1963 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova

For decades, market forces tried to get General Motors to build a simple, inexpensive compact car. Nope, nothing doing. In the mid-20th century, the General could sell all the full-size cars (with full-size profit margins) it could build, thank you very much.

After World War II, GM invested millions in a compact Chevy, then abandoned the project. Not profitable enough. In 1960 Chevy introduced the compact Corvair, but that was merely a niche vehicle designed to blunt the invasion of Volkswagen Beetles. But when Ford introduced the compact Falcon and Mercury Comet, then GM had to act. Whatever Ford did, Chevy had to do it too, and vice versa. And Ford sold 660,000 Falcons and Comets in 1961 alone, the year before the introduction of the Chevy II.

I can't tell what engine this car has, as some of the trim is missing. But the Nova is interesting in that it was available with Chevy's six and eight cylinder engines, and also the first Chevy four cylinder since the 1920s. GM dropped the 153 c.i. engine in 1970. I've heard it remarked that it's unfortunate that Chevy didn't keep that rock-simple motor and put it in the Vega. It might have kept the Vega, with its disastrous aluminum-block engine, from getting the reputation as the worst car Detroit ever built.

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1993 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon

The Delica is the only vehicle designed for use in Japan that's developing a cult following in the US. I have seen several in Seattle. It's as if someone designed a vehicle for the zombie apocalypse. Enormous push-bar on the front, serious off-road capability, high clearance, diesel powered (a fuel you can make at home). Of course you'll need someone to ride shotgun (literally) when the undead hit the highways as you'll be steering with your right hand while shifting through five forward gears with your left.

Generally speaking, this is not an appropriate vehicle for Americans, who love to buy monster SUVs and then drive them only on suburban expressways. The Delica has an 85 horsepower engine (mounted under the driver) that doesn't cruise very well above 60 mph.

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1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler

AMC President George Romney was insistent that his company match the Big Three in every market segment rather than just producing dull compact cars. So when Detroit went all in for muscle cars, Kenosha (that's where AMCs were built) did the same. The ordinary two-door Rambler Rogue (called simply the AMC Rambler in 1969) was certainly America's cheapest and most basic transportation. But the Hurst SC/Rambler included a 315 hp V-8, functional hood scoop, Hurst shifter, heavy-duty shocks, anti-sway bar, anti-hop rear links to fortify the suspension and heavy-duty brakes with front discs.

Most of the 1,512 SC/Ramblers that were built had a red, white and blue paint scheme much wilder than the car pictured. Note that this car may be what's called a "clone" or "tribute"; in other words not the real thing. It doesn't have the correct Magnum 500 wheels or the blackout grill correct to the SC/Rambler. It's still cool.

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