Unfortunately, "Chrysler New Yorker" only exists on four-track cassette tape, and my ol' Tascam Porta 01 died years ago. That means you don't get to hear that fine song, which thrilled dozens of Japanese college radio fans during the late 1980s. What you do get is the "music video" for the Murilee Arraiac song "Hajoi Hotai," which features the circa-1990 replacement of a 2-speed Powerglide with a junkyard Turbo Hydramatic 350 3-speed in a 1965 Impala. That's me with the Plumber Butt on the right left, and my friend ChunkyDeath on the right. Note ChunkyDeath's innovative "floor jack leg pump" maneuver.

Some might say that the Cadillac Allanté was the TC's true competition, since both cars involved a lot of very expensive shipping between Detroit and Italy. I couldn't find an Allanté on the island- though I'm sure there must be a couple here- and in any case the Reatta's sticker price of $26,700 was much closer to the TC's $35,500 cost than to the Allanté's $57,183 price tag.

The Reatta was based on the same platform as the Allanté, and it came with the same super-futuristic touch-screen computer interface as the Riviera. Sadly, Buick's core buyers tended to be- how shall I put this?- mature individuals who were still getting used to the idea of newfangledly stuff like transmissions that shift for you and weren't quite ready to add the Buick Electronic Control Center to their worldview.

So, the Reatta fared poorly in the marketplace. That was pretty sad, because by all accounts the Reatta featured orders-of-magnitude-better-than-most-GM-products build quality and pretty decent performance for its day (though not quite what it would have been, had GM had a transaxle capable of handling turbocharged power at the time). This super-rare '90 convertible is one of the few of its kind left on the street, it looks to be in pretty good shape, and it's for sale! The seller wants $5,575 for it. What do you think?

OK, fine, some hard-to-please types don't consider the Chrysler TC By Maserati to be a true Maserati… but Allpar says it's the 'best vehicle Maserati ever made', and who can argue with the best Chrysler site in the world?

This Italianized K Car is a little rough, but it still gets plenty of street duty. While I was photographing it, a couple of teenage boys passing by assumed I was the owner and asked me how much I wanted for it. "That's a old school Maserati, dog!" one of them exclaimed. You see? If 17-year-olds think it's a Maserati, it's a Maserati!

But if you're building Ford Festivas, you don't need to put in a steel-grate floor in the brake-test area so as to avoid tides of brake fluid ruining your inspectors' steel-toes, as The General was forced to do in Van Nuys. Brakes don't matter! In fact, engine function doesn't even matter. The only thing the Festiva needs to do is be happy! But woe be unto the little Ford that remains as dour as a Camry when its turn comes, because it will never live to become a 24 Hours Of LeMons racer. Thanks to Bubs for the tip!

With so much metal at the auction coming from the sale of a selection of classics from the GM Heritage Center museum, it's interesting that the top eight cars that've been sold so far at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ all came from that collection. Here's the top eight sales — so far.

8.) 1974 Pontiac Trans Am

Lot Number: 433
Details: This rotisserie restored, true, correct, and numbers matching Trans Am 455 Super Duty features photo documented 138560 numbers matching original 455cide Super Duty V8, correct 490132 block casting, correct Y8 block code stamp, Correct 1112205 3 A8 distributor stamping, correct 7044270 SF 2923 carburetor stamp, correct original 74-P 0-1213 automatic transmission, correct 3984828 13 40 2 74 ring gear stamp, correct GY G065 1 axle housing stamp, original Window Sticker, original dealer sales invoice, original odometer statement, copy of original title, original Auto Owner's Maintenance Folio, original owner's instruction and information manuals, original maintenance and safety manual, copy of second owner's title, dealer photos of original vehicle delivery, PHS documentation, and documents from the '73/'74 SD455 Registry. One of only 731 automatic transmission cars produced.
Day Sold: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sale Price*: $73,700.00

7.) 2007 Chevrolet Silverado "Dale Earnhardt Jr. Big Red" SEMA Concept

Lot Number: 114
Details: The Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Big Red" Silverado is based on the all-new, 2007 Chevy Silverado crew cab and features custom exterior appointments, an off-road-ready suspension, one-off custom 20" wheels at Dale Jr.'s request, a custom interior and more. This one-of-a-kind Silverado builds on Earnhardt's personal notion of off-road enjoyment, which was previously conveyed in his personal truck - a previous-generation Silverado named "Big Red." Earnhardt collaborated with GM designers on the truck, visiting the GM Design studio in Warren, Mich. to discuss the exterior and interior enhancements, which include all-new front-end sheet metal and rear fenders, as well as a "flying bridge"-type roll bar with integrated off-road driving lamps. The interior is as luxurious as the exterior is off-road-capable, with rich, black leather upholstery and other details. The Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Big Red" Silverado is powered by GM Powertrain's 6.2 Liter Gen IV V8 engine, a high-output, all-aluminum engine with variable valve timing that produces 380hp and 417 lb/ft of torque. It transfers its power to all four wheels via a Hydra-Matic 4-speed electronically controlled transmission. The front and rear axles are equipped with 3.73 gears and Eaton ELocker electronic locking differentials, which help the truck deliver exhilarating performance with tall off-road tires. Stopping power is enhanced with a set of Baer disc brakes, including six-piston calipers and 15" cross-drilled rotors in the front and twin-piston floating calipers with 13" cross-drilled rotors in the rear. It's a concept, and like the others, is not legal for driving on public roads.
Day Sold: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sale Price*: $88,000.00

6.) 2006 Pontiac GTO RA6 Custom

Lot Number: 738
Details: This specialty '06 GTO was a SEMA Show award winner by Kip Wasenko and the team at the GM Performance Division. It features RA6 body modifications and a Stage 3 750hp Twin Turbo Katech 402 engine with Pedders Extreme suspension and Z06 brake package. Apparently, this car can be driven on public roads — it doesn't say it can't!
Day Sold: Thursday, January 15, 2009
Sale Price*: $93,500.00

5.) 1989 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

Lot Number: 96
Details: 1 of 83 1989 ZR-1s built and never released to the public. This car was used for media/press events and auto shows. Why'd this one go for a lower price then the other ZR-1 from '89? Probably because this one's painted purple. Also, like the other vehicles sold by GM here at the big B-J, this ZR-1 is not road legal.
Day Sold: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sale Price*: $110,000.00

4.) 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo "Intimidator" Show Car

Lot Number: 83
Details: A NASCAR-inspired show car that offered a glimpse of the 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo styling. Features aggressive styling cues and performance-enhancing technology. We like how it's a "street legal" car being sold on a Scrap Title — because, like most of the others, it's not able to be legally driven on public roads.
Day Sold: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sale Price*: $148,500.00

3.) 1990 Chevrolet Corvette "Active" ZR-1 Prototype

Lot Number: 82
Details: This vehicle pioneered the advantages of "Active Suspension" and has GTP Corvette race car technology. Built at the Bowling Green Plant, this vehicle was developed as a prototype for a limited edition run in the 1990 model year. It may not be driven on public roads.
Day Sold: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sale Price*: $150,700.00

2.) 1989 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 "Snake Skinner"

Lot Number: 396.1
Details: One of 83 production 1989 ZR-1s built in Bowling Green. This experimental light weight was aimed directly at maintaining Corvette's performance supremacy. With a 475hp LT5 V8 and less weight, this vehicle is GM Performance legend. Sold on a Scrap Title. May not be driven on public roads.
Day Sold: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sale Price*: $176,000.0

1.) 1923 Oldsmobile Custom Touring Roadster

Lot Number: 397.2
Details: This Olds concept vehicle is powered by a 4.0 Liter DOHC V8 IMSA GTS-1 race engine with an automatic 4L60E transmission, Halibrand quick change 4.10 rear, 4-wheel independent suspension, rack & pinion power steering and Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes. Also, because, like the rest, it's a GM concept, it's not legal for driving on public roads.
Day Sold: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sale Price*: $220,000.00

*Includes 10% Buyer's Premium

[via Barrett-Jackson]

You think an 18-year-old minivan doesn't qualify for this series? Sure, I could have shot any number of mid-80s examples, but come on- look at the patina! This van has been taking a beating ever since Saddam Hussein crossed the line in the sand.


Also, it's clearly a parts runner for the primered Hell Project Alfa in the driveway. One of the side windows is a duct-tape/garbage bag combo, and some of the other windows are left open 24/7, rain or shine.


You could get a 100-horse 2.5 inline four in '90, but the emblems on this one indicate that the Mitsubishi 3.0 or 3.5 liter V6 (packing 142 or 150 horsepower, respectively) motivates this Alfa-parts-haulin' machine. And, yes, that's an early-60s Impala in the driveway next door.

Some folks built like this, some folks built like that
But the way I'm built, you shouldn't call me fat
Because I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed
But I got everything all the good girls need

Why the heck didn't Jaguar put truck beds on their cars straight from the factory? Take the XJ-S, for instance: V12 torque, comfy leather interior, beautiful lines- in short, everything you want in a cartruck! Obviously, it falls to the Jaguar owner to deal with this shortcoming. Those of you who have been planning to build your own XJ-Schero can save many months of hard work by starting with this Rancheroized 1990 Jaguar XJ-S as the basis of your project. For some inexplicable reason, this car failed to sell for the chump-change price of two grand, and that means the seller is likely ready to deal! The seller, clearly unaware of the naming convention for cartrucks, has named this '90 XJ-S a "Jagmino," but the inclusion of a free '85 parts car makes up for the incorrect name. Yes, you get two Jags for the price of one here! There's no fuel tank, no back window, and no bed floor, and of course you get some funky E-Type carburetors to make things more interesting. Those minor headaches will be nothing compared to the pride you'll feel cruising your V12 Jagchero around town, however- a few repairs, some fabrication... how hard can it be? Thanks to BZR (who already has a PCH Tipster T-shirt) for the tip!

We like a V12 cartruck, that's for sure! But what if the future really will be about the electric car? You won't want to be caught driving weenie plastic bubblecars, and of course nobody is going to be able to afford the Tesla. No, if the electric-car future really happens, the Jalopnik-Approved™ approach will be something more along the lines of what Plasma Boy has done with his electric Datsun 1200. That's right, a drag racer that burns electrons! Of course, a rear-engined/rear-drive machine gives you better traction off the line, but that doesn't mean your high-voltage machine needs to be a VW or even a Porsche. Leave those machines to the conformists, because you'll be blasting out of the lights in this electric 1968 Renault 10 (go here if the ad disappears), which is available for just $1,500. What we have here is a 40-year-old French car with a 28-year-old electric conversion that's been sitting for decades, so you have to figure on at least a few hours of tinkering before it's ready to be used as an environmentally friendly daily driver. The daily-driver stage will be a temporary way station on your way to taking on Plasma Boy at the strip, however, and that means you'll need to get busy beefing up the chassis to handle the mighty torque of a monster electric motor and the weight of batteries. Hey, maybe rust isn't even a major factor here! Thanks, plus a half-credit towards a PCH Tipster T-shirt, to LTDScott.

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Back in 1990, when you lined up for a drag race against the likes of the Toyota Tercel and Hyundai Excel, you needed something serious. Like f'rexample, a Subaru Justy, equipped with continuously variable tranny action! And if that hot tranny action ain't enough for you, sport, the orange-suited thugs from the Subie Mafia will tie you up and stuff you in the behind the wheel with but one leg and one arm free to operate the vehicle (and hang on, because the Justy did 30-to-50 in a stony 4.20 seconds). Look out, glacially-slow low-end subcompacts- the Justy wins the tortoise race! – Murilee Martin

Related:
Super Salty: 123 MPH Subaru Justy [internal]

The Mercury Topaz wasn't so a forgotten Mercury as a disappeared Mercury. As the badge-engineered sibling of the highly forgettable Ford Tempo, the Topaz started out life with three strikes against it. But wait! back in '90 you could get this here Blue Max Topaz, with power windows and free polycast wheels! Now, be honest- have any of you ever seen a real live Blue Max Topaz? – Murilee Martin

Related:
Forgotten Mercury Of The Day: 1982 LN7 [internal]

F1 fans of a certain age remember Subaru's foray into Formula One racing in the early 1990s as a time of hope, followed by disbelief and, ultimately, utter disgust. Ah, memories. Unfortunately, its competition engine, a 3.5-liter flat 12 designed by Motori-Moderni, was underpowered — cranking out 600hp in a field comprising a Honda V10 (McLaren) that produced 690hp. To make matters worse, that year 39 drivers were competing for just 26 slots. As a new team with no points from the previous season, the Subaru-Colani team was forced to qualify on Friday for the chance to really qualify in the Saturday session. Needless to say to those who remember, Subaru failed to pre-qualify in eight out of 17 races. Now, one of those B12 engines is for sale on eBay — the perfect conversation starter (or ender) for any F1 fan at $30,000. Hell, you could even stick it in your '65 Coupe DeVille and watch the poseurs scatter like crows. [Thanks to Trent for the tip.]

Subaru 12cyl F1 engine [eBay]

Related:
Danica s Broken Wing for Sale on eBay [internal]