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HomeCollectible Automobile

Collectible Automobile

1968 AMC Javelin
Media Analysis

Why did Patrick Foster settle for fanboy fluff in his 1968-70 AMC Javelin story?

June 3, 2024 Steve 4

I had high hopes when I saw that the August issue of Collectible Automobile included a story about the 1968-70 AMC Javelin. Patrick Foster has been studying American Motors’ history for decades, so I expected […]

1976 Mercury Bobcat
Design Notes

Why did the Ford Motor Company’s styling go downhill in the 1970s?

May 8, 2024 Steve 12

We’ve had an interesting discussion in a comment thread about Ford Motor Company styling in the 1970s (go here), so I wanted bring some additional information and ideas to the table. This will be a […]

1964 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
Links

1964 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser was a clever way to downsize the big American wagon

March 8, 2024 Steve 5

Motor Trend lauded the 1964 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser and Buick Sports Wagon for being as roomy as a full-sized wagon even though they were based on General Motors’ mid-sized body. Indeed, cargo room was 6.4 cubic […]

1969 Dodge Charger an 1968 Coronet
Media Analysis

Why I stopped commenting on automotive blogs

January 15, 2024 Steve 13

(EXPANDED FROM 5/1/2020) Today someone commented on this post, which I wrote more than four years ago. So perhaps it’s time for an update on automotive-blog comment threads. Around 15 years ago I started to […]

1976 Jeep Cherokee Chief
Media Analysis

Collectible Automobile’s 1974-83 Jeep Cherokee story avoids inconvenient questions

January 10, 2024 Steve 11

The February 2024 issue of Collectible Automobile has a story about the 1974-83 Jeep Cherokee. As is typical for this magazine, you will find lots of nice photos and a comprehensive recitation of product specifications […]

1967 Rambler Rebel SST 2-door hardtop white
Media Analysis

Collectible Automobile’s 1967 Rambler Rebel SST feature is pretty but vapid

September 23, 2023 Steve 2

The December 2023 issue of Collectible Automobile has a photo feature of a 1967 Rambler Rebel SST hardtop. As usual, the images are first rate and the accompanying text give a nuts-and-bolts overview of the […]

1971 Cadillac Eldorado
Media Analysis

1971-78 Cadillac Eldorado: Collectible Automobile tells only part of the story

February 24, 2023 Steve 50

(EXPANDED FROM 4/30/2021) A big reason Collectible Automobile has survived longer than the late, great Automobile Quarterly may be because it is less — how you say — highbrow. For one thing, Collectible Automobile‘s presentation […]

1965 Ford Mustang parts car
Letters to the Editor

Collectible Automobile ‘is not equipped to explore’ decline of U.S. automakers

August 11, 2022 Steve 4

The comment thread in our Frank Peiler story has morphed into a more general discussion about Collectible Automobile magazine and the state of the auto history media. I am front-paging Geeber’s comment because it presents […]

1958 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser roof vent
Media Analysis

Frank Peiler’s ‘what if’ drawings illustrate the dumbing down of auto history

July 30, 2022 Steve 14

Our friends at Collectible Automobile have just recycled another Frank Peiler (2018) “what if” post on their Twitter feed. This particular article answers the question: What if other U.S. automakers had grafted the design elements […]

Motor Trend objectifies women
Media Analysis

What would happen to auto history media if they outlawed clickbait?

February 9, 2022 Steve 0

Surely it couldn’t happen here. This is America! But stay with me for a moment: What if scientists concluded that auto history clickbait was bad for your health. Too much exposure to it turns your […]

Posts pagination

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  • 1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV
    Is David Kiley right that Ford should replace Lincoln with a new brand?
    September 2, 2026 16
  • 1972 Buick Skylark Custom grille
    1972 Buick Skylark Custom represented the end of an era
    September 1, 2026 5
  • 1959 Ford Thunderbird
    1959 Ford Thunderbird was a gimmicky but hugely important car
    August 26, 2026 11
  • Compact cars became the neglected stepchildren of U.S. automakers
    August 21, 2026 21
  • 1980 AMC brochure cover with picture of American Center building
    AMC’s Roy D. Chapin Jr. succumbed to the illusion of bigness
    August 19, 2026 2
  • 1980 Ford Thunderbird and 1956 model
    Ford’s design talent in the 1970s wasn’t enough to halt a dramatic slide in sales
    August 14, 2026 13
  • 1973 Buick Riviera
    Why wasn’t the 1971 ‘boat-tail’ Buick Riviera shrunk to compact size?
    August 14, 2026 24
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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