Hemmings Muscle Machines August 2018

“ …he’d become friendly with the mechanics, who helped him when they were around and let him use the bays when they were not.” A recent online posting from Hemmings Daily contributor and long-time auto journalist Michael Lamm about his youthful experiences working in a filling station in his small Texas hometown during the 1950s got me thinking about my own pump jockey days. My version took place in the ’80s in New York, but the parallels were interesting — we both fondly recall a cast of characters that would orbit around those stations, and each of us accrued anecdotes as well as wisdom gleaned from what are now known as “teachable moments.” As I’ve recounted numerous times in this space, the gearhead bug infected me nearly from birth,…

AACA MUSEUM EXHIBIT FEATURES “MUSTANGS: SIX GENERATIONS OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE PONY CAR” As the AACA Museum celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, this Hershey, Pennsylvania, institution continues to make classic-car fans feel the party is in their honor. Mustang enthusiasts will thrill to the latest exhibit, running through October 14, that celebrates every iteration of Ford’s bestselling performance sensation. Mustang: Six Generations of America’s Favorite Pony Car will include an impressive array of vehicles that represent every era of this car’s 54-year life, and the list of vehicles scheduled to be exhibited comprises some truly exclusive examples—factory-built and aftermarket—including the two-seat 1963 Mustang III Concept Show Car that graced the cover of Hemmings Classic Car magazine in May 2018. Running concurrently with this Mustang exhibit is another one sure to…

DEAD: FORD CARS IN USA ONLY MUSTANG WILL SURVIVE THE BLUE OVAL’S ALL-SUV FUTURE Ford has taken the axe to its automotive lineup in America; within two years, only the Mustang and a Chinese-built crossover variant of the upcoming new Focus will remain as Ford’s entries into the world of car sales. That means no more Fiesta ST, which is probably the most fun you can have with a new car for under $25,000. The new Fiesta, just launched worldwide, was never set to come Stateside anyway. That means no more sporting Focus ST and no more Focus RS, the 345-hp, turbocharged, all-wheel-drive hoon-about hatchback. That means no more Fusion, which has sold 200,000 units per year for nearly the past decade (topping 300,000 units in 2014 and ’15), although…

1967 CAMARO Z/28 JOIE CHITWOOD CHARGIN’ CHEROKEE ACME Trading Company • 888-209-2263 • www.acmediecast.com  • $134.95 ACME Trading will soon offer a limited number—a production run estimated at 150 units—of 1:18-scale replicas of the red 1967 Chevrolet Camaro “#71” that Joie Chitwood campaigned in the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. They feature opening panels and detailed undercarriages, and each example will come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Joie Chitwood Jr. Questions raised during the inspection of our sample model caused us to do some digging to learn the backstory of this Camaro. Our initial assumption was this was just another stunt car used by the “Hell Drivers” of the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show, provided by Chitwood’s longtime sponsor, Chevrolet, but there were too many racing cues in the…

The instant something becomes successful is the instant that it starts to morph into something else. Evolution of the species is inevitable. The original idea for the “supercar” may have remained intact as the ’70s dawned, but in Detroit’s hungry pursuit of buyers and market share, it also strayed from its initial intent. The military refers to this phenomenon as “mission creep,” and ’twas always thus with cars. Early on, muscle cars were little more than cheap power for the plebes. Finesse? Comfort? That’s for your old man. Options carried weight, which hurt acceleration. But as muscle blew up big, manufacturers discovered that a little finesse could go a long way. The “gentleman’s hot rod” saw performance and comfort in equal measure: power-assisted everything, nicer trim, more compliant suspension, and…

I’ve always liked Cyclones, and I owned two others some years ago. I like my Cyclone Spoiler because it’s not just another belly-button car — it’s not something that everyone else has. The looks, the performance, and having such a unique car are what I like most about it, although I dig the NASCAR connection, too. This car was restored around 2001 or so, and I bought it knowing that it only needed some freshening up. It needs wheel-arch moldings, and I’m still looking for a set. —Ken Berger My original intention when I bought this Road Runner was to do massive burnouts and generally act immature. What’s not to like here for a Mopar guy? It’s quintessential Mopar muscle — multiple carbs, a four-speed, Dana rear, a Hi-Impact color,…