Author Archives: Trevor Freeman

About Trevor Freeman

Trevor is a real gearhead who loves everything from classic American muscle cars to high-performance exotics. When he's not reading about cars or taking photos at a car show, he's probably out cruising around. He is currently working on restoring a 1980 Chevrolet Monza hatchback.

Rare 1940 Chrysler Newport Roadster Replica

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The cool thing about going to Cars and Coffee is that you never know who or what is going to roll in at any moment. Recently, I spotted a car that I did not recognize at all. I thought at first that it might have been an old Jaguar, but as it turns out, it’s even more special than that!

The car in the photo is a one-off replica of a 1940 Chrysler Newport dual cowl phaeton, a very early concept car of which only six were ever built. The original features two rows of seating whereas this car was built as a roadster. Continue reading →

2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Roadster Concept Car

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One of the most famous vehicles in muscle car history is the Shelby Cobra of the 1960s. The car was designed to do two things: go fast and win races. Shelby achieved this result by wedging a big engine into a small, light car body. The car did very well in competitions, but lackluster sales in the US led Shelby to end production in 1967.

Ford provided engines for the original Shelby Cobras, and in 2004 the company wanted to show off a concept vehicle that reflected upon the motorsports heritage of the Shelby Cobra. Continue reading →

The Cadillac of Cadillacs

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Since its inception in 1902, Cadillac has been the premier manufacturer of luxury passenger vehicles in America. Well friends, today we have a special treat for you: the Cadillac of Cadillacs.

Though it may not look like much, I can tell you that this 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was once somebody’s pride and joy. In fact, they were so proud of their Cadillac that they went about making a few customizations to reflect their personality. Have a look:

Here we see where the owner added several extra “wreathed crest” logos along the front fender, which appears to have been painted with roofing tar. Continue reading →

Factory Five GTM Supercar: An American Original

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Most car people know of Massachusetts-based Factory Five Racing as the pre-eminent maker of AC Cobra kit cars. However, Factory Five also offers a completely original kit of their own design called the GTM Supercar.

I was fortunate enough to come across a beautiful dark blue GTM at the Scottsdale Pavilions car show a few weeks ago.

Continue reading →

1908 Baker Electric Car

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As gas prices continue to fluctuate, many drivers are seeking more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly vehicles. The Nissan Leaf is unique among modern alt-fuel vehicles because it is a purely battery-powered vehicle that does not include a gas engine at all – unlike its competitors from Toyota and Chevrolet.

A pure electric-powered car may seem like a novel approach to getting better fuel economy, however the idea is anything but new. Continue reading →

Kaiser Manhattan 2-Door Sedan

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I spotted this gorgeous Kaiser Manhattan 2-door sedan at a church car show in Glendale, Arizona in 2009. Kaisers were produced after World War II and are notable for being the first production passenger cars to offer supercharging (beginning in 1954).  Kaiser and Willys-Overland merged in 1953 and stopped making passenger cars in 1955.

As you can see, the deep cherry color of this car is very vibrant even in this crappy cell phone picture I took. If you look closely, you can see the ghost flames on the car’s front fenders.

From this angle, we have a few more clues that this Manhattan isn’t exactly stock. The wide rear tires and monster tach on the dash indicate that this car may have undergone a performance rebuild. I wish I had more details about it, but sadly I do not.

Bonus: The gold colored car in the background of the first picture is a Frazer Vagabond, a sister marque of Kaiser.