Hemmings Daily: The car that started Pro-Touring is going up for auction

"I was not attempting to create a new genre of cars. I was attempting to harden an old Camaro enough to survive One Lap of America." Unless you're already familiar with Mark Stielow's creations, there's nothing to hint at the significance of the the car in the photo above. On the outside, it might look like a very nice custom 1969 Chevrolet Camaro with some modern wheels and tires. It is, however, much more than that. This is the car, nicknamed Tri-Tip, credited with starting the Pro-Touring movement. And, as the [View in Browser | Subscribe]( [Hemmings Daily] Friday, October 18, 2019 [The car that started Pro-Touring is going up for a no-reserve auction]( [The car that started Pro-Touring is going up for a no-reserve auction]( Posted by Mike Austin - "I was not attempting to create a new genre of cars. I was attempting to harden an old Camaro enough to survive One Lap of America." Unless you're already familiar with Mark Stielow's creations, there's nothing to hint at the significance of the the car in the photo above. On the outside, it might look like a very nice custom 1969 Chevrolet Camaro with some modern wheels and tires. It is, however, much more than that. This is the car, nicknamed Tri-Tip, credited with starting the Pro-Touring movement. And, as the... [Read More]( [Sponsor]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1971 Volkswagen Type 2]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1971 Volkswagen Type 2]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Single family 1971 Volkswagen Type 2 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This Type 2 Westfalia camper bus is a very rare and unique bird indeed being owned by just one family its entire life and having just over 20,000 original miles from new! Sold new in 1971 through the Volkswagen dealer in Westport, Connecticut, "The Small Car Company", to its owner in Weston, Connecticut where it would remain until today. Complete with all of its original books, service records documenting services at Volks...[Read More]( [VIDEO: Build a hemi in less than 10 minutes!]( [VIDEO: Build a hemi in less than 10 minutes!]( Posted by Dan Stoner - There are few things as satisfying as watching an old motor undergoing a fresh rebuild, amiright? There's just something about a vintage cast-iron block and all those imperfections being perfected that warms an otherwise blackened gearhead heart. The aroma of assembly lube and fresh hi-temp paint, gasket sealer and metal polish...those are pleasures that mere mortals will die before ever experiencing. And especially with an old mill like a '51 - '53 Chrysler 331-cu.in. V8: these early Hemi blocks were cast with t...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [SEMA files lawsuit against NHTSA over failure to implement replica car rules]( [SEMA files lawsuit against NHTSA over failure to implement replica car rules]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - At least one carmaker that had planned to build turnkey replica vehicles under the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act has already thrown in the towel due to inaction from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and now the Specialty Equipment Market Association has made good on its threat to sue the federal agency to spur it into action. "There's been no accountability" from the NHTSA, said Stuart Gosswein, SEMA's senior director of Federal Government Affairs. "They've said they were close t...[Read More]( [Morris Commercial returns with an electric van]( [Morris Commercial returns with an electric van]( Posted by Mike Austin - The Morris name is set to return, in the form of a new Morris Commercial van. The Morris JE is an all-electric commercial van with styling cues that recall the classic J-type, with its flat nose and forward controls. There are few details beyond those basics. The current version of Morris Commercial is a UK-based start-up that secured the rights to the old name. Like the old Morris Commercial van, this new one is on built on a modular chassis that will allow several different body variants. The company's press re...[Read More]( [Los Angeles, 1970s]( [Los Angeles, 1970s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1970s Location: Union Station, Los Angeles, California Source: Julius Shulman, USC Digital Libraries What do you see here?...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [Buick's venerable V-6 engine and the cars it powered in the Sixties]( [Buick's venerable V-6 engine and the cars it powered in the Sixties]( Posted by Matthew Litwin - The compact car had captured the minds of budget-conscious Americans in the late Fifties, spearheaded by American Motors' Rambler, which was already in a sales race with Volkswagen. By then, plans had been drafted by volume-leaders Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth that later came to fruition as the 1960 Corvair, Falcon and Valiant. Until May 1960, what few outside of Detroit realized was that General Motors-believing, correctly, that there was an upscale segment of the compact-car market-had gone one step further, positioni...[Read More]( [This Day in Automotive History] THIS DAY IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY 10/18/1933: Buckminster Fuller files patent for the Dymaxion. UPCOMING EVENTS [Great American Mountain Rally Revival 2019]( October 25, 2019 - Saratoga Springs, NY, NY [Sedgwick Street Rodders 20th Annual Fall Swap Meet]( October 25, 2019 - Hutchinson, KS [Las Vegas Concours d'Elegance]( October 25, 2019 - Las Vegas, NV [California Hot Rod Reunion]( October 25, 2019 - Bakersfield, CA [All-British Car Festival 2019]( October 25, 2019 - Fairhope, AL [DETAIL GARAGE RIDES & COFFEE]( October 26, 2019 - North Charleston, SC [See All Events]( [Sponsor]( FEATURED AUCTIONS [1976 Pontiac Trans Am]( [1976 Pontiac Trans Am]( [1970 Chevrolet Chevelle]( [1970 Chevrolet Chevelle]( [2010 Chevrolet Camaro]( [2010 Chevrolet Camaro]( [2009 Pontiac Solstice]( [2009 Pontiac Solstice]( [1964 Dodge Polara]( [1964 Dodge Polara]( [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( [1969 Chevrolet Camaro]( PROMOTED LISTING [1937 Ford Deluxe]( [1937 Ford Deluxe]( [$47,000]( PROMOTED LISTING [1932 Pierce-Arrow 54]( [1932 Pierce-Arrow 54]( [Auction]( PROMOTED LISTING [1941 Cadillac 62]( [1941 Cadillac 62]( [Auction]( PROMOTED LISTING [1976 Toyota FJ40]( [1976 Toyota FJ40]( [Auction]( [complete turnkey aluminum head 426 Hemi and trans]( [complete turnkey aluminum head 426 Hemi and trans]( [$18,500]( [View All Classifieds]( FEATURED IN THE BLOG [Driving in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty is no picnic]( [Driving in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty is no picnic]( [Don't do this.]( [Don't do this.]( [See All Featured Blog Posts]( FOLLOW US: [Hemmings Instagram]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Join us on Facebook]( [View our Flickr pool]( [View Newsletter Archives]( WEEK IN REVIEW Thursday, October 17, 2019 [1978 Chevrolet Corvette Limited Edition Buyer's Guide]( [1978 Chevrolet Corvette Limited Edition Buyer's Guide]( Posted by Hemmings Staff Report - Forty years ago, America's sports car was celebrating its 25th birthday and Chevrolet seized the opportunity to throw Corvette fans a party. The optional 220-hp L-82 350 breathed through a dualsnorkel airbox and was equipped with an aluminum intake. It also had an 8.9:1 compression ratio, 2.02/1.60 valves, four-bolt mains, and a steel crank. All 1978 Corvettes received a makeover inside and out as well as special 25th- Anniversary badging. For buyers wanting more, there w...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1976 Ford E250 Conversion Van]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1976 Ford E250 Conversion Van]( Posted by Mike Austin - This 1976 Ford E250 Club Wagon is a glorious example of 1970s vanning culture, complete with fireplace, CB radio, and shag headliner, for sale on Hemmings.com. Click on the link above to see many more photos that are worth a closer look. From the seller's description: GR Auto Gallery is pleased to present this groovy 1976 Ford E250! This far out Ford comes in a custom gold paint job complemented by airbrushed graphics and a complete custom interior. Powering the van is a rebuilt 351ci V8 motor mated to a smooth shi...[Read More]( [What A Car Should Be: 1974 Saab full line brochure]( [What A Car Should Be: 1974 Saab full line brochure]( Posted by Mark J. McCourt - Images are from the brochure collection of Hemmings Motor News, courtesy of Bruce Zahor While the automotive world has largely come around to Saab's way of thinking today front-wheel drive; safety-engineered bodies; efficient, small-displacement engines (later turbocharged) this was not the case in 1974, when the small Swedish automaker's downsized, two-model lineup represented a unique proposition in motoring. The long-serving 96 two-door sedan and 95 two-door wagon, in their final years powered by a ...[Read More]( [FIVA declares it won't support electrified classic vehicles]( [FIVA declares it won't support electrified classic vehicles]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - FIVA, the global organization dedicated to preserving older vehicles in part by fighting legislation aimed at getting old cars off the road, has declared it will not advocate for electrified classic vehicles and that such vehicles are not considered historic. "FIVA (the Fdration Internationale des Vhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles) understands the motivation of some owners to electrify their vehicles and acknowledges that, subject to legislation and regulation, all modifi...[Read More]( [Ontario, California, 1978]( [Ontario, California, 1978]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1978 Location: Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California Source: Michael Haering, via Digital Collections of the Los Angeles Public Library What do you see here?...[Read More]( Wednesday, October 16, 2019 [The mid-Seventies American vision for the future of taxis relied on... steam propulsion?]( [The mid-Seventies American vision for the future of taxis relied on... steam propulsion?]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Not a single American auto manufacturer participated in the Museum of Modern Art's 1976 exhibit dedicated to exploring the future of taxis. Conspicuous in its absence was Checker, the carmaker that had throughout its entire existence been synonymous with taxis and other utilitarian versions of the automobile. However, two upstart American companies did take part, and they both placed their bets on steam engines replacing internal combustion. Steam may have last powered a production automobile in the early 1930s, ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1991 Toyota Corolla GTS]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1991 Toyota Corolla GTS]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Original 1991 Toyota Corolla GTS for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: 6900 Original miles. 100 miles added in 2019. Covered, on blocks in heated storage for most of its life. Properly maintained by a licensed mechanic. 100% Original. No leaks Cold A/C. Showroom condition other than a few minor blemishes. Original tires with no weather checks, the car runs, drives and smells like brand new. Very fun car and a real conversation piece. Could be the best survivor in existence of this breed. ..[Read More]( [When Oldsmobile's W29 442 package met the new Colonnade coupe]( [When Oldsmobile's W29 442 package met the new Colonnade coupe]( Posted by Thomas A. DeMauro - Oldsmobile's highly popular Cutlass was tastefully reimagined on General Motor's new Colonnade A-body platform for 1973. Its front-end design incorporated large single headlamps flanking grilles (spring-loaded at the top) that could retract and rebound like the shock-absorber-mounted government-mandated 5-mph bumper to reduce impact damage. The header panel's raised center section was continued in the curvaceous hood, providing a perfect plat form for a stripe. Sculpted side styling emphasized large wheel openings and l...[Read More]( [1977-83 BMW 320i Buyer's Guide]( [1977-83 BMW 320i Buyer's Guide]( Posted by Jeff Koch - A sedan that wasn't boring. A sporty car that could seat four comfortably. A four-cylinder engine that stormed. The BMW 2002 offered all of the above and was a hard act to follow. Yet, BMW needed to evolve. The 2002 was getting long in the tooth, having been designed in the days before our nation's new bumper, emissions, and safety legislation came into effect. At the same time, the company needed to be smart enough to not discard the sporting feel that brought them to the dance of big-time American sales and exposure. ...[Read More]( [Lost Import Dealership - Sheppard's Import Motors, Tampa, Florida]( [Lost Import Dealership - Sheppard's Import Motors, Tampa, Florida]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Unless you lived in Central Florida during the late 1950s, Joe Sheppard's was not a household name. Yet, as hardcore racing historians know, Sheppard, The Tampa Hotshoe, was a very successful racer who took on the most famous names in racing at the time - Fangio, Hill, Moss, Cunningham - and who raced all over Florida, in Nassau, and even in Cuba. And much, if not all, of that success is due to his father, Jack Sheppard, and his Tampa-based dealership, Import Motors. Born Harlo John Sheppard in Davenport, Iow...[Read More]( [Palo Alto, California, 1973]( [Palo Alto, California, 1973]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: February 1973 Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, California Source: Stanford Libraries What do you see here?...[Read More]( Tuesday, October 15, 2019 [20 years ago the Escalade and Navigator predicted the shift to SUVs, we just didn't know it then]( [20 years ago the Escalade and Navigator predicted the shift to SUVs, we just didn't know it then]( Posted by Mike Austin - The tail end of 1998 was a turning point in the auto industry, but we probably didn't realize it at the time. For the first time, the flagship models from both Cadillac and Lincoln were not cars, but SUVs. While both were derided at the time by the press as gussied-up versions of their volume-brand siblings, buyers flocked to them, hip-hop artists started name-dropping them in their lyrics, and the American subconscious shifted further towards seeing the SUVs as the driveway symbol of success. There were several ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1964 Lincoln Continental]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1964 Lincoln Continental]( Posted by Mike Austin - 1964 Lincoln Continental for sale on Hemmings.com with mystery bullet lodged in the C-pillar. From the seller's description: 1964 Lincoln Continental, in red-carpet condition and priced to sell! This car is a real head-turner. Everywhere I drive it, people ask me about it, and lots of them even want their picture taken with it! It's also perfect for use in motion pictures/videos/etc. I have had several people ask about using it for photo shoots. This car is a time capsule and a true piece of American history! ..[Read More]( [Superb Sedanet - 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe]( [Superb Sedanet - 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe]( Posted by Matthew Litwin - There's little debate that 1949 was a landmark year for Detroit, which poured sweeping mechanical and styling changes from its automotive factories by the cubic ton. History tells us, though, that Cadillac had a head start. Inspired by a sneak peek at the P-38 Lightning, Harley Earl's stylists had drafted some of the fighter plane's radical features into the division's "Interceptor" concept exercises. After the end of hostilities, several Interceptor elements debuted on six of Cadillac's 11 1948 models, most notably "ru...[Read More]( [How I published three GT40s books and didn't get rich]( [How I published three GT40s books and didn't get rich]( Posted by Hemmings contributor - When I met Brian Winer, who was driving aLotus Esprit at the time, I was surprised whenhe said his favorite car was the Ford GT40. This was back in the 70s. I thought he was a furrin' car guy. Turned out we both had a soft spot for Fords of the Sixties. We looked around and discovered that there wasn't much in print on the car at the time. Back in '77, I had writtenShelby's Wildlife: the Cobras and the Mustangs, which had a few pages on Ford's fight for victory at Le Mans but we were surprised to ...[Read More]( [Sheer determination kept the most Moreauvian Saab on the road for years past its expiration date]( [Sheer determination kept the most Moreauvian Saab on the road for years past its expiration date]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - The story of John Ahlberg's SnabelGalf begins, like so many stories of beloved yet admittedly ugly cars, with a rear-ending from a taxi. It takes some unexpected twists and turns and ends, again like so many others, with an act of love. The Internet these days is awash in blogs and joke social media accounts exploring the depths of man's tyranny with a torch to the vehicles he relies on for basic transportation, each new day's post an attempt to find the ugliest and most tasteless car modifications. These site...[Read More]( [California, 1970s]( [California, 1970s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1976 (above), 1977 (below) Location: Solvang, California (above); Paso Robles, California (below) Source: John Margolies, via Library of Congress What do you see here? ...[Read More]( Monday, October 14, 2019 [Buyer's Guide: 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS]( [Buyer's Guide: 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS]( Posted by Mike McNessor - El Caminos have taken a beating on the internet over the past 20 years as a lazy punchline for mullet jokes. But we wonder: How many snarky car pundits have ever actually driven a big-block powered El Camino? They'd likely be impressed by the power--even on a short trip to the coffee bar to write that day's clickbait listicle. When the chassis is in good condition, 1968-'72 El Caminos aren't a chore to drive, either. They have surprisingly modern road manners. Not that we're biased or hold grudges, but just to be clear,...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1977 Plymouth Volare Premier]( [Hemmings Find of the Day: 1977 Plymouth Volare Premier]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Original family 1977 Plymouth Volare Premier for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Looks great, runs great. Very popular at car shows and in parades. Low-mileage vehicle originally purchased by my father, in Florida, and kept there until 2014. Now garaged in Ramsey, New Jersey. Excellent air conditioning. Meticulous professional exterior restoration in 2010. Hood, quarter panels, doors, trunk are rust free. Factory color, Caramel Tan. Premium off-white cloth landau (not stock). "Super Six" Slant ...[Read More]( [Open Diff - can a car be iconic?]( [Open Diff - can a car be iconic?]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Unless you're new to the hobby (in which case, welcome!) or completely unfamiliar with American cars (Willkommen! Bienvenue! Ni hao!), you know exactly what car that is above. You know what year it was built. You probably know who designed it, how many examples were built, and what engines powered it from the factory. Does that make it iconic? It's a question worth discussing, especially after DaveR took issue with the use of the word "iconic" in the recent story on the restoration of a gold-paneled Airstream. E...[Read More]( [Seven years running, The Race of Gentlemen keeps getting bigger and better]( [Seven years running, The Race of Gentlemen keeps getting bigger and better]( Posted by Jim O'Clair - It's modern beach racing at its finest, restricted to pre-1934 car bodies (among other rules) and American motorcycles built in 1947 or earlier. As a longtime follower of the Oilers Car Club and The Race of Gentlemen, I always look forward to the annual pilgrimage to the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, to see old friends and make some new ones on a chilly October weekend. I missed the inaugural event in 2012, but since TROG moved to Wildwood in 2013, I've seen it change and evolve. For the most part, these changes ha...[Read More]( [Recommended Reading - "The Face of Change: Portraits of Automotive Evolution"]( [Recommended Reading - 'The Face of Change: Portraits of Automotive Evolution']( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Think, for a moment, about all the external forces that have shaped the development of the automobile, from the earliest days of the Mercedes-Benz Patent Motorwagen to the hybrid-drivetrain supercars of today, such as Porsche's 918. Emerging technology has certainly played a role, but so have government regulations, economic conditions, cultural norms and even geographic requirements. The Face of Change: Portraits of Automotive Evolution, a new book from author John Nikas and photographer Michael Furman, with cont...[Read More]( [Paris, 1967]( [Paris, 1967]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1967 Location: Paris, France Source: screencaps from Jacques Tati's "Playtime" What do you see here? ...[Read More]( Sunday, October 13, 2019 [Thirty years later, and little has changed at the Bonneville Salt Flats]( [Thirty years later, and little has changed at the Bonneville Salt Flats]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Back in 1989, ESPN sent Peter Graves out to cover the racing at Bonneville, almost on a play-by-play basis with color commentator Rick Vesco. Speeds were high, records were set, and the salt stretched out as far as the eye could see. More interestingly, little seems to have changed out at Bonneville in the last 30 years. Sure, fashion has moved on from bright pink team t-shirts and pushbroom moustaches and modern pickups have replaced the assorted support vehicles seen in the background, but take those away (and ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1969 Airstream Globetrotter]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1969 Airstream Globetrotter]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Renovated 1969 Airstream Globetrotter for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Love the vintage look but with modern conveniences? Look no further than this 1969 Airstream Globetrotter, perfect for quick weekend getaways or longer trips to the mountains or even the beach. 21" with all new plumbing including water lines, drain lines and valves. Brand new propane tanks, brake lines and drum assemblies plus new tires. Refinished and polished exterior with brand new Sunbrella awning. Interior features i...[Read More]( [Four-Links - Africar, HANS, rocket bike, papercraft Subarus]( [Four-Links - Africar, HANS, rocket bike, papercraft Subarus]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Rugged cars meant to last decades and be easily repairable by just about anyone were just the ticket for Africa, thought Tony Howarth, whose 2CV-powered Africar showed promise but didn't reach production due to a number of factors, as Jon Branch recently wrote over at Silodrome. Tony Howarth understood what was needed for a vehicle that would be uncomplicated, easy to build, easy to fix, and perfectly suited to the rough tracks that are the roads of much of the third world. In a sense Tony Howarth had something ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1982 Imperial]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1982 Imperial]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Frank Sinatra edition 1982 Imperial for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: 19,000 original miles. 1 of just 279 Sinatra editions produced in 1982. Original EFI car - runs perfectly. Everything works. Original paint(No clearocat pealing), interior, chrome, all beautiful. Purchased from 90 year old original female owner in 2015. Every record from day one, Original selling dealer serviced only. Gorgeous velvet seats, perfect headliner and carpet. Never smoked in. Fully serviced, Cold AC, new custom D...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S BEST DISCUSSION [Why the new Corvette had to be mid-engine]( [Why the new Corvette had to be mid-engine]( Posted by Hemmings contributor - The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has a mid-mounted engine, in case you haven't been paying attention. Why? Several reasons. Let's drive right in. First on the list is demographics. The front engine Corvette, on the market since 1953, and one of the first postwar American sports cars, has an increasingly older audience. The average age of the buyers was said to be 59, and male. What's wrong with that? Chevrolet wants to have at least one model with a youthful image, a progressive we-like-innovation type a...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S MOST READ [Restoring a one-off Airstream, gold-flake bathtub and all]( [Restoring a one-off Airstream, gold-flake bathtub and all]( Posted by Hemmings contributor - The silhouette of an Airstream trailer has remained mostly unchanged since the 1950s and is thereby recognizable by most. Often described as a silver Twinkie or silver bullet, the iconic foil-wrapped baked potato shape is often synonymous with the color silver. With an exterior made of aluminum, and either left to weather to a dull gray, or polished to a shiny, reflective finish, an Airstream trailer is an iconic image on America's highways. Airstream trailers are considered by many to be the Gold Standard of ...[Read More]( Hemmings Motor News will not sell or share your e-mail address with other companies. 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