Introduced for the 1967 model year, the Coronet R/T came standard with a 375 HP 440 “Magnum” V8 engine.
El Segundo, CA
Photographed November 2013
American
2003 Chevrolet SSR
The SSR was introduced for the 2003 model year as a retro-style pickup harkening back to the days of the Advance Design pickup of the early 1950s. It featured a retractable hardtop and a 300 HP, 5.3L V8. Despite this powerful engine, the SSR was not very fast, in part due to its lumbering 4,700 pound curb weight. Around 24,000 SSRs were sold in 4 years of production before GM pulled the plug in 2006.
Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed June 2015
1976 Cadillac Eldorado
1976 Eldorados were promoted by Cadillac as the “last American convertible;” selling over 14,000 in total. However, Cadillac re-introduced the Eldorado convertible for the 1984 model year.
1976 was also the last year for the massive 8.2L V8 engine; the next year, a downsized 7.0L engine was introduced.
Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed June 2014
1963 Ford Ranchero
1963 was the first year for the optional 260 V8 engine, offering 164 horsepower. 12,218 Rancheros were sold in total during the 1963 model year.
Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed June 2015
1974 Chevrolet Nova
Changes for the 1974 Nova included a new bowtie emblem and larger parking lights. Nova sales increased to almost 400,000, perhaps in response to the oil crisis in the Middle East.
El Segundo, CA
Photographed November 2014
1967 Plymouth Fury III
Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed December 2012
1975 Ford Gran Torino
Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed April 2011
1973 Dodge Dart Sport
1973 was the first year for the Dart Sport, essentially a fastback version of a Dart two-door and closely related to the Plymouth Duster. It was previously called the Demon (from 1971-1972), but frequent complaints from religious groups about the name led Dodge to rename it. This car likely has the 150 HP, 318 cubic inch V8; optional was a 240 HP, 340 cubic inch V8 on “340 Sport” models.
Washington, D.C.
Photographed April 2011
1953-55 International Harvester R110
Powered by a 220 cubic inch inline six and a three-speed manual, the R110 was a popular truck in its heyday, back when International Harvester was still a major player in the light truck industry. Their market share began to dwindle through the 1960s, and by 1975 they had discontinued all trucks. The venerable Scout soldiered on until the 1980 model year, when International Harvester’s passenger car division was shuttered and the company moved on to heavy-duty trucks and school buses.
Century City, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed April 2013
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible
1972 was the last year for the classic second-generation Cutlass, and the last year of the Cutlass convertible until it was revived in 1990. Despite this, it was the best-selling convertible in America, with 11,571 sold out of 298,881 Cutlass Supremes total that year.
Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed March 2013
1967-78 Volkswagen Beach Buggy
The 1977 is an educated guess based on the license plate, but in all honesty I have no idea what year this (car?) is, nor do I know who manufactured it.
The beach buggy craze was ignited by the introduction of the Meyers Manx in 1965, which was created by Bruce Meyers and made by crafting a custom fiberglass body and placing it on a shortened Volkswagen Beetle chassis. Since Meyers’ design was ruled unpatentable, other companies jumped onto the bandwagon and started to churn out their own fiberglass buggies. It’s estimated that over 250,000 copies of the Manx were produced, including the one pictured here. This ultimately crippled Manx’s company, which folded in 1971.
This particular example was spotted in the California beach town of Venice, an appropriate location for the quintessential beach car.
Venice, Los Angeles, CA
Photographed April 2013
1954 Packard Patrician
The last real flagship of the famed Packard line, the 1954 model was the last to boast Packard’s straight eight engine before a new V8 was introduced with the 1955 restyle. Just 2,760 found buyers in 1954, showcasing the decline of the Packard marque, which would disappear after 1958.
El Segundo, CA
Photographed November 2013