Yeah C.W. My family and I would too. This is one nice beater! With my MIL driving, I would update the front brakes to discs, add power steering, freshen up that old 6 cylinder and the rest of the driveline, slip in a handling pack from a Mustang, and then smile all the way to the nearest car show. Don, I hope you see this. It's just what we talked about a couple of days ago. Just a well-built car that can be driven and enjoyed.
Yeah, my young nephew would love this car. It would make a great gag car with that "Men In Black" air about it. You could dress in a black suit, and one of your friends could dress as an alien from outer space, and volla! First place at your local car show! I wonder how this car remained in such great shape. Did you get his number? I want this car! My checkbook can be reached through my e-mail address!! Think I need to take a heart pill.
These things may have been plain janes, but they were solidly engineered and built to last. Their looks set the stage for the '67-'76 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Valiants. Contemparary American Motors products were stylish compared to these. Why, I even see similarities to the Russian Vulgas here. With all that said, their basic design was beautiful.
I'd love to have that car, just as-is. (6's are so hard to find anymore- everyone who had 'em after the cars became worth a lot of clams, ripped 'em out and replaced 'em with an 8. But I love them old 6's- they weren't wimpy, and they got gas mileage that would make today's junk-mobiles blush with shame)
My sister had one of these in red, in the 70's....man, I wish I had her's now!
The chrome strip at the bottom of the C-pillar is like the car's one frill...and it work's- really dresses it up. Without that li'l piece-o-chrome, the car would lose about 50% of it's looks! I love that...it's like tastefully understated elegance, on a real work-horse; which shows that it is genteel and has manners!
Could be the world's first international car. (Well, except for maybe the Beetle.) This ride would look as at home on the streets of Budapest or Shenyang as it would in San Francisco.
Don, I was hoping you'd see this. This thing is right up your alley. I recently saw a piece on Powernation that stated the Ford six was one of torquiest engines on the planet. The host went on to say that these engines were almost bulletproof as well. It was indeed a shame that the young people who bought these cars used yanked these sixes out in favor of a 289 or a 302 V-8. That was the best part on these cars. I also suspect that these engines found their way into AMC products too. If you lift the hood of a '65 American, you'll see a 199 CID Falcon 6. In the Hornet, rebel, and ambassador, you'll see the 250 CID unit. In Jeep CJ's in the '60's, a 300 cubic incher could be found. As for the car, it is a basic beauty, free of excess brightwork. And yes, I would have to upgrade some of the systems on this car as my MIL would be driving it. Other than that, let's go out and find our own cars and start enjoying them!
Ay, Cap'n! I concur- I would like discs in the front, too. Front drums were before my time; & the 1 time I drove a car with 'em, it was scary! :D Were the smaller car i-6's just scaled down versions of the truck 300-6's? Those 300's were truly amazing. I think the key to their longevity, was that they had gears instead of a timing chain. Had an old F250 with a 300....only got 10 MPG even though it was a 2-wheel drive and 4-speed...but then again, that's probably 'cause Ford likes to put such low gears in their pick'em ups. If you find one'a them Fairlanes down there that ain't rusted to heck, sned it up here to KY. I'll take it!
....and I wouldn't mind having that Duster in the current OPC banner pic, either! (I actually had one- my very first car in the early 80's- and being in NYC, it was already rusted...)
Don, those legendary Ford sixes got their start in 1952, with the introduction of the 223 CID Mileage Maker Six. These engines weighed less than the 226 CID engines they replaced, but actually made more horsepower than the flathead version. While many car buyers shunned them, fleet buyers found them to be a blessing. With proper care and maintainance, you could get well over 100K miles out of one before you had to overhaul it. My grandfather owned a '62 Ranch Wagon powered by one of these engines. He logged 354K miles before the car was scrapped. That engine found its way into my '54 Ford 3/4 ton truck, where it logged at least 20-30K miles before I sold it to an uncle. Point is, these engines were almost indestructable. And as their repu- tation grew, so did their size. Ford's expertise with thin-wall cylinder castings allowed beefier engines with less weight. By 1965, Ford was marketing at least four different sixes! Sizes ranged from 144 (Falcon, Econoline) 200 (Fairlane Comet Ford pickups) 223 (last year offered) and 240 (large Ford cars like Custom 500 and ranch wagons. By 1970, Ford would grow the six again offering 250 and 300 CID engines. By 1971, the 240 was dropped leaving only the 250 CID engine for cars, and the 300 CID unit for pickups and vans. Hope that I was able to explain this properly to you. These engines were great, and as for the car, I'll have to work on that one. Maybe, I can find two so we each could have one!
Bet it was a slant six with a 3 on the floor wasn't it? Yeah Don, the salt they use up North would rust an oak tree! Most Chrysler products usually didn't survive in Northern states due to their affinity to rust. I cant recall how many cars I had to treat for rust issues. AMC's were bad too. They mostly rusted out in the floor and rocker areas. And if rust didn't start there, it broke out in the body welds and spread to the rest of the car. Too sad we couldn't save them all.
I respectfully disagree. As a teen ager, I worked on quite a few of these with my father. We had a small business in our backyard fixing and flipping cars. In those days, if you needed parts for your AMC, you had to take the vehicle's VIN number with you to the auto parts store to aid the parts man in finding the correct parts for your car. We worked on a lot of these cars, and as we did, we could soon tell which major car company's engine was in whatever AMC we had sitting around back then. I was amazed at the fact that AMC never built their own engines, trannies, or anything else for that matter. My memory may be a little fuzzy on this but here goes: 1954-58: Nash 196 CID flathead six. 308 CID inline six. Nash and Hudson. 320 CID V-8 Supplied by Packard for use in Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet. 327 CID V-8 (1957-66) bored out version of Packard V-8. Used in Ambassadors, Rebels, and Classics through 1966. Also available in Hudson Wasp and Hornet models ('56-'57 only) 1958-1970. 196 CID Flying Scot six. Used in Americans and some Classic models. 327 V-8. Packard built. Used in Rebel and Classic models with V-8 option 195 CID OHV six. Supplied by Jeep Motors. Used in all Ramblers except American. 327 CID V-8. Now supplied by Studebaker through '64. Used in Classic and Ambassa- dor models with V-8 option. 232 CID OHV six. Supplied by Chevrolet. Used in full size cars, Hornets, and Gremlins through 1975. American models equipped with 199 CID Ford Falcon six. '65-'69 only 343 CID V-8. Studebaker-Packard tooling used here. V-8 option for full size cars '67-'70 only. All six cylinder cars now using 232 chevrolet six. 258 OHV six. Supplied by Ford. Used in Gremlin, Hornet, and Pacer through 1987. 390 V-8. Supplied by Ford. Used in full size cars, Javelin, and AMX. Used '69-72 only. 360 V-8. Supplied by Chrysler. Used in Gremlin, Hornet, Matador, and ambass- ador through 1980. Volkswagen 4-cylinder OHC. Uesd in Spirit models '78-'82. 401 V-8. Supplied by Chrysler. Used in Javelin and AMX models through 1975. You could often tell what you were looking at by looking at the starter (258, 390) distributor (232 327) or alternator hookup or A/C placement. All these tips are for Ford, GM, and Chrysler respectively. Gettin sleepy, gotta run!
Hey Don! Just got back from a website with something that would interest you. While looking around for a car to draw, I came across a '56 Ford 2-door Ranch Wagon. It looks to be in very good condition. It has rust issues but the body is solid with good patina. The inside is a bit trashy but serviceable. Best of all, it has a complete 223 CID six cylinder engine and 3-speed tranny. Looks as though the engine will turn over, but will need to be redone. Redo the fuel and hydraulic systems, add some EBC brakes, and you'll have a great beater. To see it, visit hotrodgarage.net/project cars for sale. I'd take it if I had a place to work on it. Code enforcement here frowns on a choice beater parked in your driveway.
Hey Cap'N! Thanks for the history lesson! I can't believe that they stopped making the i-6's! Those 300's (the only ones I'm really personally familiar with) were gas engines which thought they were diesels- I've seen many still running strong with over 300K miles on 'em. (The 4.6 Triton in my van though, is a worthy contender...gonna turn 300K soon, and runs like new...). That '56 wagon is neat! I don't think I'd ever seen one of those before. (There's a guy on the Ebay Motors forum who'd go nuts for that 'un- He's got a '56 Buick wagon). Tell you the truth though, if I were going to get a classic, I would get one from out West (CA AZ NM) where they don't rust. Way I see it, if yer gonna put the work/money into something, it's better to start with a solid platform. Yeah, the rust belt.... I was just thinking, since I moved from NY to KY 13 years ago, I haven't had to replace one exhaust system! And yes, my Duster was a Slant-Six...but an A/T, unfortunately. It seems everyone ya see today, are all 8's. Why the heck don't they still make i-6's?! 6 cylinders...7 main bearings (as opposed to the 8's 8 cyls/only 5 mains) pretty much ensures they're gonna live a long life (Although, with all the crap they put on 'em today....I guess it wouldn't matter....)
No problem Don, glad you enjoyed them. Like you, I'm sorry to see the the inline 6 go away. It's like saying good-bye to an old friend. While the V-6 may well be the order of the day, these wonderful old engines will still be around in large numbers as long as there are guys like us who have the know-how to keep them running for future car guys and gals to admire and enjoy. There's just nothing finer than a strong running inline 6. I sent you the wagon link just to show you a 223 CID inline 6 looked like. I didn't know if you'd ever seen one. Gotta tell ya' I went to sleep last night dreaming about that wagon! Maybe if I do a portrait of it, Tony or Ben might post it on the site where everyone could see and enjoy it. Gotta go fill some orders for my customers, catch ya' later!
You're right, Cap'n, I don't think I'd ever seen a 223-six before. I just love the simplicity of those old cars! (Want something to be durable and efficient? Keep it simple!)- Even the old Chevy 250-sixes were no slouches. So you're an "artiste" too, eh? Do you have a website where I could see your work? I used to be into art when I was young- then kinda got away from it- and unfortunately, lost much of my ability. Been trying to get back into it though- used to love just doodling trucks and buses; making fictitious maps and street scenes from an aerial perspective. (The preceding comment IS car-related, guys...'cause I like to now do my art using the tailgate of my F250 as a table!)
You're right Don, I had a few of these Chevy sixes back in the day. If you were to ask me which one (Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler) was the toughest, I'd have to call it a draw. Each auto maker back then built a strong, robust 6 cylinder engine that would serve their customers well. This was true in the Midwest where I grew up. The farmers needed a strong reliable engine that could take whatever you threw at it and still do the job asked of it. My uncle was a farmer and he swore by Chevy sixes. My earliest memories of him centered on the '52 Chevy 4-door sedan he drove. It seemed that every piece of farm equipment he had was powered by a Chevy 6. I used to help him keep all those sixes in running order. Whenever we'd go to visit the farm, he'd show me something new when it came to maintaining these engines on a shoestring. I can still recall the first time I ever changed a set of plugs was in one of these engines. That was almost 55 years ago, and I still recall the simplicity of maintainance and the joy of knowing that even a nearly blind kid from the city could take one apart, put it back together, and it ran like a watch by the time I was through. That's how I was bitten by the car bug. I gotta tell ya' it broke my heart when the eye doctor told me that I would never be able to drive. So I built 'em and other people drove 'em! I must've done something right because no one ever got hurt driving anything I fixed. As for the art work, I've been doing that since I was 6 years old. I find cars are easy to draw because they stay where you put them until someone drives them away. I use a mix of premium art supplies along with stuff you pick up at Wal Mart. And my tablet has special software in it that allows me to enlarge the photo so that I can see it clearly. I'm hoping to do portraits of fantasy OPC's. I sure get a lot of good stuff off this blog, and I get to talk to all of you too. BTW, Mom says we're going to put some prints up on her E-mail page so that you can see them. Gotta get back to work! See ya' soon!
Wow, is 26 comments a record? I've seen this or another one like it around and it just oozes honest presence, which I never guessed I'd say about a Fairlane. I guess black really works. A quintessential, non-flash OPC, happy!
captain, you're completely off on the AMC engines. The 199/232/258 was the same family of AMC designed and built engine, as was the 304/360/390/401 V8. They only sourced a few outside engines for some early Jeeps, a 2.0 from VW for the smaller cars in the late 70s, and the GM 2.8 for earlier XJ Cherokees. I'm sure there's a few more but by and large their engines were their own. Now OTHER parts; sources ran the spectrum. Chrysler transmissions, GM steering, Ford carburetors, and a whole lot more.
Thanks for putting me straight on that man! My memory has been fuzzy on this issue after having suffered 3 mini strokes since 2007. I do recall that my '62 Classic sedan having the same engine found in contemporary Jeep models of the day. I think the tranny was the same unit found in the Studebaker Larks of that period. The rear axle looked to be a '40's model Ford unit probably built under license as the driveshaft was encased inside a torque tube just like the '48 Ford. After all, AMC did stand for All Make Car!
Good to see the Vintage Parked cars of Ford. Nice article wrote about these Vintage Ford cars. I love these car so much because these are of very awesome design and made the history of the Ford company. Nice work done on this blog, its really very awesome and interesting. However if you want to check the Vin of your car so have a look on vin decoder lexus.
This car has a 289 2V and 3 on the tree, not a straight 6! It was for sale here locally in Portland, OR and I almost bought it. My wife couldn't handle the column shift and manual steering so we passed. It was originally a fire chief's car and is in very good shape.
Best of OPC. 
32 comments:
That's just really nice. I'd drive that proudly.
Yeah C.W. My family and I would too. This is one nice beater! With my MIL driving,
I would update the front brakes to discs, add power steering, freshen up that old 6
cylinder and the rest of the driveline, slip in a handling pack from a Mustang, and then
smile all the way to the nearest car show. Don, I hope you see this. It's just what we
talked about a couple of days ago. Just a well-built car that can be driven and
enjoyed.
That profile shot reminds me of shadowy well dressed government men.
Yeah, my young nephew would love this car. It would make a great gag car with that
"Men In Black" air about it. You could dress in a black suit, and one of your friends
could dress as an alien from outer space, and volla! First place at your local car show!
I wonder how this car remained in such great shape. Did you get his number? I want
this car! My checkbook can be reached through my e-mail address!! Think I need to
take a heart pill.
They must have consulted American Motors to reach this level of povo-specced blandness.
These things may have been plain janes, but they were solidly engineered and built to last.
Their looks set the stage for the '67-'76 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Valiants. Contemparary
American Motors products were stylish compared to these. Why, I even see similarities to the
Russian Vulgas here. With all that said, their basic design was beautiful.
I'm with ya, Cap'N!!!
I'd love to have that car, just as-is. (6's are so hard to find anymore- everyone who had 'em after the cars became worth a lot of clams, ripped 'em out and replaced 'em with an 8. But I love them old 6's- they weren't wimpy, and they got gas mileage that would make today's junk-mobiles blush with shame)
My sister had one of these in red, in the 70's....man, I wish I had her's now!
The chrome strip at the bottom of the C-pillar is like the car's one frill...and it work's- really dresses it up. Without that li'l piece-o-chrome, the car would lose about 50% of it's looks! I love that...it's like tastefully understated elegance, on a real work-horse; which shows that it is genteel and has manners!
Beautiful!
Chromer? I meant "pot metal"- LOL.
Could be the world's first international car. (Well, except for maybe the Beetle.) This ride would look as at home on the streets of Budapest or Shenyang as it would in San Francisco.
Don, I was hoping you'd see this. This thing is right up your alley. I recently saw a
piece on Powernation that stated the Ford six was one of torquiest engines on the planet. The host went on to say that these engines were almost bulletproof as well.
It was indeed a shame that the young people who bought these cars used yanked
these sixes out in favor of a 289 or a 302 V-8. That was the best part on these cars.
I also suspect that these engines found their way into AMC products too. If you lift
the hood of a '65 American, you'll see a 199 CID Falcon 6. In the Hornet, rebel, and
ambassador, you'll see the 250 CID unit. In Jeep CJ's in the '60's, a 300 cubic incher
could be found. As for the car, it is a basic beauty, free of excess brightwork. And yes,
I would have to upgrade some of the systems on this car as my MIL would be driving it.
Other than that, let's go out and find our own cars and start enjoying them!
The 1965 Fairlane is rare. It did not sell well.
This car has detective written all over it.
AMC had their own engines.
Ay, Cap'n! I concur- I would like discs in the front, too. Front drums were before my time; & the 1 time I drove a car with 'em, it was scary! :D Were the smaller car i-6's just scaled down versions of the truck 300-6's? Those 300's were truly amazing. I think the key to their longevity, was that they had gears instead of a timing chain. Had an old F250 with a 300....only got 10 MPG even though it was a 2-wheel drive and 4-speed...but then again, that's probably 'cause Ford likes to put such low gears in their pick'em ups. If you find one'a them Fairlanes down there that ain't rusted to heck, sned it up here to KY. I'll take it!
....and I wouldn't mind having that Duster in the current OPC banner pic, either! (I actually had one- my very first car in the early 80's- and being in NYC, it was already rusted...)
Don, those legendary Ford sixes got their start in 1952, with the introduction of the
223 CID Mileage Maker Six. These engines weighed less than the 226 CID engines
they replaced, but actually made more horsepower than the flathead version. While
many car buyers shunned them, fleet buyers found them to be a blessing. With proper
care and maintainance, you could get well over 100K miles out of one before you had
to overhaul it. My grandfather owned a '62 Ranch Wagon powered by one of these
engines. He logged 354K miles before the car was scrapped. That engine found its
way into my '54 Ford 3/4 ton truck, where it logged at least 20-30K miles before I sold
it to an uncle. Point is, these engines were almost indestructable. And as their repu-
tation grew, so did their size. Ford's expertise with thin-wall cylinder castings allowed
beefier engines with less weight. By 1965, Ford was marketing at least four different
sixes! Sizes ranged from 144 (Falcon, Econoline) 200 (Fairlane Comet Ford pickups)
223 (last year offered) and 240 (large Ford cars like Custom 500 and ranch wagons.
By 1970, Ford would grow the six again offering 250 and 300 CID engines. By 1971,
the 240 was dropped leaving only the 250 CID engine for cars, and the 300 CID unit
for pickups and vans. Hope that I was able to explain this properly to you. These
engines were great, and as for the car, I'll have to work on that one. Maybe, I can
find two so we each could have one!
Bet it was a slant six with a 3 on the floor wasn't it? Yeah Don, the salt they use up North
would rust an oak tree! Most Chrysler products usually didn't survive in Northern states due
to their affinity to rust. I cant recall how many cars I had to treat for rust issues. AMC's were
bad too. They mostly rusted out in the floor and rocker areas. And if rust didn't start there,
it broke out in the body welds and spread to the rest of the car. Too sad we couldn't save
them all.
I respectfully disagree. As a teen ager, I worked on quite a few of these with my
father. We had a small business in our backyard fixing and flipping cars. In those
days, if you needed parts for your AMC, you had to take the vehicle's VIN number
with you to the auto parts store to aid the parts man in finding the correct parts
for your car. We worked on a lot of these cars, and as we did, we could soon tell
which major car company's engine was in whatever AMC we had sitting around back
then. I was amazed at the fact that AMC never built their own engines, trannies, or
anything else for that matter. My memory may be a little fuzzy on this but here goes:
1954-58: Nash 196 CID flathead six.
308 CID inline six. Nash and Hudson.
320 CID V-8 Supplied by Packard for use in Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet.
327 CID V-8 (1957-66) bored out version of Packard V-8. Used in Ambassadors,
Rebels, and Classics through 1966. Also available in Hudson Wasp and Hornet
models ('56-'57 only)
1958-1970. 196 CID Flying Scot six. Used in Americans and some Classic models.
327 V-8. Packard built. Used in Rebel and Classic models with V-8 option
195 CID OHV six. Supplied by Jeep Motors. Used in all Ramblers except American.
327 CID V-8. Now supplied by Studebaker through '64. Used in Classic and Ambassa-
dor models with V-8 option.
232 CID OHV six. Supplied by Chevrolet. Used in full size cars, Hornets, and Gremlins
through 1975. American models equipped with 199 CID Ford Falcon six. '65-'69 only
343 CID V-8. Studebaker-Packard tooling used here. V-8 option for full size cars
'67-'70 only. All six cylinder cars now using 232 chevrolet six.
258 OHV six. Supplied by Ford. Used in Gremlin, Hornet, and Pacer through 1987.
390 V-8. Supplied by Ford. Used in full size cars, Javelin, and AMX. Used '69-72
only. 360 V-8. Supplied by Chrysler. Used in Gremlin, Hornet, Matador, and ambass-
ador through 1980. Volkswagen 4-cylinder OHC. Uesd in Spirit models '78-'82.
401 V-8. Supplied by Chrysler. Used in Javelin and AMX models through 1975.
You could often tell what you were looking at by looking at the starter (258, 390)
distributor (232 327) or alternator hookup or A/C placement. All these tips are for
Ford, GM, and Chrysler respectively. Gettin sleepy, gotta run!
Hey Don! Just got back from a website with something that would interest you. While
looking around for a car to draw, I came across a '56 Ford 2-door Ranch Wagon. It
looks to be in very good condition. It has rust issues but the body is solid with good
patina. The inside is a bit trashy but serviceable. Best of all, it has a complete 223
CID six cylinder engine and 3-speed tranny. Looks as though the engine will turn over,
but will need to be redone. Redo the fuel and hydraulic systems, add some EBC brakes, and you'll have a great beater. To see it, visit hotrodgarage.net/project cars
for sale. I'd take it if I had a place to work on it. Code enforcement here frowns on a
choice beater parked in your driveway.
Hey Cap'N! Thanks for the history lesson! I can't believe that they stopped making the i-6's! Those 300's (the only ones I'm really personally familiar with) were gas engines which thought they were diesels- I've seen many still running strong with over 300K miles on 'em. (The 4.6 Triton in my van though, is a worthy contender...gonna turn 300K soon, and runs like new...).
That '56 wagon is neat! I don't think I'd ever seen one of those before. (There's a guy on the Ebay Motors forum who'd go nuts for that 'un- He's got a '56 Buick wagon).
Tell you the truth though, if I were going to get a classic, I would get one from out West (CA AZ NM) where they don't rust. Way I see it, if yer gonna put the work/money into something, it's better to start with a solid platform.
Yeah, the rust belt.... I was just thinking, since I moved from NY to KY 13 years ago, I haven't had to replace one exhaust system! And yes, my Duster was a Slant-Six...but an A/T, unfortunately. It seems everyone ya see today, are all 8's. Why the heck don't they still make i-6's?! 6 cylinders...7 main bearings (as opposed to the 8's 8 cyls/only 5 mains) pretty much ensures they're gonna live a long life (Although, with all the crap they put on 'em today....I guess it wouldn't matter....)
No problem Don, glad you enjoyed them. Like you, I'm sorry to see the the inline 6
go away. It's like saying good-bye to an old friend. While the V-6 may well be the order of the day, these wonderful old engines will still be around in large numbers as
long as there are guys like us who have the know-how to keep them running for future
car guys and gals to admire and enjoy. There's just nothing finer than a strong running
inline 6. I sent you the wagon link just to show you a 223 CID inline 6 looked like. I
didn't know if you'd ever seen one. Gotta tell ya' I went to sleep last night dreaming
about that wagon! Maybe if I do a portrait of it, Tony or Ben might post it on the site
where everyone could see and enjoy it. Gotta go fill some orders for my customers,
catch ya' later!
You're right, Cap'n, I don't think I'd ever seen a 223-six before. I just love the simplicity of those old cars! (Want something to be durable and efficient? Keep it simple!)- Even the old Chevy 250-sixes were no slouches. So you're an "artiste" too, eh? Do you have a website where I could see your work? I used to be into art when I was young- then kinda got away from it- and unfortunately, lost much of my ability. Been trying to get back into it though- used to love just doodling trucks and buses; making fictitious maps and street scenes from an aerial perspective. (The preceding comment IS car-related, guys...'cause I like to now do my art using the tailgate of my F250 as a table!)
You're right Don, I had a few of these Chevy sixes back in the day. If you were to ask
me which one (Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler) was the toughest, I'd have to call it a draw.
Each auto maker back then built a strong, robust 6 cylinder engine that would serve
their customers well. This was true in the Midwest where I grew up. The farmers
needed a strong reliable engine that could take whatever you threw at it and still do
the job asked of it. My uncle was a farmer and he swore by Chevy sixes. My earliest
memories of him centered on the '52 Chevy 4-door sedan he drove. It seemed that
every piece of farm equipment he had was powered by a Chevy 6. I used to help him
keep all those sixes in running order. Whenever we'd go to visit the farm, he'd show
me something new when it came to maintaining these engines on a shoestring. I can
still recall the first time I ever changed a set of plugs was in one of these engines. That
was almost 55 years ago, and I still recall the simplicity of maintainance and the joy of
knowing that even a nearly blind kid from the city could take one apart, put it back
together, and it ran like a watch by the time I was through. That's how I was bitten
by the car bug. I gotta tell ya' it broke my heart when the eye doctor told me that I
would never be able to drive. So I built 'em and other people drove 'em! I must've done something right because no one ever got hurt driving anything I fixed. As for
the art work, I've been doing that since I was 6 years old. I find cars are easy to draw
because they stay where you put them until someone drives them away. I use a mix of
premium art supplies along with stuff you pick up at Wal Mart. And my tablet has
special software in it that allows me to enlarge the photo so that I can see it clearly.
I'm hoping to do portraits of fantasy OPC's. I sure get a lot of good stuff off this
blog, and I get to talk to all of you too. BTW, Mom says we're going to put some
prints up on her E-mail page so that you can see them. Gotta get back to work!
See ya' soon!
Scratch that. Drop me a line at captaingizmo54@gmail.com.
Just sent you an email, Cap'n.
Wow, is 26 comments a record? I've seen this or another one like it around and it just oozes honest presence, which I never guessed I'd say about a Fairlane. I guess black really works. A quintessential, non-flash OPC, happy!
One year only bodystyle, and is captaingizmo autistic? He has a vivid imagination and fabricates "facts" in detail.
captain, you're completely off on the AMC engines. The 199/232/258 was the same family of AMC designed and built engine, as was the 304/360/390/401 V8. They only sourced a few outside engines for some early Jeeps, a 2.0 from VW for the smaller cars in the late 70s, and the GM 2.8 for earlier XJ Cherokees. I'm sure there's a few more but by and large their engines were their own. Now OTHER parts; sources ran the spectrum. Chrysler transmissions, GM steering, Ford carburetors, and a whole lot more.
Thanks for putting me straight on that man! My memory has been fuzzy on this
issue after having suffered 3 mini strokes since 2007. I do recall that my '62 Classic
sedan having the same engine found in contemporary Jeep models of the day. I think
the tranny was the same unit found in the Studebaker Larks of that period. The rear
axle looked to be a '40's model Ford unit probably built under license as the driveshaft
was encased inside a torque tube just like the '48 Ford. After all, AMC did stand for
All Make Car!
Good to see the Vintage Parked cars of Ford. Nice article wrote about these Vintage Ford cars. I love these car so much because these are of very awesome design and made the history of the Ford company. Nice work done on this blog, its really very awesome and interesting. However if you want to check the Vin of your car so have a look on vin decoder lexus.
This car has a 289 2V and 3 on the tree, not a straight 6! It was for sale here locally in Portland, OR and I almost bought it. My wife couldn't handle the column shift and manual steering so we passed. It was originally a fire chief's car and is in very good shape.
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