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HomeThomas E. Bonsall

Thomas E. Bonsall

1957 Lincoln four-door hardtop
History

Could the 1956-57 Lincoln have saved a dying Packard?

April 4, 2024 Steve 11

(EXPANDED FROM 7/30/2021) Stéphane Dumas has been displaying his broad knowledge of web-based sources of automotive history for quite a few years. As a case in point, back in 2015 Dumas posted a comment over at […]

1941 Lincoln Continental front quarter
Fake Design

Was the 1940-41 Lincoln Continental the all-time most influential U.S. halo car?

February 19, 2024 Steve 17

(EXPANDED FROM 2/14/2023) Since this is Presidents’ Day, let’s take another look at what I have suggested is the most influential halo car of all time built in the United States — the original Lincoln […]

Robert McNamara upside down
Drive-By Musings

Should the Automotive Hall of Fame present accurate information about its inductees?

January 17, 2024 Steve 2

The Automotive Hall of Fame has a fancy website, a big building and lots of very important people on its board of directors. Yet its explanation for why Robert S. McNamara was inducted has surprisingly […]

1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
Links

Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant

November 24, 2023 Steve 5

A March 1964 Car Life article offers a fascinating take on why Studebaker shifted production from its South Bend main plant to a much smaller one in Hamilton, Ontario — which turned the brand into […]

1968 Ford Thunderbird
Data Dive

1958-76 Thunderbird: The rise and fall of the Ford that shook up GM

November 17, 2023 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 10/1/2021) The four-seater Thunderbird was a surprisingly pivotal car for the Ford Motor Company during the postwar period. The T-Bird showed that the No. 2 automaker could better compete against mighty General Motors if it pioneered new […]

"Rust in peace" sign on abandoned 1962 Ford F-100 truck
Photo Essay

1962 Ford: Harbinger of stylish trucks rots in the woods

October 10, 2023 Steve 1

(UPDATED FROM 2/18/2022) Five miles up an unpaved road in the Olympic Mountains is a harbinger of today’s stylish trucks. Slowing decaying in the rainforest is a 1962 F-Series pickup. Rather than trying to cart […]

1958 Edsel Pacer
Media Analysis

Review of Thomas Bonsall’s Edsel book mischaracterized Robert McNamara

August 23, 2023 Steve 2

Indie Auto appreciates when readers give us a heads up about interesting content elsewhere on the web. In a recent comment, John Sutter pointed to an eye-opening review of Thomas E. Bonsall’s (2002) book, Disaster […]

1970 Pontiac Firebird needed to go on a diet
Fake Design

1970 Pontiac Firebird: Time to go on a diet

August 18, 2023 Steve 15

(EXPANDED FROM 11/26/2021) The 1971-73 Ford Mustang has been criticized for growing too big and fat (e.g., Mueller, 2010). However, Ford didn’t act in isolation. All of the pony cars bloated out when they were […]

Avanti II windshield
Design Notes

Why was the Studebaker Avanti’s windshield so odd?

May 30, 2023 Steve 2

(EXPANDED FROM 2/8/2022) Why was the futuristic-looking Studebaker Avanti given a tall, flat and small windshield? That windshield ranks with the 1964-66 Imperial in looking terribly mismatched with the rest of the car. The most […]

Six Men Who Built the Modern Auto Industry
Readings

Richard Johnson showed what can happen when a journalist does auto history

May 18, 2023 Steve 2

(UPDATED FROM 2/19/2021) Histories written by practicing automotive journalists are usually engaging reads with lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes. However, they can also be analytically superficial and grounded more in access than accountability journalism. In other […]

Posts pagination

« 1 2 3 4 5 »
  • 2006-7 Dodge Charger
    2006-2010 Dodge Charger: A cartoonish attempt at rip-roaring nostalgia
    June 5, 2026 6
  • 1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
    Speedreaders.info is a rare source of book reviews, but quality varies
    June 3, 2026 0
  • 1958 Lincoln
    1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game
    June 2, 2026 16
  • 1957 Nash Ambassador
    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 2026 5
  • 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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