Actually, just random flailing on TOCMP will result in countless great finds, and you'll find you've been hypnotized by the site for several hours by the time you emerge. It's totally worth it, though!

[The Old Car Manual Project]

In truth, many parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties offer as many old street-parked cars per capita as The Island That Time Forgot; it's even drier down there than in the Bay Area, and the worship of vintage cars runs strong. Here's what the Scientist has to say about his finds:

Los Angelinos don't register or wash their cars edition.

North-East LA (Silverlake, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock) could easily give Alameda a run for its money when it comes to keeping old cars alive. Of course, that's LA in general. With hardly any rain and no salt to promote corrosion, it's really easy to keep beater cars running forever...they just oxidize top-down from the sun and acid rain.

In shooting these, I noticed a ton of super-dusty cars with super-late registration, which suggests they might be abandoned or just flaunting the law. The cops around here have plenty of real crime to fight, so cracking down on the beaters of the poor isn't real high on their priorities list.

Anyway, I'll start with what might be the most malaisiest car ever: an olive-green, vinyl-topped Ford Maverick. This shining star of the Mustang II/Pinto family is parked right down the street from my house in charming Glassell Park, CA. As best I can tell, it's a '71...but they didn't change much over the years.

According to the Abuelita whose house it's in front of, it's abandoned. It was parked on a different nearby street for a few months with a "Se Vende" sign on it, but it looks like they gave up and just pushed it over here.

For the positively hideous exterior, the interior is in surprisingly good shape. And what's this? A Stickshift?! Probably a bean-counter special 3 speed OD with a 2.5:1 1st gear...but I'd like to believe it's a true 4spd behind a built 302. Best.Sleeper.Ever.

Also right down the street is the 3/4 Ton Chevy Pickup. "Yep, that's a pickup" pretty much sums it up. It clearly sees regular hauling duty, and the owner's taken good care of the interior (or had it re-done). They took the time to add late-model 8-lug take-offs, which probably weigh 1/2 what the original steelies did. My best guess on the year is towards the end of that generation, 69-72.

Around the corner, we find an Impala that's slowly being mummified by spiders. They've already tethered it to the ground and started sucking the tires dry. I've lived in this neighborhood for about 2 years, and I don't think it's moved as long as I've been here. The funny (tragic?) thing is, both the body and interior are about a "B-". The 327 might be a good motor for something smaller ('Vette, 'Maro or El Camino), but for this beast, we'd like to see that "3" switched to a "4". Some new tires and wheels (the 13"s aren't quite my thing) and a coat of primer, you'd be ready to cruise for really trashy ladies. Nothing like a 19-foot long two-door. That trunk looks big enough for a whole cheerleading squad.

Moving over to genuinely charming Eagle Rock, we see the DOTs material improving...
This '63 Falcon Futura Convertible is pretty puzzling. Aside from the massive layer of dust on it, it's in great shape. The top is perfect, the interior doesn't have a rip or stain. From the expired tags and the writing on the windshield, it looks like it spent some time in an impound/tow lot...but why? They better get that reg straightened out, or it could get towed for parking on a public street.

Right down the street from the '63 Falcon Futura Convertible is this red-rimed Falcon Ranchero ('65?). The paint's not perfect, but there's no major rust going on. From the bedliner and requisite Miscellaneous Crap in the Bed, it's pretty clear it gets used as intended. The red rims and Car Kulture sticker suggest this owner probably cruises around town with a pack of cigs rolled up in sleeve of their plaid shirt. There's no V8 badge, but if the shifter ball is to be believed, this puppy's got a 4speed. Sweet. I'd kill for this car.

Down the street from the Falcon vairants is a pretty standard While Mustang. I didn't catch the corners to see if it's a 67 or 68. It's got Cragars, a nicely patina-ed painjob, and a painted undercarriage that suggest its (likely numerous) owners have used it as intended (liquor store parking lot burnouts). The dust and spiderwebs tell me it's been sitting for a while. Again, get those tags current, or it's off to impound for you!

Cruising over to Silverlake (aka Hipster Ground Zero)...
...we've got a super-malaisey Jag XJ6L. It was once a Proper British Green...but that's starting to peel in a big way (no rust, though). I know nothing about Jags, but those sun-baked mega-bumpers and Wikipedia tell me this is probably a Series III. Again: registration, people!

While making a wrong turn, I noticed this 3-door 3/4 Ton Suburban. Never could figure out why it was important to not have a door on the driver's side. Anyway, it's about as textbook as it gets: 2wd, 350, tons of crap in the back, super-dusty. The blue-and-white is almost emasculating on something this big.

Coming into the final stretch, we've got a '64 Falcon, a Plymouth Fury III ('65?), a Studebaker Champ Pickup, a 67 Mustang and a '70 (?) Caddy Hearse with custom paint all within a quarter mile of each other on Silverlake main-drag Hyperion Blvd. The funny thing is, I was coming over here b/c there's a 68 Chevy Wagon and Checker Marathon that are usually over here...but gone today.

The Falcon is a super-clean Futura hardtop with AC and a 302 (says the For Sale sign). I love how the side-lines run into the rocket/jet tail lights. Maybe someone can fill me in on those aluminum Ford rims. There's no way those are OEM, right? Also not sure what's up with the driver's side mirror. Pep Boys didn't have a bright yellow one with blue LEDs?

A few steps in front of the Falcon, we come to find...

Apparently in '61 Studebaker bought the tooling for their Champ pickup beds from Dodge. You can see how well that turned out here. Yet another anti-registration activist. The interior looks pretty clean, and that paint looks about a quarter-inch thick. Not sure what's up with the wheels.

Parked a few feet in front of the Stude (and partially into a shrub) is a Fury III. Looking this one up, I learned that the "III" stands for the trim level (above "I" and "II"), and not the 3rd of anything. While the outside was super-dusty, the interior looked near-flawless (hope the AC works). The dark blue makes me think this was either a detective's car, or purchased by a cop for home use because he liked the one he got from the LAPD so much. The dual pipes and overstated shifter suggests it may have fallen into more hoony hands along the way.

Up from there, we've got a pretty clean, but otherwise unimpressive 67 Mustang. 302, C4, deluxe interior, and filthy. I'm cool with filthy beaters, but to see this guy on the street with 8 month out registration and 50lbs of "I've been sitting" dust on it is a travesty.

Ok, last but certainly not least is a white-with-blue-flames Caddy hearse. Google image search tells me that nose is probably a '70. Looks like it's been someone's "haul all my crap"-mobile for some time (note the trailer hitch). While the others had expired tags, this thing's got no plates at all! Good luck with this one Mr Tow Truck Driver.

California doesn't offer any kind of "finders keepers" program for abandoned cars, do they?

The return of the Interceptor makes us wonder if this movie will be some kind of prequel, as Max's rare-in-story Ford XB Falcon was thoroughly blown to smithereens in The Road Warrior. The truck on the other hand looks like a hot wheels car, with a ridiculously huge supercharged engine and a thoroughly chopped top. Looks like every Billetproof builders wet dream, and we wouldn't sneeze at taking it for a spin either. The two are part of what's expected to be quite an armada of vehicles planned for the $100 million Warner Brothers backed film which will be constructed over the next year. The cast is currently completely up in the air, after Miller refuted previous reports of lead roles going to Sam Worthington and Charlize Theron. Filming will begin next summer in New South Wales, Australia.

[ABC News]

The GS series is differentiated from the GTs with custom graphics offering an updated version of a 70s era text and bright striping, but that's now what you care about. Under hood is the FPV 5.4-liter V8 found in the GT screaming to the tune of 405 HP and 406 lb-ft of torque put down through a six-speed manual.

Just 250 sedans and 75 Utes will be built at a price of $46,000 and $42,000, respectively. With much of the Australian line going towards the more efficient EcoBoost engines, it's nice to see FPV looking back to the V8 muscle that makes us lust for open outback roads.

FPV LAUNCHES ALL-NEW GS SEDAN & UTE

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) today launched an exciting new model Series aimed at broadening its appeal to Australia's automotive enthusiasts.
Named in tribute to a fondly-remembered Ford from the late '60s, the new GS sedan and GS Ute are unique limited-edition models offering buyers entry to the FPV family at a very competitive price point.
FPV's GS sedan and Ute are individually-speced to provide a combination of GT-based 302kW V8 engine performance, FPV chassis enhancements, bespoke GS graphics and FPV driver comfort features.
Available in limited numbers, the new FPV GS Series models hark back to the original Falcon GS of 30 years ago, introduced with the XW-model of 1969 and now the second most collectible Ford Falcon behind the GT.
"GS is another iconic badge in Ford's family history in this country," FPV General Manager Rod Barrett said.
"Our aim was to develop a model that provides the performance, prestige and individuality that is a signature of the FPV brand, with its own identifiable model personality, and all at a great price.
"We've achieved all of that and expect the new GS Series models will find their own place in Australian performance motoring folklore."
Developed specifically for the GS Series, the recalibrated FPV 5.4 litre V8 GT engine from the FG-model now produces 302kW of power and 551Nm of torque, driving through a standard six-speed manual transmission.
FPV's engineers have given the GS Series engine the twin throttle bodies and intake system of the GT engine, the GT headers and dual exhaust and a recalibrated ECU, all fine-tuned in an engine development program specific to the GS Series.
"We aimed to provide the GS Series owner with a GT driving experience with this engine … at 302kW it's the perfect entry to our range, which steps up to the turbocharged F6 at 310kW and the full GT-spec V8 at 315kW," Rod Barrett said.
Every FPV GS Series also comes standard with unique GS striping graphics, charcoal cloth interior, FPV GT instrumentation, gear knob, starter button and badging, premium sound system with iPod® and Bluetooth® integration, and dual zone climate control.
There's also '302' graphics on the GS sedan's rear spoiler.
The GS sedan also features 19in Graphite rims and a choice of six exterior colour/stripe combinations, while the GS Ute features 19in Alpine Silver rims, FPV soft tonneau and a choice of three exterior colour/stripe combinations.
Like its namesake from three decades ago, the new FPV GS Series offers a long list of options that include a FPV-spec 4-pot Brembo brake upgrade, a six-speed auto transmission recalibrated specifically for the GS' 302kW engine, leather seats and sat-nav, and, on the Ute only, a hard tonneau with spoiler.
"We have also given the major design elements of the original GS logo a modern interpretation, which adds to the distinctive styling of the GS sedan and Ute," Rod Barrett said.
The FPV GS sedan is priced at $54,950 MLP* and the Ute at $49,950 MLP*.
Production of the GS Series is limited to 250 sedans and 75 Utes.

Sedan Photo Credit: Leno's Garage

These two classic Ford cartrucks have been picked over pretty well, so at least we know that other Rancheros (and probably Falcons and Comets) will benefit from the resulting organ transplants.

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]

Model T

Ford's plan for the Model T was to offer a simple, usable, high-quality automobile that anyone could afford, and the idea caught on, to put it mildly. The T started out as what everybody's mental image of an early automobile has come to be, hand crank, wooden wheels, acetylene lights and all. Ten years after its introduction, it had an electric starter, actual front doors, a roof, and accounted for half the cars in America. Yes, sir, it's the car that made the people who wanted to git up and go actually able to do so-before the T, transportation almost couldn't BE basic.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The Jeep

We're talking the true stripped-down models here, the Willys and CJ models that are coveted by off-road types but also worked brilliantly around town. Almost unbreakable, because there was nothing to break. Impossible to be uptight around them, once you got them away from heavy traffic and, you know, the military. And pretty hard to get now, more's the pity. We're embarrassed for choice in one model to feature, but during the Chevette Era right up through the dawn of the Neon, it was possible to get a retired Postal Service Jeep or AM General delivery truck like the one here, switch the steering wheel back to the left side, and drive in relative style and comfort (relative to walking, anyway). There's something magnificent about that.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The Ford Falcon

No, not the contemporary Australian version - the one your uncle the insurance salesman had. Or great-uncle, even. You want a Dodge Dart? You're welcome to it, but that's the easy choice. The Falcon was, to put it plainly, just a comfortable car to buy and live with, and more interesting; it came in lots of body styles, including convertible and Ranchero pickup, and was is considered to be one of the great successes of Ford president Robert McNamara, unlike his other project, the Vietnam War. It sold like crazy for a while, but unfortunately, it was shoved to the side by Ford's own more desirable Mustang.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The Volkswagen Beetle

Infinite volumes have been written about this car, but perhaps the single most important Beetle fact is this: It was perhaps as bad as a car can be and still be fun to own. It rusted, it didn't heat or defrost, it was slow, it handled strangely, it was ugly, and it made annoying sounds. But it got to people, somehow, in a way that transcended its novelty value, the way rescued dogs or tiny apartments sometimes do. After all, it was light, it was relatively reliable, and it was different. it If nothing else, it's worth noting that there wasn't really anything else commonly available at the time that offered as much sheer immediacy, and a long road trip in one of these was a small personal epic. Still, the rest of the world got the original Mini, and we got this?

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The Chevy Nova

In the 1970s, an era when most cars aspired to be rolling living rooms, the cheaper Nova aspired to be a rolling basement rec room, a somewhat overstuffed, purposefully shabby place, usually with lots of browns and yellows, a place where it was perfectly okay to put your feet on the Davenport. No one really wanted one, but plenty of people would up with one and wound up having good times in it, if not with it. It was roomy enough for four people who weren't too choosy, so anyone in there with you was probably a good friend of yours to begin with. Importantly, it could be made faster easily enough, especially the small-block versions, although part of the fun of that was ignoring how slow they were to begin with. The first car a lot of people in Generation X ever worked on voluntarily. Still, though people may not have wanted one, just try finding someone who owned one and doesn't wish they still had it.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Ford F-150

Of course, the best-selling vehicle in the world can be had in any trim level you want, but the base-level truck has always been one charismatic automobile. Throw stuff at it, in it, on it, it doesn't care. Get the awesomely durable 300-inch straight six in it, change the oil often, and trundle on through eternity.Hose it off, hose it out, and take it to town, and it still has a certain... well, not class, but a capable dignity you're not going to get in most cars. Plus it's the most common way to get a pleasant and raffish two-seater in a culture that tends to frown on that sort of thing.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Honda CRX-HF

The CRX is lovable indeed, but unlike most basic beaters, this one was an obvious treasure off the showroom floor. The liter-and-a-half engine and the five-speed were zippy enough, and fuel economy numbers in the 40s were certainly impressive, but the best part was that it weighed about 70 pounds. Oh, okay, about 1,700, but even in the mid-eighties that was a treat. There are just two seats, but it was a fine little runabout for all that, fairly spacious and Honda-solid. Plus but it rotated on a point right between those two seats, which was fun, and with those EPA numbers this fun was basically free. Sadly, the word is out now and no CRX has sold for basic transportation money since the turn of the century.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Ford Festiva

Most people know this car from the SHOgun models with the Yamaha V6 from the Taurus SHO dropped in where the back seats should be. That's fine, but don't overlook the terrier nature of the Mazda-built box, as were all the first-generation Festivas, which are really all the ones worth mentioning. They're zippy enough, roomy enough, and even lighter than a CRX, making them a surprisingly involving drive. Owner anecdotes, always the most interesting of perhaps not the most scientific source of information about older model cars, reveal that the Festiva is tenacious as can be, one of those cars that refuses to give up the ghost completely even after many, many nonessential parts have broken on them. A resounding endorsement, that. Also, the interior fabric over the door panels is so thin that refrigerator magnets can be stuck on, and how do you put a price on that kind of charm?

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Dodge Neon

In the long run, it wasn't an out-of-the park four-bagger. Build quality wasn't what Chrysler promised, the look didn't age well, and the fluids didn't stay in the engine like they really should have. But when it was introduced, buyers - including a lot of first-time car owners - were delighted to have a reasonably peppy, distinctively styled car from an American automaker. That it handled genuinely well was a nice bonus, for those who noticed. They were everywhere for a while, and unlike a lot of examples of automotive ubiquity, that was generally considered to be okay; a street lightly salted with Neons was a sign that something was going right. It didn't last, of course; bits started falling off, it was notably bad in crash testing (to be fair, just look at the rest of this list!) and a first-generation Neon with a For Sale sign on it may as well have had a warning sign on it, too. But the Neon's success was a sign that happy no-frills success was possible. We wish GM, and anyone else who wants to give it a try, all the best.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Sure, you could do both, but after risking a case of Jake Leg from the moonshine selection at the racetrack, even the smoooooth Pine-Sol taste of retsina didn't seem so appealing. We steered our rented Impala straight to the nondescript business park in which the legendary race car builder does its thing.


Thanks to Southern hospitality, the LeMons crew didn't get booted right out of the shop based on our scurvy-looking appearance. Instead, we were invited to poke around and gaze in awe at the machinery, and even the extremely cynical and jaded ex-automotive journalist Jay Lamm was heard to utter "Dang!" How about a replica of the Holman Moody '64 Fairlane Sports Car?


And when it's time to haul some large parts, they've got this '66 Ford flatbed parked out back. They've got a pretty cool mini-museum as well, and now I'm seriously wishing I still had my '68 Cyclone fastback.


You like the Ford GT40? Holman Moody will build you a brand-new one!

Well, he couldn't just leave the Falcon sitting on the sidelines, no sense leaving it to rust as he'd already stayed true to it for 23 years. So Eric "Hoon-Hulk" Bana put together a documentary to provide the inside story of his dragon-like affection for the car, his mates and how he got it back together. For color commentary, Bana brought in the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Jay Leno and yes, Dr. Phil. Why Dr. Phil? Well, when you've got a dragon in your pants for your car — even a monster of a beast like Bana's red XB, we're pretty sure Dr. Phil would have a problem with it. Silly, puny Dr. Phil, doesn't he know anything about cars? Bana smash!

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) today celebrated its fifth year of production with the release of the FPV 5th Anniversary model at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

"In only five short years, FPV has grown to become an icon in Australian performance motoring," said FPV General Manager Rod Barrett.

"In recognition of this milestone we are launching a vehicle which will ensure this tradition continues."

With only 200 units available, the FPV 5th Anniversary will join an iconic stable of collector's vehicles, including the 40th Anniversary GT and the Cobra.

Featuring a new 19-inch multi-spoke Alloy wheel design in Alpine Silver, the FPV 5th Anniversary is also equipped with a premium 6-piston Brembo brake package.

Available in Lightning Strike or Silhouette with a unique 5th Anniversary striping package, the 5th Anniversary also features an original rear decal.

The traditional sports seats are finished in Nudo Leather as standard with a 5th Anniversary logo embossed into the front headrests.

Unique 5th Anniversary floor mats also feature along with an exclusive build badge number mounted on the centre console.

The FPV 5th Anniversary features all the luxuries expected from an FPV, including dual-zone temperature control air conditioning, a sports leather steering wheel with cruise control mounted switches, power front and rear windows, alloy pedal covers and a premium audio system with six-disc in-dash CD with iPod** integration.

The FPV 5th Anniversary offers over $9,600^ worth of additional features for a premium of only $5,300 over the Recommended Retail Price of an FPV GT sedan.

The Recommended Retail Price for the FPV 5th Anniversary is $71,890*

[via CarAdvice.com.au]

About 674,000 viewers watched episode 2, which was about 250,000 fewer than the first episode. Even worse, it was the least-watched show in its time slot, and only the 26th most-watched show of the whole night. Nonetheless, everyone feels the new Top Gear still has potential to improve. After all, the first season with Clarkson at the helm of the BBC show wasn't amazing either. [TheAge, YouTube] (Thanks Brett!)

This one is a beater, no doubt about it, but it's driving every day and holding its head up high at age 45 (while other cars head to The Crusher at age 15 or 20).


The slow-motion manner in which rust works around here means that there's not much urgency when the red stuff strikes; if you grind off some paint while doing bodywork, you can always wait until mañana to get some primer on there. Now we're in the dry season, with no rain likely until November or so.


In 1963, your base Falcon came with a 144-cubic-inch six and cost just $2,257 for the 2-door. That was about 700 bucks more than the Beetle that year, but still one of the cheaper cars out there. Buyers with a fatter bankroll could go ahead and get the 260 or 289 V8s.

F6 Ford Falcon Lineup

Ford Performance Vehicles Reveals New Model Range

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) today publicly unveiled its new performance GT and F6 sedans at the Melbourne International Motor Show.

"This is the first chance for the public to get a close-up look at some of our new models, ahead of their release in June," said Ford Performance Vehicles General Manager Rod Barrett.

"Our new model range offers performance enthusiasts the ultimate in performance engineering, luxury appointments and sports styling."

For the first time, the Ford badge will not appear externally on an FPV model. The GT and F6 sedans on display both feature FPV badges prominently on the centre grille and centre boot lid, which is consistent with the entire new range.

"Featuring the FPV badge on all our new models is a major repositioning for the FPV brand," said Barrett.

"It signifies the maturing of our brand and the evolution of FPV as Ford�s performance partner."

As with Ford, FPV has repositioned its high performance sedan and Ute model variants, with eight stunning vehicles divided into the GT series and F6 series families.

"The repositioning of the vehicle line-up has been done for similar reasons to the Ford
G Series," said Barrett.

"It is all about growing the brand and attracting new customers. The GT series family continues our strong iconic heritage, while the F6 series family caters to a new segment of performance car enthusiasts who prefer a slick turbo charged six-cylinder to a thundering V8."

The GT series family retains the familiar GT and GT-P sedan nameplates, and introduces the stylish new luxury GT-E sedan.

The bold exterior styling of the new GT and GT-P is highlighted by the trademark unique front grille treatment, rear wing, side striping and V8 bonnet bulge accented with a newly designed hood decal.

Visually, the new GT-E is distinguished from its V8 siblings by its refined rear lip spoiler, chrome accenting and distinctive GT-E badging.

The GT-E's unique 19-inch alloy wheels are matched by a premium brake package, with six-piston Brembo brakes now featured as standard.

"The GT-E is a sophisticated luxury performance car that will cater for those buyers that don't want the stripes, wings, and seats offered in the GT-P, however, want to retain all the performance attributes of that car," said Barrett.

The Super Pursuit and Pursuit Ute variants complete the GT series range.

The F6 series family features the F6 and F6 Ute, the Typhoon and Tornado nomenclature are discontinued on the new vehicles.

Significant ride, handling and safety advancements have been made to the new FPV stable. Each new model variant has been fully engineered and designed to provide the performance enthusiast with the ultimate in Australian performance motoring.

Safety advances include the addition of Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) on FPV sedan & Ute vehicles for the first time.

Significantly, FPV customers will also have a choice of manual or automatic transmissions at no additional cost in the sedan range.

"The option of automatic or manual transmissions in the sedan range at no extra cost caters for both our luxury and overt sports customers, without penalising either for their choice of transmission," said Barrett.

FPV has produced exhilarating performance upgrades across the GT and F6 range, however, the exact engine performance power and torque figures will be revealed closer to the on sale date in June.

"The unique FPV enhanced design gives each vehicle a bolder road presence," said Barrett.

"Coupled with performance upgrades, the new FPV range is a revolution in Australian performance motoring. I'm sure our loyal and passionate customers will be extremely impressed."

Look, we have no issue with a government confiscating cars used in the utility of a felony, but when you make driving felonious and profitable for the government, abuse is inevitable. Confiscating private property under weak pretense doesn't sound like the protection of citizens, it seems like a business model. There's a fine line between policing and harassing, and we're not the lawyer types, but this stinks to high heaven. [TheNewspaper]

And believe me, Alameda has plenty of DOTSworthy cars parked tantalizingly out of reach in driveways. Say, this Volvo Bertone, not to mention a 50s Land Rover, several Barracudas, a showroom-condition big-block '65 Impala, and... well, you get the idea. But never mind that- let's look at this fairly solid Comet, which is fair game for the roving DOTS camera!


Charles Bukowski drove a Comet, though his was a few years older than this one. Still, that bestows some literary cachet upon the little Mercury.


The '65 Comet 202 2-door listed at $2,108, which was $131 more than the mechanically identical 2-door Ford Falcon. What were you paying for when you got the Merc? Well, mostly you got a nameplate with more status than Henry's surname. But you also got some handsome styling touches, such as these taillights.


Not only did you get snazzified styling when you got Mercury's version of the Falcon, you got images of the Roman god of profit all over the car!

Communications Director Alan Hall noted that "Yes global engineering resources are being considered for the RWD platform, but we can't say at this time where the engineering resources will be. At this time all of the stories floating around are pure speculation." So there you have it, we're just going to have to wait and see where things end up.

So what about Mercury? Good question — we've no clue, but we haven't seen any new product from the brand all about the heat in quite some time (wait, sorry, we mustn't forget the refreshed 2009 Mercury Mariner). We've also not heard of any new product coming down the development line. Oh FoMoCo, where art your Mercury brand? Who cares really, as long as that rear-wheel drive sedan looks like the Interceptor we saw at the Detroit Auto Show last year. [via Detroit News]

Ford was set to release a new XD Falcon hardtop in 1979 and was stuck with 400 shells for the 1978 two-door XC hardtops. Various plans were created, including one to create a Playboy edition. Eventually, Edsel Ford II chimed in and decided to market it as the ultimate American-looking street legal version that could possibly be holmogated for racing. Of course, what's more American that white-and-blue stripes and a gigantic Cobra logo? Offered with either the 351 or 302 Cleveland V8, this particular version seems to have the 302. Either way, it's a g'day when driving one of these around. [Wikipedia]