1967-1975 Iso Rivolta S4 Fidia

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There is a gathering in Scottsdale on the first Saturday of each month called Cars and Coffee. This informal car show is open to all makes and models of vehicles, so you never know what might roll in.

It was here that I first spied the Hudson Italia, not knowing how rare or valuable it was. I kicked myself later for not taking more pictures of it. Well, I made the same mistake with this car. Not recognizing it, I foolishly took a single picture and moved on. Now I wish I had taken more!

This huge sedan is an Iso Rivolta S4 Fidia, and its claim to fame is that it briefly held the title of “World’s Fastest Four-Seater” in the late 1960s. Only of these cars 192 were built, so it’s pretty damn rare!

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1987-1990 Nissan Pulsar Sportbak

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During the space race of the 1960s, Americans were captivated by the idea of space travel. It permeated every aspect of our culture, from songs and TV shows to magazine articles and an explosion of science fiction entertainment. Automotive manufacturers were quick to hop on the bandwagon, giving their latest models out-of-this-world names like Ford Galaxie, Mercury Meteor, and Oldsmobile StarFire.

After the moon landing in 1969 and the final Apollo mission in 1972, the country’s burning interest in the space program was reduced to a flicker. However in the 1980s, there was a resurgence of space-inspired names as a whole new generation of vehicles adopted galactic monikers. Here are a few examples:

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Big Hat, No Cattle: Riced Out Ford Taurus

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I have heard that in Texas, the expression “big hat, no cattle” refers to someone who looks important but has suspect credentials. They might talk big but fail to come through or produce results that are in line with their appearance. This person might also be called a show-off, a braggart, or a fraud.

I would say that “big hat, no cattle” definitely applies to this Ford Taurus – especially since Taurus is the Latin word for “bull.” With its body kit and its dual exhaust cutouts, it might be appear to be a pretty fast car. Sadly, I have to call it out for not having any “go” to back up the “show.”

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1930 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Convertible

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While visiting the Martin Auto Museum in Phoenix, I was intrigued by this 1930 Duesenberg Model J. Before I get into the specifics of this car, I want to talk a little bit about the history of Duesenberg and what makes them so special.

The Best of the Best
When it comes to prewar American cars, Duesenberg stands out from other manufacturers like a golden thumb. They built outrageously expensive cars for the fabulously wealthy. A completed Duesenberg cost between $13,000 and $19,000 at a time when the average U.S. physician earned less than $3,000 a year. That same car would cost $258,134.54 car in 2012 dollars!

After their earlier Model A and Model X, Duesenberg set out to build a car that would compete with the most powerful and luxurious cars from Europe. Known as the Model J, this car represented the finest in American crafstmanship, engineering, and elegance.

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Local Motors Rally Fighter

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If you have been to our website before, you would probably agree that a Toyota Camry is a pretty boring car. It’s not a bad car, it is just not terribly exciting. The reason it is boring is because the Camry was designed to meet the need of drivers all over the world.

It has to be good at city driving for commuters.
It has to be good at highway driving for families and road trips.
It has to be good at being a taxi, commercial vehicle, or suburban grocery hauler.
It has to work in freezing cold Michigan winters and brutal Phoenix summers.
It has to be safe and pass crash test standards.
It has to meet vehicle emissions standards.
It has to be aesthetically pleasing.
And it still has to be affordable!

The Camry is a car that’s designed for every type of driving environment. But what if automakers built cars specific to the region where they were to be used? What if car manufacturers built a vehicle for the Pacific Northwest, a different vehicle for the Midwest, and another car for the Deep South?

Well, that is exactly the idea behind Local Motors.

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1990 Ford Bronco Too (Craigslist)

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Stay tuned, we are going to be incorporating odd Craigslist finds into our normal flow of posts. I spotted this odd truck while browsing the cheapos.

That super short wheelbase must make for an interesting time and for only $850 it seems like there is fun to be had, I’ll bet it spins em pretty good. Continue reading →