Latest from Retro Rides Originals
Classic TV: Ford Falcon XR8
Must be stuck in third! A blue streak rockets across the barren landscape, its two fully ignited jet engines spewing flame as it accelerates to warp speed. Onboard, the pilot struggles to read the gauges as his body is buffeted by extreme g-forces.
Extraordinary Engines: Holden/HSV 215i 5.7-litre
How Holden Special Vehicles stretched the 5.0-litre V8 to 5.7-litres and created an Aussie performance icon. The first factory V8 fitted to a Holden was the imported 307 cubic inch Chevrolet small block that made its debut in the HK range in January 1968. Six months after the HK’s launch Holden debuted its first two-door coupe, the HK Monaro, with an imported 327 cubic inch V8 option on the top-s…
Video: HWA EVO - Frankenstein in a Suit
HWA EVO, a limited-edition super sports sedan that pays homage to the iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Chrysler VG Pacer
Chrysler’s budget-priced Pacer appeared in 1969 with bright colours, distinctive ‘Tombstone’ seats and a three-speed floor-shift. A year after the original VF model was launched came a restyled and more refined VG. This was the Adelaide-built car that Chrysler believed had the right combination of power, equipment and pricing to do battle with the rival Holden Torana and Ford Falcon V8.
Newly Classic - How Holden’s staunch EFI V8 received an extra serve of cubes for the 1994 VR HSV GTS
Holden’s EFI V8 received extra cubes for the 1994 VR HSV GTS For around a decade, GTS was the badge on Holden’s top-grade full-size sporting cars; first exclusively on the two-door HK Monaro and, from 1973 on two- and four-door HQ models.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024
A Retro Romp Through Motoring History The Goodwood Festival of Speed is not merely a car event. It’s the automotive equivalent of the Melbourne Cup, the Olympics, and the Pebble Beach Concours all rolled into one. Throw in the added spice of hi-octane gas fumes and the spine-tingling roar of engines bouncing off the rev limiter and you have the recipe for automotive Nirvana.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Cadillac (1948-58)
Given that the United States in 1929 went close to sending the whole world bankrupt, it was seriously unfair that 20 years later it was rolling in loot and producing cars that hardly anyone else could afford.
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Extraordinary Engines: Jaguars' XK Six Cylinder
Long time Jaguar fancier and Retro Rides market analyst Cliff Chambers looks at the exceptional six-cylinder engine that kept Jaguar at the pinnacle of British prestige and sports car design for almost 40 years.
Top 10: Ultimate Aussie Collector Cars
Market Analyst Cliff Chambers finds the key to the wishing well and with it a collection of Aussie-built performance machinery to make any enthusiast’s mouth water.
Extraordinary Engines: Holden's Iron Lion V8
The Iron Lion! How this mighty Australian-made V8 powered generations of high-performance Commodores and Statesmans. HOLDEN’S MID-1999 introduction of the alloy LS1/Gen III 5.7-litre V8 into the Commodore meant bye-byes for the Australian-made Holden V8. Dating back to 1969, the Holden V8 was available as a 253ci (4.2-litre) and 308ci (5.0-litre) and used thin-wall casting tech for relatively l…
Top 10: Cheap Cars That No Longer Are
Here’s 10 collectable cars that once ranked among the cheapest in the market but now cost more than high-performance or prestige models. Retro Rides Market Analyst Cliff Chambers looks at the stellar gains made by these 10 rudimentary models and explores the reasons behind their rise.
Design: How two tiny ‘winglets’ fitted to the 1948 Cadillac sparked a global styling revolution.
Our devotee of automotive history, Cliff Chambers, explains how a fighter plane inspired GM’s greatest designer to add fins to the 1948 Cadillac, sparking a design trend that captured the automotive world.
Unicorn: 1969 Holden Hurricane
The Holden Hurricane, unveiled at the 1969 Melbourne Motor Show, was a futuristic concept car that pushed the boundaries of innovation and design. The Hurricane was a true masterpiece of Australian ingenuity, designed and built entirely in-house by a team of dedicated engineers and designers led by Phil Zmood.
