Tag Archives: Ford

Review/Overview of American Cars of the 1960s (Haynes, 1977)

I picked this book up for quite abit more than I would normally have ever spent on a book of this nature – £12. OK not bank breaking, but considering that I normally pay less than £1 a book this was unusual. I actually visited this particular antiques and collectables shop a week prior and found this book along side some very fairly priced copies of AutoSport magazine (at £1/issue, more my level). But I couldn’t shake the thought of how interesting this book was to me. It just stood out.

An unusual size in that this book is extremely long, and not very tall – this 80 page delight contains a chronological list of every American car of the 1960s. What is nice is that although the book is an unusual shape, it is not so big that it becomes a nuisance to store – much like many art books are.

Working from 1960 through to 1969 the book features cars from a range of US marques including Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Pontiac, Cadillac, AMC, Plymouth, Buick, Oldsmobile, Dodge and Lincoln – as well as smaller now forgotten marques such as Metropolitan and Rambler.

The book is set out very similar to a bird watchers guide – with nice clear photographs (mostly library style photos) with a number and letter designation. This code then matches a short paragraph about the vehicle – some longer than others. At this time of fast paced car development the book demonstrates and covers even small revisions between the years for models.

Although part of me wishes for the book to have more detail about some cars, I feel that I would probably dislike the book if it did so – as it would cause it to become the unruly size that I so detest to store.

One big negative point is the lack of any glossy colour photographs of the cars. At a time when most of these beautiful land yachts and muscle cars came with beautiful metallic paint jobs, they have all been confined to a very dull grey throughout the book. Likely a limitation imposed by the time of publication – also taking into account that Haynes are more known for their technical workshop guides which are black and white through-and-through.

A not-so-serious negative for this book is it makes me yearn to drive, or even ride, in some of these wonderful cars. However encountering an example in the UK is rare even for the more popular models featured in this book. Being the terrible car hipster that I am I want to ride in the lesser known automobiles on show; alas I can at least pine over them on various American car sales websites and portals with the ever lasting hope one will show up on Jay Leno’s Garage or Regular Car Reviews.

Book Details

Title: American Cars of the 1960s
Series: Auto Library
Publisher: Haynes
Year of Publication: 1977
Year of Reprint: 1987
Format: Hardback
Pages: 80
Original Price: £6.95
ISBN: 0854295658

Feature List

The following cars are featured in this book:

1960 Buick Invicta 4600
1960 Cadillac 62 Series
1960 Chevrolet Corvair 500
1960 Chevrolet Corvette XP-700
1960 Chevrolet Impala Convertible
1960 Chrysler Valiant V-200
1960 DeSoto Adventurer
1960 Dodge Dart Phoenix
1960 Ford Falcon
1960 Ford Galaxie
1960 Ford Thunderbird
1960 Imperial Le Baron
1960 Lincoln Continental
1960 Mecury Montclair Hardtop
1960 Mercury Comet
1960 Metropolitan 1500
1960 Oldsmobile Dynamic ’88’
1960 Plymouth Fury 8
1960 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupé
1960 Pontiac Laurentian
1960 Rambler Ambassador
1960 Rambler American
1960 Studebaker Hawk
1960 Studebaker Lark Convertible
1961 Buick Le Sabre
1961 Buick Special
1961 Cadillac ‘Shaikh’
1961 Cadillac Sedan de Ville
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Lakewood Station Wagon
1961 Chevrolet Greenbrier Sports Wagon
1961 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan
1961 Chrysler 300 G
1961 Chrysler Valiant Station Wagon
1961 Desoto Two-door Hardtop
1961 Dodge Dart Pioneer Station Wagon
1961 Dodge Lancer
1961 Ford Sunliner
1961 Ford Thunderbird
1961 Imperial Crown
1961 Lincoln Continental
1961 Mercury Monterey
1961 Oldsmobile F-85
1961 Oldsmobile Super ’88’ Holiday Sedan
1961 Plymouth Fury 8
1961 Plymouth XNR
1961 Pontiac Bonneville Hardtop
1961 Pontiac Tempest
1961 Rambler Ambassador V8
1961 Rambler American Convertible
1961 Studebaker Lark Regal
1962 Buick Electra 225
1962 Buick Special Convertible
1962 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
1962 Chevrolet Chevy II ‘300’
1962 Chevrolet Corvette
1962 Chevrolet Impala Sports Sedan
1962 Chrysler 300 H
1962 Chrysler New Yorker
1962 Dodge Polara 500
1962 Dodge Turbo Dart
1962 Ford Fairlane 500 Town Sedan
1962 Ford Falcon Futura
1962 Ford Galaxie County Sedan
1962 Imperial Le Baron
1962 Lincoln Continental Convertible
1962 Mercury Comet
1962 Mercury Monterey Custom
1962 Oldsmobile ’98’ Holiday Sports Sedan
1962 Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass
1962 Plymouth Fury Suburban Station Wagon
1962 Plymouth Sport Fury Hardtop
1962 Plymouth Valiant 200
1962 Pontiac Cataline Vista
1962 Pontiac Tempest
1962 Rambler American 400
1962 Rambler Renault
1962 Studebaker Avanti
1963 Buick Riviera
1963 Buick Special
1963 Cadillac Sedan de Ville
1963 Cadillac Special Fleetwood
1963 Checker 9-passenger Aerobus
1963 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400
1963 Chevrolet Corvair
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
1963 Chrysler New Yorker
1963 Chrysler Turbine
1963 Dodge 330
1963 Dodge Dart GT
1963 Dodge Polara 4-door Hardtop
1963 Ford Fairlane 500 Sports Coupé
1963 Ford Falcon ‘Clan’
1963 Ford Falcon Futura Sedan
1963 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door Hardtop
1963 Ford Mustang Experimental
1963 Imperial Le Baron
1963 Jeep Wagoneer
1963 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine
1963 Mercury Monterey
1963 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Sport Coupé
1963 Plymouth Valiant V-200
1963 Pontiac Grand Prix
1963 Pontiac Tempest
1963 Rambler Classic 770 Sedan
1963 Studebaker Hawk Gran Turismo
1964 Buick Electra 225
1964 Buick Special
1964 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible
1964 Cadillac Sedan de Ville
1964 Checker Marathon Sedan
1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu
1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder
1964 Chrysler New Yorker
1964 Dodge Custom 880 Convertible
1964 Dodge Polara 500 Hardtop
1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Sedan
1964 Ford Falcon Sprint
1964 Ford Galaxie 500/XL 4-door Hardtop
1964 Ford Mustang II
1964 Imperial Crown Hardtop
1964 Mercury Comet Caliente Hardtop
1964 Mercury Montclair Hardtop
1964 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88
1964 Oldsmobile F-85 Vista Cruiser Station Wagon
1964 Plymouth Barracuda
1964 Plymouth Sport Fury Two-Door Hardtop
1964 Plymouth Valiant V-200
1964 Pontiac Grand Prix Sports Coupé
1964 Pontiac Star Chief
1964 Pontiac Tempest Custom Four-door Sedan
1964 Rambler Ambassador Station Wagon
1964 Rambler American
1964 Rambler Classic 770
1964 Studebaker Commander
1964 Studebaker Cruiser
1964 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
1965 Buick Riviera
1965 Cadillac de Ville Convertible
1965 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Edition
1965 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS Sport Coupé
1965 Chevrolet Concours
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Coupé Hardtop
1965 Chevrolet Impala Station Wagon
1965 Chrysler New Yorker Hardtop
1965 Cord Sportsman 8/10
1965 Dodge Coronet
1965 Dodge Custom 880
1965 Excalibur SS
1965 Ford Fairlane 500
1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Convertible
1965 Ford Mustang 2+2 Bertone
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback 2+2
1965 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
1965 Imperial Crown Coupé
1965 Lincoln Continental
1965 Mercury Montclair
1965 Mercury Park Lane Experimental
1965 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Holiday Coupé
1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar 88 Holiday Sedan
1965 Plymouth Barracuda
1965 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200
1965 Pontiac Bonneville 4-door Hardtop
1965 Pontiac Tempest GTO
1965 Rambler Ambassador 990 Convertible
1965 Rambler American
1965 Rambler Marlin
1965 Studebaker Daytona Four-door Sedan
1966 Ambassador 990 4-door Sedan
1966 AMC AMX II
1966 Avanti II
1966 Buick Electra 225 Hardtop Sedan
1966 Buick Skylark
1966 Buick Skylark 4-door Hardtop
1966 Cadillac Coupé de Ville
1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1966 Chevrolet Caprice Custom Sedan
1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Sedan
1966 Chevrolet Corvette Mako Shark II
1966 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan
1966 Chrysler 300 2-door Hardtop
1966 Comet Escapade
1966 Dodge Charger
1966 Dodge Polara 4-door Hardtop
1966 Excalibur SS
1966 Ford Country Squire Station Wagon
1966 Ford Falcon Futura
1966 Ford GT 40
1966 Ford Mustang Hardtop
1966 Imperial Crown
1966 Lincoln Continental 4-door Sedan
1966 Marlin Coupé
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4-door Hardtop
1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Hardtop Sedan
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado
1966 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200
1966 Pontiac GTO
1966 Pontiac Le Mans Sprint
1966 Rambler American Station Wagon
1966 Studebaker Cruiser 4-door Sedan
1967 Ambassador 990 4-door Sedan
1967 AMX III
1967 Buick Le Sabre Four-door Hardtop
1967 Buick Riviera
1967 Cadillac Coupé de Ville
1967 Cadillac Eldorado
1967 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport Coupé
1967 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Sport Sedan
1967 Chrysler New York 4-door Hardtop
1967 Dodge Coronet 500
1967 Dodge Dart GT
1967 Dodge Monaco
1967 Dodge Polara 500
1967 Excalibur 35 X
1967 Excalibur SS Roadster
1967 Ford Fairlane 500
1967 Ford Mustang GT 500
1967 Ford Thunderbird 4-door Landau
1967 Imperial Crown
1967 Kaiser Jeep ‘Jeepster’
1967 Kaiser Jeep Wagooner
1967 Licoln Continental Hardtop Coupé
1967 Marlin Fastback Hardtop
1967 Mercury Cougar
1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Holiday
1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Hardtop Sedan
1967 Oldsmobile Toronado
1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula GX ‘Idea Car’
1967 Plymouth Valiant Signet
1967 Pontiac Firebird
1967 Pontiac GTO Cabriolet
1967 Pontiac Le Mans
1967 Rambler Rebel 770 Station Wagon
1967 Rambler Renault Rebel
1968 Ambassador SST Sedan
1968 AMX II
1968 AMX SST Sedan
1968 Buick Electra 225 2-door Hardtop
1968 Buick Skylark Custom
1968 Cadillac de Ville Convertible
1968 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1968 Chevrolet Caprice Coupé
1968 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova Coupé
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
1968 Chrysler 300
1968 Dodge Charger III
1968 Dodge Charger III
1968 Dodge Coronet
1968 Dodge Polara
1968 Ford Fairlane Torino GT Fastback
1968 Ford Falcon Futura Sports Coupé
1968 Ford LTD Hardtop
1968 Imperial Crown Hardtop Sedan
1968 Javelin SST
1968 Kaiser Jeep Gladiator
1968 Lincoln Continental Mk III
1968 Lincoln Continental MK III Coupé
1968 Mercury Cyclone GT Hardtop
1968 Mercury Montego MX
1968 Oldsmobile 442 Coupé Fastback
1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass
1968 Plymouth Barracuda S
1968 Plymouth Fury III
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible
1968 Pontiac Le Mans 4-door Hardtop
1968 Rambler American 440 Station Wagon
1968 Rambler Rogue Hardtop
1969 Ambassador SST 4-door Sedan
1969 Ambassador SST Station Wagon
1969 AMX Hardtop Fastback Coupé
1969 Avanti II
1969 Buick Riviera
1969 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible
1969 Buick Wildcat Custom V8 Hardtop Coupé
1969 Cadillac de Ville Convertible
1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado
1969 Chevrolet Camaro ‘RS’ Convertible
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu 350
1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
1969 Chrysler 300 Hardtop
1969 Dodge Charger
1969 Dodge Dart Swinger
1969 Dodge Monaco Sedan Hardtop
1969 Ford Fairlane Torino
1969 Ford Mustang
1969 Ford Thunderbird Landau
1969 Imperial Le Baron Hardtop Sedan
1969 Javelin SST
1969 Lincoln Continental MK III
1969 Lincoln Continental Sedan
1969 Mercury Brougham 4-door Hardtop
1969 Mercury Comet Sports Coupé
1969 Mercury Cougar Convertible
1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Sedan
1969 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
1969 Oldsmobile Toronado
1969 Plymouth Barracuda
1969 Plymouth GTX
1969 Plymouth Valiant Signet Sedan
1969 Pontiac Grand Prix Coupé
1969 Pontiac Le Mans 4-door Hardtop
1969 Pontiac Steam Car
1969 Rambler 440 Sedan
1969 Rambler Rogue 2-door Hardtop
1969 Rebel 2-door Hardtop
1969 Rebel 4-door Sedan
1969 Rebel SST 2-door Hardtop

’56 Ford Pick-Up (Metallic Blue) – Matchbox Model

I don’t recall when I got this model. The year of copyright on the base is 1996, but I feel that I bought this car with pocket money well into the 2000’s. Either way, I have had this model for a serious amount of time.

Rear/Side

Considering the amount of time I have owned this model, there are barely any signs of play. The axles are straight and all wheels roll freely. Paint work is in great condition with no chips or scratches. The plastic glass on the window has a few very fine marks, but otherwise clear. There is only a small crack in the base plastic that forms the side step for the passenger door.

Front

The model is of a 1956 Ford F100 Pick-up, however the base simply refers to it as ‘Pick-up’. I likely bought the car amongst my phase of being a self-confessed muscle car nut – which is surprising with the little amount of knowledge I have of the cars. In recent years I have seen a fair few F100’s at shows here in the UK and they certainly have a road presence. Although probably not one of my first choices to own from the line of American pick-ups, you can’t deny the styling of the F100 is wonderfully brilliant for what is a farm truck. Most F100’s these days have taken on a life of glamour, leaving the dusty and smelly farm work behind them – this model seems to represent the new life for many F100’s.

The model features a beautiful blue metallic paint that sparkles in the light, really catches your eye. Paired with a gleaming ‘chrome’ effect bumper and side steps, which are part of the base plate, the model looks to be worth more than it is on first glance.

Rear

Surprisingly for a toy there is a considerable amount of detail found on this model. The embossed Ford badge on the tailgate is painted in a slightly darker shade of blue with a simple discreet decal above it. Along with this we have painted headlamps and taillights. The bed features ridges and is big enough that you could fit some small items in it (such as scale appropriate barrels or animals). Moving forwards towards the front of the car the model has minute details such as a petrol filler cap (present on the passenger side), door handles, cabin vents and handles to release the hood. The front grille is nicely formed as to stand away from the body of the car, giving the front of the model a nice 3D look.

The models interior is plastic and white in colour. Visibility into the cabin is possible by the 2 crystal clear windows (windscreen and rear window) along with two quarter windows for each passenger. However the cabin lacks detail with only a bench seat and basic steering wheel mould present.

Underside

The model doesn’t feature any kind of suspension, so bent axles are a potential hazard with this model. Much like its real life counterpart the model doesn’t sit very high from the ground, giving an almost low-rider effect. The four Matchbox branded plastic wheels spin freely and independently on two axles. These wide plastic wheels fill out the wide flared arches of the body nicely.

As with many Matchbox vehicles the base plate is made from plastic, but in this case has been painted a sparkly silver colour. The base plate also is nicely moulded with mouldings for sump, transmission, driveshaft, differential, spare tire and basic chassis structure. The base is riveted to the die-cast body with two rivets, one at the front and one at the back.

A real 1956 Ford F-100 Pick-up

This model of mine doesn’t require any restoration. It fits in nicely with dioramas with hot rod/muscle car themes. As it is likely I purchased this model late in my life, this is probably the reason for its high quality condition.

Model Status – In Collection 

Model Details

Model Manufacturer Matchbox
Model Scale 1/65 (?)
Year of Manufacture/Copyright 1996
Country of Manufacture Thailand
Model of 1956 Ford F100 Pick-Up
Identifiers none
Variant/Speciality Not a special variant
Colour Blue, metallic
Decals Very fine decal on the tailgate
Feature no feature
Body Material Die-cast metal
Base Material Plastic
Base Colour Silver (sparkly)
Interior Material Plastic
Interior Colour White
Glass Colour Clear
Wheel Material/Style Plastic/Matchbox branded multi-spoke
Suspension No

 

Ford Sierra MK2 (1986-1993)

This is a post where I will share various bits of information regarding the second generation of the Ford Sierra – including adverts, articles, forum posts, pictures, media appearances and more.

In 1989 the third generation Cavalier received a face-lift to better compete with other models in the decade. In 1993 the model was retired in favour of the new Ford Mondeo.


Advertising

Media Appearances

Notable Registrations (VRNs)

The following vehicle registration numbers could be considered notable for their appearances in magazines, brochures, newspapers, adverts, television programmes or films.

H192OAR

This is the VRN for the black Ford Sierra that appears in the 1993 episode Over The Moon with the Cavalier (From A to B: Tales of Modern Motoring)The VRN does exist in the DVLA database however they have no record of any MOT history for this vehicle. The car was last taxed September 1999.

H831DRG

This is the VRN for the blue (registered green) Ford Sierra that appears in the 1993 episode Over The Moon with the Cavalier (From A to B: Tales of Modern Motoring)The VRN does exist in the DVLA database however they have no record of any MOT history for this vehicle. The car was last taxed January 2003. The car was last taxed April 1994.

J200JDS

This is the VRN for the red Ford Sierra that appears in the 1993 episode Over The Moon with the Cavalier (From A to B: Tales of Modern Motoring)The VRN does exist in the DVLA database however they have no record of any MOT history for this vehicle. The car was last taxed December 2003.

 

Websites

 

Ford Puma (1997-2002)

This is a post where I will share various bits of information regarding the Ford Puma – including adverts, articles, forum posts, pictures, media appearances and more.


Advertising

Media Appearances

Television

  • A silver Ford Puma (X636XPU) is driven by Tiff Needell in his programme Burning Rubber. The Puma is used to show off various ‘tricks’ that can be performed in a front wheel drive car.

Notable Registrations (VRNs)

The following vehicle registration numbers could be considered notable for their appearances in magazines, brochures, newspapers, adverts, television programmes or films.

  • X636XPU – Appears as a featured car in Tiff Needell’s Burning Rubber

Websites

Notable Forum Posts

 

Modified Nationals Peterborough Arena – 26th May 2017

pending description

Hot Rod & Custom Show Peterborough Arena – 26th May 2017

pending description

Classic Nostalgia 2017 Shelsley Walsh – 22nd July 2017

This was one of my favourite shows of the year, if not one of my favourite of all time. I grew up playing rally video games as a kid and thought rally cars were the coolest thing (and still do). This day out was a fantastic time to watch some of these legendary cars going up and down the hill climb, all while being able to get up close and personal with the cars in the paddocks. Aside from the rally legends, there were a few other interesting cars present on the day.

Gallery

Roadkill @ EBC Brakes – 19th November 2017

November isn’t normally the season for a car show – the days are short, cold and often raining. However David Freiburger from the show RoadKill was making a UK visit and would be stopping off at EBC Brakes. EBC Brakes took this opportunity for a meet and greet, and a small static meet. No entry price, just turn up and enjoy – which is exactly what we did. A small meet in the grand scheme of things, but enjoyable enough. I didn’t meet David, I get a bit nervous about that sort of thing; but he seemed to enjoy what the UK can provide.

Hot Rod and Custom Drive-In Day Beaulieu – 18th June 2017

This was a great day out down south. I visited this show with a friend and his heavily pregnant wife. The day was absolutely beautiful (although rather hot) with glorious sunshine. This meant that I could get some great natural shots with my basic setup. I really enjoyed the selection of cars that were available at this show; and it has further expanded my knowledge of American cars.

Players 10 @ North Weald – 18th September 2016

This was the first ever static show that I drove myself to.

It was a pretty decent day and started my enjoyment for taking pictures of cars at shows – more as a hobby of cataloguing what is out there.

Please forgive some of these pictures, some are slightly out of focus, or the white balance is horrendously off. This was my first time trying and things only really improved from here on. Also being mid-September I had to deal with horrendous overcast.

Event Website:

https://www.players-show.com/

Gallery

 

Edits