Posts from ‘Collectible Automobile Magazine’
Cheap Wheels: 1998-2003 Ford ZX2
2001 Ford Escort ZX2
by Don Sikora II
Note: The following story was excerpted from the august 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
When Ford redesigned the Escort subcompact for 1997, there was no longer a two-door version. That changed for the 1998 model year with the addition of the Escort ZX2, a new coupe variant with a sportier attitude than its four-door sedan and wagon siblings.
1933 Hupmobile K-321 Convertible Coupe
Note: The following story was excerpted from the April 2004 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
The automobile was meant to foster travel and, by golly, here’s one that has. The Hupmobile convertible coupe featured on these pages has been to Australia and back during its lifetime.
1938 Peugeot 402 B Retractable Hardtop
Note: The following story was excerpted from the October 2007 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Chrysler’s streamlined 1934 Airflow flopped in America, but it was an inspiration to French automaker Peugeot. With headquarters in Paris and its main plant in Sochaux near the Swiss border, Peugeot is the second-oldest automaker in the world.
Our Favorite Oldsmobiles (Gallery)
1954 Oldsmobile
There are two things that the Editors of Consumer Guide respond to faster than all other things. It’s not fire, threat of personal harm, or even the promise of paid time off that elicits prompt action.
2018 Lexus LC 500
by Don Sikora II
Note: The following story was excerpted from the June 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Lexus calls its brand-new LC 500 coupe the luxury brand’s flagship. It also says it’s a concept car come to life, in this case the LF-LC concept first shown at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in early 2012.
The Consumer Guide staff picks their favorite music for long nighttime drives.
The Florida spring-break road trip is cliché these days, but it was the thing to do when my college friends and I hit the interstate back in 1984. The trip from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale is roughly 1400 miles, and our goal, alternating drivers, was to cover that distance in under 24 hours. As I recall, we arrived at our destination in about 27 hours, but made the return trip in under 24.
1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
by Don Sikora II
Note: The following story was excerpted from the June 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Our story starts with the 1985 Cadillac De Ville and Fleetwood. This pair followed up Caddy’s downsized 1977 volume models and introduced even smaller packages, unitized construction, and front-wheel drive. Then the 1987 model year brought a new model, though one with a historic Cadillac name: the Fleetwood Sixty Special. It was based on the front-drive Fleetwood sedan, and it’s our latest choice for Cheap Wheels.
Photo Feature: 1966 Ford Thunderbird
1966 Ford Thunderbird
Note: The following story was excerpted from the December 2005 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
In the decade or so since its 1955 introduction, the Ford Thunderbird came to attract a solid following from female motorists. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that the 1966 T-Bird convertible featured on these pages was intended to please a lady.
1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato
Note: The following story was excerpted from the June 2000 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Throughout his professional life, Carlo Abarth (1908-1979) won acclaim for wringing great amounts of performance from cars with tiny engines. On occasion, these were cars of his own design. More often than not, though, his shops in Turin, Italy, founded in 1949, turned out vigorous vehicles that took as their starting points other manufacturers’ products.
Photo Feature: 1953 Kaiser Dragon
1953 Kaiser Dragon
Note: The following story was excerpted from the August 2011 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Henry J. Kaiser was part of the consortium that completed the daunting task of building Hoover Dam more than two years ahead of schedule. No one had mass produced ships until Kaiser built World War II Liberty Ships in as little as five days. Perhaps, then, Henry could have been excused for thinking he could revolutionize car building as well. He must have soon realized that it was a bigger job than expected and that the men running Detroit were smarter than he gave them credit for being.
