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HomeJohn Gunnell

John Gunnell

1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire
History

Could Studebaker have come out of the 1970s as successful as Jeep?

October 31, 2024 Steve 18

(EXPANDED FROM 4/23/2021) A few years ago our story on Brooks Stevens’s redesign of the 1964 Studebaker generated enough debate that I decided to further flesh out an alternative scenario. To wit, Studebaker would have […]

Tumwater cemetery grave marker
Media Analysis

Is the auto history reference book a relic of the past?

November 20, 2023 Steve 11

When I was updating a review of a Standard Catalog I came across two depressing pieces of information. First, that prolific author John Gunnell died in late August (Borgart, 2023). Second, that the company which […]

Editor's Note

Should a nonprofit auto history group create a credible data bank?

April 12, 2023 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 4/16/2021) One of the challenges of working with automotive sales and production data is that the most easily-available sources don’t always appear to be accurate. Thus, it felt validating to come across a […]

1959 Lincoln Continental
Auto Paedia

‘Lower! Longer! Wider!’ fixation of US automakers left opening for imports

September 22, 2021 Steve 13

(EXPANDED 10/24/2022) “Lower, longer, wider” was the domestic automakers’ dominant design approach until they were forced to downsize their fleet in the late-1970s due to federal fuel-economy standards. Since that time automakers have at least […]

Readings

Standard Catalog about muscle cars screwed up its photos

August 7, 2020 Steve 0

The Standard Catalog folks offer a nice-looking book about muscle cars. Alas, the reference guide’s credibility is hurt by incorrect photos. The format for the Standard Catalog of American Muscle Cars: 1960-1972 has a lot […]

Readings

Standard Catalog of Jaguar, 1946-2005

April 27, 2013 Steve 0

This 224-page paperback book by John Gunnell is useful if you need specific product information or annual sales data, organized by year. Nestled amidst the full-color photos and data are short bursts of analysis. Standard […]

Readings

Standard Catalog of Volkswagen, 1946-2004

April 24, 2013 Steve 0

The focus of this book series is product information, organized by year. U.S. sales figures are provided, but often aren’t broken out by model. Standard Catalog of Volkswagen, 1946-2004 John Gunnell; 2004 KP Books, Iola, WI “The […]

Readings

Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975

April 22, 2013 Steve 0

I probably use this 1,000-page reference guide more frequently than any other book in my automotive library. This is the second in a three-part series on American cars (see 1805-1942 and 1976-1999). As with most other Standard […]

Readings

Standard Catalog of American Light-Duty Trucks, 1896-1986

April 13, 2013 Steve 0

This 800-page paperback reference book covers pickups (both truck and car based), vans and sport utility vehicles. Like most Standard catalogs, the format is unpretentious — non-glossy paper, small black-and-white photos, and a sea of text in small type. […]

  • 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
    Was the 1966 Olds Cutlass Supreme the first mid-sized brougham model?
    March 5, 2026 21
  • 1976 Plymouth Volare 2-door coupe
    Splashy new cars often were the biggest disasters during the postwar period
    March 3, 2026 1
  • Reader questions Chrysler’s future as it passes 100th anniversary
    March 2, 2026 12
  • 1968 Chevrolet C10 pickup
    Was the 1967-68 Chevrolet C10 the ‘first modern pickup’?
    February 27, 2026 7
  • 1941 Studebaker Commander 2-door coupe
    1941 Studebaker Commander: Ending its big cars on a high note
    February 26, 2026 11
  • 1961 De Soto
    Video histories of DeSoto and American Motors aren’t as good as books
    February 24, 2026 3
  • 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk front with hood open
    Four lingering questions about Aaron Severson’s take on the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk
    February 20, 2026 6
  • Thank yous, power outages and format changes
    October 31, 2025 0
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 134
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