2001-2002 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor Oregon State Police Car

Photo by Cliff West

The Ford Crown Victoria was redesigned for 1998, and in 1999 the P71 police package became officially known as the Police Interceptor. In 2001, the slatted grille of the standard Crown Victoria was replaced on the Police Interceptor with a honeycomb grille with a floating Ford oval. The Police Interceptor also received the "Performance Improved" 4.6-liter dual-valve V8 producing 235 horsepower and 265 foot-pounds of torque, along with a new rear differential and a more powerful alternator. The 2002 models were virtually identical to the 2001s.

Photo by Cliff West

The Oregon State Police introduced this dark blue paint scheme around the year 2000, replacing the previous black and white livery dating back to around 1995. This new paint scheme would have a long run, lasting until a new silver paint scheme was introduced in late 2017. 

Photo by Cliff West

This Oregon State Police Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is a 2001 or 2002 model that was photographed in Rainier, Oregon, around October of 2003.

1958 Edsel Ranger Hardtop Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Ford's Edsel is probably the most famous failure in the history of the American auto industry. That reputation was likely cemented by the unmistakably bizarre styling of the debut 1958 models. It wasn't simply the styling that made the Edsel infamous. Though promoted as revolutionary, beyond its unique look, the Edsel wasn't that different from the Ford and Mercury products it was based on.

The story of the Edsel began in 1954, when Ford planned to compete with General Motors by emulating GM's five-brand structure. The key to this plan was the addition of a new medium-priced marque between Mercury and Lincoln. With the addition of Continental above Lincoln, Ford hoped to match GM at every price point. After considering 6000 possible names, the new division was named after Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford and father Ford's the-president Henry Ford II. In contrast to the original plans, by the time the Edsel actually debuted in 1958, it actually found itself placed between Ford and Mercury.

Edsel wasn't simply a single car, it was an entire lineup with four models called Ranger, Pacer, Corsair, and Citation. Ranger and Pacer were the lower-end models, using Ford's 118-inch wheelbase chassis and a 303-horsepower 361 cubic-inch V8. The higher-priced Corsair and top-of-the-line Citation used Mercury's 124-inch wheelbase chassis and were powered by a 345-horsepower 410 cubic-inch V8.

Pictured here is a 1958 Edsel Ranger hardtop coupe at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003. 

Edsel arrived during a recession that hit mid-priced brands particularly hard. Ford had hoped to sell 100,000 Edsels in 1958 but only sold about 63,000. Of those, 24,049 were Rangers. Ford tried to recalibrate, toning down the styling, offering smaller, more fuel-efficient engines, and cutting back the number of models, but the damage was already done. Coupled with the losses from Continental which was folded back into Lincoln in 1959, Ford's five-brand plan was dead, and Edsel was canceled in 1960.

1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer Hardtop Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Dodge had debuted Virgil Exner’s all-new “Forward Look” in 1957, so the 1958 models carried over with a mild facelift featuring a Sweep-View picture window windshield and true quad Twin-Set headlights. Dodge hardtops were called Lancers from 1955 to 1959. The Coronet was the base model, typically powered by either a 138-horsepower 230-cubic-inch Get-Away inline 6-cylinder L-head engine or a 252-horsepower 325-cubic-inch Red Ram V8 engine, with several more powerful V8 options available. Transmissions were a 3-speed manual, 2-speed PowerFlite push-button automatic (only available with the Six), or 3-speed Torqueflite push-button automatic. New available options for 1958 included Electronic Fuel Injection, Constant-Control Power Steering, and Sure-Grip Differential with Automatic Traction Pilot. This 1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer Hardtop Coupe was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1951-1952 Chrysler Saratoga Club Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Chrysler styling for 1951 and 1952 was nearly identical. The tail lights are the only distinguishing characteristic, with the 1952s featuring integrated back-up lights. Chrysler didn’t even keep separate production figures for the model years. The Saratoga was just above the base-model Windsor in the Chrysler lineup, on a 125.5-inch wheelbase, and didn’t return for 1951 until well into the model year. With its return, the Saratoga became the smallest Chrysler to offer the new 180-horsepower 331-cubic-inch PowerFlight V8 engine with its hemispherical combustion chambers, and was capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds with a top speed of nearly 110 miles per hour. The Club Coupe shown here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, represents the only 2-door Saratoga body style, with 6-passenger and long-wheelbase 8-passenger 4-door sedans and a Town & Country 4-door station wagon also available. The Saratoga model would be discontinued after 1952 and would not return until 1957.

1937 Packard Super-Eight Touring Sedan

Photo by Cliff West

 

In 1937, Packard offered the Touring Sedan across all four series: the Six, the One-Twenty, the Super-Eight, and the Twelve. The example pictured here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, appears to be a Super-Eight. The Super-Eight Touring Sedan was offered with three wheelbases: 127 inches, 134 inches, and 139 inches. This appears to be the 134-inch wheelbase model. The 1937 Packard Super-Eight was all-new with a smaller and lighter design, with each of the three wheelbases now 5 inches shorter than the previous year, and 1936's 150-horsepower 320-cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder engine was changed to a new 135-horsepower 320-cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder engine. Other changes included the addition of hydraulic brakes and the front doors now being hinged at the front instead of the back. The rear doors, however, remained rear-hinged "suicide" doors. 1937 would be Packard's peak production year, with a total of 122,593 cars, though only 5,793 were Super-Eights.

1946 Lincoln Sedan

Photo by Cliff West

 

When World War II stopped all American automobile production in 1942, Lincoln had been producing the Lincoln Zephyr as a 4-door sedan, coupe, club coupe, and convertible coupe, alongside the Lincoln Custom sedan and limousine and the Lincoln Continental cabriolet and coupe. When production resumed after the war in 1946, Lincoln brought back its pre-war models with updated styling. The Continental name returned but the Zephyr name did not, with the former Zephyrs now being identified only by body style. Thus, the car pictured here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, is simply a 1946 Lincoln Sedan. Initially, 1946 Lincolns were powered by a low-compression 130-horsepower 306-cubic-inch V12 with iron heads that had been used for the last month of 1942 production. Later in 1946, Lincoln switched to the 130-horsepower 292-cubic-inch V12 that had been used in 1940 and 1941. Production of these Lincolns would continue with little change through 1948.

1932 Lincoln Model KA 5-Passenger Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

The Lincoln Motor Company was founded in August 1917 by Henry M. Leland and his son Wilfred and initially produced Liberty V12 aircraft engines. Lincoln produced its first automobile, the L Series, on January 26, 1920, and was purchased by the Ford Motor Company in February 1922. The Model K was introduced in 1931 on a new 145-inch wheelbase and powered by a 120-horsepower 384.8-cubic-inch L-head V8 engine. For 1932, Lincoln split the Model K into two models: the V8-powered Model KA on the 136-inch wheelbase from the L Series, and the Model KB, powered by a 150-horsepower 447.9-cubic-inch L-head V12 in the 145-inch wheelbase. The 1932 Model KA's V8 produced 125 horsepower and would be the last Lincoln V8 until 1949, as the 1933 Model KA would receive its own 125-horsepower 381.7-cubic-inch L-head V12 engine. The Model K would remain in production until January 1940. The 1932 Lincoln Model KA 5-Passenger Coupe shown here at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, is an example if one of the seven body styles available for the 1932 Model KA.

1911 Overland Model 49 Touring Car

Photo by Cliff West

 

Overland was established in 1903 as the Overland Automotive Division of the Standard Wheel Company in Terre Haute, Indiana, with a 5-horsepower gasoline runabout designed by Claude E. Cox. Overland moved to Indianapolis in 1905 and was sold to Cox, who partnered with investor David M. Parry who formed the Overland Auto Company. In 1906, Overland produced 47 cars and all were sold to dealer John North Willys of Elmira, New York. Following the Panic of 1907, Willys purchased control of Overland in 1908 and increased production to 467 cars, then to 4,907 in 1909, when Cox left to work for the new Inter-State Automobile Company in Muncie, and Willys moved Overland to the former Pope-Toledo factory in Toledo, Ohio. In 1912 the company would be renamed to the Willys-Overland Motor Company and from 1912 to 1918 it would be America's second-largest automobile manufacturer after Ford. The Overland marque would be used until the 1926 introduction of the Whippet. This 1911 Overland Model 49 is a 5-passenger Touring Car with a 102-inch wheelbase powered by a 25-horsepower 199-cubic-inch inline 4-cylinder L-head engine with a 3-speed selective sliding gear transmission. The Model 49 was originally priced at $1,095.00 and dark blue was the standard color. This example was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1930 Chrysler Model 77 Roadster

Photo by Cliff West

 

Walter P. Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corporation in 1925 after buying the Maxwell Automobile Company in 1921. The 1930 Chrysler Model 77 was based on the Model 70, descended from the Chrysler B-70 from 1924, and was an update to 1929's Model 75, now with a downdraft carburetor and a new engine-mounted fuel pump, and sat right below the top-of-the-line Chrysler Imperial in the company’s lineup. Powered by a 93-horsepower 268.4-cubic-inch inline 6-cylinder L-head engine with a 4-speed transmission, the Model 77 was designed to cruise at 77 miles per hour and was capable of reaching 100 miles per hour. Model 77 Roadsters raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belguim, and at the Mille Miglia in Italy. Early 1930 Chrysler Model 70s and Model 77s featured Pennon-shaped hood louvers, which were replaced by common vertical louvers in the middle of the year. Chrysler built over 60,000 cars in 1930, but only 1,729 were Model 77 Roadsters. The Model 77 was a one-year-only model, being dropped after 1930 in favor of downsized cars. The 1930 Chrysler Model 77 Roadster was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1953 Nash-Healey Roadster

Photo by Cliff West

 

1953 was the last year for the Nash-Healey Roadster, the result of a chance meeting aboard the Queen Elizabeth between Nash CEO George Mason and British sports-car builder Donald Healey, who wanted to buy American engines. They partnered to introduce the Nash-Healey in 1951, a low-slung two-seat roadster with a British-built aluminum body and a 125-horsepower Nash Ambassador 234.8 cubic inch overhead-valve L-head six-cylinder Jetfire engine on a 102-inch wheelbase, assembled at the Donald Healey Motor Company in Warwick, England. The following year brought new steel bodywork by Pinin Farina in Italy, where final assembly was performed, and a 140-horsepower dual-carburetor option. 1953 saw the introduction of a Le Mans coupe version on a 6-inch longer wheelbase. It was the best year for the Nash Healey, with a total of 162 built. Production would end after another 90 coupes were built in 1954, some of which were reserialed as 1955 models. This 1953 Nash-Healey Roadster was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1951 Nash Ambassador 4-Door Sedan

Photo by Cliff West

 

1951 was the final year for the Nash Airflyte that had been introduced in 1949. Available as a Statesman on a 112-inch wheelbase and as the Ambassador on a 121-inch wheelbase. One of the most advanced cars of its day, the aerodynamic Airflyte featured a one-piece curved windshield, a “Uniscope” gauge cluster in a teardrop-shaped pod on the steering column, optional seatbelts and fully-reclining front seatbacks and Nash-Kelvinator’s pioneering “Weather-Eye” fresh air heating and ventilation system. For 1951, styling featured a new grille and extended raised rear fenders. The 1951 Ambassador’s 234.8 cubic inch overhead-valve L-head six-cylinder Jetfire engine produced 115 horsepower, up from 112 previously. This example was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1979-1988 Zimmer Golden Spirit

 
Photo by Cliff West

Though production began in 1979, the Zimmer Motorcars Corporation was established in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1980 by Paul Zimmer and his son, Robert “Bob” Zimmer. The Zimmer Golden Spirit was a classic-style car with up-to-date performance capabilities, based on the chassis and powertrain of Ford’s Fox-platform Mustang. While the exterior styling featured a long, low hood with exposed exhaust pipes, curled fenders, running boards, side-mounted spare tires, wire-spoke wheels with wide whitewall tires, trumpet-shaped horns and a 24-karat gold hood ornament, it was powered by a 225-horsepower high-output electronically fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8 engine and featured a 4-speed transmission, rack-and-pinion steering, independent front suspension with McPherson struts, coil springs and stabilizer bar, rear suspension with four-bar link rubber cushioned pivots, coil springs hydraulic shock absorbers and stabilizer bar, and power assisted front vented disc/rear drum brakes. The interior featured hand-stitched leather surfaces, a walnut dashboard, wool carpeting, a steering wheel with 24-carat gold-plated spokes, and crystal bud vases hanging by the rear seat courtesy lights. Air conditioning and an acoustically-balanced AM/FM stereo with cassette player were standard, while a CD player and hands-free cellular phone were optional. Prices in 1988 started around $50,000, which was equal to a Porsche or two Corvettes. Zimmer filed for bankruptcy in 1988 after building about 1,500 Golden Spirits, but was reborn in the late 1990s under new ownership. Due to their custom-built nature, it is difficult to tell what model year is represented by this Zimmer Golden Spirit at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.

1941 Packard Super-8 One-Sixty Club Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

In 1940 the Packard Super-8 became the Super-8 One-Sixty, with the introduction of a new 160-horsepower, 356-cubic-inch, inclined 8-cylinder L-head engine with aluminum pistons, which was the most powerful 8-cylinder engine available in an American car at the time, following the discontinuation of the Packard V12 after 1939. The related Super-8 One-Eighty replaced the Packard Twelve at the top of the line. For 1941, styling was updated. The radiator moved forward and the headlights were recessed into the fenders with parking lights above, while running boards became optional. Other available options included Air-Conditioning, an Electromatic Clutch eliminating the need for a clutch pedal, and an early overdrive called Aero-Drive which reduced fuel consumption by up to 20% by reducing engine revolutions by 27.8% while reducing oil use and engine wear. This 1941 Packard Super-8 One-Sixty Coupe has a 127-inch wheelbase. It is difficult to tell in the picture, but this coupe at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003, appears to be a 5-passenger Club Coupe with the new full width rear seat, as opposed to a Business Coupe with no rear seat.

1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Coupe

Photo by Cliff West

 

Oldsmobile was redesigned for 1957, which was also the brand’s 50th anniversary, and the 1957 Oldsmobile 88 model was given the prefix “Golden Rocket.” The standard Rocket T-400 high-compression V-8 engine was increased to 371.1 cubic inches to produce 277 horsepower and 400 ft-lbs of torque. The optional J-2 package increased the horsepower to an even 300. Though the Wheelbases were the same as in 1956, the bodies and chassis were all-new, making the 1957 Oldsmobiles longer, lower and wider. Compared to the previous year, the wide-mouth grille was reshaped, the windshield pillars were more sharply angled, and the sweepspear came down from the middle of the belt and back to the finless rear fenders and peaked taillights to define a two-tone area. Holiday hardtops and sedans now featured wrapped rear windows with body-color twin vertical dividers. 

Photo by Cliff West

This Super 88 Holiday Coupe was photographed at the Northwest Car Collectors Association Car Show & Swap Meet at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon, on October 18-19, 2003.