THE Place for Automotive Oddities
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Two-fer: Over the top Datsuns
These two came up on the same day, so we’ll post them as something of a theme. Car #1 is a Datsun 520 pickup modified to the point we’re not sure how much is really Datsun/Nissan. Note the domestic V8 in addition to four-wheel steering…what more can we say? Click for eBay ad Sharon, WI…
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Tons of fun: 1966 Mercury S-55
We’re big fans of the Ford Galaxie 7-Litre and we’re big fans of unusual and orphaned brands; so this Mercury S-55 is a slam dunk. This is the Merc (everyone knows Merc means Mercury, not Mercedes) version of the Galaxie 7-Liter, which means a full-sized car with a Super-Marauder 428, console-mounted shifter and some cool…
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Strangest Samurai?
We like the Suzuki Samurai. It’s a serious underdog but has serious off-road capability. So…what happens when you remove a Samurai’s performance underdog nature and off-road ability at the same time? Short version: The front end was extended to fit a bored and stroked small block Chevy and it’s now a RWD-only vehicle. Hmm. If…
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Subaru GL Convertible
Proposed US regulations killed off much of the convertible market for the late 70s and early 80s. This is why targa tops, t-tops and those strange semi-fixed-roof cabriolets were so relatively common. We all know the free market is always smarter than regulators, and proof came in the growth of coachbuilding during the same period.…
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Sightings: August 25, 2013
Here’s a forgotten ‘special edition’: The Dodge Neon Expresso! No, we don’t remember what made it an expresso. Maybe the wing? What’s better than spotting a Neon Expresso in modern times? Spotting one parked next to an Acura ZDX…
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Irvine Cars and Coffee sightings: August 24, 2013
I attended Irvine Cars and Coffee today with Oddimotive HQ. Fog was rolling in off and on, which was a cool effect. I love MGB GTs, but had a hard time figuring out the direction of this project. Land speed records? This Bristol was a highly unusual sighting. Got badge? Just any old M Coupe…
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Best of the worst of the breed? 260Z 2+2
The 1973 model year was the low point for Datsun Z performance, as emissions regs choked down the 2.4L I6 and its bumpers started to grow. 1974 brought even stricter regs, so Nissan’s answer was a bump to 2.6 liters to try to offset the performance impact. 260Zs were indeed quicker in a straight line…
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Forbidden Fruit: Mazda / Autozam AZ-1 Kei car
Anyone reading here probably knows a thing or two about Kei cars, the tiny Japanese treats which get around certain Japanese tax laws. This Autozam AZ-1 has a bit of a confusing lineage, given Autozam is a Mazda brand but the car was design and built by Suzuki, who also sold a version. Regardless, we…
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Cars without comments.
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What do you think is the worst car in the world?
Top Gear recently crowned a worst car in the history of the world. We won’t blatantly give away the result, but let’s just say the winner came with what I long ago crowned the worst OEM wheels, at least in the US market. The Top Gear guys ruled out obvious Soviet and 70s British choices…
