Matt Harwood

This Willys-Knight was in the 1967 film "Bonnie and Clyde" with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, co-starring as "Stolen Car #1." Looks a little different today thanks to a restoration sometime after the movie was finished, but it's fully documented. Not sure it adds any value, but it's a cool footnote.

Having sold several cars to the folks down there at Bill's, I'll say that it's going to a good home. They seem to know how to take care of their cars and do it for the love, not the money. I'll also privately admit that I was a little bummed to see this car sell so quickly, as I was trying to marshal the resources to buy it for myself. What a great car! Congratulations on the sale and rest assured it's going to a good home.

*SOLD* Thank you!

My 1929 Cadillac has been running the same Optima for nearly five years without incident. I keep it on a Battery Tender whenever it's stored and I have a master cut-off switch for when it's parked, but I've never had an issue with it. I deal with a lot of batteries here in the shop and cars that do sit a lot, and the Optmias are no more problematic than others as long as you keep them topped up. I hear a lot of guys claim that you need special chargers or to hook a standard lead acid battery to the charger than hook that battery to the Optima, but I think that's nonsense. I will say that it kicks that Cadillac engine over with genuine vigor and has a lot more staying power than any other battery I've used. It doesn't seem to object to the ancient regulator that tends to over-charge batteries, either. I occasionally run with headlights on to burn off that extra amperage, but the battery never seems to care. I'm a believer and think they're worth the extra price, especially since they don't leak or emit fumes that can damage paint and make a mess. Of course, they don't look stock, so if your battery is visible, then that's a consideration, but from a functionality standpoint, I'm pleased with them.

I was saddened to learn of this last night. I met her on a tour where she was, indeed, wheeling that big Packard herself. As everyone else already has said, she was a smart, fun, gracious lady who exemplified the elegance of the Classic Era and was an outstanding ambassador for our hobby. She will definitely be missed. Best wishes to her family and friends who knew her best.

Glad you got it solved, Marty. There's nothing more satisfying than finding a problem and getting it fixed. Enjoy the road trip!

Bob, I'm sure it sounds busier than it is, and I agree with everythign NZcarnerd says. If you do the math, Assuming a 30-inch tall tire (I'm just guessing), it's turning 3279 RPM at 60 MPH. While that's higher than you should run for any extended period of time, 45 MPH is a more reasonable 2460 RPM. We're so used to our overdrives that we think that a car should be turning 1500 RPM and the mechanical valvetrain and reduced sound insulation around the engine makes it sound like it's screaming when it's not. I used to work for a dynanometer manufacturer and when putting a car on the dyno, you'd think a rod was about to come through the block at 3000 RPM just based on the sound. So yes, it sounds busy but it's not and you're not hurting it by spinning it at those speeds. I have an overdrive on my '29 Cadillac which I really like using, giving me about 2000 RPM at 55 MPH, but when I don't use it, the engine is just as happy buzzing along at, say, 48 MPH and higher RPM. Actually, I've noticed that it actually seems happier without the overdrive. It stays cooler under most circumstances, which is counter-intuitive. So I wouldn't sweat 45-50 MPH in your car, It's not spinning nearly as fast as it sounds.

Electrical problems often vex me, too, but I had a similar issue with my wife's '66 Mustang. It turned out that the battery was simply going bad. It usually had enough juice to start the car, but even when it was running, voltage was low. I know that the battery on my '29 Cadillac is also the voltage regulator (not current) and assumed that was also the case with the alternator-equipped Mustang. The battery might just be tired. There are surely guys with real knowledge, not just an anecdote and a wish like me, but that's an easy thing to check/replace. Hope this helps!

That seems like a heck of a lot of car for not a lot of cash to me. I sold a 1954 Special 2-door sedan for close to that amount and this is a much more desirable car. AND factory A/C? Nice!

So I've acquired not one, but two water pump pulleys only to learn that I already had the correct one on the car. But that's the good news. The bad news is that the retaining clip inside the water pump broke or wasn't installed properly and the shaft started walking out of the pump housing, hence the offset on the belt. Once the guys in the shop started taking it apart, they quickly discovered the problem. How it could have gone unnoticed by the previous owner is beyond me (I've only had the car for two weeks), the impeller grinding against the housing must have made a hellacious racket, no? The impeller was ground to almost nothing and the housing was worn paper thin. Fortunately, we've got a spare housing and impeller, so they're going to machine it for modern ceramic seals and put it all back together and problem solved. Shockingly, the car ran cool and quiet and never indicated any issues. Still, we drained the entire cooling system and flushed it to get rid of any stray metal shavings and it should be all buttoned back up on Monday. Thanks for all the help!

The thing with the Aztek is that GM did everything right then did everything wrong. The 1999 Aztek show vehicle looked AWESOME. A right-sized 4x4 with a pretty tough look and a lot of innovative features. Car show attendees loved it and clamored for GM to build it. GM, finally listening to public opinion, DID build it. Unfortunately, to make it economically feasible, they had to engineer it on an existing platform (something show cars don't have to worry about). That platform? The same minivan platform of the aforementioned Lumina APV. So they went from having a rugged-looking, go-anywhere SUV to having a weird-looking minivan thingy that nobody could love. Great intentions, lousy results, typical GM. It's still ugly, it still deserves to be maligned, but the reason it exists at all is because the original looked fantastic. What a drag.

What an "inside wench" might look like:

My wife saw this thing on TV and said, "It looks like a 1-person car."

I drove a '76 Cadillac Eldorado convertible thoughout high school and always worried about it. I would lock it up, secure it, installed security systems, but none of those stopped the mischief. Someone eventually slashed the top to get in and go through the glove box (yeah, a high school student is hiding a fortune in there) and it took me a summer of working full time to earn enough to replace it. Eventually I just started parking it with the top down and nothing in it. If someone wants in, they're going in, and I figured if they could get in without doing any damage, I'd be ahead of the game. People would throw pop cans or McDonald's bags in it sometimes as they walked by, but nobody ever really vandalized it. I wasn't happy, but I could at least manage that. It's also important to remember that only a tiny fraction of the world is made of a$$holes. Most people, teenagers included, won't mess with your car. The advice everyone else has given you about parking it someplace visible is probably best. Nobody's going to steal it, but if you want to minimize mischief, park it where it can be easily seen. Other than that, perhaps reconsider driving it when you can't supervise it, it might be too much of a distraction to make it worthwhile. And yes, we used to take my friend's Volkswagen and hang the bumper on a fireplug. Not malevolent but mischievious. It happens in high school. Kids will be kids, but I don't think many will have anything mean in mind.

I don't think it was until 1968 that the Coronet/Belvedere started sharing the same platform as the Super Bee/Road Runner/GTX. In 1966, it was merely the Coronet/Belvedere. As far as the '67, which car are you asking about? I sold a green 440/4-speed 1967 GTX about a year ago. There was a trade on that deal, so I can't say what it actually sold for, but when it was all said and done, it was probably around $40K. That was a really nice, numbers-matching car with a high-quality restoration. I also have a yellow 1968 Road Runner currently for sale for $39,900 which is an extremely nice numbers-matching car with factory A/C. Just wait until you Mopar guys see the 1968 Charger R/T I have coming up. 38,000 original miles, dark green, and spectacular...

I think any time we want to discuss "ugliest car" we should automatically disqualify the Aztek. It's always going to win that particular, er, beauty contest. So what's the second-ugliest GM car?

For two days this week, I had a pair of these neat little Mopars here in the showroom, but the 1966 Plymouth Belvedere with just 22,000 original miles is now on its way to a new owner. In its place, however, I have acquired this even cooler 1966 Dodge Coronet 440 hardtop. I'd like to meet the guy who originally ordered this car, because he must have walked into the dealer and asked for the fastest and most affordable car possible and this was the result. A thumping 325 horsepower 383, a 4-speed with floor shift, and an AM radio and that's it. Nothing to slow it down. Then he chose a low-key color like Pale Yellow and a black vinyl bench seat interior just to keep it clean. I acquired this car from an estate along with two others, and they don't know much about the car other than the widow bought it as a gift for her Mopar-loving late husband, who did indeed own some pretty serious hardware. This was a car they enjoyed together because it's so pleasant to drive and docile (well, until you stomp on the loud pedal). It has obviously been restored and is quite good overall, with shiny paint that's the right shade, great gaps, and what I believe to be 100% original sheetmetal, because I can't see a single patch anywhere on the car. The doors open and close easily, the hood fits well, and the bodywork--whose design doesn't really allow for sloppiness--is quite straight. There are a few signs of use here and there, but overall it looks pretty sharp and all the chrome and stainless trim sparkles almost like new. The interior is spartan, but the firm bench seats are comfortable and have also obviously been restored. Correct materials were used and it looks quite handsome in basic black. There are new carpets on the floors, reproduction door panels, a new dash pad, and a fresh headliner, so it's ready to enjoy. The gauges are probably original and there's some very, very minor yellowing around the edges, but that's just about the only defect. The original Music Master AM radio is in the dash, but it doesn't work. It powers up but I think the speaker(s) have been removed and I suspect there was a different stereo in there prior to the widow purchasing it. I found some stray speaker wires in the trunk leading to the package shelf. And speaking of the trunk, it's spotless with good floors, a new mat, a jack, and a full-sized spare stowed underneath. But the real treat with this car is the 383 cubic inch V8 under the hood. The fender tag confirms this is how it was ordered and while you can't document matching-numbers on a 1966 Dodge, there's no reason to believe it's not a correct engine. It runs superbly and aside from the air cleaner and ignition coil, it's pretty stock. I like the smooth idle and there's so much torque that it's almost impossible to stall this car with the lightweight bodywork. It pulls well through all four gears and happily cruises at 65 MPH thanks to 3.23 gears out back. The floors are excellent with no patches or rot, and it's all protected by a light dusting of undercoating. A new Magnaflow dual exhaust system sounds great but doesn't get annoying on the highway, just a nice V8 burble coming from out back as you cruise. And I especially dig the dog-dish hubcaps and new Coker redline radials for a period performance look. This is one neat little sleeper and the guy who originally owned it probably had a blast. Now it's your turn. Clean, easy to drive, and quite handsome in an industrial-strength kind of way. I certainly didn't expect to like this car as much as I do. We're asking $27,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for reading!

I believe I've found one. Apparently these pullies are rather hard to find, with even the biggest pre-war Cadillac parts dealer saying that the only way he'll sell one is attached to a $400 water pump. I'm hoping that the one I found is correct, and it seems like most are pretty much the same, but I'm just wondering how the one on my car is so wonky if that's the case. Thanks to all who responded, I'll let you know if I got the right one.

This. Old cars' starting procedures tend to be their own anti-theft devices. I leave the keys in my '29 Cadillac whenever I park it. People look at me as if I'm an idiot, but I tell them if they can figure out how to start it, they can have it. Most folks don't have any clue how to start a car if it's more difficult than put the key in a slot and turn. That's actually the test I use for new hires at my shop, even 16-year-old kids who mop the floor. I put them in a pre-war car and tell them to start it. If they know how or get close, then that's a big plus. If they look at me stupidly, well, maybe I keep looking. And as someone pointed out up above, nothing will stop a thief with a roll-back. On the other hand, I can't think of anything a thief would want less than a car like a 1926 Dodge. A friend of mine had his tow rig stolen with his 1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost inside. A few miles down the road, they found the $350,000 Ghost unceremoniously dumped by the side of the highway while the 20-year-old Suburban and used trailer were long gone. There's no quick, easy profit in stealing old cars therefore thieves don't bother. They aren't known for their forward-thinking and long-term planning. Why worry about something that doesn't happen often enough to even be a statistic?

I recently acquired a 1941 Cadillac fastback and while it has a brand new water pump on it, it seems that the pulley is off of a different year/make/model. It works, but the belt isn't quite straight and I'd like to have a correct one. Unfortunately, they seem to be pretty rare. So I'm looking for a correct one. I believe that they're all the same for pre-war 346 flathead V8 cars. I'm looking for the flat pulley on the water pump, not the conical one that is on the fan. Anyone got one laying around or perhaps a '41 Cadillac they're parting out? Thank you!

Wow, nice find! Is it $40,000 US or $40,000 CAD, because $40,000 CAD is about $32,000 US right now. Either way, this car looks like a win. If I didn't just buy two cars that I'm pretty excited about (two 1941s) I'd probably make a move on this. Don't be afraid of importing it from Canada, there are no duties on repatriated US cars of this vintage and doing the paperwork with a broker will only be about $500. So don't let the fact that it's in Canada scare you away.

$45-65,000 for a late V16 limousine needing restoration sounds about right. I sold a 1938 Cadillac V16 "barn find" that was complete and in good condition but needed everything and I think we got around $35,000 for it (in fact, I sold it two times for about that figure). You can buy nice, running, driving ones for well under $80,000. They're not nearly as valuable as the earlier V16s. This is a pretty cool find, but with "Barn Find Fever" at auctions, I suspect they'll each go for twice the estimates, especially if there's a lot of publicity around them.

SOLD! Thank you!

SOLD! Thank you!

SOLD! Thank you!