A sneak peek of what’s inside Old Cars’ September 15, 2025, issue!

This story was initiated as the result of a random, seemingly inconsequential act on my part. I gave my copy of the Jan. 1, 2024, issue of Old Cars to a friend, because of its cover story about a 428 Cobra Jet-powered 1968 Torino. My friend owns our featured Fairlane 500 of the same vintage, which also has the 428 CJ, thus the reason for giving him the magazine. A couple days later, that friend called me to tell me an incredible story — he had drag-raced with the original owner of the featured Torino, Billy Ray Sullivan! 

The American Automobile Experience museum is currently displaying six customs built for rock star James Hetfield, front man for the heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield calls it the “Reclaimed Rust Collection,” and was personally involved in the design work of each vehicle and helped supervise all of their builds. 

Getting 915 vehicles on the field during the June 13-14 Antique Truck Club of America national meet at Macungie, Pa., would have been an impressive feat, even without the heavy rains.

Paul Bellile has grown used to the delayed reactions. When he rolls up in his vintage camper, he knows most people are probably thinking to themselves, “That’s a nice old camper, and a pretty nice Chevy pickup underneath it.”

Then a few moments later, it hits them: “Hey, that’s not a pickup! That’s a Blazer!”

For nearly two years, I followed the Catalina’s restoration, capturing each stage from primer application to block sanding, guide coat, paint application, wet sanding and then buffing. These steps were followed by the final assembly and detailing. What you see in the pictures within this article is the culmination of a process that took more than two years. The finished product is an award-winning, best-in-class restoration that possibly makes this Catalina the finest example on the planet. It has received top honors and awards at the Pontiac Nationals and concours events throughout the Midwest.

Electric power was clean (although at times sulfuric smelling), would not seem as dangerous as a steam-car boiler (yes, there were rare instances when explosions occurred) and needn’t be as speedy as gasoline-powered internal-engine cars that, too often, went far too fast for the rudimentary roads of that era, errantly straying from the path and crashing into house, barn, wagon, buggy, tree or constable whose vain effort to halt the vehicle were met with injury.

Archie says he always liked ’56 Fords as a youngster growing up in West Virginia, and when the time came for him to buy his dream car, he found what he wanted in nearby Sarasota. He says he looked at several ’56 hardtops in several states before finding the Sunliner.

Although many old cars and parts are for sale, it’s not exactly a wrecking yard. Hidden well among acres of tall, tall trees is the Parkison family ranch.

The sheriff’s department was impressed with the performance of the prototype Nova, and 15 police-specification 1974 Chevrolet Novas were manufactured for evaluation and testing. Eleven of the Novas were purchased by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The remaining Novas were purchased by the Fountain Valley (California) Police Department.

The “Moudy Auto Repair” sign on the front of the building only begins to describe the business being conducted at this location on Arkansas Route 367 south of Searcy. 

“Everything’s for sale,” exclaimed owner Vance Moudy.

These articles and a whole lot more can be found inside the September 15, 2025, issue of Old Cars.

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