Over on Hooniverse, Corvair racer UDMan has untangled the threads that make up the Sprinter's history, and it's well worth reading. I might just have to get a Sprinter for my next cross-country road trip!
[Hooniverse]

Unless, of course, the cargo includes a waterbed and a a few hundred hards of purple shag carpeting!

Would anyone buy a truck of any sort with just 60 horsepower today? Nissan was proud of that power level back in 1965! This truck is remarkably complete and includes some no-doubt-impossible-to-find bits, such as a nice steering wheel and all the dash switches. Let's hope some vintage Datsun lover grabs these parts before the Crusher gobbles them up!

I think this is one of the coolest emblems ever made. In fact, I like it so much that I took it home!

Check out the laughably cramped passenger compartment in the '77 Datsun King Cab. Why, that microscopic truck would be dwarfed by the '10 Versa! How was it possible that our forefathers accepted such hardships? Truly, they were a stoic and uncomplaining breed.

Let's take a look at the others before we admire today's street survivor:

First, this '72.

Another '72.

Yet another '72.

This '76.

This '77 Traveler.

And this final-year '80. OK, now on to today's truck!


This truck, built during the next-to-last year of Scout production, lives just around the corner from the super-clean '64 Galaxie 500 convertible we saw last weekend. It appears to be a daily driver. Who needs cup holders and faux wood dash trim?

Some might say that Alameda- which is quite urban, completely paved, snow-free, and lacking in any hills of any sort- isn't the kind of place where a Scout makes sense. We disagree, however; a Scout always makes sense!

Can you hurl a paint-splattered ladder into the bed of your truck from 20 feet away and not flinch when it hits? The owner of this fine American machine- which parks just a couple blocks from Chez Murilee- can do that!

Back in '59, a base half-ton Ford Styleside pickup would have run you $1,938, or about $14,500 in 2009 bucks. For that price you got a 223-cube I6 and a three-speed manual transmission. That's way cheaper than the least expensive Ford sedan, which was the $2,132 Custom 300 Six business coupe. What a deal!

Yes, they were still putting on that 60s-style SimuWood™ plastic siding on Jeeps as late as Reagan's second term; note the plastic "dowels" and decal inserts. Enough time has passed that this stuff is now cool! This truck is also notable for its AMC 360 V8, an engine that Chrysler kept in production all the way until 1991.

I found this truck at one of the now-defunct East Bay Pick Your Part yards, so we can assume that any parts that you see here have now been digested and dumped into a Guangzhou-bound container ship.

And that's not all- this mid-70s Chevy van boasts cubic yards of hipster accessories without being at all ironic and/or pretentious. I ran into this fine machine at the 24 Hours Of LeMons South Fall a few weeks back; its owner is a member of the USS Enterprise Ford LTD team.

Quadruple exhaust pipes, 8-ball shifter, North Carolina plates… and Tommy Chong's signature on the dash. Yes, it's for real!

When Detroit figured out that adding a big engine and some macho gingerbread to a cheapo midsize sedan could jack up profits at minimal expense back in the 1960s, the muscle car was born. There was quite a hood-scooped, large-displacement, tape-striped, drag-race-themed party on America's streets for nearly ten years, until mean ol' Arabs and wet-blanket insurance companies choked off the fun. Since that time, the muscle car has come to symbolize everything that was once right about a postwar America that never really existed; not the 1960s of race riots, political assassinations, and quagmire wars against enemies who didn't know the rules of warfare, but a 1960s when American men stood omnipotent against the raging manure-tides of political correctness, shrinking resource pools, and generally diminished expectations (also, and possibly more importantly, a time when Baby Boomer men still had all their hair). Worshiping the original generation of muscle cars is like sticking a big middle finger in Dean Wormer's face!

In the early 1990s, Detroit figured out the magical money-printing formula again: take big, body-on-frame trucks- most of which used chassis whose development costs were covered many years before, and which were sliding through regulatory loopholes created by various taxes and tariffs - and pile on luxury features and class-by-the-pound gingerbread. Bam! Instant free money! Not only that, the same tedious killjoys who'd hurled a piss-soaked blanket onto the muscle car party 20 years earlier were equally horrified by the sport utility vehicle. America was kicking ass again! Just ask those poor Iraqis, trying to find reverse in an obsolete Soviet tank! The SUV meant independence; independence from paved roads, emasculating mollycoddling liberals of all stripes, and- best of all- independence from hauling the family around in the dreaded minivan!

So, given that the SUV has so much in common with the original muscle cars, will we see the exact same sort of totemic power from them in a decade or three? Nirvana songs cranking on the PA at the SUV show, as gnarled old dudes sit on their ice chests and gripe about the conspiracies that put Americans behind the joysticksl of namby-pamby electric-powered nanotech transportation pods (that get 200 MPG and hit 0-60 in 1.8 seconds)? Or will all SUVs get lumped in with the Aztek?
Image source: NetCarShow

I'm not including the Dodge- and Plymouth-branded Mitsubishis here; you'll need to check out the 450 DOTS: The Japanese post for the Colts and Arrows.

1947 Plymouth	1950 Dodge	1950 Plymouth	1951 Dodge
1951 Dodge	1952 Dodge	1952 Dodge	1955 Plymouth
1956 Imperial	1957 Chrysler	1961 Plymouth	1961 Plymouth
1962 Dodge	1962 Chrysler	1962 Chrysler	1964 Imperial
1964 Dodge	1964 Dodge	1964 Chrysler	1965 Plymouth
1965 Plymouth	1965 Plymouth	1965 Dodge	1966 Dodge
1966 Dodge	1966 Dodge	1967 Plymouth	1967 Imperial
1968 Plymouth	1969 Dodge	1969 Dodge	1969 Dodge
1970 Chrysler	1970 Dodge	1970 Dodge	1970 Dodge
1971 Chrysler	1971 Plymouth	1971 Imperial	1971 Chrysler
1971 Plymouth	1971 Plymouth	1972 Plymouth	1973 Plymouth
1973 Dodge	1974 Plymouth	1975 Dodge	1977 Plymouth
1978 Chrysler	1978 Dodge	1978 Dodge	1984 Plymouth
1986 Dodge	1986 Dodge	1990 Chrysler

When you're done here, check out the rest of the 450 DOTS Celebration:

I found this truck on the same block where the Evil New Yorker once parked, and just around the corner from the '60 Rambler American Custom. I can tell its model year falls somewhere within the 1948-1950 span, thanks to the grille and passenger-side vent louvers, but that's as close as I can guess so I'm going to say it's a '49. Any clarifications, early Suburban experts?

This truck, which had a shipping weight of 3,710 pounds, came from the factory with an overhead-valve Thriftmaster 216-cube six generating 90 horsepower. Compare that to the 2009 model, which scales in at an 18-wheeler-esque 6,327 pounds… and packs an engine that grunts out 352 horsepower. So, nearly twice the weight, moved by nearly four times the power. Cupholders and power seats versus postwar style and a bouncy, rattly ride. Which would you prefer as your personal passenger truck?

Being a city boy, I'm no expert on the subject of vehicles made to slog through mud and/or help game wardens catch poachers (or at least look like they can do those things), and damn if I can come up with a decent ID on this out-of-town visitor. Clearly, it's had the crap modified out of it; the one-piece windshield suggests that it's a proto-Defender Land Rover 90, but it appears to have all manner of Series III pieces as well. Now's your time to shine, Land Rover experts! What do we have here?

Check out the selection of adventurer hats in the back!

When we first heard of this concept we pictured an R/C truck with a helicopter haphazardly glued to a platform. We were wrong. The truck appears to be fairly robust and features self-opening doors and a aircraft carrier-style elevator lift. We must try this with our radio shack XMOD car and R/C copter.

[Go! Radio Control via Gizmodo]

Wave the seat belt goodbye at 0:11 and watch his white-socked feet explore his cramped environs! At least he's driving with his hands — unlike some!

In addition to the most expensive to insure list, the folks at Insure.com put together this list of the least expensive cars to insure. Come join us on this journey to find out what makes these econo-boxes so damn cheap to own that it'd almost be a crime to not consider them for your next purchase. Almost.

[via thecarconnection, edmunds, insure.com]

20.) Dodge Grand Caravan

Price: $22,725
Cost To Insure: $960
Curb Weight: 4321 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.3 liter V6
HP: 175
TQ: 205

Driver Stereotype: Soccer Mom

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The ability to blend into the suburban landscape has allowed the Grand Caravan to slip seamlessly to and from soccer games, the grocery store and at times, Mexican border crossings without detection.

19.) Chevrolet Impala
Price: $23,790
Cost To Insure: $959
Curb Weight: 3555 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 211
TQ: 214

Driver Stereotype: Vanilla ice cream-favoring used car salesmen

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Sharing its appearance with multitudes of non-descript cop cars causes the surrounding public to drive very, very carefully around the Impala lessening the likelihood for any direct accidents and adding to the overall value of driver safety.

18.) Mazda B-Series Truck
Price: $16,060
Cost To Insure: $957
Curb Weight: 2999 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.3 liter inline-four
HP: 143
TQ: 154

Driver Stereotype: Has poor credit

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Based on the long-in-the-tooth Ford Ranger, the B-Series Truck shows its age with strong, virtually unbreakable bones.

17.) Lincoln Town Car
Price: $46,385
Cost To Insure: $955
Curb Weight: 4345 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.6 liter V8
HP: 239
TQ: 287

Driver Stereotype: Mafia fat cats

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Carefully driven due to multiple dead bodies in the trunk, the Town Car rarely sees an insurance claim except for the frequent bloody interior replacement. Typically these are burned to the ground near the docks without much concern for an insurance claim.

16.) Suzuki Forenza
Price: $11,134
Cost To Insure: $954
Curb Weight: 2756 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 127
TQ: 131

Driver Stereotype: Molly Maid employee

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Not much can happen to a car when it spends the majority of its life sitting outside of large Hollywood mansions all day.

15.) Honda Accord
Price: $20,905
Cost To Insure: $951
Curb Weight: 3230 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter inline-four
HP: 177
TQ: 161

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Toyota

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The sedate Accord lulls drivers to a meditative state causing perfect driving habits and extreme awareness, lessening any sort of slip ups.

14.) Jeep Wrangler
Price: $20,710
Cost To Insure: $939
Curb Weight: 3782 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 202
TQ: 237

Driver Stereotype: Obnoxious Dave Matthews Band-listening, bandanna-wearing frat boys

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Wrangler was specifically built for douchebag frat boys and therefore features a virtually indestructible body and chassis making repairs all but non-existent.

13.) VW Passat
Price: $28,300
Cost To Insure: $936
Curb Weight: 3344 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 200
TQ: 207

Driver Stereotype: Grown Dub boys

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Considering the Passat never moves due to repetitive electrical problems it is never put in harms way, allowing for a much lower insurance premium.

12.) Mazda Mazda5
Price: $17,995
Cost To Insure: $929
Curb Weight: 3417 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.3 liter inline-four
HP: 153
TQ: 148

Driver Stereotype: MX-5 driver's family car

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Typically driven by MX-5 drivers when they've got their kids in toe, the Zoom, Zoom nature of the Mazda5 allows for quick maneuvers to escape from the rest of the crazy drivers out there.

11.) Scion xB
Price: $15,750
Cost To Insure: $881
Curb Weight: 3020 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter turbo inline-four
HP: 158
TQ: 162

Driver Stereotype: E-tards

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The typical driver of a Scion xB never really leaves the rave, instead spends hours upon hours upon delicious hours licking the glass repeating, "The snozberries taste like snozberries."

10.) Chrysler Town & Country
Price: $26,355
Cost To Insure: $871
Curb Weight: 4387 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 244
TQ: 240

Driver Stereotype: Self fulfilling prophecy

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: A perceived level of luxury is exhibited by the typical Town & Country driver, causing them to drive even more carefully back and forth from their kids Montessori schools and cricket matches. See Caravan to see the lesser of the ChryCo minivan driver's habits.

9.) Mazda Tribute
Price: $19,730
Cost To Insure: $913
Curb Weight: 3276 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.5 liter inline-four
HP: 171
TQ: 171

Driver Stereotype: I haz no care for Zoom, Zoom

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Tribute drivers lurk quietly in traffic with hardly anyone ever taking notice, not even enough to ram them from behind.

8.) Saturn Vue
Price: $23,280
Cost To Insure: $911
Curb Weight: 3689 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter inline-four
HP: 169
TQ: 161

Driver Stereotype: I'm a new kind of car company

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Brought over as the Saturn version of the Opel Antara, most people avoid the Vue with the expectation that the Euro-wannabe driver won't speak English causing an annoying, pain-in-the-ass insurance swap.

7.) Smart ForTwo
Price: $11,990
Cost To Insure: $881
Curb Weight: 2315 lbs
Engine Displacement: 1.0 liter inline-three
HP: 70
TQ: 68

Driver Stereotype: Tries to out-smug a Prius driver

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Like the annoying fly that you just can't swat and kill, the ForTwo manages to avoid all conflict by being small and zippy, plus nobody seems to want manslaughter charges for when the driver gets squashed after a 10 mph accident.

6.) Honda Odyssey
Price: $26,355
Cost To Insure: $871
Curb Weight: 4387 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 244
TQ: 240

Driver Stereotype: Does not drive for the thrill of driving

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Odyssey drivers are busy reaching around and smacking the shit out of their kids, leaving very little time for accidents, so they generally avoid them.

5.) Kia Rio5
Price: $13,325
Cost To Insure: $870
Curb Weight: 2438 lbs
Engine Displacement: 1.6 liter inline-four
HP: 110
TQ: 107

Driver Stereotype: Typically doesn't care about cars

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Rio5 is so ugly that most drivers avoid any physical contact with them in fear that some of the ugly will rub off. Score one for Kia.

4.) Kia Sedona
Price: $21,245
Cost To Insure: $857
Curb Weight: 4365 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 250
TQ: 253

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Odyssey

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: This thing is so boring that they should have named it the Kia Sedative. It rarely leaves the driveway unless absolutely necessary, dramatically reducing its potential for road carnage.

3.) Hyundai Entourage
Price: $23,995
Cost To Insure: $848
Curb Weight: 4400 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 250
TQ: 253

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Odyssey/Sedona

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Should be renamed to Hyundai Ento...zzzzz. See Kia Sedona.

2.) Kia Sportage
Price: $16,695
Cost To Insure: $840
Curb Weight: 3230 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 140
TQ: 136

Driver Stereotype: High school band geek

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Typically the Sportage is doing exactly the opposite of what its name implies, instead it spends its life carting tubas and other brass instruments between Mom's house and band practice which coincidentally is just down the street. Also, the lack of party invites virtually eliminates any sort of under-the-influence driving.

1.) Hyundai Santa Fe
Price: $21,695
Cost To Insure: $832
Curb Weight: 3727 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.7 liter V6
HP: 185
TQ: 183

Driver Stereotype: Not concerned with brand image

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Santa Fe, while having an unbelievably ridiculous name, is actually quite attractive limiting surrounding driver's desire to crash repeatedly into it. For complete opposite, see Kia Rio5.

Within days of its arrival, I must have received a half-dozen phone calls and emails alerting me to the super-rare Corvair Greenbrier in my neighborhood. Naturally, I had the camera in hand and was walking the several blocks to its parking space right away. Hooray, our second DOTS Corvair, not long after the first one.

From what I can tell, the external appearance of the Greenbrier didn't change much during its 1961-65 production run; I'm guessing it's a '62, and maybe I'm right! There's some good Greenbrier info at this site.

I say that's a good reason to admire another one! I found this very nice Willys Jeep Station Wagon parked near Alameda's City Hall. According to this Australian Jeep worship site, the five-bar grille means that this truck is from the 1949-1953 period, so I'm calling it a '51 model.

This somewhat newer example that lives across town appears to be the same color, but is much rougher than today's Jeep. Either this truck has been kept in an argon atmosphere in a lead-lined underground shelter for 50+ years or it's a really painstaking restoration. I'm guessing the latter.

And look what was driving by while I was taking my photos!

Cameron found this fine machine in a Southern California junkyard:

The unbelieveably long-lived XN6 lump. This engine, properly maintained, will run forever.
Drivetrain: BA10/5 transmission. Rear axle is whatever Peugeot put there in the factory. There's a driveshaft, too.
Notes: Found it in a junkyard in Sun Valley, CA and had to get pictures. I mean, it's a 505 wagon that's been hacked into a Subaru Baja - well, sort of. Unfortunately, I was unable to rescue it from the crusher, but at least I can prove that *someone* really did do this to a 505. It's actually kinda cool, in a backwoods-tech sort of way.
Hummer SUT? Screw that, this baby purely rocks!
I found this car a few years ago in a particularly notorious Sun Valley, CA junkyard (no, not the one with Fiat 500, Renault 5, and Citroen SM on the walls, but it's about a mile away from there) and got the photos on their grounds while being yelled at by the employees, Have tp admit, I do miss that place, and, as a past 505 owner... I do lust after this vehicle's remains. The 505 was France's Dodge Dart, and this seems like an oddly fitting end for one of its finest cars. "She's the last of the rear-drive Peugeots, Max..."