The 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder may be the last of the full-sized, full-frame factory hot rods

Let’s face it. The 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder probably wouldn’t even exist if it hadn’t been for the 1994-1996 Impala SS. The Impala SS was a hunkered-down, blacked-out hot rod version of the Caprice police car package. In the Impala’s final year, analog gauges and a floor-mounted gear selector were added to the Impala, just in time for all full-frame GM car production to end as the Arlington, Tex., assembly plant was converted to truck and SUV production.

Once that version of the Impala SS was no more, all the magazines cried, “just like GM—when they finally get something right, they quit making it.” Used Impala SS values were strong, and most people looked back on them fondly. But the GM B-Body platform on which they were built was long gone.

What was not gone was Ford’s version of the rear-wheel-drive, traditional V8 sedan. The Crown Victoria, and Mercury’s Grand Marquis, were still selling strong to police departments and senior citizens respectively.

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The 1994-1996 Impala SS is considered the last of the big Chevy muscle cars. A look at the legend

If you are a NASCAR fan, you notice that the Chevy guys are driving V8, rear-wheel-drive Impalas. And even though this racing affiliation is supposed to help sell the street version of the popular family sedan, there hasn't been a rear-wheel-drive Impala in dealer showrooms since 1996.

With it’s blacked out trim, large (for the time) 17-inch wheels, and Corvette-derived 350-c.i. LT1 V8, the ’94 – ’96 Impala SS performed as strong as it looked. And this was at a time when real performance cars had been basically regulated off the radar.

The Impala started as an upscale trim option in 1958, but the “SS” option in 1961 is where our story begins.

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U.S. car companies helped defend America during times of war. Video and vintage photos included

People often have a hard time differentiating American vehicles from foreign vehicles these days. The complex equation of assembly plant locations, company headquarters, content origin, and marketing message can throw off even those who want to support the home team. General Motors is partially owned by the tax payers. Chrysler now has a foreign owner. Toyota and Honda build a few of their vehicles in the U.S. What does it all mean?

Well, if you appreciate the notion of being loyal to companies that have historically been loyal to America, it is hard to ignore the efforts of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. During some of the bleakest times in our nation’s history, these companies have stepped up to the plate to help keep our military strong, and our borders safe.

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Pace car promo models lead the way in 1/25th-scale collectables. Includes photos of rare models

If you're a scale model collector, pace car models may be a good place to direct your attention. Pace cars are interesting in-and-of themselves. They also fit in if you collect racecars or other racing memorabilia. And in the case of the examples shown here, they can be right at home in a promotional model collection.

Pace cars have a special quality anyway. They're usually designed and decorated by an auto manufacturer to not only look official, but to promote the car itself. Sometimes, they're a one-off scheme just for a particular race or series, but in the case of most Indy 500 pace cars (and a few others), replicas are sold to the public on a limited basis.

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NASCAR icon Larry Pearson injures ankle, pelvis, hand in legends race at Bristol

If you were watching the Legends of Racing event at Bristol Motor Speedway last night, you knew the news was going to be bad.

The event is a fun enough idea. Twelve of NASCAR's most revered retirees strapped into modern late model stock cars with paint schemes reminiscent of the cars that made them famous, and battled it out for 35-laps of good, clean fun. It was awesome to see guys like Harry Gant, David Pearson, and Cale Yarborough suited up and behind the wheel.

The cars were fast, though. In fact, the lightweight, unrestricted late models were turning faster laps than the NASCAR Nationwide Series cars that had just completed their race just moments before. Those fast speeds, combined with a long hiatus from driving by the legends, meant that these guys had their hands full.

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When better cars are built, Buick will build them. A look at 107-years of history and innovation

If there ever were a car company that was accused of being too old fashioned, while at the same time achieving its greatest success by looking into the future, it's Buick. It is one of the best-kept secrets in the industry today, yet has one of the most colorful, eventful histories imaginable.

David Dunbar Buick founded the company that bears his name in 1903, and the first cars were sold to the public in 1904. Those first cars, known as the Model B, were reliable because of their durable valve-in-head engines. So bulletproof was this design that Buick's mantra, "Valve-in-head is ahead in value" served the company in advertising pieces decades later.

Buick Motor Company was actually bought by James H. Whiting while still in its infancy, and he partnered with William C. Durant to manage the struggling company. Of course, most people know Durant was a brilliant promoter, and was soon able to turn Buick into the best-selling car in America. The success of Buick was the springboard Durant needed to build General Motors, and the rest, as they say, was history.

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Leprechaurs. In honor of St. Patrick's day, a look at some of the most famous green machines ever

Really, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated because God helped St. Patrick escape slavery in Ireland some 1,600 years ago. Naturally, we interpret that as "wear green clothes and drink green beer".

This is the automotive column, so we don't cover religion, clothing, or beer. But the word "green" is in the description, and there have been some green cars over the years.

Take the Hirohata Mercury in the title picture of this story. A perfect combination of Sea Foam Green and Organic Green cover this legendary Barris Kustom, and car lovers everywhere are luckier for it.

The story is that Bob Hirohata drove his nearly new 1951 Mercury to Barris Kustoms in 1952. The Barris brothers, George and Sam, and Frank Sonzogni, changed everything on that car from one end to the other. The top chop, with its canted side window glass and perfectly flowing lines, was just a master stroke of work. If you ever get a chance to study this car in person, you owe it to yourself to do so. You may agree that it is likely the most stunningly perfect Kustom (yeah, Kustom, with a "K") car that has ever seen the light of day.

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You always hear about the history of the Ford Model T, but was it really that big of a deal?

When many people think of the Ford Model T, two things come to mind—they came in “any color, as long as it’s black,” and Henry Ford invented the assembly line to build them on.

Neither one of those things is true, of course, but why would anyone be expected to know or care about a rickety old car that went out of production 83-years ago? Well, we do lots of stories here about the history of certain makes and models of cars. But an overview of the Model T is more than just the history of another car. It is American history. It is world history. The Model T impacted us in ways that are still felt today.

Before the Model T hit the market in 1908, there were already some fine cars out there. There were even a few cheap cars. But good and cheap? That was a fairly rare combination.

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C.A.R.B. Race-On car show is a traditional part of North Kansas City's Snake Saturday Parade

For 34 years, the Central Auto Racing Boosters (C.A.R.B.) has hosted a racecar show in conjunction with the Snake Saturday parade in North Kansas City, and as usual, there was a decent turnout in spite of the cold, rainy weather.

C.A.R.B. is one of the most dedicated, hard-working clubs you'll ever encounter. They've been around for 58-years in the Kansas City area, and during that time they have done an outstanding job of promoting local drivers and tracks. Currently, C.A.R.B. supports four area tracks, including Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg, Mo., I-35 Speedway in Winston, Mo., and Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. C.A.R.B. members get free admission to these tracks on C.A.R.B. nights, a membership roster, and other perks, all for only $10.00/year.

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The new 2011 GMC Sierra HD is the latest in a long line of GMC trucks. A look at GMC's history

This week, GMC unveiled the new Sierra Denali HD at the 2010 NTEA Work Truck Show in St. Louis, Mo., making it the latest offering from General Motors' "professional grade" division.

The chain of events that led to this introduction is kind of interesting. Last month, GMC's corporate cousin Chevrolet introduced their version of this heavy hauler at the Chicago Auto Show, but they failed to divulge horsepower and torque figures. Ford, in turn, announced the specs on their new Super Duty line first thing Monday morning. Three days later, GM brings the Sierra HD into the spotlight, and to no one's surprise, it bests the performance numbers of the Ford. In the marketing world, sometimes patience pays off.

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Inside the GM Heritage Center. A look at the General Motors Collection.

I was lucky enough to attend a three-day meeting at the Heritage Center a couple of years ago, and the significant vehicles on display there were nothing short of awesome. This was a living history of General Motors. There were first and last cars built for some models. There were popular vehicles like the ’63 Corvette coupe and the ’59 Eldorado, and there were beautifully restored dream and concept cars dating from the1938 Y-Job all the way to the present.

Aside from the overwhelming collection of vehicles, you can also feast your eyes on the great vintage neon signage, engine displays, and other memorabilia throughout the display.

1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta is one of the most exclusive cars in General Motors history

When someone asks me which year was the greatest in General Motors history, 1953 is the first to come to mind. And cars like the Oldsmobile Fiesta are a big part of the reason.

Imagine what they were able to accomplish that year. With the popularity of concept cars being at a fever pitch, GM decided to build hand-built, limited production gems for four of their divisions. They were extraordinarily expensive, featured custom bodywork and intricate details, and reinforced the notion that GM could build anything they wanted, cost be damned.

For Chevrolet, it was the Corvette. For Cadillac, it was the Eldorado. For Buick; the Skylark. But the rarest and least-known of these opulent creations in 1953 was the Oldsmobile 98-based Fiesta convertible.

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