Monday, December 31, 2012

2013 Buick Verano Turbo test drive review. The youthful Buick. BUICK WEEK

When some people hear the name “Buick,” they think of retirees and grandparents.  And while it is hard to argue that point, I am not one of those people.

You see, my first car was a Buick—a 1974 Century 350 Colonnade coupe.  And while that car will never be considered a big-time muscle car or highly sought-after collectable, it sat pretty high on the pedestal to me.  As far as I was concerned, when I got that car in 1987, it was in the same category as a new Regal Grand National, or a ’70 GNX, or a ’65 Riviera Grand Sport. 

Friday, December 28, 2012

Cool dusty classics hidden in a warehouse at Koury Investments

The Kansas City area is full of cool secret car stuff, if you know where to look.  This week I had the opportunity to visit one of those hidden gems, when we made a stop at Rich’s Classic Cars in Grain Valley, Mo.  When you look at this place on the outside, you’d never guess you’d find all the great cars inside.

Owner Rich Koury has been buying and selling cars for 40 years, and when you visit with him, you realize that he really enjoys the hobby.  As we toured his inventory, he was ready with a story on each and every car.  He’d tell you how long the guy owned it before him, where it came from, and sometimes even the dealership at which it was originally sold.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is upon us. We've had a great season of car shows, events, and more, but now it's time to spend some time with family and friends, and do something a little less car-related.

Or is it?

I know when I was a kid, I always looked forward to getting some kind of model car, toy car, slot car, Matchbox car ... well, you get the idea. I really never could get enough of this stuff. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Hard to be sad at Happy Days Dream Cars in Warrensburg

Even though there aren’t many car shows scheduled around Kansas City right now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go check out some nice cars once in a while. Take Happy Days Dream Cars in nearby Warrensburg, Mo. Owner John Meyer had a whole showroom full of very nice things to see. It was definitely worth the short trip out of town.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

60 years of Corvette! 1953-2013

Did you know that 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette?  Since the Corvette is admittedly my favorite car, I couldn't let this momentous occasion pass by without a little recognition.

What other car elicits such widespread admiration as the Corvette? And I'm talking about every single year, from the first production car in 1953, right up until the latest Corvettes that are rolling off the line in Bowling Green, Ken. To prove that point, I'm including a slideshow at the end of this article with pictures of every single year the Corvette was produced. I took every one of these pictures myself, mostly at car shows around Kansas City.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Fantastic cars fill Bartle Hall at the Mecum Grand Finale Auction

Just as the weather turns cold in Kansas City, and you think there is no more car stuff to do, Mecum Auctions comes to town and saves the weekend. More than 750 cars were packed into Bartle Hall for the Mecum Grand Finale event, and whether you were looking to buy or not, it was as good as any car show you’d ever want to attend.

Friday, December 7, 2012

The important role of American car companies during World War II

Since today is December 7, the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, I thought we could revisit a World War II car-themed story today.  Actually, it's more of a non-car-themed story, because as you will see, there really weren't even any cars being produced.

People often have a hard time differentiating American vehicles from foreign vehicles these days. The complex equation of assembly plant locations, company headquarters, content origin, and marketing message can throw off even those who want to support the home team. General Motors builds Impalas in Canada. Chrysler has an Italian owner. Toyota and Honda build a few of their vehicles in the U.S. What does it all mean?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Mattel Pixar Cars die-casts - a hit with kids and collectors alike

Six years after the release of the movie, Pixar Cars 1:55-scale die-casts are still hot.  It’s a product line that refuses to die, and the folks at Disney know how to keep it going.  With a second feature film last year, the popular Mater’s Tall Tales shorts, and several new books and special events, they just keep coming up with reasons to introduce new die-cast models.

Monday, December 3, 2012

2013 Lincoln MKZ test drive review. Is this car worthy of Lincoln's heritage?

Lincoln is an automotive icon that has experienced some ups and downs throughout its history. During the peaks, their cars are the choice of presidents, athletes, and celebrities. During the valleys, they have been considered old ladies cars, airport shuttles, and tarted-up Fords. But right now, the folks at Lincoln are definitely climbing back up the mountain, as evidenced by the beautiful new 2013 MKZ sedan.