Classics


SEMA 2009: What we didn't get to cover

Every year at SEMA, we fill the week with posts featuring special vehicles and products that we felt were important enough to share. Generally, they are the most newsworthy projects and new model introductions, but sometimes they are just things that caught our eye. When all is said and done, we think we've given all of you a good taste of what's on offer here in the desert. Of course, there are always things we see and shoot that don't make it into the regular posts from the days we are here. We end up with a few hundred photos of random ... Read more →

SEMA 2009: Galpin builds custom '69 Mustang right on the show floor Drew Phillips

While those of us in the media walked around the show floor at SEMA looking for the cool, the crazy, and the just plain awesome, there were people doing actual work. Real work. No, we're not ...

SEMA 2009: Pinkee's ignites lust for a Pontiac Firebird Frank Filipponio

This year's SEMA show might have been a bit smaller than in years past, but there were certainly some heavy hitters in the crowd that proved the old "quality, not quantity" adage. Take, for ...

SEMA 2009: Ford shows off Healing Heroes Network grand prize Shelby GT500 pair Frank Filipponio

In the Ford booth at SEMA this year, we spotted a matching set of 1967 and 2010 Shelby GT500 Mustangs. White with blue stripes, they looked incredible even in the unflattering lighting of Central ...

SEMA 2009: 1962 Corvette C1-RS is a worthy Goodguys Street Machine of the Year Drew Phillips

It takes a lot to win the the Goodguys Street Machine of the Year award, but this custom 1962 Corvette convertible you see here easily deserves the honor. The car not only looks incredible, but ...

SEMA 2009: Badass Chevy Chevelle isn't as fuelish as it seems 1 day ago on Autoblog

The clean exterior of this 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle hides a wicked little secret – if you take a look at the photo above, you'll see what we mean. The bundle of plumbing you see spilling out of the engine bay tells only part of the story – that's no overworked Chevy small block in ...

SEMA 2009: Bigfoot still a crowd favorite, 35 years later 2 days ago on Autoblog

We distinctly remember 3rd grade. Specifically, sitting in the library once a month during recess. Why would we give up dodgeball and four-square to sit inside and read? Because the new issues of Off Road and 4Wheeler had just dropped and they had stories about Bigfoot! Bearfoot too, and ...

Gullwing America takes on Mercedes' latest supercar, creates SLS Panamericana 2 days ago on Autoblog

Few cars are as classic and iconic as the original Gullwing, also known as the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Created by a loophole in racing rules when MB realized that, "Nowhere is it written that a door can only open sideways." Hence, Mercedes was allowed to retain the strength of the 300SL's (as well ...

SEMA 2009: Ringbrothers impress with 1964 Ford Fairlane "Afterburner" 3 days ago on Autoblog

After seeing some pretty incredible cars built by Ringbrothers over the past few years at SEMA, we couldn't have had higher expectations for their newest vehicle dubbed "Afterburner". Even so, we were absolutely floored by this latest creation after seeing it in person on the show floor. ...

SEMA 2009: 427-powered Fiat 500 is the stuff dreams are made of 3 days ago on Autoblog

Okay, this is so awesome it hurts. The guys at Legacy Innovations took a perfectly lovely but woefully underpowered 1959 Fiat 500 and turned it into a Fiat 7,000. The Fiat 500 is an iconic car, one with tremendous nostalgic charm, but it was never really much good as a car until they redid it a ...

They still make that? VW Golf Mk1 ends production after 25 years 3 days ago on Autoblog

The original Volkswagen Golf Mk1 arrived as a replacement to the Volkswagen Beetle way back in 1974. Sold in the States as the Volkswagen Rabbit, the early front-wheel-drive hatchback had a transverse-mounted (water-cooled) 1.5-liter four-cylinder rated at just 70 horsepower. It was good for a ...

SEMA 2009: Honda uses vintage iron to announce return to grassroots racing 3 days ago on Autoblog

Honda is using SEMA to show off their 2010 vehicles and the accessories available for each. It's also using the show to signal its return to grassroots racing, displaying several vintage racers and production cars alongside their descendants. Although we're covering the entire Mugen-accessorized ...

SEMA 2009: Ford EcoBoost '34 Hot Rod rocks a V6 in style 3 days ago on Autoblog

Putting modern engines into old cars isn't anything new, but this '34 3-window coupe in the Ford display isn't like anything we've ever seen before. Detroit Street Rods has wedged the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 underneath the hood, making it the first rear-drive application for the twin-turbocharged ...

Classic Recreations to begin building Shelby GT500CR 4 days ago on Autoblog

Yes friends, that Shelby. As in Carroll Shelby. And the racing, muscle car building legend has agreed to permit Classic Recreations to relaunch a continuation version of one of America's most iconic performance cars, the 1967-68 Shelby GT500 Mustang. Before we get too much further, allow us to ...

Another One From the Vault: BMW E39 M5 Wagon 6 days ago on Autoblog

It seems to be raining apocryphal BMW M cars that have been sitting in cold storage. And in a way, it has! On Thursday, we saw the mind-boggling, hyper-cool E34 M5 Convertible that BMW stashed away for twenty long years. Today's car isn't nearly as crypto (meaning we've seen pictures of it ...

SEMA Preview: Adam Carolla unveiling latest Ringbrothers project - "Afterburner" 8 days ago on Autoblog

If you've followed our SEMA coverage the last few years then you've heard of the Ringbrothers. We've had a close eye on the talented siblings ever since the debut of their 1967 Reactor Mustang at the Roush booth a few years ago. It was and still is one of the most impressive custom cars we've ...

UK adventurer challenges Clarkson to cross Sahara in 1937 Austin 7 Ruby 8 days ago on Autoblog

Now we're talking! If there's one thing we're in favor of its pushing cars to their breaking point. See LeMons. But what about pushing cars past their breaking point? Like across Africa? That's exactly what British journalist and adventurer Brian Milton did in 1968 when he took a 1937 Austin 7 Ruby ...

REPORT: BMW builds E34 M5 Convertible, keeps it secret for 20 long years 9 days ago on Autoblog

Amongst M Division cognoscenti there rages an eternal debate concerning what's the best ever BMW M car. To the casual Bavarian-enthusiast the answer is quite simple: E39 M5. However, strong cases can be made for both the E30 M3 and the OG E28 M5, which featured the M1's race-bred 3.5-liter ...

Three Mercedes-Benz Hitler cars on sale for $9 million [w/VIDEO] 9 days ago on Autoblog

Got $9,000,000 burning a hole in your pocket? If so, have we got an offer for you. Not one, not two, but three Mercedes-Benz G4 W-131 six-wheelers are up for grabs. Interesting, the cars have been appraised at $3.3 million each, so $9 million is basically a million dollars off! There is one ...

SEMA Preview: Ford stuffs 400-hp EcoBoost motor in '34 Hot Rod 9 days ago on Autoblog

Oh, how times are changin'. Gone are the days of stuffing a Ford Racing crate motor into any and every Blue Oval show car at SEMA. It's all about the boost now... or at least EcoBoost. As part of their "Driving Green" initiative at this year's SEMA Show, Ford will be displaying a 1934 3-Window ...

VIDEO: 1977 Dodge Colt dealer film is a completely amazing time capsule 10 days ago on Autoblog

The year was 1977 and the world wasn't as bright a place as it could have been. The Sixties were officially long dead and buried, the national speed limit had the cruise control set at 55 mph, the Son of Sam was on the loose, Elvis died, and Hay-on-Wye's succession from Britain turned out to be ...

VIDEO: Irish rally co-driver gives more confidence than a bottle of Bushmill's [*NSFW] 10 days ago on Autoblog

Football fans know that offense sells tickets, but defense wins games. Rallying is not so different. Drivers get all the glory, but they'd all be stranded upside-down in a tree somewhere without their co-pilots. The navigators ride shotgun and give the driver a turn-by-turn play-by-play of ...

SEMA Preview: Lingenfelter to show off Camaro-based Pontiac Trans Am 11 days ago on Autoblog

Apparently, there are more Trans Am-obsessed Pontiac aficionados in the world than we initially suspected. While we have a major soft spot in our hearts for the old Poncho F-Bodies, we'd never actually go to the trouble of converting a perfectly good 2010 Camaro into something featuring T-tops ...

VIDEO: 1988 Yugo sales video is hilarity of the unintentional variety 12 days ago on Autoblog

If this video had been made by Saturday Night Live, it would have been the funniest thing on the weekend variety show for as long as we can remember. But it's not a skit, and it's not comedy – at least, it's not meant to be. It's a 1988 video extolling the mighty and numerous selling ...

Review: 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Dodge Challenger causes smiles lasting longer than four hours 15 days ago on Autoblog

Before we begin, we have to state up front that we've rarely – if ever – had more fun with a car than we had with the Hotchkis E-Max Challenger. And the loud yellow Dodge was in our possession for maybe five hours. Why are we cutting to the chase like this? Why not structure this ...

Tokyo 2009: Where's the history? 15 days ago on Autoblog

We were frankly astounded that the prospect of a gutted Tokyo Motor Show didn't get any maker, save one, to trot out some of their historical home runs. Even if they didn't want to go in for a nostalgia-fest, a few brands could have at least peppered the show with some of Japan's seminal ...

Review: 1967 Classic Recreations Eleanor Mustang is the real movie deal 19 days ago on Autoblog

H. B. Halicki was a used car salesman who wanted to make a movie. With a little money, one big idea, and a 1971 Mustang Mach 1, he made Gone in 60 Seconds. And in that particular way that movies, especially '70s movies, can be, it wasn't all that good, but it was awesome. Fast forward to Michael ...

Auction find: Duel Peterbilt for beating up on Valiants 21 days ago on Autoblog

One of the most sinister automotive movie characters ever, the tanker-hauling Peterbilt from the seminal Spielberg picture, Duel, is up for auction. Perhaps only a little less evil than the '58 Plymouth in John Carpenter's adaptation of Christine, nearly 40 years have done little to dull this ...

Yenko brand still kicking 45 years later, new vehicles coming? 23 days ago on Autoblog

This post represents something of a dilemma for us. On the one hand, we could tell you about General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) owner Jeff Leonard and how he's just taken control of the Yenko name and brand. But on the other, we could ask only that you stare at the above image (and ...

Cars and Coffee roadshow headed for New England this weekend 28 days ago on Autoblog

Cars and Coffee, the informal and inclusive wheeled hootenanny originated in Irvine, California has been spreading across the country faster than swine flu. There's no stage with bad cover bands, not a trophy in sight, but you're always likely to see some astounding vehicles. Herb Chambers, New ...

Vintage Grudge Match: The Cheetah returns to take on those pesky Cobras 1 month ago on Autoblog

Ford versus Chevy. To many red-blooded Americans, the battle lines are as clear as good versus evil or Rocky versus Ivan Drago. We're not taking sides here, but we will remark that its a tad bit surprising that so many remember the Shelby Cobra with such fervor without noting a few of the more ...

AB stops at the 27th Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort 1 month ago on Autoblog

For its 27th iteration, Orange County's most prestigious classic car show returned to the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, and finally dropped the "Newport Beach" from its name. No longer would it be known as the Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance, instead adopting the Concours ...

For Sale: The most Grand Wagoneer ever made 1 month ago on Autoblog

There will always be something special about the Jeep Grand Wagoneer that keeps the original Sport Utility Vehicle entrenched firmly on our list of truly iconic American automobiles. Somehow, despite the old-school design and fake wood paneling, the GW manages to look both classy and capable at ...

Camaro returns to racing this weekend against Mustang, Challenger 1 month ago on Autoblog

This Sunday, October, the classic dark blue Sunoco Chevy Camaro will race once again. What's more, the car will be piloted by drivers with rather appropriate last names: Donohue and Bucknum. Suddenly, it's 1969 all over again. Perhaps coolest of all, though, is that Chevrolet's revived pony will ...

Grassroots Motorsports' Tim Suddard picks ten future Japanese collector cars 1 month ago on Autoblog

"Everybody wants to go to the dance, no one wants to stay and clean up." So says Robert De Niro's Sam in John Frankenheimer's spy thriller/car porno Ronin. We mention the line, because it's not only well written, but nicely sums up most people's attitudes towards classic, collector cars. Yes, ...

Retro in Red: Mr. Norm builds modern interpretation of L'il Red Express Truck 1 month ago on Autoblog

There weren't too many exciting sports cars built in the late Seventies thanks to increasingly stringent emissions requirements, but a few performance vehicles did manage to get produced despite the horsepower-strangling legislation. One of those vehicles was the L'il Red Express Truck built by ...

Next Page →






Autoblog Podcast #151: With Car and Driver's Eddie Alterman

Eddie Alterman wades in with Sam, Chris, Dan, and Jonny to talk about SEMA and other recent events.

 
 

Featured Galleries

  • SEMA 2009: HPP Daytona Challenger
  • LA Design Challenge 2009 Competitors
  • SEMA 2009: 1962 Chevrolet Corvette C1-RS
  • SEMA 2009: Bigfoot
  • SEMA 2009: Black Bison Toyota Alphard
  • Ford's Inflatable Seat Belts
  • 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder
  • Shelby Turbocharged Mustang
  • Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition
  • SEMA 2009: Ringbrothers 1964 Ford Fairlane
  • SEMA 2009: Lexus F-Sport
  • SEMA 2009: Hennessey HPE700 Camaro
AOL Autos

Find Your Next Car

Resources

10 Most Searched Cars on AOL Autos

Autoblog Video

Autoblog Green

Daily Finance

Download Squad

Engadget

Joystiq

Autoblog Spanish

Switched.com

FanHouse

Asylum