On the Road

Rocket 88 once again turns heads
[Aug. 24, 2006] When Harry Von Steenburg bought his 1956 Super 88 Oldsmobile convertible two years ago from a guy in River Rouge, it was fair to say it was a fixer-upper. The previous owner partially disassembled the car in order to begin his own restoration. Unfortunately, the process of re-assembling the car never happened. By James McCarter

Racing sure beats the heck out of golfing
[Aug. 17, 2006] When he was a young man, Jim Whipple raced a 1961 Ford Star Liner at Detroit Dragway and the old track in New Baltimore. As a performance enthusiast, he raced on weekends. It was a great life, but in 1966 he had to put racing aside to make a living. By James McCarter

1970 LS6 Chevelle a one-year wonder
[Aug. 10, 2006] Every once in a while you hear about a guy who stumbles onto a rare car stored in a barn for 30 years. The owner, of course, is unaware of the value of the vehicle so he sells it to the guy for a song. It’s such stories that that give all of us hope that we, too, may happen upon a treasured classic under such circumstances. By James McCarter

First-generation Thunderbird is a family classic
[Aug. 3, 2006] Don and Pat McCallum bought their 1955 Thunderbird 20 years ago.
“Actually, this is Pat’s car,” said Don who also owns Model A and a Hudson. “‘She always wanted a ‘55 T-bird, but we couldn’t afford one when they came out. So we waited a while.” By James McCarter

1951 Crosley is lost bit of Americana
[Jul. 27, 2006] Kent Copeman bought his 1951 Crosley station wagon about 15 years ago from a guy in Clio who wanted to turn it into a clown car for parades. It was one of the last Crosley automobiles ever made, as production ceased before the 1952 model year. By James McCarter

1966 Bonneville is a family affair
[Jul. 20, 2006] Larry Vader completed a beautiful Model T roadster pickup some years ago. For a long time he and his wife, Judy, enjoyed taking it to car shows and cruises. By James McCarter

Details make the difference in 1933 Ford hot rod
[Jun. 29, 2006] “Details, details, details,” answered Elden Schneck when asked what makes his 1933 Ford 3-window Coupe special.“It’s the details that make this car stand out.” He couldn’t be more right. By James McCarter

Grandparents turn heads with ‘Chevarley’
[Jun. 22, 2006] Dave Daley always wanted to build a car from scratch. He certainly has the skills. He has always been comfortable working on cars and other machinery. He even owned a body shop in Dryden for seven years. By James McCarter

Biker builds his machines the old-fashioned way
[Jun. 15, 2006] The world of custom motorcycles is a diverse one. The awesome machines we see on the Speed Channel or at bike shows come into existence in myriad ways. By James McCarter

1955 Chevy is a marriage between old and new
[Jun. 8, 2006] Larry Messenger frequently says he’s no mechanic as he gives a tour of his two-tone 1955 Chevrolet Belair. That may have been true at one time, but he’s clearly become pretty handy while souping up his classic shoebox over the last two years. By James McCarter

Original is nice; un-restored is better
[Jun. 1, 2006] Un-restored cars are all the rage now these days. While values have been flat or even dipping a bit in the old car market during the last 18 months, prices on low-mileage, un-restored vehicles have been strong. By James McCarter

‘72 Polara has a trunk full of memories
[May 18, 2006] For some classic car owners it’s the memories associated with the vehicle that make it special. This is certainly the case for Anna Omans and her 1972 Dodge Polara. She inherited the car from her father a couple of years ago. Now it’s time to sell it, and that’s difficult because it holds so many fond memories. By James McCarter

Original owners turn family car into cruiser
[May 11, 2006] Dennis and Karon Piskowrowski bought their 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass brand new in November of 1972.
Shortly after that,Karon took her road test in it. Dennis was driving a 1970 Z-28 at the time,and they wanted a second car with a little more room for vacations and,eventually, a family. By James McCarter

1951 Studebaker took 20 years to complete
[Apr. 27, 2006] When Harry Gould bought his 1951 Studebaker pickup in 1985 he knew it would take a while to bring it back to its original glory.He had a job and a family and all the time-consuming obligations that accompany those responsibilities. So he took his time, and 20 years later he has a beautiful example of a classic pick up. By James McCarter