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Tag Archives: Chrysler
The Birth of Jeep Willys
When John North Willys bought the Overland Automotive division of the Standard Wheels Company in 1908, he likely would have never expected such confusion over the name of his most popular selling vehicle. The name Jeep Willys has had its share of misspellings, mispronunciations, and rumors about where the name came from, but that is one of the reasons the Jeep Willys is so interesting.
The Plymouth Barracuda
In 1964, the Plymouth division of Chrysler rolled out a new 2-door: The Plymouth Barracuda. The car lasted a full decade before being discontinued and saw many changes in its short life. Throughout the evolution of the Barracuda, this pony car was Chrysler’s attempt to join the ranks of the Ford Mustang, at a time when American demand for sporty compact cars was becoming even more insatiable. Though it sold far fewer units than the Mustang, it was a valiant effort by Chrysler.
Is It a Car or a Truck?
Is It a Car or a Truck?
During the heyday of automobile manufacturing in the United States, the”Big Three” of American automobile manufacturing endeavored to offer something for everyone. Engendering brand loyalty was a big part of their marketing strategy, and these companies didn’t want to lose customers because a competitor was offering a type of vehicle that they were not. Ford and General Motors were more inclined than Chrysler to engage in this tit for tat, and General Motors usually had the edge because they would often times design a competing vehicle from more than one of their divisions. For example, after the stunning success that Ford had with the Mustang, General Motors countered with the Chevy Camaro as well as the Pontiac Firebird.
1969 Barracuda
1969 Barracuda
The 1969 Barracuda came at the end of the second generation of Plymouth’s pony car which lasted from just 1967 to 1969. Chrysler introduced the Barracuda in 1964 as sporty performance cars were really gaining popularity in the U.S. 1974 was the last year for the model. In the early ‘70s, performance cars went downhill thanks to stricter safety and emission regulations. The Barracuda was one of many casualties.
Based on the Valiant A-body, the 1969 Barracuda and the other members of the second generation came in fastback, notchback, and convertible body styles. They also received significant restyling as compared to the previous generation of models from 1964 to 1966.
A Look Inside Jay Leno’s Garage
Photo Courtesy of motor1.com
Jay Leno is not only one of the most successful talk show hosts in the history of network television; he is also an avid car collector. He maintains a garage in Southern California housing over 200 fine collector cars and motorcycles. Leno has a passion for automobiles and does not simply house them as museum pieces; you can catch him tooling around the So Cal area in a different car, every day of the week.
3 of the Most Unique American-Built Cars
3 of the Most Unique American-built Cars
There have been many unique cars built that each has their own interesting characteristics. Three of these cars are classics built in America during the 1940’s and 50’s; we’d like to take the time to showcase them today.
Plymouth and the History of the Name
Plymouth and the History of the Name
In 1928, Chrysler decided to create a low-price name badge to compete with powerhouses Ford and Chevrolet. The idea was that this line would have features that the other low-priced badges did not. The badge that Chrysler created was Plymouth, which lasted until 2001 when DaimlerChrysler decided to end the brand due to low sales.
Not Named for the Town, but for Farmers’ Twine
Carroll Shelby’s “Other Car” – The Sunbeam Tiger
Some people dream of getting their hands on one of the brilliantly designed cars by Carroll Shelby, but their dreams fall short when they look at the price tag of his famous Cobras or Mustangs. There is good news for them; Mr. Shelby designed the Rootes Group Sunbeam Tiger, as well! In 1964, the Rootes Group was looking for a way to revamp the Sunbeam Alpine’s image from a “touring” car to a “sports car/roadster”. They wanted the car to be modeled after the recently successful Shelby Cobra. After some research and the decision to use the Ford’s 164hp 4.3L Windsor V8 engine, who was better to ask to design their car than the man himself, Carroll Shelby? Shelby agreed to design the car for $10,000. His prototype, along with the prototype built by racer and previous employee of Shelby America, Ken Miles, were sent to England for production.
1951 Chrysler Saratoga
1951 Chrysler Saratoga
From 1939 to 1960, with a few interruptions, Chrysler used the Saratoga nameplate as first the most expensive, full-sized eight-cylinder model, then as the least expensive eight-cylinder, and finally somewhere in between. The 1951 Chrysler Saratoga was positioned at the bottom of the company’s eight-cylinder cars, but was also made available with the famous HemiV8 engine.
In 1951, Chrysler introduced the Hemi to replace the basic straight-eight that had been in place as far back as 1930. The Hemi was not meant to be a racing engine, but soon enough its high-performance capabilities were realized and cars like the 1951 Chrysler Saratoga were being used in road races and drag races and eventually on the stock car circuit.
Personal Luxury Cars 101
Personal Luxury Cars 101
Caught between a luxury car and a sport sedan, the personal luxury car was a favorite in the post-war era. The personal luxury car is typically a two-door sedan loaded with gadgets and goodies. It’s less expensive than the luxury cars typically made by manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes, and Bentley. Most of the personal luxury cars were made by American car manufacturers, although the luxurious Lincolns and Cadillacs were considered luxury cars.
