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1950 Chevrolet Styleline Bel Air Sport Coupe

by Mark | Jul 15, 2021 | 0 comments

The Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe was new for 1950. (Chevrolet)

Chevrolet’s exterior styling of the 1950 Bel Air Sport Coupe was revolutionary and set a pattern for decades. According to ClassicCars.Fandom.com, “The Bel Air Hardtop (on the DeLuxe line) was styled as a convertible with a non-detachable solid roof.”

The redesign followed the 1942-1945 shutdown of vehicle production during World War II. And even as production restarted, the “new” 1946-1948 models were mildly updated carryover models from years earlier.

New for 1950

According to Hagerty.com, Chevrolet overhauled its entire lineup in 1949 and moved from prewar designs to new cars. The modern styling emphasized full-width bodies and pontoon fenders.

The exterior two-door hardtop styling might have been new, but visual changes were minimal from 1949.

Special and Deluxe models were offered in Fleetline and Styleline series. According to Hagerty’s “History of the 1949-1952 Styleline,” a bare-bones business coupe cost as little as $1,300. Pricing rose to $2,200 for an eight-passenger station wagon.

The only powertrain available was a 216-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine. It was mated to a three-speed manual transmission. However, cars with the automatic received the 235-cubic-inch truck engine.

Bel Air Sport Coupe

The model is named for the city of Bel Air on the west side of Los Angeles.

According to Wikipedia, the Bel Air Sport Coupe name was used only from 1950 to 1952 for the two-door hardtops. The first-year production reached only 76,662.

Vintage

San Diego owners’ 1963 Corvette makes the cover of the National Corvette Museum magazine

by Mark | Jul 7, 2021 | 0 comments

The blue 1963 Corvette on the cover of the National Corvette Museum magazine.

The Daytona Blue 1963 Corvette was photographed for the cover of the National Corvette Museum magazine. (Darwin Ludi)

BY MARK MAYNARD

San Diego car enthusiasts Darwin and Pat Ludi sent a catch-up email about their adventures with their two 1963 Corvette split-window coupes and 1965 Pontiac GTO.

Darwin wrote: “This past April our Daytona Blue ’63 was photographed for the cover of the National Corvette Museum magazine. We just received our copy of the magazine and I have attached a few photos.

A blue 1963 Corvette on the cover of the National Corvette Museum magazine

The Daytona Blue ’63 was featured in a multi-page layout. (Darwin Ludi)

“We have had fun showing our cars around the country at various Concours events. We have won awards at most of them. This year we will be heading to Colorado for an AACA meet where we hope to earn a Senior Award. We might even be invited to Hershey for the Nationals.

“In October we will head to the Hilton Head Concours. I was told we will compete against nine or 10 other Corvettes. We have to have as much fun as possible.

A black 1963 Corvette along Mission Bay in San Diego

The Ludi’s black 1963 Corvette along Mission Bay in San Diego. (Darwin Ludi)

Dedicated caregivers

“Before long, as age creeps up the cars will have to move on to new caregivers,” Darwin said.

The Ludi’s Tuxedo Black 1963 Corvette coupe is now having its correct red interior installed. And they have owned their red 1965 Pontiac GTO tri-power for more than 30 years. And it, too, is all restored and in show condition, Darwin said.

A 1965 Pontiac GTO tri-power at a past Goodguys Del Mar Nationals car show

The red 1965 Pontiac GTO tri-power at a past Goodguys Del Mar Nats. (Darwin Ludi)

“We will take the black Corvette to have it judged NCRS and Bloomington Gold next year. The blue ’63 is already certified by both groups. I want to make sure that the next caregiver of these cars ends up with the best we can provide.

“Last year the National Corvette Museum had a virtual event and 95 cars were registered for the C2 class, in which we won. We have been invited to the EyesOn Design car show in Detroit next year. And in 2019 we won at the Art Center in Pasadena, as well.

“Take care, stay healthy and keep busy. Hope to see you down the road.”

— Darwin & Patricia Ludi

Cars
Vintage

1961 Volvo P1800 — The Car of Sainthood

by Mark | Jun 16, 2021 | 0 comments

The first-generation 1961 Volvo P1800. (All photos courtesy of Volvo)

BY MARK MAYNARD

Wouldn’t there be interesting dinner conversation with past Volvo designer Pelle Petterson? He is credited with the exterior styling of the 1961 Volvo P1800. Among his other professional credits is yacht designer.

I’d like to ask how excited was the design team about this car?

Was there an awareness that its stance and style would help define the company?

Or was it merely the worldwide influence the car received as co-star with British actor Roger Moore in the “The Saint” television series

“ST 1”

The Saint character was always portrayed by Roger Moore as Simon Templar. He drove a pearl white 1967 P1800 coupe and the car had a personalized license plate of “ST 1.”

A studio photo of Roger Moore with the P1800 used in the TV series.

The mystery spy thriller aired from 1962 to 1969 in the U.K. “The Saint” had its network prime-time debut in the U.S., with new color episodes, in 1966 on NBC. Prior to that, the 1962-65 black-and-white episodes aired in the U.S. in syndication. (Timeline corrected by auto expert and “Saint” fan Mike Haggerty.)

The Volvo P1800 had a production run from 1961-1973, according to its page in Wikipedia. It debuted as a 2+2 rear-drive touring coupe. The P1800 also was offered in a three-door shooting-brake (or “estate”) body style from 1972-1973.

A 1973 Volvo P1800 shooting brake.

It was sportier to look at than to drive. The 2,500-pound P1800 debuted with a 100-horsepower 1800cc (1.8-liter) four-cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission. The powertrain would be updated for more performance through its production run. The engine was replaced with a 118-hp, 2.0-liter in 1969.

Moore is the first registered owner of the now-famous 1800S. The London registration plates, NUV 648E, were issued on Jan. 20, 1967.

Moore later sold the car to actor Martin Benson, who played Mr. Solo in the James Bond film “Goldfinger” (1964). Several owners followed and in the early-2000s the car was restored to near-original condition. Volvo bought the car a few years later.

An 1800S owned by Irv Gordon (1940–2018) made history. The car was certified in 1998 as the highest mileage private vehicle driven by the original owner in non-commercial service. Gordon racked up more than 3.25 million miles.

Volvoville Convertible?

Volvo never produced a convertible version of the 1800, but you might see one at an enthusiast’s car show. The most notable purveyor of convertible P1800s was the Volvoville USA dealership in Amityville, N.Y.

The Volvoville convertible.

Volvoville sold around 30 convertible P1800 models between 1964 and 1969, according to the Wiki report. The list price for a 1800S was $3,695 and the convertible cost $1,000 more.

Volvo HQ in Gothenburg was not amused over the name or the convertible so it ended the retrofitting with a compromise. Volvoville would get to keep the name but would stop making convertibles.

1960 GMC 1000

by Mark | May 13, 2021 | 0 comments

The 1960 model year was pivotal for General Motors’ light trucks

A 1960 GMC pickup in two-tone red and white.

The first GMC pickup with a full-width hood debuted in 1960. (GM media archives)

The debut of Jet Age styling

The market for pickups was booming in 1960 and the emphasis on styling, comfort, and power was stronger than ever. “All major manufacturers vied for a piece of this expanding pie,” said Mike McNessor in a Jan. 2021 report in Hemmings Classic Car.

The evolution of the Chevrolet Task Force and GMC Blue Chip trucks during the 1950s helped popularize many features that are commonplace today, McNessor said. Among the new features were fleetside boxes, V-8 engines, automatic transmissions and comfortable interiors.

“But, for 1960, GM upped the ante even further, implementing radical new Jet Age styling with full-width hoods accented by jet engine-inspired front air intakes,” McNessor said.

Styling of the 1960 GMC Pickup

The curves of the previous generation trucks were gone, replaced with sharper angles and creases accenting boxy cabs.

Under the skin, the 1960 GMC pickup had double-wall roof construction that included insulation between the sheet-metal layers. There were new front inner fender skirts, safety-catch door latches, sturdier hinges, and rubber insulated cab mounts. A full-length rocker panel, tied to front and rear cab supports, replaced the old-timey interior step that previous GM trucks incorporated into their floors.

For the 1960 model year, GMC was the first brand to introduce V-6 engines in pickup trucks. There was also a V-12, known as the Twin Six. (GM media archives)

1960 GMC Pickup Interior Redesign

“Inside the cockpit for ’60, there were suspended clutch and brake pedals that eliminated difficult-to-seal holes in the floor. A 26-percent increase in windshield area gave operators a better view of the road, while longer wiper blades kept more of that glass clear in stormy weather. There was nearly 6 inches more hip room, plus more shoulder room, headroom, and legroom over previous GM trucks, all in the name of driver comfort.”

Beginning in 1920, GMC and Chevrolet trucks became largely similar, according to the page in Wikipedia. Built as variants of the same platform, the two brands shared much of the same body sheetwork, except for nameplates and grilles — though their differences, especially engines, have varied over the years,

GMC boasted in print ads a “breakthrough” in truck engines “to give triple the life” without a major overhaul. (GM media archives)

A Breakthrough In Truck Engines

“GMC advertising marketed its trucks to commercial buyers and businesses, whereas Chevrolet’s advertising was directed toward private owners. Beginning in 1928, GMCs used Pontiac’s 186-cubic-inch six-cylinder engines in their lighter trucks. Medium-duty trucks relied on Oldsmobile straight-6 engines, while the heaviest trucks used GMC’s own “Standard Big Brute” engine.

“From 1939 to 1974 GMC had its own line of six-cylinder engines, first the inline sixes known as “Jimmys” from 1939 to 1959, and then their own V-6 from 1960 until 1974, of which a V-8 and a V-12 version also existed.

“Additionally, from 1955 through 1959, the less than 2-ton, domestic GMC gasoline trucks were equipped with Pontiac, Buick and Oldsmobile V-8s —whereas the Canadian models used Chevrolet engines.”

See more vintage car photos here.

Mark Maynard

The Ford Trimotor ‘Tin Goose’

by Mark | May 8, 2021 | 0 comments

A Ford Trimotor sits along the grassy edge of a dirt airfield. The location is unidentified in this vintage photograph, but it is likely to be somewhere along the West Coast.

The year is sometime between 1925 and 1933. This three-engine transport aircraft was in production by Ford Motor Co.’s aircraft division.

Nicknamed the “Tin Goose,” the trimotor was designed for civil aviation market (passenger use). But it also could haul cargo (with seats removed) and the plane saw some military service.

“The original (commercial production) 4-AT had three air-cooled Wright radial engines, according to Wikipedia. “It carried a crew of three: a pilot, a copilot and a stewardess. And there were seats for eight or nine passengers. The later 5-AT had more powerful Pratt & Whitney engines.

All models had an aluminum corrugated sheet-metal body and wings. The metallic construction made it “the safest airliner around,” Henry Ford said.

“In the early 1920s, Henry Ford, along with a group of 19 other investors including his son Edsel, invested in the Stout Metal Airplane Company,” according to the Wiki report. “Stout, a bold and imaginative salesman, sent a mimeographed form letter to leading manufacturers, blithely asking for $1,000 and adding: ‘For your one thousand dollars you will get one definite promise: You will never get your money back.’ Stout raised $20,000, including $1,000 each from Edsel and Henry Ford.

“In 1925, Ford bought Stout and its aircraft designs. The single-engined Stout monoplane was turned into a trimotor, the Stout 3-AT with three Curtiss-Wright air-cooled radial engines.

A total of 199 Ford Trimotors were made between 1926 and 1933.

See these authentic PR images from manufacturer archives

Cars
Vintage

1972 GMC Sprint

by Mark | May 5, 2021 | 0 comments

Badge-engineered from the Chevrolet El Camino, 1971-1987

The GMC Sprint shared exterior and interior elements with the Chevelle Malibu and El Camino. A 1971 Sprint is shown. (GM media archives)

BY MARK MAYNARD

I have walked among thousands of vintage vehicles at dozens of car shows, but I learned something new today while researching a 1960 GMC pickup. Trolling the GM media archives I came upon an image for a 1971 GMC Sprint.

How had I never heard of this badge-engineered version of the Chevrolet El Camino. Maybe I had just overlooked it in the years of enjoying car shows, but in my defense, surely its production numbers were a sliver of the very popular El Camino.

According to its page in Wikipedia, the GMC Sprint (a coupe utility-pickup) was produced for the 1971-1977 model years. It was renamed Caballero for the 1978 model year and produced through 1987.

“It was identical to the El Camino except for the name. The chassis for both variants was based on the Chevrolet Chevelle station wagon and four-door sedan.

“The vehicles were built on the GM A platform through 1981; for 1982, it was re-designated the G platform as the A platform switched to front-wheel drive.

Difficult Time To Debut

The Sprint’s debut in the early 1970s was not a happy time for performance cars in the United States. It was the first year for mandated lower-octane unleaded fuel, which necessitated a reduction in engine compression. GM’s A.I.R. system, a “smog pump,” was added to control tailpipe emissions.

The GMC Sprint was sold with several engine choices for 1971-72. The base engine was a 145-hp, 250-cubic-inch OHV inline-six. Optional engines included small-block V-8s of 307 and 350 cubic inches and big-block V-8s of 402- and 454-cubic-inch displacements.

“For 1972, horsepower measurements were switched to the ‘net’ figures as installed in a vehicle with all accessories and emission controllers hooked up,” according to the Wiki report. “This change brought the horsepower ratings for 1972 down to a range from 110 horsepower for the six to 270 for the 454 V8.”

The Sprint, sold in trim levels of Standard or Custom, shared exterior and interior trims with the Chevelle Malibu and El Camino. Both years featured rear-end styling taken from the Chevelle station wagon (and were shared with El Camino). The interiors featured cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl bench seats and deep twist carpeting. All-vinyl Strato bucket seats and center console were optional.

The 1979 GMC Caballero.

The GMC Sprint Diablo package was added in 1978 as an equivalent to the El Camino’s Black Knight (1978) and then the Royal Knight, post-1978, which was an upgrade from the long-running Super Sport package.

The Royal Knight and the Diablo carried a hood graphic in a symmetrical flame pattern that resembled a demon. Diablo also came with lower-body accent paint, body-color mirrors, black-trimmed window frames. Exterior separators also included a front air dam, color-matched steel “Rally” wheels and a large “Diablo” decal on the tailgate.

Sprint SP

The GMC Sprint SP package, only offered on the Sprint Custom, was GMC’s equivalent of the Chevrolet SS package. It was designated as option package, RPO YE7, rather than a distinct model. Engines were an L48 350 four-barrel, LS3 400 (402) big block and the LS5 454 365-hp big block.

On The Auction Block

A 1972 GMC Sprint, in orange paint and black interior, will be among the vehicles slated to auctioned by Mecum at its 34th annual Indy Spring Classic, May 14-22, 2021. It will be Lot T104 and is a “Star” car.

According to the seller’s description:

•This Sprint is one of 749 SP models produced in 1972 and has the original build sheet;
•454-cubic-inch V-8, automatic transmission, disc brakes and power steering;
•Air conditioning;
•Built at Leeds plant in Kansas City, Mo.;
•Sold new at Burnett Buick