MARCH 10 STAR OF THE WEEK:’61 CORVAIR LAKEWOOD-RARE WAGON, HOLLYWOOD LEGACY

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mar13-10imgp9266-002MARCH 10 STAR OF THE WEEK:1961 CORVAIR LAKEWOOD-RARE WAGON WITH A HOLLYWOOD LEGACY

Corvair guys know exactly how rare these Lakewood wagons are in general but the Hollywood legacy associated with the ’62 Corvair wagon gave it bad press years before Ralph Nader kicked them through the goalposts.

Ernie Kovacs was an early TV legend. He inspired guys like Dave Letterman because he pushed the envelope in the then new medium known as television.

He was well on his way to bigger and better things but on January 13 1962 he wrapped his new ’62 Corvair wagon around a post and died instantly.

Since then these wagons have amassed a cult-like following primarily because they are so rare but anyone who studies these Corvair wagons will find Ernie’s name at the top of most research.

This Star of the Day is part of an upcoming charity auction (look for a future MSCC piece on the auction) but the real star is the car and not the Hollywood legacy.

MARCH 9 STAR OF THE DAY: A CLASSIC ROD-IT’S THE TIME OF THE SEASON…OR WAS IT?

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Late June weather should be warm and sunny by most standards–unless you live in Antarctica.

That wasn’t the case with this picture from last June 24. The day started out a little overcast but the skies opened up so by the time this show started there was driving, cold rain.

The brutal weather literally put a damper on the show and that was a big loss because it had a great lineup of old iron.

One them was this classic rod.

This Star of the Day was just leaving after the deluge ended the fun but it stopped long enough to capture a gloomy setting that offered a very cool moment.

This was truly the car show that global warming forgot.

MARCH 8 STAR OF THE DAY: MID-60S CHEVY PICKUP WITH A TOUCH OF 21ST CENTURY

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The mid 60s Chevy pickup followed the trend at GM to build some cutting edge trucks.

These trucks were built for work but they had a flair that caught on fast with guys who liked to customize and refine Detroit iron.

The trend was started early with the late 40s to mid 50s Chevy trucks and it continued in 1955 when the next generation built a brand new army of admirers.

This truck was on the street last August and it was a blend of old class with new tech because those wheels and high-tech disc brakes were clearly not options back in the Beatles era.

That’s what makes this Star of the Day Chevy truck so appealing–it combines the the cool of old school with the fun of new tech.

MARCH 7 STAR OF THE DAY:’58 IMPALA DROPTOP-HOW THEY ROLL IN CUBAN CABS

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This picture was in the MSCC 2011 photo archives from a feature on Cars of Cuba and it really defined what’s going on in the land that time forgot.

This Cuban taxi is a 1958 Chevy Impala convertible and it was very likely a fuel injection car when it was new because it still has the cross flag trim.

Now it’s more likely to be powered by some kind of Russian diesel engine hooked up to a Yugoslavian transmission but the important thing to note is that if you flag a cab down in Cuba you may get this very cool Star of the Day.

MARCH 6 STAR OF THE DAY: A VW JETTA WITH AN UNUSUAL LOAD OF “STUFF”

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The MSCC Star of the Day is typically an old car or truck with a clear link to the past.

This VW Jetta on the street yesterday barely qualifies on its own but the stuff on the roof made the difference.

There was a day when almost every car on the highway had some kind of roof rack because the average Baby Boomer family took up a lot of space so there was no extra room for “stuff”.

“Stuff” like extra luggage, camping gear and coolers.

The stuff on this Jetta was a little different because part of the stuff was a rusty old beer keg. This one went back to the days when knowing how to successfully tap a keg meant the difference between being knocked out by a beer tap and soaked with a gusher of beer or kicking off a great party.

The rusty old CCM Mustang bike was another flashback to a time when a bike like that made you a god in Grade 6.

The stuff made the Jetta a Star of the Day.

MARCH 5 STAR OF THE DAY: 1955 MONARCH RICHELIEU-COOL CANADIAN

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MSCC pages are full of strangely familiar, yet different versions of Mercurys, Dodges and Pontiacs.

These are the Canadian versions of Detroit iron…

The 1955 Monarch Richelieu is another great example of what these Canuck rides looked like back in the 50s.

This Star of the Day was at a show back in the Summer of 2009. Readers will pick up on the custom stuff like the non-factory grill, wheel covers and lakeside pipes but if you were a kid from Bentley Alberta back in the 50s this is how you would build a cool Canuck ride.

Click here for a look back at an MSCC story about a 1955 Monarch. 

MARCH 4 STAR OF THE DAY: ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS

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Car shows are the best showcase for classic iron ever invented and they amp up the game when the show includes a cruise.

This is basically a parade of classic cars and trucks though the streets to celebrate the built-in cool factor found in the automotive past. This picture was taken from the MSCC March 2013 Stars in Traffic.

The cool factor is a big tent but it clearly doesn’t include some guy in his new truck.

Everything about this picture from last August was perfect except for the joker who thought that his Chevy Crew Cab would be a good addition to a lineup of vintage rides.

The MSCC Star of the Day is everybody in the picture except that guy.

MARCH 3 STAR OF THE DAY: 55 DODGE-THIS PICTURE SUMS UP CAR GUY HEAVEN

Nine out of ten car guys build their rides to drive them even though they are rolling pieces of art. The tenth guy owns a really nice car trailer so he has to justify the cost.

This picture was taken on a back road just outside a small town a few years ago and it really captured why the cars guys who drive them…drive them.

This was a beautiful July day, an open road and a classic ride so it’s basically a vision of what Car Guy Heaven looks like.

Anytime you can evoke a reaction like that is an MSCC Star of the Day moment.

For a look at past MSCC Stars of the Day please follow this link.

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