It all started when I was young. I would watch my dad, uncle and grandpa work on their old cars and always wanted to have one of my own. I was always kind of fond of Chevelles. Off and on, I would look through Auto Trader with hopes of finding one in my price range to bring home and restore. In the fall of 2000, the journey began when a coworker took his daughter to see cows on an Ohio farm. While he was there, he saw what he thought was an orange Chevelle sitting out in the field. The following week, he told me about the car he had seen sitting in the farm field. He gave me directions to the farm, and the following weekend, my dad and I went to the farm to inquire about the vehicle. The farmer said it was not for sale and that it was his son’s car. He continued to explain that his son would be coming into town the following week for a wedding and proceeded to give me his son’s phone number, which I called. During the conversation with the farmer’s son, he confirmed that the car was a 1969 Chevelle Super Sport and it had been sitting in the field for more than five years. The car had originally come from North Carolina, then went to Michigan, Ohio and, finally, the farm. It hadn’t been on the road for many years and at some point, it had been stripped down in order to become a drag car. It did not have a motor or transmission

The son and I agreed to meet the following weekend in order for me and my dad to view the car. The weekend came and upon our inspection, it looked like someone had been going for the “Dukes of Hazzard” theme. The Chevelle was orange and had a CB antenna base mounted on the trunk lid. My dad and I continued to learn that there was very little interior inside the car. The deck lid had also been left open, allowing a small tree to grow through the large hole in the trunk floor where a battery used to sit. The sheet metal appeared to be in decent shape, despite small patches of rust. The engine was gone, and the only items under the hood were two steel wheel wells lying inside the engine compartment. 

After negotiating the price, my dad and I decided to accept the challenge of rescuing and restoring the Chevelle. Once we got it home, the restoration began. The dream was to restore it to its original showroom condition. As we disassembled the car, we found more and more issues. The main issue was the rear frame rails had rotted out due to a hole in the trunk floor.

Since the rear rails were so bad, my dad suggested that the vehicle would instead be a candidate for a pro-street car. Therefore, we took it down to just the frame and cut the rear rails off. We fabricated the rear frame rails and narrowed the rear of the frame. Then, we purchased and narrowed an old Ford truck 9-inch rear end. For approximately three months, we designed our own four-link suspension system, because the pro-street rear frame rails that we purchased from Summit Racing would have eliminated the rear seat. As a result of our design, we were able to repair and fabricate rear frame rails that would accommodate a rear seat. This meant that any four-link suspension we would buy would have to be modified in order to work. Once everything was mocked up to fit, I painted the frame. 

Over time, we continued to find parts needed to adequately complete the rebuild. For example, we purchased a Muncie four-speed from my uncle. For the engine, we preferred a 396-cid V-8, but did not acquire one due to the expense and lack of availability. Instead, we used a big-block Chevy 454 that came from a mid-’80s Suburban that had previously caught fire. My grandpa had originally purchased the engine from a salvage yard. When the salvage workers were removing the engine from the Suburban, they dropped it twice, resulting in one of the cylinder heads getting broken and the oil pan being punctured. Despite the damage, the block was good, so we took it to our local machine shop for repair.

I wanted the big-block to have a healthy sound and a lot of power. The machine shop had it for more than a year. The workers were trying to find new cast-iron cylinder heads that would fit big valves. During this time, my dad and I worked on restoring the chassis and body. Over time, we found a homemade rotisserie to put the body on. We purchased it for $100 from a man who used to restore Model T Fords, so we had to modify it in order for it to accommodate the Chevelle body. 

Once the body was on the rotisserie, the real work began. We began sandblasting the inside of the cabin as well as the underside. We continued to meticulously patch holes throughout the floor and around the windows. We fabricated large rear wheel wells and a new trunk floor in order to accommodate the new 15×15 Mickey Thompson tires. 

My dad and I completed rebuilding the Ford big-bearing 9-inch rear end with Positraction and 4:10 gears, as well as the Muncie four-speed. Eventually, we received the engine back from the machine shop. My dad was a heavy machinery mechanic for more than 30 years. His extensive knowledge and experience proved beneficial in rebuilding the engine and drivetrain ourselves. After it was built, we placed the engine and transmission in the frame. 

As time elapsed, life responsibilities and priorities pleasantly changed. I was blessed to become a husband and father. As a result, the restoration was placed on hold for several years. I am a supervisor of a finishing department, which allowed me to take various car parts to work throughout the years and paint them during my breaks. This allowed me to keep the project moving. Over time, my family and I moved to a new location farther from my parents’ home, which was where the car was being stored. As a result, I was not able to work on it as often as I would have liked. In order to bring the car home, I needed to renovate an old pole barn located on my property. This took some time. By 2019, I was finally able to load the body of the car onto a trailer and bring it home. Now I could begin the body work.

All of the rust had already been repaired by my dad and I several years prior. It took many months to correctly fit all of the sheet metal. Long hours were spent adding and grinding welding rod, which was added to the edge of the panels in order to create a 3/16-in. gap. Once all of the sheet metal was properly fitted and the gaps adjusted, I started straightening panels. This turned into many hours of block sanding, which turned into many weeks. I was trying to achieve a laser-straight car. Once I was pleased with the outcome, I disassembled the panels in order to paint the edges and door jams. After I finished painting the edges and door jams, I reassembled the car in order to paint the body. I chose GM Arrival Blue as my paint color. I painted the car at home in the pole barn I had previously renovated. 

Years ago, when I was stripping the car, I discovered holes in the body for trim pieces and realized the car originally had a vinyl top. Therefore, I decided to put a vinyl top back on it. In addition, I purchased new chrome bumpers and trim for the entire vehicle, because the original parts were not salvageable. I also purchased a wiring harness and new glass. 

In regards to the interior, I purchased a correct black vinyl SS interior kit. I successfully installed all of the interior except for the two front bucket seats, because they were ’68 Chevelle seats that had pushbuttons on the sides instead of in the middle of the backs. This proved problematic, because purchasing new ’69 Chevelle seat frames would be expensive. My dad recalled that my grandpa had two 1969 Chevelle Super Sport bucket seats that had been sitting in his basement for approximately 30 years. (They were once in his ’57 Chevy Bel Air.) My grandpa graciously let me have them for the car. Therefore, I was able to reupholster and install the proper seats in the car.

As time allowed, I continued to restore the car to completion. Everything except for the engine machining and four-wheel alignment was completed at home. In the summer of 2025, after 25 years of perseverance and determination, my dad and I took it for a drive. In August 2025, I registered it in a local car show for the first time where I enjoyed the opportunity to share the journey with other car enthusiasts. Lord willing, I plan to continue to enjoy and share this accomplishment with others.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

The post A new life for a Chevelle SS appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

It’s been 17 years since Old Cars first chronicled Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair in Dodge City, Kan., but a call from yard owner Henry Stapleton’s daughter, Liz Winn, unfortunately revealed that her 95-year-old father had passed away. The yard is now for sale, which prompted a return visit from Old Cars to get the details of the pending sale.

This story begins in 1959, when Henry Stapleton started storing old cars and trucks in his cow pasture where he occasionally hunted. His yard business came to fruition when Stapleton began selling parts from those cars and trucks, as well as doing on-site repair work on customer vehicles.

Moving to present day, the current yard inventory totals approximately 2,300 vehicles. According to Alex
Stapleton, Henry’s son, approximately 75 percent of that total number spans the 1920s to ’70s, while 20 percent of that age range is comprised of pickups. While there remain some desirable V-8 engines and sought-after transmissions, the bulk of the muscle car inventory was sold years ago.

The yard’s 18-acre layout is narrow and approximately one-half mile long. It has a sand-rich base soil, and sports mildly hilly terrain. The property contains several outbuildings, two of which include decades of boxed new-old-stock parts. The main Quonset-style shop building includes tools, loose parts and internal office space. The yard property itself contains many random collections of loose parts, including engines and transmissions, body panels, chassis and rear ends. Alex Stapleton also revealed that his dad stored many donor-quality parts in the trunks of random cars in inventory, but that no list exists of the parts or their whereabouts. An on-site car crusher is also included in the sale.

In conversation with Henry’s children, it becomes understandable why Liz and Alex want to find a buyer who will be as passionate about operating the salvage business as their father was over the 60-plus years he owned the yard. They, too, logged much of their youth working in the yard.

“I started working out in the yard when I was 4 (years old),” recalled Alex. “I was out in the yard every day chasing parts (for dad) and removing parts for customers.”

Asked if he had any interesting memories from his childhood yard adventures, Alex chuckled, “A customer junked his 1959 Ford, and my dad and I found that the trunk was loaded with Playboy magazines.”

Liz added that she, too, spent a lot of her childhood toiling in the yard.

“I was tall enough to be able to hold open a hood with one hand and remove a carburetor with the other (hand).” One forgettable memory for her involved working under a pickup installing a transmission. “While I was lying on my back, a bull snake crawled up my leg.”

Both Liz and Alex are representing the sale of Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair. Liz Winn can be contacted at 316-833-3391. Alex Stapleton can be reached at 620-885-5080. The mailing address for the property is Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair, 11525 Lariat Way, Dodge City, KS 67801.

The salvage yard is currently closed for business, being prepped for the sale. All photos accompanying this story are included to represent the types of vehicles that comprise the yard’s inventory. None are individually for sale at this time as the family hopes to sell the yard and its entire contents to a single buyer.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

The post It’s a yard sale! appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

The following clip dated Aug. 5, 1927, may be the earliest notable news appearance of the new Model A Ford. The clip was recently found by Bob Gardner in his search of history. He wanted it to be shared as a forgotten milestone relative to American automotive advancement. 

Interestingly, the car was driven past the editorial office of the publisher, which may imply that Henry Ford (or another official) was offering an exclusive whiz-bang glimpse of this creation for the editorial staff of the Detroit Free Press. Seems as though the occupants expected to be photographed, given their poise and the fact that no high-speed film (as we know it) existed in that day. The text states, “This is a picture of what is said to be an advance model of the much talked of new Ford, snapped as the car passed a Free Press staff photographer at 45 miles an hour….”

The American auto industry has had a tendency to be secretive to a point, but likewise has a record of allowing some favorable tidbits of advanced viewing to trickle to the news media as tantalizing pre-promotion.  This may be one such example.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

The post Vintage news article unearthed: Early Model A featured appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Despite what its moniker implies, Henry Ford’s “Tin Lizzie” wasn’t entirely made of tin. Rather than listing the ingredients, let’s just talk about engine block castings for now.

Among current-era Model T engine rebuilders, the 1926-’27 blocks are pretty much preferred, but those two-year-only castings are becoming rather scarce. The one we’ll be working with here was supplied by Dieter Lange, the southern California Model T engine guru. 

With a counterweighted Model A crankshaft and some other internal modifications, this Lange-built engine was built to run with the big dogs of timed rally competition. 

The engine’s initial shakedown took place in the deep south of southern California. That was for the Model T Ford Club of San Diego’s 31st Annual Speedster Run. Since the car was a fresh build, we’d expected that it might have some minor bugs. Sure enough, it did, but the engine performed flawlessly. 

At some point during the event, while parked out-front the headquarters motel, a small puddle of coolant appeared as a rusty pinhole made its presence known. At times like these, it’s good to have chemistry on our side. 

From the nearest open parts store, a popular leak-stopping product that you’ll quite likely recognize was introduced through the radiator. From there, as the car was driven, the problem simply went away. 

When a certain job demands it, I’m not opposed to cheating. I’ve used the aforementioned product to stop leaks in radiators, heater cores and so on. I’ve even stood and watched as it filled in for a failing freeze plug. As that engine idled, the coolant stream slowed to a trickle, then stopped, and that was that for years. 

In the case of our Model T speedster, however, it’s not exactly driven daily. From my own previous experience, regular driving is the key to such quick-fix chemical success. 

The speedster is now in Montana. During its first year here, it was stored all winter long. By spring, it sprung the same old leak in the same rusty section of water jacket. 

For the repair job at hand, we’ll still rely upon chemistry. This time, however, we’ll take an additional step. We’ll drain, strain and retain our chemical-fortified coolant. Then we’ll employ another popular parts store product — a two-part epoxy that you’ll also likely recognize.

Will this be just a bandage? Well, we’re in a pinch. A rust-free 1926-’27 Model T engine block would be pretty tough to come by, and anyway, we’re not about to start again from scratch. Together, our two chemical companions should form a closer-to-permanent leak-stopping team. At this stage in the game, we’ve got little to lose by trying.

Now before we begin the step-by-step technical portion of our story, we’d like to skip farther ahead and expound the good news. This worked! At the time of this typewriting, the little speedster has been driven enough that we’ve relaxed a bit, or two. We’re no longer just watching it leak — at least not
in the same old place. 

Looking for more resto tips? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/old-cars-restoration-in-with-the-good-air

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/old-cars-restoration-bedding-your-brakes-rehab

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/old-cars-restoration-basics-replacing-weatherstrip-rehab

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

The post Cast iron meets chemistry: Salvaging a rusty engine block appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

How versed are you in post-war Fords? Let’s find out!

POST-WAR
FORD TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Answers will be at the end. Don’t peek!
(Accompanying photos are for reference only and are not the correct answer)

1 – What year did Ford first offer the Fairlane Series? 

A. 1954 B. 1955 C. 1957 D. 1959 

2 – The FE “big-block” V8 engine helped lead Ford to its “Total Performance”
program. What was the displacement of the first version of the FE motor released to the public? 

A. 332 cid B. 352 cid C. 361 cid D. 390 cid 

3 – Starting in 1952, Ford began marketing its convertible as the Sunliner. What
was the last year the name Sunliner was used on a Ford Convertible? 

A. 1958 B. 1960 C. 1962 D. 1964

4 – Ford was known as the “Wagon Master” starting in the 1950s. What year did Ford release its revolutionary “two-way” tailgate? 

A. 1964 B. 1966 C. 1967 D. 1969

5 – During the 1960s, Thunderbird evolved into a true personal luxury car. What
was the biggest cubic-inch displacement offered in the T-bird between the 1960 and 1969 model years?

A. 430 cid B. 352 cid C. 406 cid D. 429 cid 

6 – Mustang was a smash hit when introduced in April 1964. From what other Ford line did much of the Mustang’s engineering evolve? 

A. Fairlane B. Falcon C. Thunderbird D. Econoline

7 – What make and model automobile was sold through Chrysler dealers, but had
a Ford engine? 

A. Dual Ghia B. Plymouth Arrow C. Sunbeam Tiger D. DeSoto Fireflite

8 – Galaxie was first marketed in 1959 as a premium series of the Fairlane 500.
What was the first year that Ford offered the Galaxie 500 series? 

A. 1960 B. 1962 C. 1965 D. 1968 

9 – For the U.S. market, what year did Ford introduce the Y-block overhead
valve V-8? 

A. 1952 B. 1953 C. 1954 D. 1955 

10 – During the 1950s and 1960s, Ford often had exotic-sounding names
for its colors. But black had one name used up into the 1970s. What name did Ford market its basic black? 

A. Tuxedo B. Ebony C. Raven D. Midnight

Drum roll please… Here are the answers.
How did you do?

1 – (B) Fairlane was named after Henry and Clara Ford’s estate in Dearborn, and the Fairlane name was introduced for the 1955 model year.

2 – (C) The first FE big-block V-8 to hit the market has 361 cubic inches and was offered first in the 1958 Edsel as the E-400, with 361 cubic inches rated at 303 hp. 

3 – (B) Ford marketed its Sunliner convertible from 1952 to 1962. From 1954 to 1956, the Skyliner was a glass-top car, and in 1960, the fastback hardtop was called the Starliner.

4 – (B) The two-way tailgate, where it could fold down or be hinged like a door, was first seen in 1966. 

5 – (A) The largest displacement in a Thunderbird between 1960 and
1969 was the 430-cid V-8 seen in 1960 (it was introduced in 1959).

6 – (B) The mighty Mustang’s basic engineering evolved from the Ford Falcon. 

7 – (C) Produced by the Rootes Company, Ltd in the U.K., the Sunbeam Tiger utilized the Ford small-block V-8, first with 260 cubic inches, and later with 289 cubic inches.

8 – (B) The Galaxie was first offered in 1959, the Galaxie 500 in 1962 and later that year came the Galaxie 500XL. 

9 – (C) The Y-block V-8 hit the U.S. market for 1954 sporting 239 cid and 140 hp. It was the same displacement as the last “flathead” V-8, but with 30 more horses. Canada would not get the Y-block until 1955. 

10 – (C) From 1950 well into the 1970s, Ford’s basic gloss-black finish was Raven Black. 

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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The post Do you know your post-war Fords? Test your knowledge! appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

In January 1966, American Motors Corp. unveiled its first prototype featuring a “Ramble Seat,” the company’s updated version of the prewar rumble seat placed where the trunk compartment would be. Although the production 1968 AMX two-seater did not include the Ramble Seat, the concept remained influential.

James “Jim” Jeffords, former Milwaukee-area racer and manager of AMC’s 1968 Javelin Trans Am campaign, partnered with designer Brooks Stevens, also of Milwaukee, to design the custom AMX-R featuring a Ramble Seat. The feature would have added open-air riding for rear-seat passengers of the two-seat AMX, which was a shortened version of the four-passenger AMC Javelin fastback coupe. 

Constructed on Dec. 11, 1967, the featured AMX-R prototype was assembled two months prior to the public release of the AMX in February 1968. It was sent to Dave Puhl’s House of Kustoms in Palatine, Ill., for modification, as House of Kustoms had worked on other AMC prototypes. In six weeks time, Puhl extensively modified the AMX, preserving its original concept. He replaced the fastback rear window with a vertical, removable Plexiglas panel, rebuilt the deck for fold-open seating and created an air dam designed to channel airflow over the roof and rumble seat occupants. The AMX-R also featured rear suspension upgrades to accommodate the extra weight. Puhl lowered the car and stiffened the rear springs, and also swapped the 14-in. wheels for 15-in. Spyder wheels. Additionally, the hood was modified, the car was sprayed with custom paint and the AMX-R was given unique and more plush upholstery with more seat padding and upgraded carpet. The exterior was also dressed with unique “AMX-R” and “Jeffords” scripts.

The AMX-R’s custom paint was an eye-catching Candy Apple Red complemented by flat-black paint on the ram air-type hood that came to be called a “Shadow Mask” hood treatment.

Jeffords and Stevens intended to manufacture a limited number of AMX-R cars and distribute them via AMC dealerships. To attract attention, they showcased the AMX-R as a pace car at several Trans Am races. Ultimately, however, AMC did not support the initiative, resulting in only one prototype — the Puhl-built model — ever being produced. Jeffords’ and Stevens’ plan had been to offer the Ramble seat on 500 production AMXes, making the AMX-R a distinctive and unique prototype. In the end, AMC decided that if performance junkies wanted to seat four people, the four-passenger Javelin upon which the production AMX was based satisfied any need.

Additionally, there were several other significant obstacles that prevented the AMX-R prototype from reaching serial production. These challenges included safety and product liability concerns, AMC’s refusal to sell vehicles for modification, and a strong negative reaction from consumer advocate Ralph Nader regarding the exposed exterior seating concept.

Although the AMX-R never entered full production, its special blacked-out hood treatment later appeared as the “Shadow Mask” option on the 1970 AMX models, leaving a lasting influence on subsequent designs.

Landing the AMX-R

While the AMX-R was making its PR rounds back in 1968, Darryl A. Salisbury, of Vicksburg, Mich., had just returned from five years of overseas service with the U.S. Air Force. Soon after his return, his father showed him an article on the AMX-R in the October issue of Rod & Custom that ended with, “How would you like to have one sitting in your driveway?” Little did Salisbury know one day it would be parked in his driveway.

In 1984, Salisbury was president of the American Motors Owners Association when the AMX-R was displayed at the club’s annual convention. By that time, the car was owned by the Brooks Stevens Museum, and it was for sale. Darryl Salisbury inquired about buying the car and six months later, the museum curator called to say that Bob Stevens, the late editor of Cars & Parts magazine, designer Dick Teague, and the late Duane Mackie, then the editor at Collectible Automobile magazine, believed that Salisbury would be a great caretaker for the AMX-R.

After sitting neglected for a decade, Salisbury and his brother-in-law Brian Moyer began restoring the car. The AMX-R was complete and despite its very low mileage, it was in poor condition from years of basement storage before Stevens owned it. Even today, the former show car shows just 5,200 miles.

The restoration took 10 years, but the award-winning outcome justified the effort. Salisbury said the car drives like his other AMXes, although the Ramble Seat is uncomfortable with its single long seat belt for both passengers.

Launching the AMX

AMC orchestrated the mid-model-year debut of the AMX with a strong emphasis on its sports car capabilities. To highlight its performance credentials, AMC invited automotive journalists to Daytona, creating an environment that showcased the car’s strengths on a renowned racing stage. AMC also entered into a marketing partnership with Playboy Enterprises to broaden the AMX’s appeal among a youthful, trend-conscious audience. The introduction to AMC dealers was equally distinctive, with meetings held at nine different Playboy Clubs, ensuring dealer engagement and enthusiasm for the new model.

The AMX was officially unveiled to the public on Feb. 24, 1968, strategically timed five months after the release of the four-passenger Javelin and the other AMC vehicles for the 1968 model year. AMC positioned the AMX as “the only American sports car that costs less than $3,500,” appealing to buyers seeking performance more affordable than a Corvette. Advertisements depicted a helmeted race driver at the starting line in a sporty AMX, reinforcing the car’s readiness to reach speeds of up to 125 mph, underlining its competitive spirit.

Designed as a two-seater, the sporty AMX targeted a specific, well-defined niche in the market. Its unique attributes succeeded in attracting younger customers to AMC showrooms in unprecedented numbers. Automotive journalists responded enthusiastically, frequently describing the AMX as a “handsome two-seater with American-style acceleration and European-style handling.” Extensive road tests across varied terrains confirmed these impressions, with reviewers often declaring the AMX to be among the best-looking cars produced in the United States.

AMC optimistically advertised it would limit production of the AMX to 10,000 units for 1968, but only 6,725 of this “halo model” were built that model year. 

All 1968 AMX models were equipped with four-barrel carbureted AMC small-block V-8 engines, available in three versions: a 290-cid V-8 engine producing 225 hp (N-code); a 343-cid V-8 engine delivering 290 hp (T-code); and the 390-cid V-8 “AMX” engine, which was introduced with the AMX model and generated 315 hp and 425 lb.-ft. of torque (X-code). While these engines shared external dimensions, their internal construction varied. The 290 featured smaller intake and exhaust valves, thinner block webbing and a nodular iron crankshaft. The 343 received larger valves and thicker webbing, whereas the 390 was distinguished by a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods instead of cast iron, along with larger 2.250-inch rod bearings compared to the 2.090-inch bearings in the smaller engines.

A BorgWarner T-10 four-speed manual transmission came standard on the AMX, complemented by specialized traction bars, a dual exhaust system and wider tires to enhance traction. As an alternative, buyers could opt for the “Shift-Command” three-speed automatic transmission (BorgWarner model M-11B or M-12) with manual shifting capability and a floor console-mounted shifter.

The popular “Go-Package” was available for models equipped with the four-barrel 343 or 390 engines. This package added power-assisted front disc brakes, a “Twin-Grip” differential, E70x14 red-stripe performance tires on 6-inch-wide steel road wheels, heavy-duty suspension with thicker sway bars, an upgraded cooling system and other performance enhancements. Additionally, AMC dealers offered a broad selection of specialized performance parts, organized under the “Group 19” catalog heading, which allowed customers to further tailor their AMX to their performance preferences.

Despite its performance prowess, good looks and rave reviews, the 1968 AMX was never a top-selling muscle car and today, they are rare. But none
is as rare as the AMX-R.

AMC’s your thing? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week-1971-amc-hornet-sc-360

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week-1965-amc-ambassador-990

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1970-amc-rebel-machine

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

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The post Car of the Week: 1968 AMX-R prototype appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

In 1968, Bob Mannel began his search for his first Fairlane. A friend had provided him with a 1963 Ford Buyer’s Digest, which showcased all the Fairlane models and available engine options for that year. Among the illustrations, the depiction of a High Performance 289-4V engine caught Bob’s eye and sparked a lasting fascination with this particular powerplant.

Bob wasn’t able to locate and purchase an affordable Fairlane equipped with the High Performance 289-4V back in 1968. It wasn’t until 1984 that he finally landed a Fairlane with the rare High Performance engine option. And what a Fairlane it was!

An affinity for Ford small-block V-8s

From 1968 to the early 1980s, Bob was elbow-deep working with Fords packing other small-block V-8 engines, such as the 221-cid V-8, 260-cid V-8 and the pedestrian version of the 289-cid V-8. His first car, a white-over-turquoise 1962 Fairlane, was powered by the 221-cid V-8. His wife’s chestnut 1963 Fairlane Sports Coupe also featured the 221-cid V-8, which was later upgraded to a 260-cid V-8. Another one of the couple’s Fairlanes, a 1963 Country Squire station wagon, received a 289-4V to replace its original 260-cid V-8. Additionally, a 1963 Fairlane Sports Coupe was upgraded to a 289 engine using Ford’s Muscle Parts Program components, transforming it into a hydraulic version of the High Performance 289. As Bob’s small-block collection continued to grow, it even came to include a couple Mercurys: a 1964 Comet Caliente and a 1965 Comet hardtop, both powered by small-block Ford V-8s.

With so many small-block-powered Ford Motor Co. products — especially Fairlanes — coming and going from his garage, Bob found himself networking with other Fairlane owners. One thing led to another, and in 1981, he and his wife Jane contributed to the establishment of the Fairlane Club of America. They subsequently launched a newsletter titled Fairlaner that, over time, developed into a magazine under their editorial leadership. 

With a wealth of small-block Ford V-8 knowledge and hands-on experience with the engine, combined with his Fairlane connections, Bob set out to write a comprehensive book about the engines that powered his beloved Fairlanes, as well as other Ford models. The book included coverage of popular Mustang V-8s due to the high interest in Ford’s pony car, but Bob’s primary focus was on the smaller-displacement engines found in their predecessors, notably pre-1965 Fairlane models.

New Ford, new small-block V-8

For the 1962 model year, Ford repositioned the Fairlane from a full-size model to a new intermediate model, bridging the compact Falcon and the full-sized Galaxie. The Fairlane was designed to compete with Chevrolet’s new Nova and Plymouth’s new shorter models. Measuring 197 inches in length with a 115.5-inch wheelbase, it was 16 inches longer than the Falcon and 12.3 inches shorter than the Galaxie.

Fairlane styling borrowed from several FoMoCo products, and for its inaugural model year of 1962, it actually borrowed more of its styling cues from the full-size 1961 Fords rather than the restyled 1962 big Fords. The 1962 Fairlane had small canted tailfins that terminated above large, round taillamp lenses, as on a 1961 Ford. The Fairlane grille incorporated horizontal quad headlamps and appeared close to that of the 1959 Edsel grille, but without the Edsel’s central “horse collar.” The roofs of the new 1962 Fairlanes had wide C pillars, as seen on a Thunderbird.

Structurally, the new Fairlane featured unit-body construction incorporating Ford’s distinctive “torque boxes,” which improved vertical absorption of road shock. Its front suspension utilized a standard short-long arm design, complemented by a Hotchkiss drive system at the rear. For 1962, Fairlane body styles included only two-door and four-door sedans available in both the base Fairlane and top-line Fairlane 500 trim lines.

Fairlane powertrain options for 1962 began with a standard 170-cid inline six-cylinder engine, while the introduction of Ford’s lightweight small-block V-8s provided increased performance at extra cost. Initially available as a 221-cid variant generating 145 hp, mid-year saw the addition of a 260-cid “Challenger” version producing 164 hp. These new small-block V-8s packed good punch for their size — with relatively good gas mileage to boot — and fit nicely into the intermediate Fairlane’s engine bay. They were also lightweight, which helped keep the Fairlane’s overall weight down.

A Sports Coupe version of the Fairlane 500 two-door sedan debuted during the 1962 model year, adding bucket seats and a compact floor console. All top-line Fairlane 500s added wider side strip moldings and three bullet accents on the rear quarter panels not seen on base Fairlane models.

For its second model year, the midsize Fairlane/Fairlane 500 started to look more like the full-size Ford it complemented. The 1963 Fairlanes received new front fenders that were led by a concave grille very much like that of the 1963 Galaxie. However, the body shell from the cowl back remained the same as in 1962, so the 1961 big Ford’s tailfins appeared on Fairlanes for another year. The Fairlane line also increased for 1963 by adding station wagon and two-door hardtop models. 

The Challenger 221-cid and 260-cid V-8s returned as options for 1963, so the real news was the debut of the High Performance 289-4V engine (aka Hi-Po 289). This engine was based up on the small-block V-8s that had debuted in the Fairlane line in 1962, but besides being punched out to a larger displacement, it also had cast-iron headers, solid lifters, a nodular iron crankshaft, high-performance connecting rods, a wider harmonic dampener, a dual-point ignition system, Autolite 4100 series four-barrel carburetor, a hot camshaft and screw-in rocker-arm studs, among other performance goodies. These tricks brought the Hi-Po 289-cid V-8’s performance potential to 271 hp — not too far from one horsepower per cubic inch. Fairlanes equipped with the High Performance 289-4V engine received front fender-mounted “V” badges labeled “289 High Performance” to indicate the upgrade to John Q. Public, and a “K” as the fifth character in their VIN to identify the hot engine to Ford personnel. As a result of the “K” in their VIN, High Performance 289-4V cars are often called “K codes.” It’s worth noting the Hi-Po 289 was the same engine supplied to Carroll Shelby for use in Cobras — it’s a true high-performance, no-compromise engine designed for full-throttle operation, capable of generating its 271 hp at 6,000 rpm. Ford offered the engine through 1967, replacing it with the 302-cid V-8 in 1968. 

Fairlanes for 1964 received a minor refresh to mark the new model year, notably receiving a new forward-raked grille that mimicked the grilles of that year’s full-size Galaxies. The tailfins were finally clipped from the Fairlane, but the large, round jet exhaust-inspired taillamps remained, as did the wide Thunderbird-type C pillars. Since the 1962-1964 Fairlanes have a clear resemblance to one another, it’s logical that Bob Mannel would concentrate his small-block engine research efforts to Fairlanes of these model years.

Landing a Hi-Po 289 four-door

Locating and documenting early-1960s examples of the 221-, 260- and standard 289-cid V-8 engines for his book was relatively easy in the large junkyards around Bob’s Los Angeles home. However, the Hi-Po 289 was much rarer and highly sought after by Mustang enthusiasts, making it difficult to find examples. 

After relocating to the Northwest, Bob placed a want ad in the Seattle Times seeking early Ford small-block V-8 engines to document. This led him to a neglected 1963 Fairlane 500 four-door in the Seattle area equipped with the 289 Hi-Po engine he had been searching for. The seller would only sell the car as a complete unit, refusing to separate the engine from the car.

Bob struck a deal and brought the whole Fairlane 500 home. He removed the engine for documentation, but chose to keep the rest of the car since he had never heard of a High Performance 289-4V being factory installed in a four-door sedan. Through further research, Bob discovered that only one other four-door sedan with this engine had been produced in 1963, but it had been scrapped before it could be saved — likely for its valuable engine and drivetrain. This left Bob’s Hi-Po 289 Fairlane 500 as the sole surviving K-code four-door.

When Ford Motor Co. installed the High Performance 289-4V engine in Bob’s Fairlane 500 four-door sedan, it paired it with a column-shifted manual three-speed transmission — specifically, a modified heavy-duty Galaxie unit usually paired with a 390 V-8 — rather than the typical Fairlane unit. It’s believed this transmission was installed to better handle the increased horsepower of the High Performance 289-4V engine. Like other 1963 Hi-Po 289s, the exhaust system was comprised of a single 2-3/4-inch pipe and a special muffler. Both the engine assembly and scheduled build date of Bob’s car occurred on April 9, 1963.

The white 1963 Fairlane four-door sedan had passed through seven owners before Bob acquired it. He learned it was originally ordered by Westside Ford, Inc. in Seattle, potentially for use as a showroom display as it was outfitted with chrome valve covers, likely for aesthetic enhancement. Apparently having a performance engine in its four-door body didn’t help sell the Fairlane 500, and it took five months into the following model year to find a buyer. When the Hi-Po 289 Fairlane 500 did finally sell, it was sold as a leftover model at a heavily discounted price of $1,950 (the base price of a 1963 Fairlane 500 sedan, before any options, was $2,407). Each owner used the car as a daily driver and modified it to suit their needs. These included changes to the rear gear ratio, the vacuum advance distributor and the installation of hydraulic lifters. After 12 years and 94,000 miles of use, the rare Fairlane 500 was parked in a field for four years. Bob saved it from the field in 1984, then stored it another four years, although in better conditions.

Restoration journey

In addition to removing the engine and transmission for documentation, Bob also removed the seats, carpet, door panels and any other items that might attract mold and mildew. He then treated the car’s metal surfaces with primer and undercoating to prevent rust. The car remained mobile and was stored in three different states over the course of Bob’s career as a U.S. Navy pilot. 

In 2016, Bob finally had the opportunity to begin restoring his K-Code Fairlane 500. The car spent six months with a professional restorer to repair the chassis and receive a fresh coat of white paint. Bob then undertook the meticulous task of overhauling and reassembling all components. The restored Hi-Po 1963 Fairlane 500 four-door sedan made its debut appearance at the 2022 Fairlane Club of America National Meet in Kingsport, Tenn. It was the only Hi-Po 1963 Fairlane four-door sedan at the meet, and as the lone survivor, it always will be.

Bob not only finished restoring the unique Fairlane four-door, he finished his book on Ford small-block V-8s. His book, titled “Mustang & Ford Small Block V8 1962-1969,” was finally self-published in 1998. It sold out in December 2024, but since 2015, he’s been updating its contents with a complementing PDF that was included with the printed books. Now that the book is sold out, he offers his PDF as a stand-alone, digital book at a nominal fee to cover his expenses. He continues his small-block Ford V-8 research, and updates his PDF of valuable information at http://www.fordsmallblock.com. 

Looking for more information on Fairlanes or just want to meet fellow Fairlane lovers? Check out the Fairlane Club of America.

Fairlane Club of America
7177 County Road 1135
Leonard,  TX  75452-6083
610-750-4703
https://fca.clubexpress.com

Love Fairlanes? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week-1968-ford-fairlane-500-428-cobra-jet

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1960-ford-fairlane-500-article

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1968-ford-fairlane-500

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We visited Jeff Stumb, executive director of the Stahls Motors & Music Experience in Chesterfield, Mich., as he prepared its 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car for the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance. During his initial drive, he observed the vehicle’s advanced design, smooth handling, modern features, innovative instrumentation and even the concealed ashtray intended for rear passengers. Following the test drive, Jeff commented that the vehicle exhibited outstanding performance and evoked comparisons to the jet-powered cars depicted in the “Jetsons” television program from his youth. His experience made him one of only a few hundred civilians to have ever experienced driving a 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car.

With its striking design and innovative engineering, the Chrysler Turbine Car captivated automotive enthusiasts and the general public alike. Its unique engine sound and futuristic appearance made it a memorable icon of 1960s automotive experimentation, symbolizing both technological optimism and the challenges of bringing radical new concepts to market.

A turbine car for the masses

Chrysler Corp. produced its most famous turbine car from late 1962 to October 1964 as 1963 models. Bodied by Carrozzeria Ghia of Italy and final-assembled in Detroit, only 55 cars were built. Of those 55 Turbine cars, 5 were prototypes and 50 were built for public testing. Nearly all of them were finished in a paint color that Chrysler called Turbine Bronze that was complemented by a black vinyl top. At least one white example is known to have been produced and was one of two Turbine Cars to appear at the New York World’s Fair, where Chrysler gave rides to visitors. This white Turbine Car (or a different white Turbine Car altogether) also publicly appeared in the 1964 film “The Lively Set.” Otherwise, the cars were indistinguishable from one another and even used the same ignition key.

Elwood Engel, who is also credited with designing the 1961 Lincoln Continental and Ford Thunderbird while at Ford Motor Co., led the Turbine Car design process, with former Ford Motor Co. designer Charles Mashigan also receiving credit for his part designing the 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car. These men’s earlier work designing the 1961 Thunderbird is why the cars cut a similar profile and also share jet-inspired design influences. But whereas the Thunderbird relied on a missile shape, the Turbine Car used a turbine theme throughout.

The Turbine Car’s turbine theme was apparent throughout the exterior of the car, from the round, vaned headlamp bezels to the similarly vaned wheel cover centers and preposterously oversized, vaned housings for the small rear reflectors. Even inside, the full-length floor console that divided the individual front and rear leather-trimmed bucket seats was a giant silver shaft with vanes at the front and rear. The steering wheel hub design matched that of the headlamp bezels, and behind it was an instrument panel housing three large, round pods. It was nothing like anything else in a Chrysler product of the period.

As a top-line Chrysler product, each Chrysler Turbine Car touted such amenities as air-over-oil power drum brakes, power steering, TorqueFlite automatic transmission, radio and heater. The chassis was fitted with a conventional independent front suspension with coil springs and rear leaf springs. It is believed that it cost Chrysler Corp. as much as $55,000 (about $558,000 in 2025) to build each car, about $20,000 of which was just in the hand-built Ghia body.

A turbine future?

When Chrysler began researching turbine engines for aviation in the late 1930s, the program was led by executive engineer George Huebner. After World War II, Huebner and fellow engineers Bud Mann and Sam B. Williams started exploring turbine-powered cars. Turbine engines attracted interest due to their simpler design and fuel flexibility compared to piston-powered counterparts that ran only on gasoline or diesel fuel. By the mid 1950s, Chrysler was a leader in gas turbine car research, although General Motors and Rover also experimented with turbine cars.

After refining its turbine design with a regenerator to improve heat exchange, Chrysler installed a turbine engine in a mostly stock 1954 Plymouth Belvedere. On June 16, 1954, it unveiled the turbine-powered Belvedere at Chelsea Proving Grounds in Michigan before more than 500 reporters. However, engineers found that heating, cooling and emissions posed major engineering challenges for integrating a turbine engine into a car. The engines were also expensive to build and operate, so they weren’t feasible for everyday use by the masses. There was good news, though: Chrysler claimed this turbine had 20 percent fewer parts and weighed 200 pounds less than similar piston engines.

Chrysler continued its turbine research and introduced its next turbine car, this time a mostly stock 1956 Plymouth, on March 23, 1956. Huebner drove it 3,020 miles from New York City to Los Angeles, followed by a support team, with only two minor (non-engine) repairs needed. The successful trip prompted Chrysler to expand its turbine program and relocate operations to a bigger Detroit facility. 

A subsequent version of the Chrysler turbine engine (the second-generation model) was installed in a 1959 Plymouth and achieved an average fuel efficiency of 19.4 miles per gallon during a journey from Detroit to Woodbridge, N.J. This performance represented a notable improvement over the 13 mpg recorded by the first-generation turbine during the 1956 New York-to-Los Angeles trip. 

When Chrysler Corp. introduced its third-generation turbine engine, the CR2A, it became the company’s first officially named turbine engine. This engine worked to reduce the high cost of turbine engine production. During development in May 1960, Huebner noted that the turbine functioned as its own torque converter, produced 140 hp, had a 1.5-second acceleration lag (improved from 9 seconds previously) and weighed 150–450 lb less than similar piston engines.

Third-generation CR2A turbines were integrated into various vehicles, such as a 2-1/2-ton 1960 Dodge truck and the Chrysler Turboflite concept car. Refined CR2A turbines were also installed in a 1962 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Fury, and again Chrysler took its turbine cars to the road, driving the Dart from New York City to Los Angeles in December 1961. The Fury completed a much shorter journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco in January 1962. Upon arriving at Los Angeles with the Dart, Huebner dedicated two hours to providing journalists with test rides in the turbine-powered vehicle.

Chrysler showcased its fleet of turbine cars across North America, Europe and Mexico in February 1962, visiting 90 cities and giving rides to nearly 14,000 people, thus reaching millions more observers. The third-generation turbine program concluded at the Chicago Auto Show that same month, where Chrysler displayed its turbine-powered vehicles, including the turbine-powered Typhoon concept car, which loaned its front and rear styling to the 1963 Turbine Car (and nearly loaned its name). Just before the event, the company announced plans for a fourth-generation turbine engine to be installed in a limited run of 50-75 cars (the final total was 55), which would be loaned to the public free of charge starting in 1963. The company said the decision was driven largely by the enthusiastic response to the touring demonstrations.

Chrysler’s most famous turbine car

The 1963 Chrysler Turbine Cars were powered by the A-831, the name of Chrysler’s fourth-generation turbine engine. Unlike its predecessor, the CR2A, the A-831 featured twin regenerators, one on each side of the gasifier, instead of a single heat exchanger mounted on top. This reduced the engine’s weight by 40 lbs., bringing it down to just 410 lbs. Due to their design, these engines did not need antifreeze, a cooling system, radiator, connecting rods or crankshafts.

The A-831 could run on diesel fuel, unleaded gasoline, kerosene, JP-4 jet fuel and various unconventional fuels including furnace oil, perfume, peanut oil and soybean oil. However, leaded gasoline would damage it. Chrysler engineers even confirmed that Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos successfully operated one of these cars using tequila as fuel. A few Americans were also said to have poured their favorite alcohol — including Jack Daniels — in Turbine Cars’ fuel tanks to power them.

The engine generated 130 hp at 36,000 rpm and idled between 18,000 and 22,000 rpm. Many bystanders compared its sound to the whoosh of a vacuum cleaner. At stall, it was capable of producing 425 lb.-ft. of torque. While idling, its exhaust temperature did not exceed 180 degrees Fehrenheit. When operating at 120 mph, the turbine reached its maximum speed of 60,000 rpm. Accelerating from 0-60 mph took about 12 seconds. 

Turbine Cars hit driveways

From October 1963 to January 1966, a total of 203 people —180 men and 23 women, aged 21 to 70 — participated in Chrysler’s Turbine Car test program. They lived in 133 cities across the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., and 60 percent were already Chrysler owners. At least one Turbine Car also made an appearance in Europe. British journalist Robert Walling of the Evening Standard posed with a Turbine Car in the United Kingdom during October 1963 after that car appeared at the Salon de l’Automobile in Paris. Lucky members of the U.S. test group each had use of their Turbine Car for three months at no cost, but they were responsible for the cost of fuel. In the agreement with Chrysler Corp. to use the cars at no cost, testers would provide Chrysler with detailed feedback from their experience driving them. In total, the testers racked up more than 1 million miles of driving.

Initial issues included sluggish acceleration due partly to their heavy body construction and vibration from tire treads, noticeable due to the smooth turbine engine. Benefits were the smooth engine, the turbine’s reduced need for maintenance and generally easy starts in a variety of conditions. However, some people in higher altitudes experienced starting trouble. Other common complaints were poor fuel economy and a relatively loud noise level. When Chrysler investigated the noise complaint, however, it discovered about 60 percent of users liked the car’s jet-like turbine sound, while around 20 percent disliked it (the remaining 20 percent were indifferent).

Regardless of whether or not testers found they would buy a turbine-powered car if and when they became available, all found the experience memorable. Crowds would gather whenever one of the futuristic Turbine Bronze cars stopped — even when the cars were parked in the testers’ driveways! Although the testers didn’t get to keep the cars, many had one of the popular Turbine Bronze plastic scale promotional models as a keepsake.

The fate of Chrysler’s experiment

In April 1966, Harry E. Chesebrough, Vice President of Product Planning and Development, stated that the test cars would be retired regardless of whether the Chrysler Turbine Car entered production. Chrysler ended up destroying 46 cars after completing user testing and public displays; 45 were obliterated at a scrapyard south of Detroit, while another was demolished at its Chelsea Proving Grounds. Essentially, these test cars were concepts, and Chrysler likely destroyed most of them to eliminate the possibility of liability issues, as is the practice for experimental cars. As one Chrysler executive explained in Look magazine, “Our main objective is research, and we did not want turbines turning up on used-car lots.” Destroying the cars also helped protect Chrysler’s proprietary secrets.

Nine 1963 Chrysler Turbine Cars still exist, all of which are painted Turbine Bronze. Chrysler retained three cars (two of which it still owns), while the other six were sent to museums. Today, at least three of the Turbine Cars are known to be operational: the Turbine Car owned by Jay Leno; the restored example owned by the National Museum of Transportation; and the featured Turbine Car owned by the Stahls Motors & Music Experience.

Ted and Mary Stahl, founders of the Stahls Motors & Music Experience, acquired their Turbine Car in 2021. It previously belonged to the Harrah Collection, from which renowned collector Tom Monaghan purchased it. Equally distinguished collector Frank Kleptz owned the car after Monaghan sold it and kept it in his collection through his passing.

Today, the Stahls Motors & Music Experience regularly displays its Turbine Car at events and among its collection.

The Stahls Motors & Music Experience is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to preserve, restore and exhibit classic automobiles of the 20th Century for educational purposes. The Experience, based in Chesterfield, Mich., features continually changing exhibits of historically significant vehicles from the Depression and Art Deco eras, along with mechanical music machines and automobile memorabilia. It also hosts many community events throughout the year while being open to the public, including an annual fundraising event honoring and benefiting U.S. military veterans.

Stahls Motors & Music Experience
Chesterfield, MI 
www.stahlsauto.com
586-749-1078

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As chief judge of the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, I always carefully check the applicant lists. This year, I was surprised to see an entry called a 1953 Cheetah. That was too early for a Bill Thomas California Cheetah, but I was pretty sure I knew what car it was. When the Cheetah was a no-show, I was very disappointed.

I resolved to track it down. Armed with a name and a phone number, I called the owner, David Pacqua, in Norwalk, Conn. He, too, was disappointed,  as he and his wife had hoped to have the car ready for Greenwich. He’d inadvertently fitted the wrong flywheel and the starter motor wouldn’t engage.

“Do you own John Plaisted’s old race car?” I asked. When he said, “Yes,” the memories flooded back.

An unforgettable Cheetah sighting

In the mid 1950s, as a car-mad junior high school student in Swampscott, Mass. — a small seaside suburb about 13 miles north of Boston — I was very aware of everything interesting on wheels located in a 5-mile radius of my home. I knew this car. Located just across from King’s Beach, on the Lynn-Swampscott line, stood a large garage and filling station that was run by a man named John Plaisted.

Mr. Plaisted was a locally respected mechanic who (from my memory) sold new Saabs and Borgwards, serviced imported cars (we called them “foreign cars”) and he had a tough-looking, homebuilt race car that he’d campaigned at many New England tracks. You couldn’t miss Mr. Plaisted’s car when it was running on the street, and you could hear it coming for blocks.

I recall Mr. Plaisted as a short, stocky fellow with unruly hair, a “can do” attitude and an air of impatience. His scruffy little two-seater, which he’d named the Cheetah, was a reflection of his feisty personality. He’d begun building the Cheetah in 1952. A “Jacob’s coat” of a car, it rode on a re-purposed and massive 1952 Ford chassis that Plaisted had recycled after a wreck (not his). The ladder frame was Zee-ed front and rear with independent coil spring front suspension and Air Lifts inside the front springs. The steering box had started life on a Thunderbird. 

The Cheetah looked like a junkyard dog — and that’s not an unkind statement. It was powered by a basically stock 331-cid Cadillac V-8, at first with just a four-barrel carburetor. The big Caddy mill had solid lifters, adjustable rockers and, later on, an early sand-cast Edelbrock intake manifold with four two-barrel carburetors. At times, he also ran a three-carburetor intake. The exhaust pipes ran from the stock GM cast-iron manifolds through about 3 feet of ni-chrome flex pipe, then connected to straight-through mufflers attached along the sides. The gearbox was a three-speed manual from a LaSalle. A Franklin quick-change rear end, located with large radius rods, centered a burly solid rear axle setup, and there was a sturdy, cockpit-wide rollbar. Although it was small, it weighed about 2,200 lb., probably because of its massive chassis. 

A recycled MG TD grille, with a screen replacing the vertical slats, and a fabricated sheet metal hood fronted a skimpy body that was painted faded red. It resembled an early MG with twin cowls, cut-down door openings and Brooklands screens. Behind the grille were several finned copper tubes for extra cooling. It was painted a rusty shade of red. 

In later iterations, the exhaust had evolved into three-into-one headers and big VHT white collectors. Early on, the steel wheels wore Ford “dog dish” hubcaps. Later, these caps were omitted. The brakes were 12-inch drums, Mercury in front and Cadillac in the rear. An e-brake lever for each rear brake must have made stopping very interesting.

Mr. Plaisted campaigned this Jacob’s coat of a car from 1954 until 1960, racing at Lime Rock, Thompson, Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen. He also ran the hill climbs at Mt. Equinox (1955 first place, fastest time of the day) and Mt. Washington. I think the class was called “Formula Libre.” And he beat almost everything at one time or another: Allards, Jaguar XK-120s, Mercedes-Benz 300SLs, Ferraris and other pricey sports car of the day. Think Max Balchowski and “Ol’ Yaller.” What the Cheetah lacked in sophistication it more than made up in sheer speed and cornering prowess. Reportedly, the Cheetah could run through the quarter-mile traps at 100 mph. Its top speed was about 135 mph.

The Cheetah was the subject of a two-page feature in Hot Rod Magazine in September 1958. Author Alex Walordy called it “A strange Breed of Car.” “Don’t be deceived by that MG look,” Walordy wrote. “Beneath it is poised some mighty potent machinery.” 

Over the course of its racing life, the Cheetah finished ahead of some tough competition, like George Weaver at Watkins Glen driving the “Poison Lil Maserati” in 1955 and George Arents in a Ferrari 250, Walt Hansgen in a Jaguar 150S and Fred Windridge in a Corvette at Bridgehampton in 1958. 

Besides John Plaisted, the Cheetah was driven by his son, Stutz, a former Air Force pilot, and later by Bob Holbert, the father of Porsche pilot Al Holbert of Warrington, Pa. Stutz Plaisted campaigned the Cheetah until 1963, after which he bought a Lotus 22. After the Cheetah was retired, it was stored at Plaisted’s car dealership for 17 years. When John Plaisted passed away, the Cheetah, along with several Coopers, was sold in 1982 at auction to vintage race car collector and historian Joel Finn.

David Pacqua accompanied Finn when he picked up the Cheetah. Pacqua later told Hemmings Muscle Machines author George Mattar that Finn had said, “…take the Cheetah home to your garage and pay me later.” When Pacqua married his wife DeDe, Finn generously gave them the Cheetah as a wedding present.

Pacqua has kept the Cheetah largely as it is. He’s left the original body and paint alone. He refinished the suspension components, but he’s dulled them to replicate the car’s years of patina. A fuel cell and an approved rollbar were required before he could vintage race the car, and he replaced the original exhaust with a set of headers. Other than that, the Cheetah looks substantially the way it looked when the Plaisteds, father and son, were the nemesis in many racers’ rearview mirrors. 

Pacqua told George Mattar that “Vic Edelbrock, Jr., tried to buy the original sand-cast intake manifold a few years ago, but I told him it wasn’t for sale.”

Pacqua has raced the Cheetah at Mt. Washington, and he competed at Daytona Speedway before being black-flagged after six laps for lack of fenders. 

I told Pacqua that I had a fast ride with John Plaisted in this car when I was 14 years old — it was the quickest and loudest car I’d ever been in, and a far cry from the MG TC owned by my neighbor, Brice Durkee. “I can concur,” Pacqua says, “the Cheetah is loud and scary. I used to say to folks at the track that this thing tries to kill me at every turn. But honestly, it wasn’t so bad, and it did help hone the edge for other series of race cars for me.” 

The Pacquas have retrofitted the Cheetah to look the way it did in the early 1960s, digging out “original bits” to replace the more modern parts that had accumulated over the years. He never met John Plaisted, but he did meet Stutz and his family at Mt. Washington in 2004. 

It took ingenuity, imagination, mechanical skill and driving ability to take on fast production sports cars in the 1950s and win a few SCCA races — but John Plaisted did it, basically in a home-built hot rod — and the surviving Cheetah is living, driving proof. 

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Photos and Story by Old Cars reader Jon Wessel

My father was an Oldsmobile dealer from 1966 until the end in 2004. When I turned 16 years old in 1971, my first car was a 1969 Cutlass Supreme convertible off the used car lot. It was pale yellow with a black interior, bucket seats and chrome Super Stock I wheels. I was in seventh heaven. After a few months, it had to be returned back to inventory to be sold, but you never forget your first car.

In 2018, I decided to go back to my roots and find a 1969 Cutlass Supreme convertible. I actually did find a twin to my ’69 — it was even the same color combination — but the price was far more than I wanted to pay. During my search, a particular 1968 Cutlass Supreme hardtop caught my eye. It wasn’t a convertible, but had a lot of eye appeal. It had the louvered hood from a 4-4-2 instead of the flat Cutlass hood. I didn’t think the paint color was correct, but I liked it. I kept searching, but the more I looked, the more I kept returning to that car. Finally, I called the seller, a classic car dealer in the northeast. He sent me a copy of the firewall data tag which confirmed that the color was not the factory color. He assured me that the paint job was very nice and there was no evidence anywhere to be found of a color change. The car looked great and the undercarriage was especially clean. It was advertised as having 44,000 miles and was a Canadian-built car, which was interesting. We finally struck a deal and the car was mine. That is the car you see on these pages.

The Olds arrived a couple of weeks later, and it was as nice as was advertised. I believe the claimed 44,000 miles is true. The incorrect hood and paint were what gave the car eye-appeal, but also gave me the opportunity to go down a different path. I wasn’t concerned with keeping it 100 percent correct.

In 1968, Oldsmobile offered a performance package on the Cutlass line called W-31. It was a brutal car designed for the drag strip. The W-31 package included a 350-cubic-inch engine with a high-lift camshaft, larger valves, specific harmonic balancer, specific four-barrel carburetor and distributor, four-speed manual transmission and dual exhaust. Forced Air Induction, with twin scoops under the bumper and 4-in. hoses funneling outside air to the carburetor, was part of the package. It was rated at 350 hp. Due to the camshaft and its lack of vacuum, an automatic transmission, power brakes and air conditioning were not available. Most W-31s were low-budget strippers low on options and weight in order to turn better times in the quarter mile. The W-31 option was available on the upscale Cutlass Supreme, but the high-output engine was not included. This was because the Cutlass Supreme included a 310-hp engine as standard equipment, and also because it was thought the Supreme buyer would want an automatic transmission and would not be happy with the erratic idle of the high-lift camshaft. 

My plan was to build a tribute Cutlass Supreme W-31, erratic idle and all. The task was assigned to Carl Cones and his crew at C&J Classics and Muscle Cars in Lebanon, Mo. I proposed to him the idea of a Cutlass Supreme W-31 with the erratic cam, but also with power brakes, automatic transmission and air conditioning. He felt he could come up with a cam that had the trademark W-31 choppy idle, but still produce enough vacuum to run the accessories. Since, at that time, the aftermarket was producing the Forced Air Induction setup, we could capture the look and sound of a W-31 without scrimping on the luxuries.

The Rocket 350 was removed and the heads were sent to the machine shop for larger valves. The rest of the internals were checked and found to be good, so they were left alone. The high-lift cam, along with new lifters, timing chain and a reproduction W-31 harmonic balancer, were installed. High-flow exhaust manifolds were also installed. Since a real W-31 had the alternator located on the passenger side, we wanted to keep that look. That necessitated fabricating special brackets to enable installation of the Vintage Air compressor on the driver side low enough to provide room for the large air intake hose. A stainless four-core radiator was painted black and installed. For fuel management, a FiTech fuel-injection system and high-pressure fuel pump were installed. 

The OEM transmission was a two-speed Jetaway. It was jettisoned in favor of a TH-200-R4 four-speed automatic with overdrive. The two-speed shift pattern indicator in the floor console was updated to reflect the new four-speed transmission. My thinking was that if an automatic transmission had indeed been available in a W-31, it would have been a heavy-duty unit with very crisp shifts, and that’s what we spec’d for this car. Out back, an anti-spin axle with 3.73 gears was utilized.

The suspension was left alone except for the addition of boxed lower control arms and a rear sway bar. The front brakes were converted to discs, which required replacing the 14-in. wheels with 15-in. versions. The reproduction chrome Olds Super Stock I wheels measure 7-in. wide in front and 8 in. at the rear. Redline radial tires were installed, and the steering box was converted to quick-ratio.

Unlike its big brother 4-4-2, the W-31 did not use a notched rear bumper with trumpet exhaust tips. This car continues the correct look with the exhaust tips dumping at the edge of the bumper.

The interior was in good condition overall, but the front seats had a couple of seams that had split. I was hoping to have them sewn up, but that didn’t work, so new seat covers, along with a new headliner and new carpet, were installed. The dash was in excellent condition. The center pod houses the speedometer, and it was left alone. The left pod was upgraded from idiot lights to gauges for fuel, oil pressure, voltage and water temperature. The right pod was updated to a tachometer. The gauges were designed to blend in as much as possible with the OEM speedometer. 

I now have a beautiful ’68 Cutlass Supreme that does what General Motors would not. It marries the luxury of a well-appointed Cutlass Supreme with the brutal power of a W-31. Some might call it a sleeper. Sitting at a stop light, with the air conditioning blowing cold and the car shaking with the high-lift cam’s erratic idle, I can’t help but smile. It’s the best of both worlds.

Dig Oldsmobiles? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1970-oldsmobile-cutlass-supreme-convertible

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1958-oldsmobile-fiesta-wagon

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1971-oldsmobile-vista-cruiser

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The post Car of the Week: 1968 Cutlass Supreme – With W-31 power appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.