [Read more...]
Country Squire Wooden Wagon
The seventies were the absolute zenith of American station wagon manufacture. The flagships of the Ford station wagon fleet featured acres of simulated wood paneling - usually a shade lighter than the millions of sheets of actual dark brown wood paneling used to convert the basements of American split-level homes into rumpus or bar rooms. This fake wood paneling trend began … [Read more...]