“Drive it ‘til the wheels fall off” isn’t the safest decision. So when does it end?
Back Away from the Wrenches
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The History of the “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” Bumper Sticker
Chances are good that, if you’ve spent any amount of time driving the roads of America, there’s a bumper sticker you’ve seen out there proudly declaring “This car climbed Mt. Washington.” These stickers are so ubiquitous that in 2023, the Boston Globe...
Chrome Overload: GM’s “Mistake of ’58”
I love chrome and mid-century automotive design. But I recently found a video that made me question my belief that there’s no such thing as too much chrome. The video is called “Mistake of ’58: The GM Chromemobiles and Far Out ’59s” from YouTuber Ed’s Auto...
Symbol of a Stumble: Edsel’s “Horse Collar” Grille
Throughout the history of automotive manufacturing, there have been some notorious flops. Cars such as the Yugo GV, DMC DeLorean, Ford Pinto, and Pontiac Aztek are still remembered by many as symbols of automaker stumbles. Today, I want to talk about a design element...
SLABs: Slow, Loud, and Bangin’
I love investigating specific subcultures, especially car subcultures. Doing so provides a unique lens through which to understand the complex dynamics of the broader society, including power, identity, defiance, and cultural change. Consider slab cars, for example....
Colin Chapman: The Philosopher of Motion (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this piece, we looked at Colin Chapman’s career up to the mid-60s. In this part, we’ll pick it up in 1965. Lotus wins the Indianapolis 500 In 1965, Chapman and Clark teamed up and made more racing history, this time across the pond at the Brickyard. Their...