THOROLD, Ontario– The first time we came across the vanity license plate ITS JUNK, it was displayed on the old Chevy sedan of Chippawa’s Ray St. Jean, which at some point in time had its roof cut off (inset).So when we found ourselves on Front Street in Thorold at a weekly cruise night over the summer, and came across the same plate gracing today’s RealRide, a 1948 Chevrolet Flee
SPRINGVILLE, N.Y.– when it’s 1948 and you’re in the penultimate year of a styling cycle which basically began before the war, what do you tout in your advertising to attract customers? One of the answers is in the ad seen below. I’ve gotta admit that even as a youngster I noticed how many Plymouths, DeSotos, and Dodges seems to be used as taxicabs in the movies and on tv. O
BRANT, N.Y.– yes, Brant, home (we think — it’s rather vague if it’s in Brant or Farnham — and it doesn’t help that the mailing address is Irving!) of Evangola State Park. The 2022 Tomato Festival Car & Bike Showwas held there, and this 1965 Buick Skylarkwas one of the entries. Skylarks could be had, if you wanted to spend a few more bucks, with an optional b
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.– This 1975 Volkswagenconvertible is owned by RealRidesreaders Fran and Pam Haefner of Clarence. We ran into them at a late season gathering of classic cars & their owners in early November at Chestnut Ridge Park. The Haefners have owned the VW since May of 2011, and I doubt there’ve been many November afternoons when they’ve driven it with the top down like
TONAWANDA, N.Y. - The 1964 Ford Falcon Futurawas Ford’s compact sporty family car until halfway through the model year. We all know what happened then — the Mustang. Based on the Falcon platform, the Mustang blew everything out of the water and created a whole new genre — the Pony car. Okay, Plymouth’s Barracuda debuted a few weeks before the Mustang, but its sales paled in
SOUTH WALES, N.Y. - A plate on the front of today’s RealRidesays it all: This 1960 Edsel Rangerconvertible is One of 76. That’s right, only 76 convertibles left the factory before Edsel production ceased in November of 1959. So much ink/bandwith has been used over the years explaining why the Edsel failed that we won’t bore you with any more of it here. But we will say that, beca
AMHERST, N.Y. - The buying public seemed to like the four-seaters much better than the two-seaters, but it seems quite the opposite when it comes to modern day car shows and cruise nights. Unless of course, you’re at a Thunderbird Club Car Show — which we were this past August. The 37thAnnual Buffalo Thunderbird Club Car Show, to be exact, which was heldat West-Herr Lincoln. Today's Re
PORT COLBORNE/WELLAND, Ont. - As you can see, we ran into this 1962 Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlassa couple of times. The top-down photos are from a weekly cruise night over the summer inPort Colborne,while the top-up pics are from the 40thAnnual Last Chance Car Show & Swap Meet, held on a very drizzly day this past September in Welland. The F-85 & F-85 DeLuxe debuted for MY 1961 as two- and four-
When this 1968 Plymouth Fury IIIwas new, the North American car market was pretty much in its rectangular mode. Lots of crisp corners and upright angles (bottom photos). Not everybody, mind you, but it was quite a contrast from what we’re seeing on the roads today. Just a year later, the entire full-size Chrysler Corporation lineup would introduce the fuselage school of styling — narro
One of just 1,613 produced, we saw this 1971 Ford Torino GTconvertible over the summer in Olcott. Standard power for the GT was a 302cid V8, but optional engines of 351 and 429 cubic inches were available. Also standard on the GT were wide-oval bias-ply whitewalls (if you’re wondering what wide-ovals were, ask your grandfather!), all-vinyl interior, hood scoop, dual color-keyed outside racin