NASCAR Maximum Warlord Bill France saw that the new American compact cars- the Ford Falcon, Chevy Corvair, and Plymouth Valiant- were getting a lot of attention in the marketplace, so he created the Compact Series, which ran during 1960 and 1961. Some big names participated, including Curtis Turner, Richard Petty, and Fireball Roberts, and a few Volvos even got into the act. The Valiants utterly dominated, thanks to the Hyper-Pak Slant Six engine, but the Corvair managed to earn an all-important NASCAR racing pedigree, 49 years before UDMan's 24 Hours Of LeMons Corvair really put the rear-engined Chevy on the racing-history map. Thanks to UDMan (who else?) for the tip!
[Persh.org]

Ramblers and AMCs haven't been particularly plentiful on the streets of Alameda, but we've seen a handful. This '61 American, this '65 American, this '69 Ambassador SST Wagon, and this '76 Pacer pretty much sums it up, though I could add a few more if we consider pre-Chrysler Jeeps to be members of the AMC family tree.

1960 was the last year for the upside-down-bathtub Rambler styling. A low sticker price was the main goal for this car, and AMC was quite successful; car shoppers could get a two-door 1960 Rambler Deluxe Business Coupe (back seat not included) for just $1,781. Compare that to the $1,912 price tag on the cheapest Ford Falcon, or the $1,984 Chevy Corvair sedan. Or, heck, even the $1,565 '60 Volkswagen Beetle- the extra couple hundred bucks got you a much more traditional-looking and substantial car than what Wolfsburg had to offer.
The American's low price tag came with a few compromises, of course. Even this relatively high-zoot Custom (priced at $2,059) came with a flathead inline-six engine as standard equipment. That's right, you could still buy a new car with a flathead in the 1960s!

The image quality isn't so good; in fact, identifying the cars is much like trying to extract useful information from the Zapruder Film (which was shot using similar hardware). The ASA 24 film means there are some dark parts, and my film-to-video conversion technique (camcorder + projector) doesn't help matters. There's definitely a Corvair, a 356, and a Beetle, and what appears to be a Renault Caravelle. Maybe a Sprite as well? Mostly you just get atmosphere from this; the sense that it's really freakin' cold, with maybe a mournful whistling of grim Scandinavian-style wind through the skeletal trees, punctuated by the roar of engines at rod-throwing revs and the occasional crunch of sheetmetal on snowbanks. You might check out this Land-O-Lakes SCCA history of racing in Minnesota when you're done here.

I found this car after our Czech friend BobAsh started shopping for a '60 Cadillac to ship across the water and found this one on Craigslist. Sure enough, it lives just a few blocks from my house, so I went over to check it out. It wasn't quite what BobAsh was looking for, but it's a solid rust-free car that isn't too many thousands of bucks from show condition; anyone who wants to make an offer should contact the owner here.


I've always preferred the '60 to the Cadillacs of the late 50s; you still get the big motorcyclist-eviscerating fins, but not as much gingerbread. New, this car sold for $4,892, about the same as a new Jaguar XK-150S and well over twice the cost of the '60 Chevy Biscayne two-door. Not that any car buyer who insisted on a Cadillac two-door would settle for a Chevy or some sort of foreign car, mind you!

This truck is clearly a work truck, one of several associated with a Victorian under serious renovation, but it also appears to be in mid-restoration. Let's hope it doesn't stop going to work once it's fixed up.


Check out this beautiful dash layout, with its Space Age decorative touches! The column-shift manual! I'm pretty sure this is an F-100, but the body emblems appear to have been removed for the new paint job.

Thanks to Thunder for the tip! [Craigslist Minneapolis]

Back when we were gearing up for some toe-to-toe nuclear combat with the Rooskies, a man could walk into his friendly Dodge dealership and order him up a Town Wagon, to haul six or eight passengers reliably (if not comfortably), or he could opt for the military-truck-based four-wheel-drive Power Wagon and flee those mean ol' Tsar Bombas in an off-road run to the mountains (although you'd need to get quite a head start to escape the blast radius of the Tsar Bomba). Or, because this is the greatest nation on earth, he could have had both! Yes, you could buy a Power Wagon Town Wagon, with four-wheel-drive and lots of seats. Fine vehicle, the Power Wagon Town Wagon, but where can you find one today? They've all rusted away or tumbled down ravines, stuff like that. Except, of course, for this '60 (go here if the ad disappears), which Mad_Science has found for us in Reno. As Mad_Science observes: "note the guy in the picture for scale. Either that guy's a midget or this thing is enormous!" Does it run? Is there rust? What's the interior like? We don't know any of that, but we do know that it's only $1,695 and maybe even, as the seller claims, the "rarest 4x4 in america!" Should be an easy project!

You couldn't buy the Lada in the United States, because we didn't do business with gulag-havin' Stalinists, you betcha. However, the Canadians thought the Soviet-made Fiat 124 sedan clone was so good that they were willing to do business with the Evil Empire, if that's what it took to get their mittened hands on that fine Russian interpretation of an ancient Italian design. That means you need to head up north to Lada Land if you want an example of Late Cold War machinery for your own… and SoNaive has pinpointed the location of this fine '87 Lada Signet (go here if the ad disappears) for us. No mention of running condition is given, but is that even necessary? This is a Soviet Fiat, people! Naturally, you'll want to get on the horn to Italy right away and order up every possible hot-rod engine part you'll need to build a seriously hairy Fiat Twin Cam, or maybe you'll perform a not-yet-found-in-nature Japanese-Soviet-Italian swap and put an SR20DET in this sucka! You might have some issues getting it registered in the United States, because the Lada was never certified to meet US emissions, equipment, or safety standards, but we're sure you'll find the folks at your local DMV are eager to smooth your path to fully legal Lada ownership! Whatever you do to this car, you'll be performing the work in the manner of a Glorious Hero Mechanic Of The Proletariat, because this car comes with a set of Soviet wrenches! Oh yeah! Suddenly I must have a Soviet wrench set!

When you want to drive a car that was once owned by a famous actor, you can expect to pay big bucks, and when the car is a vintage Italian machine with suicide doors? Forget it! Hold on, though, because we work miracles here at Project Car Hell… and we can put you behind the wheel of this 1960 Lancia Appia (sorry, the ad got pulled from Craigslist, so we have to use a screenshot), which was once owned by Fabio! You think some of Mr. Bodice Ripper's charismatic glow will rub off on you from this car? Sure thing! Of course, before that can happen, you'll need to get it running. The seller doesn't mention the running condition (or lack thereof) in the description, but "needs restoration" is generally accepted as Craigslist-ese for "nothing works." Don't worry about finding parts for your new Lancia, however, because the seller claims "Car is complete and no missing parts." Easy!

Maybe Fabio is a little too wholesome for you, what with his romance-novel faux-bad-boy image and all, and you want your famous car to be something notorious. You ain't getting Bonnie and Clyde's Ford V8, but how about a car that figured as the centerpiece in a squalid B-list divorce nightmare, culminating in allegations of abduction and rape and- naturally- leading to the publication of a documentary, a book, and a reality TV show? That's what you get with the Star Crazy Volvo 244, which figured prominently in Pauley Perrette's legal battles with- we ain't making this up- Coyote Shivers. You'll need to go to this site to get Mr. Shivers' side of the story, or you could just watch his statement below:



It's pretty much a run-of-the-mill '84 Volvo 244, with no mention of running condition or anything else, but it's priced at just 400 bucks with no reserve. Are you thinking 24 Hours Of LeMons V8 Volvo? You should be!

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See, the Lancer was Dodge's innovative compact car for '61, based on the new Valiant and priced at just $2,007 for the base 170 model. It's from Detroit's Golden Age, with relatively happy unions, high pay, and no threat from them damn Toyopets, so it will help convince the all-important hardhat vote that Obama is on their side when they hear that good ol' Slant Six go by. But, see, Obama would look too stolid driving the base 170, so that's why this car is the slightly pricier 770 coupe, which had enough chrome to look stylishly youthful without implying a sense of elitism. The Rat Fink sticker just adds to the efffect. Oh, just wait and see, folks!

Meanwhile, John McCain is going to be put on the defensive if he's seen cruising around in a new SUV or limo after the bombshell of the Obama Lancer is dropped, so we'll see him behind the wheel of a Falcon or Chevy II within a matter of hours. Yes, we're looking at an early-60s Detroit compact war for Campaign '08! You heard it here first!

My research indicates that 1960 was the last year for this style of hood emblem on the 403, and the turn signal lights suggest that it's a 1958-1960 car. Of course, this could be a rare Tahiti- or Ivory Coast-built car, in which case all bets are off (though the yellow-on-black plate and early letter combo indicates 1963 or 1964 as the first year this car was registered in California). You Peugeot experts are invited to help us out here.


The California sun has not been kind to the steering wheel, but the rest of the interior looks pretty good. Note the pliers sitting on the floor- think that's what's used to start the car?


The view from this angle looks quite Amazon-like, though any other perspective makes it clear you're looking at something French. The list price of the 1960 403 in the United States was $2,250, and you got a four-speed and sunroof as part of the deal. Compare that to the $1,974 price tag on the brand-new-for-1960 Ford Falcon... now, making a choice between those two would be quite the dilemma. And, speaking of dilemmas, we've got a total of four French cars in this series, which is enough for a poll. I'm thinking the Medallion might not fare so well, but You Never Know, You Know?

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You superpatriots might be screaming about the inclusion of a British car in this matchup- especially on a holiday celebrating the day we told our cruel colonial masters to hit the road (thanks for the backup, France!)- but Britain gave us our language, the basis for our legal system, and Top Gear. And come on, how can you not love a car named for its target market? What if Chrysler had made a version of the Dart called the Dodge Deutschland and sold it in Germany? OK, we admit that argument isn't so compelling, but you won't care once you take a look at this '68 Austin America, which is priced to move- though not under its own power- at just $500. The seller wants us to know it's an "easy restoration," and we couldn't agree more! The "motor is not frozen up," the glass is all there, and it's a California car so you get yellow-on-black plates and (maybe) not much rust. It's conceivable- though not likely- that you could get away with buying and shipping just a handful of parts from the UK to finish this project.

That Austin would be fun, but front-wheel-drive from 40 years back is still front-wheel-drive. How could you do good old-fashioned American donuts in the Circle K parking lot without a rear-wheel-drive car? Exactly. That's why a Rambler American, made by the American Motor Company, is the only choice approved by the House Un-American Burnout Activities Committee. If you've got 600 bucks in your pocket (and plenty of welding expertise), this somewhat rusty '60 Rambler American could be yours right now. In stark contrast to the Austin America, the American's engine is seized... but that's no problem, because you'll need to ditch that antique flathead six and replace it with a great big thirsty AMC 401, equipped with a huge tunnel-ram intake and Cherry Bombs. While you're building this engine- which will be the easy part of the project- you can also start fixing the rusted-out floor pan. Don't despair, because at least "all glass, head lights, tail lights all in tact." It can't be that hard, right?

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You've got your Simcas and your Peugeots, your Renaults and even your Matras... but when you're talking serious French Project Car Hell, you're talking Citröen. When you're Citröen shopping in North America, you need to ask yourself: Do I want a car that was imported by Citröen, or do I want a crazy gray-market car with zero parts availability and questionable street-legality? Do I even need to answer that question? What any Project Car Hell masochist aficionado worth his or her salt yearns for is a nice long-wheelbase Citröen CX, suitable for use as a chauffeur-driven limousine. Better run to your bank for $8,500 in cash and catch the next flight to Denver, because we've found this '87 Citröen CX2500 Prestige (go here if the ad disappears) for you. Gadzooks! I know you're still staggering back from the magnitude of this find, so you'd better grab onto something solid before you read this statement from the seller: "This stealth body design is virtually invisible to radar." Yes, it's a stealth Citröen! No word about the running condition, other than the tiny fly-in-ointment of "Unresolved intermittent ignition circuit problem." Hey, that won't be hard to fix, right? Walk in the park, Billy! Thanks to Davey G for the tip!

We love that CX Prestige, of course, but doesn't the truer, more pure Hell come from a German car? Built with relentlessly excellent engineering and quality control, a Mercedes-Benz gives you no excuses for not finishing the project... which means you'll have the character-building experience of weeping hopelessly over a nightmare of unobtainable parts and maddeningly complicated leading-edge technology, while all your friends think you're just inept. And how about a Mercedes-Benz Ponton? They built 'em in huge quantities, and most of the W121s are still around... easy, right? Then you should have no problem getting this 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190 station wagon back in top shape, ja? The asking price is a bit higher than that of the Citröen, sure, and it's been sitting for a seal-shrinking, fuel-system-corroding, upholstery-ossifying 15 years, but don't let that scare you. Only 65,000 miles on the clock! One owner for the last 25 years! No mention of rust, but such mention really isn't necessary when you're talking about a 48-year-old New York car. We're sure body parts will be no sweat to obtain, and you'll be able to put off a complete fuel system rebuild during the weeks decades you spend trying to find correct 190 wagon interior parts. Thanks to Teargas for the tip- and that reminds me: those of you who have sent me tips used in two separate PCH episodes need to remind me when you've earned the PCH Tipster T-shirt.

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You want to get into some serious GT Touring action at the next vintage racing event in your area? Good thinking! Of course, you'll need to roll up in some Italian steel, and said steel needs to be incredibly rare if you're going to make the right impression. Say, this 1960 Lancia Flaminia, which is "in an advanced phase of restoration" (what are you going to believe, the photograph of a total beat-to-shit basket case diamond in the rough or the seller's description?) and which once "belonged to an elderly man." Powered by a 2.5 liter V6 (before the V6 design was fashionable), the Lancia Flaminia was stylish, fast, and built in dauntingly small numbers. It's just £12,500 (plus shipping costs from the UK), and you get "complete front end and rear end extra" (whatever that means). Don't be intimidated by the fact that you'll need to hire machinists and fabricators to make the smallest missing component from scratch for this project, because it will all be worth it when you're out there on the track with that V6 roaring!

You'd have fun with a big Italian machine, all right, but how would you cope with the envy you'd have for the guys in the high-strung little British cars? We've got the solution! Just get on the horn and call "Vladimir," a man so trustworthy his name must be surrounded by a bodyguard of quote marks, and tell him you'll pay whatever it takes to buy this 1964 Lotus Elan (go here if the ad disappears). Check out that twin-cam Cosworth-ized Lotus-Ford engine! You know it's going to be the best-sounding thing you've ever heard! Oh, and don't fret about the ominous statement "while waiting for his destiny to improve,
the owner has become too old to finish this profect," because you'll manage to get this project done before you, too, wake up one morning and realize you've spent 45 years and the thing still isn't done. It's got a limited-slip differential, some expensive-sounding suspension bits, and some (mercifully unspecified) work remaining to do before you can go out and blow away some Ferraris. Come on, how hard could it be? Slam-dunk project, for sure!

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This '60 parks very close to the 1960 Studebaker Lark and the 1955 Plymouth Savoy.


Vintage VW Type 2 owners will spend the rest of eternity screaming about how they're not hippies. Hell, real hippies haven't been able to afford these things for many years- they're driving 20-year-old Tercels now.


These vintage travel stickers are great, but I can't help but wonder if they've been there all along or are reproductions.

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This wagon is insanely ornate even by 1960 standards. Fins, emblems, wraparound glass, the works. And, of course, the four-door hardtopness is the icing on the cake.


The word "original" might be a bit mild when describing this wagon; it's a freakin' time capsule. The original receipts from the dealer are still in the glovebox. Of course, it wouldn't win any shows in its current condition, for two reasons: A) Nobody knows what the hell a Mercury Commuter is, and B) The paint and interior are quite faded by the Alameda sun.


But who cares? It's a prime candidate for a thorough restoration, which wouldn't be too hard since everything is there (just a matter of spending lots of dollars on a fresh paint job and an total interior resto). And... breaking news: it's for sale! Take a look at the For Sale sign in the gallery for the contact info. And when you're done with that, take the DOTS Detroit Wagon Poll!

This car doesn't always park on the street, but it definitely lives on the island.

It's so big and red that I figured I'd be able to see it from space; sure enough, when the Google Maps satellite passed overhead... parked outside that day!


And, while we're in space, you can also see the gold '60 Cad from low earth orbit!


Sometimes my favorite Detroit fins are the ones on late-50s Chryslers, but the '60 Cadillac has some real beauties. Not quite as absurdly overdecorated as the ones on the '59, yet still big and unapologetic.


But if you're looking for crazy chromium gingerbread on a car, just walk around to the front of this Cad. Such optimism! You'd never guess that GM would be firmly locked into Malaise a mere 15 years hence.


Normally I recommend Cherry Bombs for just about any vehicle, but not in this case. Wait, scratch that- Cherry Bomb this thing!

The Lark was Studebaker's last-ditch attempt to regain some sort of toehold in the American car marketplace, and it didn't sell too badly. That wasn't enough to prevent Studebaker from abandoning ship in '63, (though they limped along a few years longer in Canada). The "VII" emblem means this car has the V8 engine, though in '60 that could have been either the 259 or the longer-stroke 289.


With its primer black paint and somewhat de-trimmed state, it's hard to tell whether this Lark is on its way to fresh paint or a more rodent-like appearance. It's definitely showing some East Bay pride with its big 510 emblem, either way.


This rear window treatment looked plenty dated by the 60s, but Studebaker had to work with what they had. Nearly 50 years later, it looks pretty good.

Is it just me, or does the Volvo 164 grille we saw yesterday bear an uncanny resemblance to this one?

Hmm... maybe.