1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle "Rolls-Royce"

I believe this Volkswagen Super Beetle is a 1974 model, the first year to feature the larger 5-mph bumpers and the last year to feature the original muffler design with twin tailpipes. This was the penultimate year for the Super Beetle sedan, but that is not all that makes this particular car noteworthy. This Super Beetle has been fitted with a body kit to make it resemble a Rolls-Royce, with an upright grille and quad headlights in the front and an imitation "Continental kit" on the rear.

There were several manufacturers of these "Rolls-Royce" kits, and I have no idea which kit this is, but it is a fairly extensive one with the hood, front fenders, and decklid all being replaced, though the rear fenders appear to have remained original, which was not the case with all of these kits. Rolls-Royce was not amused by these conversions and sued at least one manufacturer of these kits. This kit may have been a later one as the grills has no emblem or hood ornament as some kits did, perhaps in an attempt to avoid potential copyright infringement lawsuits, or perhaps the owner merely chose to omit them. In any case, it is a distinctive car that certainly attracts attention. It attracted mine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in December of 2001.

1986-1991 Volvo FE6 Box Truck

Based on the Volvo FL first introduced in the summer of 1985, the Volvo FE6 was introduced for North America in 1986. Usually powered by a Volvo TD63 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, they were also available with a lower-priced 6.6-liter Caterpillar 3116. Also available was the FE7 model, with a larger 7-liter Volvo TD73 diesel engine for heavy-duty applications. The Volvo FE received a minor facelift for 1992, with the front turn signals moving to the corners of the bumper, and continued to be offered in North America through 1998. This box truck, photographed at Horn Feeds, Inc., in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, on November 20, 2001, is an example of the original 1986-1991 design.

1966 Datsun 1600 Roadster

Datsun introduced its first sport roadster in 1959 with the Datsun 1000, and began importing them to the United States with the 1960 Datsun 1200. The Datsun 1500 was introduced in 1963, and in 1966 an increase in engine displacement also led to a name change and the model became the Datsun 1600. The Datsun 1600 was powered by a 96-horsepower dual-carburetor 1.6-liter overhead-valve inline 4-cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission.

All Datsun 1600s were sold as softtop roadsters. This well-kept and seemingly all-original example features an aftermarket removeable hardtop, turning this 1600 into an attractive two-toned coupe. I spotted it at the Amtrak depot in Vancouver, Washington, in February 2001.

2002 Lincoln Blackwood

The 2002 Lincoln Blackwood, shown here at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, went on sale in the spring of 2001. Based on the rear-wheel drive Ford F-150 SuperCrew and powered by a 300-horsepower 5.4-liter 32-valve V8, with a maximum towing capacity of 8,700 pounds, the Blackwood was a limited-production “Luxury Utility Vehicle” with four full-size doors and a stylish carpet and stainless steel trimmed bed which Lincoln called a “Cargo Trunk,” which was capped by an electrically-operated rigid clamshell tonneau cover and featured integrated storage bins, flush-mounted tie-down hooks, a 12-volt power point and cool-to-the-touch LED lighting. On the outside, the “Cargo Trunk” featured imitation blackwood trim, and in place of a traditional truck tailgate, the Blackwood featured dual side-opening rear doors with integrated storage compartments. Additional standard featured included a power moonroof, Connolly leather seating surfaces, climate-controlled power front seats, wood- & leather-trimmed steering wheel with duplicate audio & climate controls, overhead console with On-Board Trip Computer displaying distance-to-empty, average fuel economy and digital compass and an Alpine® Audiophile Sound System with a 6-disc CD changer.

2001 Mercury California Cougar Concept

The 2001 Mercury Cougar was powered by a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC 24-valve Duratec V6 engine and came standard with a AM/FM Stereo/single CD player, a 50/50 rear seatback, front independent MacPherson compact strut and Quadralink rear suspension systems, a SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system, a trip computer and wraparound projector and reflector headlamps. Available options included leather seating surfaces, Anti-lock Brake System, aluminum footrest, clutch brake and accelerator pedal pads, and limited edition Cougar XR and Cougar C2 trims. This particular Mercury Cougar, shown here at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, was a concept called the California Cougar, featuring a custom body kit by Wings West.

Ford F-150 Lightning Rod Concept

Ford first introduced the high-performance SVT Lightning version of the F-150 pickup in 1993 and produced it until 1995, then revived it in 1999 on the next generation of Ford F-150 with a 380-horsepower 5.4-liter V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. The Ford F-150 Lightning Rod Concept, shown here at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, was based on that same generation of SVT Lightning, with smooth modified bodywork including a roof that was chopped by one inch, shorter overhangs, filled panels, and polished aluminum trim. Flame patterns based on Maori tattoos decorated the tonneau cover and dashboard, embossed into the headliner and leather-wrapped bucket seats, and carved into the treads of the 20-inch tires.

Ford Forty-Nine Concept

Influenced by the classic 1949-1951 Ford, the Forty-Nine coupe concept also had the chopped and channeled look on customized cars from that era. Displayed at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show the Forty-Nine featured rounded high intensity discharge and projector beam front lighting, sleek narrow wrap-around LED tail lights, and a roof with an all-glass upper structure. Inside, a raised console ran down the middle between the four bucket seats, and in front of the driver was a classic single-dial gauge cluster. A “Powered by Thunderbird” badge on the side announced that a Thunderbird 3.9-liter DOHC V8 in the engine bay was tuned to fit the car’s appearance and refined muscle.