1970 Chevrolet Malibu Chevelle

1970 brought an updated Chevelle, with bigger, more rectangular looks, and even bigger optional engines. The ultimate, of course, was the SS with the LS-6 454, but plainer cars (like this one) were available. It's refreshing to see a '70 Chevelle with dog-dish hubcaps, no racing stripes, and Malibu badging.

 

 

 

1979 VW Dasher 5-Door

The VW Dasher was the U.S. version of the Passat, itself a slightly modified Audi Fox. It was available as the fastback sedan shown here, and a wagon. In 1978, it was redesigned with quad headlights and larger bumpers. The Dasher was replaced by the Quantum in 1981. This 5-door has interesting silhouette, and the pink, white, and orange stripes down the side are straight out of the '70s.

 

 

 

 

1960 Rambler American Sedan

Here's an appropriately-named car for the 4th of July! The American was Rambler's compact, and was the cheapest American car in the late '50s. In 1960, the American had to compete with the more modern compacts from the big three, but still enjoyed moderate success, due to the economy and efficiency of the older car. This sedan has an add-on continental kit spare, color matched to the very fitting white and turquoise two-tone.

 

 

 

 

Freeway Merging: the Fine Art Utah Drivers Don't Understand

I've lived in the beautiful state of Utah for the better part of the past thirteen years, but I don't think of myself as a Utahan. I grew up in New Mexico and I think I will always identify as being from the Land of Enchantment. That being said, there are some truly wonderful things about Utah, including the Moab Jeep Safari, some killer pastrami burgers and more outdoor activities than you could possibly want to do.

Not to be negative, but there are some drawbacks to living in Utah just like there are drawbacks to living anywhere else. One of the first crazy negative things I noticed when I first moved Utah way back in 2000 was that it seems that people here don't know how to drive on the freeways. There's some bad driving on surface streets here, but where Utah drivers become especially bad is when everyone starts travelling at faster speeds, which is just so very comforting.


Never before I moved to Utah had I seen a person cut across five lanes of traffic in less than a hundred feet just to exit the freeway. Were they high? Did they fall asleep? Do they not realize they could have killed someone? Why not just get off at the next exit, enter the freeway going the other way and backtrack to the needed exit? These were all thoughts that went through my head. I still am amazed whenever I see the carpool lane last minute freeway exit.

And then there are the people who think that the left lane is the slow lane. This activity seems to become more common the further from downtown Salt Lake City you get, with Utah and Davis Counties both being maddening to drive through.

But what I'm focusing on today is perhaps the most frustrating thing about Utah drivers and freeways: Utahans cannot merge! I know, I know, you're all saying "well nobody where I drive can merge." If you live in Southern California, Boston, New York City, Phoenix or pretty much anywhere in the United States, you haven't seen bad freeway merging. Come drive in Utah, especially during rush hour, and try getting on the freeway with a big group of cars. I dare you.

Way back when I lived in New Mexico and went through drivers ed I learned that freeway on-ramps existed for one thing only: to allow drivers enough time and distance to get their vehicles up to freeway speeds. This elementary point is where Utah drivers fail. Somehow they didn't get the memo that driving 35 mph on the ramp and then trying to merge in with traffic going 65 mph plus just doesn't turn out well. The end result is the  on-ramps stack up with slow traffic, drivers in the right lanes have to swerve all over to avoid the cars going ridiculously slow, and all of the traffic on the freeway slows. Occasionally the inability to merge on the freeway even leads to a crash.

Then you have the flip side of the equation, the fact that people don't drive in the appropriate lanes on the freeway. Like I said before, plenty of drivers go slow in the left lane, instead of in the lanes to the right. There are areas of the country where that activity will get you run off the road, and for good reason. Not only that, but I learned in drivers ed that if you can, you should get out of the rightmost lane when cars are entering the freeway, allowing them to enter without problems. These courtesies are rarely displayed on the roads here.

I strongly suspect that much of this activity that leads to Utahans merging like a pack of constipated tortoises comes from everyone's looking out only for themselves. The funny thing is that by acting that way, these people make it so everyone has to wait longer to get where they are going, including them.  

How's the freeway merging where you live?

1983 Mazda GLC Deluxe Sedan

The 4th-gen GLC/323 was introduced in 1980, and was a modern and worthy competitor to the other basic economy cars of the early eighties. This generation GLC (which stood for Great Little Car) looks extremely similar to the 323 that followed it, but is much less common. The design is about as basic as it comes, but the slatted grill and non-flush lights bring some style to the car.

 

 

What if. . . Mark II Slantback?

The 1956-57 Mark II coupe is a tours-de-force. It is elegance personified with its formal roof and clean lines. It is one of the cleanest cars of the Fifties decade.

With this chop, I'm exploring what the car may have looked like without the severely formal and close-coupled roof.  I gave it a faster roofline and backlight. I straightened out the classic body contour kickup in the rear quarters and, obviously, gave it rear fender skirts and chromed rockerpanel trim.  Smaller details include moving the exhaust outlets down from below the taillights to below the bumper, thus extending the "tubular" rocker panel trim. I filled in the former exhaust pods and glassed-over the license plate recess. 

I'm not in any way "improving" the Mark II with these changes, that would be impossible! But I think this look could have been developed into a stunning car by the Mark's stylists had they gone in this direction!

1976 Ford Courier

The Courier was Ford's entry into the minitruck market in the 70s and 80s. It was a rebadged Mazda, though with a Ford-designed grill. The first generation shown here lasted until 1976, and the second (and final) lasted until '85. The early Couriers are becoming rare, so it was a treat to see this one, especially in such good and original condition.