1952 Dodge B-Series Pickup Truck

It took Chrysler a long time to catch up with other car makers in developing an automatic transmission. In the interim there was Fluid Drive. The fluid drive element was a hydraulic coupling inserted in place of the flywheel, which performed the same function as a modern torque converter. From a practical standpoint, that meant that once you got this truck into third gear, you could drive it around all day just like an automatic, as long as you didn't mind coming off stops very slowly.

I was surprised by this hood ornament. I hadn't known that the "Dodge Ram" imagery went back this far.

  

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1969 AMC Rambler

The Nash Rambler was introduced in 1950. Within a few years, this model dominated the American compact car market, and was so popular that the company changed its name to Rambler. Known as the Rambler American in 1968, this model became the American Motors Rambler in its final year as the company changed its name again.

Regarding the final edition of the dull but durable Rambler, curbsideclassic.com observed: The compact market took a protracted dive in the second half of the sixties, as buyers gravitated either to sporty cars like the Mustang, which could be had for very little more, or to imports. This generation of Americans never sold really well, and sales drooped as the years went by.

   

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1956 Ford F-350 pickup truck

Makes the F-250 I spotted last fall look small.

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1955 Chevrolet 210

   

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1965 Volkswagen Type 2 - '21 Window' Microbus

Let's take a look at the current prices of some of the most valuable collectible vehicles.

1967 Pontiac GTO: $29,900
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454 'LS6': $59,900
1963 Chevy Corvette split-window coupe: $68,500
1968 Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi: $149,500
1963 VW bus - 23-window Deluxe: $165,000

No, that's not a misprint. Here's another 23-window expected to go for $180,000 at auction. And here's another that auctioned for $198,000 after a protracted bidding war. So what is this unrestored 21-window bus worth? My guess would be around $45,000. Why these things are worth this much I cannot comprehend.

* Here's the Type 2 pickup I spotted.



    

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1968 Toyota Corolla

Imagine the owner of a 19-foot-long, 375 hp Cadillac pulling up next to this car in 1968. Was the Caddy driver's reaction, "Wow, Toyota will conquer the automotive world" ? Probably not.

Observations:
* You have to stand next to this car to appreciate how truly tiny it is.
* Speaking of Cadillacs, the engine in the 1968 Sedan deVille was fully seven times as large as the 1.1 liter inline-4 in this Corolla.
* This particular Corolla lacks the optional side mirrors. Trying to change lanes on an expressway in this car must be terrifying.

   

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