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HomeCollectible Automobile

Collectible Automobile

Richard Langworth
Readings

Richard Langworth’s death raises questions about auto history’s future

March 19, 2025 Steve 0

Indie Auto reader Zachary Morecraft suggested in the “Story Idea Bank” that we do a piece on Richard M. Langworth, who died February 20 at the age of 83. Langworth was such a towering presence […]

1965 Chevrolet Corvair
Media Analysis

Why hasn’t Consumer Guide Automotive fixed a discredited anti-Nader rant?

February 4, 2025 Steve 4

(EXPANDED FROM 11/1/2019) One way auto history websites can squeeze more profits from their content is to endlessly repost stories. That’s not a bad thing if the information is accurate, but it strikes me as […]

1979 Pontiac Grand Prix
Data Dive

What’s Collectible Automobile’s beef with the 1978-80 Pontiac Grand Prix?

January 3, 2025 Steve 16

(EXPANDED FROM 8/25/2022) One of the more curious aspects of the postwar U.S. auto industry is the way that dramatic change was often normalized by the media — as long as it went in the […]

1974 AMC Matador coupes
Media Analysis

Bob Nixon interview left questions about 1974 AMC Matador and 1965 Marlin

December 26, 2024 Steve 0

(EXPANDED FROM 10/4/2014) We have previously critiqued American Motors designer Bob Nixon’s recollections about the Pacer (go here). Now let’s discuss his take on the 1974 Matador and 1965 Marlin. This portion of his Collectible […]

Links

Jean Jennings’ death reminds us of Automobile magazine’s greatest legacy

December 18, 2024 Steve 1

(EXPANDED FROM 7/9/2021) The recent death of Jean Jennings is a useful reminder that Automobile magazine’s biggest journalistic legacy was arguably that it elevated an unusually large number of women into senior editorial roles. This […]

1976 AMC Pacer X
Media Analysis

Designer Bob Nixon distanced himself from the ill-fated AMC Pacer

December 2, 2024 Steve 7

(UPDATED FROM 10/4/2014) Collectible Automobile’s interviews can be a valuable means of documenting automotive history, but they can also lead us astray due to inaccuracies. For one thing, the memories of key participants can fade […]

1962 Plymouth Valiant
History

A deeper dive into why Chrysler’s 1962 B-body wasn’t a stretched compact

October 8, 2024 Steve 7

Our recent story on the 1962 Chrysler B-body (go here) has generated a debate among auto history writers. In the article, I sided with those who had argued that the downsized Plymouth and Dodge were […]

Collectible Automobile covers
Media Analysis

What kind of cars does — and doesn’t — Collectible Automobile put on its cover?

September 16, 2024 Steve 11

Stéphane Dumas (2024) recently commented that “it would have been a shock if a car from the 1980s” was on the cover of Collectible Automobile magazine. The newest model he could remember was a 1975 […]

1977 Chevrolet wagons
Media Analysis

Was a non-woody Malibu wagon the Chevelle’s ‘top hauler’ in 1977?

August 21, 2024 Steve 3

A recent Collectible Automobile Facebook item (2024) stated that for 1977 the “pseudo-‘woody’ Malibu Estate models” were dropped and “the plain-sided Malibu Classic station wagon became the top hauler on the Chevrolet Chevelle roster.” I […]

1971 Mercury Cougar XR7
Media Analysis

Collectible Automobile sheds little light on why 1971 Mercury Cougar was ugly

August 6, 2024 Steve 17

When I saw that the 1971 Mercury Cougar was on the cover of the latest Collectible Automobile issue, I was particularly curious about one thing: Did Semon Knudsen have much influence on the car’s huge […]

Posts pagination

« 1 2 3 … 5 »
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • 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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