Condition rules at Tom's Cruise

Germantown is a nice community north of Memphis that has all kinds of nice stores and restaurants. But unlike many nice communities with stores and restaurants, they also host Tom’s Cruise; a weekly gathering of vintage and specialty cars on Tuesday nights. As much as I like to eat and shop, the cruise is what drew me in recently. As you might expect, I also brought a camera, which means I can share a few of the standouts with you.

2014 Chrysler 300S Hemi test drive review. Even better than they used to be

They don’t make ‘em like they used to.  You hear people say that all the time when it comes to the current state of new cars.  And for the most part, that’s probably true.  There aren’t many places that you can buy a large, V8, rear-wheel-drive car anymore that can devour highway miles like they did 20-30 years ago.  But I can tell you from firsthand experience that there is at least one place—your Chrysler dealer.  I just spent a week driving a loaded 2014 Chrysler 300S, and it combines everything you loved about those old cars with all the new features people expect and crave. 

You don't see many stories out there about the cars of 1973

1973 was a pretty big year for me.  I mean, it was the year I was born, so it doesn’t really get much bigger than that.  It also means that I turned 27 in 2013.

The cars, on the other hand, just had their 40th birthdays.  So to celebrate that milestone, I decided to look back at the automotive class of ’73.  It isn’t a year that gets much attention enthusiast-wise, but there was quite a bit happening during this time in history.  1973 marked major changes to automotive crashworthiness, emissions, and fuel consumption.  From a styling and performance standpoint, things would never be the same.

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?

2012 Dodge Charger test drive review. Would Bo and Luke approve?

I was actually kind of excited to try out a new Dodge Charger for a couple of days. I’ve driven several Chrysler products on the LX platform over the past couple of years, but only for short jaunts. And as someone who uses a ’96 Impala SS as a daily driver, I was looking forward to testing out a modern, full-sized, rear-wheel-drive sedan on my commute.

As new Chargers go, this one was about as bland as they come. Of course, even as a base model, the Charger comes with a nice array of features. 17-inch, five-spoke wheels are standard, as is the touch-screen stereo with CD and mp3 connector. The silver paint didn’t do much to spice things up though.

Alternative fuel vehicles are nothing new. Check out the 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car

These days, there’s a lot of talk about alternative fuel vehicles. From hydrogen to electric, from flex fuel to bio-fuel, automakers are always in pursuit of the next big revolution.

This phenomenon isn’t new, however. Since the beginning of the automobile, engineers have tinkered with different types of propulsion. Production and concept cars have run on everything from alcohol to nuclear. And 50-years ago, Chrysler’s answer was the Turbine Car.

MOPAR Maniac discovered on the streets of Kansas City

You know how sometimes you’re driving along, and something catches your eye that you have to check out? Well that happened to me the other day when dad and I were cruising by a used car lot in Kansas City, and saw about 25 mid-to-late ‘60s intermediate Chrysler products parked nose-to-tail and bumper-to-bumper.

Granted, this wasn’t a stash of Hemi ‘Cudas or something of that caliber, but it was still obvious that we had a MOPAR nut on our hands. I had to know more.

NAFA Fleet Ride and Drive offers insight into the cars you see everyday

When you think of exciting cars, things like hot rods, sports cars, and performance sedans may come to mind. The idea of Fleet vehicles certainly doesn’t stir the soul. Rental cars, cargo vans, and police cars typically aren’t the stuff that dreams are made of.

On the other hand, I really like to learn about all types of cars. Sure, old Chevelles and Corvettes are great, but time never stands still, and there’s a whole world of new stuff out there. That’s why I always look forward to attending the annual National Fleet Management Association (NAFA) Mid-America Chapter Ride and Drive, which was recently held at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City.

Know your Airflow. How one of the best cars of its day was also one of the biggest failures

If you want to talk about cars that were ahead of their time, the Art-Deco lines of Chrysler’s Airflow need to be at the top of your list.

To fully appreciate the story of the Airflow, you need to put it into context. Airflows were built between 1934 and 1937. As you look at the Airflow pictures on this page, think about what a ’34 Chevy or Ford looked like. Heck, look at the first two cars on the left on my granddad’s car lot in the header and you’ll see a ’39 Pontiac and a ’37 Plymouth. That’s pretty much how all cars looked back then. So the swoopy Airflow was a tremendous departure from what people were used to.

70 years of Jeep history

For a vehicle that looks like it hasn’t changed much in 40 years, The Jeep Wrangler has an awful lot of history. Of course, today the Jeep brand makes the Grand Cherokee, the Liberty, and other SUVs in addition to the Wrangler, but for the purposes of this story, we’re going to refer to the Wrangler, and all of its predecessors, simply as Jeeps. Sorry, lovers of the Commander.

Chrysler man Rich Suhr lets go of some of his treasures. We take one last look at his collection during the Lincoln auction

“Leave it to you to make this into a car trip.”

We were in Lincoln, Neb., this weekend to visit some of my wife’s family, so before we took off, I got on the old Googler and searched for a cool car thing to do there. Isn’t that how everyone prepares for travel? Anyway, I’m glad I did, because it took us to Rich Suhr’s house in southeastern rural Lincoln, on the day he was auctioning off a huge collection of 42 old cars and a whole bunch of parts.

The 2011 North American International Auto Show is the epicenter of the automotive world. Nearly 400 photos and coverage from Detroit

Do you ever look back on the old Motorama pictures and wish you could be there? The anticipation of the latest concept car, hidden under a flowing cover, just waiting to be unveiled to the world for the first time. The throngs of people and photographers, anxious to get their first glimpse of the future. The lavish productions, grandiose displays, and beautiful models, all meant to one-up the next carmaker.

That may seem like an event lost forever in the optimistic 1950s, but it still happens today if you know where to look. My office sent me on our annual trip to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last weekend for the exclusive media preview days. And even though you won’t find many tailfins ad nuclear-powered hover cars, you still get that high voltage kick that makes you feel like you’re in the center of the automotive world.

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills is a stunning showcase of Chrysler's storied history



Chrysler Turbine Concept

There is a lot of news about Chrysler Corporation lately, and much of it is bad. When you are bombarded with all the headlines, it is easy to forget just how significant this company really has been in this country.

I was reminded of that fact earlier this year when I took a tour of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich. This 55,000-square-foot facility holds three levels of rare and interesting vehicles from Chrysler’s storied history.

Some of my favorites included concept cars such as the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, the 1941 Chrysler Newport, and the 1953 Chrysler Ghia Special. Seriously, where are you going to be able to see these unbelievably rare cars together in one place?

On the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we look back at the contributions of American car companies during World War II

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 is partially owned by the tax payers. Chrysler now has a foreign owner. Toyota and Honda build a few of their vehicles in the U.S. What does it all mean?

Well, if you appreciate the notion of being loyal to companies that have historically been loyal to America, it is hard to ignore the efforts of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. During some of the bleakest times in our nation’s history, these companies have stepped up to the plate to help keep our military strong, and our borders safe.

'60 in scale. Dealer promo model cars from 1960. Can't buy the real car? Try a promotional model.

1960. Charlton Heston won an Academy Award for Ben Hur. The Flintstones first appeared on TV. And Elvis Presley returns from Germany after a two-year stint in the Army.

In the automotive world, designs were starting to get a little cleaner, a little more understated than the last couple of years. They're still big, chrome-encrusted, and glamorous, but you can see the impetus of the subdued '60s starting to take hold. Think about a '60 Cadillac. It's still very big. It still has big fins and a heavy chrome grill. But compared to a '59 Cadillac, it's a pretty sterile design.

If you like the transitional style of 1960, but can't afford a huge warehouse full of cars, there's a way to collect the year's greatest hits in the palm of your hand.

Chrysler built some of the most beautiful concept cars in history, and some of them were even sold to the public. A history of early Chrysler concepts and their designers, including Raymond Loewry and Virgil Exner

Concept cars have always been a big part of the auto industry. Whether they foreshadow an upcoming model, highlight various ideas that might make it into production, or just feature over-the-top elements just because the automaker can, they have been wowing the public for more than 70 years.

One of the early pioneers of the concept car trend was the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler was steeped in design history from the very beginning. From the lavish, Art Deco Chrysler Building in New York City that was commissioned by Walter P. Chrysler himself and opened in 1930, to the ultra-streamlined Chrysler and Desoto Airflow cars of 1934 – 1937, Chrysler was always looking for new ways to push the design envelope.

Dodge LaFemme, the first car designed for Your Majesty, the modern American woman

Imagine this scenario. Dodge takes the new Charger, offers it with a pink and white paint job and flowered fabric upholstery, includes a built-in purse and makeup compact, and unapologetically markets it to women. Doesn’t sound like it would make it through the marketing department, does it?

Well, 55 years ago, Dodge tried this exact same scenario, and it absolutely did make it into dealer showrooms. The car was called the “La Femme”, and it explored every female stereotype known to man. It seems fascinating today that a major car company actually produced this car. But it is hard to look back on the La Femme and not feel a bit of quaint ‘50s nostalgia.

Dodge actually based this idea off of a couple of 1954 Chrysler Newport show cars. The Le Compte show car was geared exclusively toward men, and the La Comtesse was supposed to appeal to women. The marketing department at Chrysler Corporation was aware that women were making many of the purchasing decisions when it came to the family car, and after observing a positive reaction to the La Comtesse, they decided to go ahead and apply the ‘for women only’ theme to a specially designed production Dodge.