Jalopnik
monterey historics
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ennui countermeasure
Audi, Lancia, or Ford: Which Hoonworthy Vintage Race Machine Would You Buy?
SoNaive was shopping for a project Ford RS200- yeah, might as well aim high- and found these three 80s race cars, any one of which is capable of sending the entire Jalopnik staff into paroxysms of longing that threaten to shut down all operations for the rest of the week. So, it's Monday, you're hunkering down for a long week of The Man's cruel lash on your much-scarred back, and that means you have the right to blow the whole morning trying to make the impossible choice: which of these cars would you have for your own? Jump away for the links, the galleries, and the poll!
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novelties
How Not To Go Drag Racing
One of the things nobody ever tells you about drag racing is the last thing you want to do is look like an idiot. The air is thick with competitive spirit, there's a crowd watching your every move, and even if you're a novice in a world of pros, you don't want to get made fun of. This guy got made fun of after this run — a lot. Staging with his back tires, what a maroon — and that's just the beginning. [Youtube] -
jalopnik decides
Muscle Car Wars Of 1978: Hood Decals Strike Back
It's a Friday, and it's the week before our most patriotic of U.S. holidays. What better time to take a look back at the best of American muscle machinery? Aha, but there's a catch: We're only going to go back 30 years. That's right, 1978. The Malaise era was striking back with a new breed of muscle cars. While not as legendary as some of the "true" muscle iron of the '60s, these creations traded raw power for cocaine-fueled, taped-on vinyl style. In the middle of an infamous era, we give you three cars that represented the best of red-blooded American spirit. But only one will be declared most awesome, and that's for you to decide.
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novelties
Nooooo! Two Sweet Pontiacs Destroyed For Sake Of Art
We've heard of this "Jonathan Schipper" before through his exploits slowly grinding scale models and throw-away IROC-Z's together. Now he's gone and mashed a Pontiac Firebird into a Pontiac Trans Am, both examples of sweet malaise goodness. True they may have been on the underpowered side when stock, and their engines have been removed for this exercise, but they were masterpieces of hair-over-neck styling before this literal mash-up. Seeing these two run face to face into each other over the course of four days is pure pain, or pleasure, depends on how you feel about Pontiacs. [Auto.Coone.com] -
gadgets
Even The Knight Rider R/C Car Has Turbo Boost
As far as we can tell, the new GT500KR Mustang KITT still lacks any kind of turbo boost. But now you can still enjoy a little bit of the old Knight Rider turbo in the form of a remote control car. Forget the Mustang—let's return to the Golden Age with the Pontiac Trans-Am KITT remote-control car from Firebox. You'll be the coolest kid in the neighborhood. Your dad will be able to beat up other dads. But not The Hoff, or course.
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industry news
No New Pontiac Trans Am, GM To Scale Back "Performance" In "Performance Division"
Automotive News is reporting that GM leadership told dealers in the Buick-Pontiac-GMC sales channel they'll be getting 12 new or "special edition" vehicles over the next 20 months — but one vehicle it won't be getting is a new Pontiac Trans Am. That's like getting a coin that's tails on one side and completely blank on the other — like geting Smokey without the Bandit — like getting Michael and no KITT. We mean seriously, where's the value in a new Chevy Camaro if there's no screamin' eagle Pontiac Trans Am? We're heartbroken. But maybe there'll still be a Firebird? Oh wait, there's more. GM muckety-mucks also told dealers... More » -
john travolta
Don't Touch the Hair: "Travolta Fever" Custom Trans Am on eBay
Not long after L. Ron Hubbard got John Travolta's thetans on a silver platter, the New Jersey-born actor starred in a little movie about dancing around like a putz. It was called Saturday Night Fever, and it became a multimedia, pop-culture phenomenon that launched both his career and that of the Bee Gees into the stratosphere. As such, marketers of all stripe muscled in on Travolta Fever, an illness whose symptoms included jumpsuits and an overly intense affinity for hair products. At the time, it was customary for custom car builder George Barris to work up some manner of rod to celebrate a media property that passed a certain tipping point. Such was this "Travolta Fever" Trans Am, one of the first celebrity car model kits ever offered by Revell. Now, it's for sale on eBay. Get in on the malaise-era automotive collector's market now, before all the great ones are gone. And get this one too, what the hell. [eBay] -
down on the street
1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
What car best sums up Malaise Era so-called performance cars than the late-70s Trans Am? Sure, there's the whole Burt Reynolds thing adding some camp value and general notoriety, but this car would be a caricature of its time and place even if "Smokey and the Bandit" had never been made. The scoops! The flares! The great big engine that wheezed out less power than the base 4-bangers in today's boring econo-sedans! Yet still, just like America in the gloomy post-Watergate/Vietnam/oil-embargo period, there was still some optimism to be found in the Trans Am's lines... if you looked for it. More »
