Panoz AIV Roadster

The Panoz Roadster was originally introduced in 1992 featuring aluminum body panels on a steel frame and powered by the Ford 5.0-liter V8 engine from the Ford Mustang. Only 44 Panoz Roadsters were built to the original design through 1995. In 1996, a new version was unveiled with the same aluminum body panels bonded to an aluminum space frame using special adhesives, and the new 4.6-liter 32-valve double-overhead-cam all-aluminum V8 engine and 5-speed manual transmission from the Ford Mustang SVT. This design was approximately 70% aluminum, and was called the Panoz AIV Roadster. The letters "AIV" stand for "Aluminum Intensive Vehicle." The extensive use of aluminum reduced the roadster's weight to 2,570 pounds, and combined with the new engine's 305 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque, gave the AIV Roadster impressive performance, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 140 miles per hour, while also delivering fuel economy of 19.9 miles per gallon. A total of 176 Panoz AIV Roadsters were produced through 1999, though some were not sold until 2000. This example was photographed at the 2000 Portland International Auto Show at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

Ferrari 360 Modena

The Ferrari 360 Modena was introduced in 1999 as a replacement for the Ferrari F355 Berlinetta after four years of development. Powered by the same 3.5-liter double-overhead-cam V8 as the F355, the 360 Modena featured a new intake track and a revised stainless-steel exhaust that increased the horsepower from the F355's 375 horsepower to 400 horsepower. The 360 Modena also featured reduced weight, increased performance, better handling, more structural rigidity, and increased interior room and comfort. Available with either a 6-speed manual transmission or an F1-style paddle shifter, the 360 Modena could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. The Ferrari 360 Modena was priced between $135,000 and $144,000. This example was photographed at the 2000 Portland International Auto Show at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

1991 Ferrari F40

This 1991 Ferrari F40 was displayed at the 2000 Portland International Auto Show at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. Enzo Ferrari was 89 years old when he unveiled the F40 in Maranello, Italy, on July 21, 1987. Hand-made in Italy with carbon-fiber body panels bonded to a space frame of steel tubing, the F40 has a curb weight of just 2,756 pounds. To keep the weight down, the F40 features a plastic windshield and manual plastic windows, a carbon fiber dashboard, analog gauges, and lacked interior door panels and door handles and features like a radio or power-assisted brakes, though it did have primitive air conditioning. Powered by a 2,936-cubic-centimeter, twin-turbocharged, intercooled V8 engine that produced 471 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 426 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm with a 5-speed manual transmission, the F40 could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, reach 125 miles per hour in 12.4 seconds, and eventually hit a top speed of 203.4 miles per hour. A total of 1,311 F40s were produced from 1987 to 1992. This car was priced at $299,000.

1999 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

1999 was the first year that the police version of Ford's Crown Victoria sedan was officially called the Police Interceptor. Though Ford had always built police versions of the Crown Victoria, from 1992 to 1998, the model was simply called the Crown Victoria P71, referring to the production code. Along with the civilian model, the P71 was restyled in 1998, and it retained much of the civilian model's styling, including a chrome grille, door handle trim, bumper trim strips, and the Crown Victoria's rear fascia and badging. In 1999, along with the new Crown Victoria Police Interceptor name and a Police Interceptor badge on the rear fascia, the grille, door handle trim and bumper trim strips were now glossy black. (An optional "Street Appearance Package" was also available to make the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor look like the civilian model by adding back all the chrome. 1999 was the only year the Ford Crown Victoria had the gloss black grille, as it was changed to flat black for 2000. This 1999 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor belonged to the Public Safety Department at the Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Dodge Power Wagon

The Dodge Power Wagon was a one-ton rated truck that was introduced in 1946. It was based on the WC-series of 3/4-ton trucks and command cars that were built for the military for use in World War II from 1942 to 1945. The Dodge Power Wagon saw few changes throughout its long production run; the only one that was visible from the outside was a new pickup bed in 1951. Other changes included a 12-volt electrical system and synchromesh transmission in 1955, power steering in 1956, and power brakes in 1957, which was the peak year for Power Wagon production. The 230-cubic-inch flathead inline 6-cylinder engine was supplanted by a 251-cubic-inch version in 1961. The Power Wagon remained in production for decades with no changes to the exterior styling. Domestic sales lasted until 1968, and export production continued to 1978. This flatbed example was photographed in the 1999 Days in the Park Parade in Rainier, Oregon. There is no clear indication which model year it represents; I have it labeled as 1960 model, but I don't recall how I determined that.

1954 Nash Statesman Custom Country Club Hardtop Coupe

Nash introduced the Country Club hardtop coupe in 1951 for the compact Rambler model, and when the larger Statesman and Ambassador were redesigned for 1952, they also gained their own versions of the stylish body style. 1954 would be the last year for this design before a facelift in 1955. The 1954 Nash pictured here at the Heritage Days Parade in Clatskanie, Oregon, on July 4, 1999, appears to be a Statesman Custom Country Club. The Statesman was Nash's midrange model, on a 114.25-inch wheelbase with a 195.6 cubic inch inline 6-cylinder engine that produced 100 horsepower, or 110 horsepower with the Dual Powerflyte dual carburetor option. The top-of-the-line Ambassador looked almost identical, but rode on a 121.25-inch wheelbase and were powered by the 252.6 cubic inch Super Jetfire inline 6-cylinder engine that produced 130 horsepower, or 140 horsepower with the optional LeMans dual carburators and high-compression aluminum head.

1969 Cadillac Hearse

This 1969 Cadillac shown here in the Heritage Days Parade in Clatskanie, Oregon, on July 4, 1999, is a former hearse that is now used by the Astoria Clowns of Astoria, Oregon. Cadillacs were restyled in 1969, abandoning the vertically stacked headlights used from 1965 to 1968 in favor of more inboard horizontal headlights. During the 1969 calendar year, Cadillac's production exceeded 250,000 cars for the first time, despite strikes affecting the 1969 production run. Among the 1969 production run were 2,550 commercial chassis. With a 156-inch wheelbase and Cadillac's 375-horsepower 472-cubic-inch V8 engine, these chassis were used by custom coachbuilders to build ambulances, hearses, and funeral flower-cars. The coachbuilders that used these chassis included the Superior Coach Corporation of Lima, Ohio, Miller-Meteor in Piqua, Ohio, and the Hess & Eisenhardt Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. I believe this example was built by Superior.