”See, what a Volkswagen owner will not tell you about how when they're driving down the highway how when the trunk comes from an opposite direction how they wind up in a ditch. And they haven't even turned the steering wheel."—Bill Cosby, on the original Beetle
Nothing but the very finest from the 1940s to the 1970s this week…
The 820 hp Steampunk Rat Rod '47 Chevy Pickup
Starting with what you don't see here, this '47 Chevy has an honest-to-goodness NASCAR engine shoved under the hood. It's a lightweight (around 1800 pounds) beast that'll do well over 160 mph if you've got the guts to keep your right foot down. On top of all that, it's a masterpiece of both steampunk and rat rod design. [More pics...]
1966 Porsche 911
This car is as close to mechanically perfect as you'll find, and it comes with its own certificate of authenticity granted directly by Porsche. The short answer is that the car is a timeless classic that has a Concours-winning show history. The long answer? That's something you'll only find after a day spent aimlessly hitting the backroads in such an elegant piece of machinery. [More pics...]
600 hp 1977 Ford Bronco
This is more or less a one-year-old vehicle. The previous owner spent a few years—and $160k, no less—having it built with the intention of producing a fantastic off-road vehicle that would be just as capable on the highway. With a professionally-built 600 hp engine and the suspension to match, it no doubt achieved its goal. It's absolutely gorgeous, and in the year since it was built, it's only been driven about a thousand miles. [More pics...]
A Piece of VW Beetle History
There were over twenty million Beetles sold before the original Volkswagen’s production was shut down. This happens to be the 100,000th produced at the factory in Emden, Germany. It’s been thoroughly restored, and is such a perfect example of a historically relevant car that VW actually paid to have it sent to Germany for the factory’s golden anniversary. Over the years, it even appeared in a few official VW television commercials. [More pics…]
1971 429 Mustang Mach 1
Simply put, if you want an old-school big block Mustang, this is the baddest of the bunch. This is the largest engine Ford ever offered in their most important car, and the '71 models were sexy enough in their day to appear in movies like Diamonds are Forever. This particular example is exactly how you'd want it—four speed, A/C, and restored, but not so perfect you'd be afraid to drive it on the street. [More pics...]
This Truck Is Basically All Wood
Technically, the underpinnings of this truck are equal parts Nissan/Datsun and Chevrolet Chevette, but its North Carolinian owner spent two full years building nearly everything else from cherrywood. There are no vinyl wood stickers, just a lot of seriously impressive patience at play here. Take a look at the craftsmanship that went into this thing. [More pics...]
2012 Morgan Three Wheeler
Okay, so technically this isn't vintage, since it's relatively new. Still, there's probably not a more old fashioned vehicle on the market today than Morgan's quirky three-legged roadster. According to the law, it's a motorcycle, but it drives just like a car. It's also undeniably cool. [More pics...]
Aaron Miller is the Rides editor for Supercompressor, and can be found on Twitter. Give him the Morgan, the Bronco, and the Porsche and he'd have a car for any occasion. He'd also be too busy driving to work.