• What to Know About sludgo’s Mile Markers: Mile 214

    Byjustpastevehicles

    It was almost three in the morning and even though I was exhausted from being up late studying for midterms, I was wide awake. Climbed into bed anyway and as I did heard my new downstairs neighbor just getting home. A burly bearded bear of a dude, I hadn’t met him personally yet but knew from scuttlebutt around the apartment he worked swing-shifts for the railroad and drove that clanky never-been-washed Plymouth Duster parked in the end garage. I also knew he liked Springsteen’s “Born to Run.” Loved it even. Not the album. Just the song. Was easy to figure out because in the week since he’d moved in every morning when he got home from work he’d play it on his stereo. Loudly. So loudly that the pictures on my walls would buzz and rattle. And that morning was no different. There was some muffled thumping and banging around downstairs then a brief pause before I heard the ‘pop’ of a needle dropping into a groove and the all-too-familiar opening chords of the Boss’s masterpiece began thundering up through my floor. Groan.

  • A Look at yesterday’s comments of note

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “This is either the coolest thing ever built or the worst financial decision someone will proudly make”

    38

    Beans_Bacon commented on Ex–Cleetus McFarland Jet-Powered 2010 Chevrolet Camaro “Turbinaro”

    “You’ve probably noticed that I’m happily bidding on this special Healey. Coming across such an untouched time capsule of a car is a real treat. We have a passionate Healey community here in the Netherlands (and even a very attractive Austin Healey museum), so I hope to restore this car to its original condition and preserve it for future generations. Kudos to BAT!”

    12

    Ernst commented on No Reserve: 72-Years-Family-Owned 1953 Austin-Healey 100 BN1 Roadster Project

    “As a Kia enthusiast (yes, we exist), this is the holy grail. The looks you’d get for telling people what this is make it worth any expense. I’d rather have one of these over the Lotus version, just for that novelty. The stock drivetrain isn’t bad at all, but I can’t help but wonder how one of these would do with a modern Gamma 1.6 or 1.6T swap from Hyundai. In a way you’d keep it “in the family” but really liven it up. I don’t think there’s as many purists out there for the Kia version anyway.…”

    17

    krudmuphin commented on 1997 Kia Vigato

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    Restocked! Long-Sleeve Impala Shirts in the BaT Gear Store You Should Know

    Byjustpastevehicles

    4/3 Update: if you missed out on our long-sleeve Impala tee, don’t worry! We just received new stock, and it’s on sale now in the BaT Gear Store.
    To call this a “merch drop” makes it sound so haphazard. The reality is, a small team of BaT staffers is working constantly, planning and trying out new designs to keep the BaT Gear Store fresh. When they’re ready, we roll them out for you, the BaT community, to enjoy. This week we have two new long-sleeve shirts to keep you comfortable in the garage as you ready your rides for the return of good driving weather.

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    This Week’s Weird and Wonderful—April 3, 2026: A Practical Look

    Byjustpastevehicles

    Welcome to the Weekly Weird and Wonderful, wherein we, your faithful BaT editorial staff, present a curated list of cool, unusual, interesting, or otherwise noteworthy vehicles currently live on BaT. This is of course but a small fraction of the ~1,000 listings that await you over on our  live auctions page, so once you’ve finished reading, feel free to make your way over there and spend the rest of your weekend clicking away.

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    Understanding sludgo Rides Shotgun with BodyByFisher

    Byjustpastevehicles

    We first connected in the middle of a busy season for me, but @BodyByFisher was patient and kind as delay after delay hit on my end. When we finally did chat more at length about interviewing him as the next subject of the Riding Shotgun project, he kept expressing that, while he was honored by the ask, he couldn’t figure out why he’d been chosen since there was nothing particularly special about him. But as is often the case, a book can never be judged by its cover, and when it came to riding shotgun with this modest and self-effacing gentleman, the honor would be all mine.

  • What to Know About yesterday’s comments of note

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “@dje7 Growing up I remember always seeing Mustangs in my neighborhood. My family had 3, my Dad’s, my Brother bought the red convertible in the pictures from the neighbor when he got out of the army and I had a red 69 Fastback in my early 20’s. The Maverick in the pictures my Dad bought new for my Mom and if memory serves, he paid $1850. Those were simpler times. Galvanized steel garbage cans, TV antenna’s on roofs and a Mustang in a lot of the driveways.”

    17

    3rdpig commented on 58-Years-Family-Owned 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback S-Code 390 Project

    “There was a lot of these 55,56,57 Chevy 4 door sedans and wagons that were shortened back in the ‘60s and ‘70s! They are cool 😎 in their own unique way especially when they do a wheelie! GLWTA!”

    9

    K51020Ranch commented on No Reserve: Seattle Seahawks-Themed 1957 Chevrolet 210 Shorty Wagon 4-Speed

    “Bought a 1987 XJS new, Drove it from 1987 to 2009 almost everyday. Sold it with 320K miles. Changed oil every 2000 miles Castrol 20/50. Rust began to become an issue, back window and windshield developed leaks. I miss the car, it cruised at 110mph like nothing. Climbed hills like they weren’t there. Handling at high speeds was unbelievable. Between the V12 and the suspension a true great car to drive.”

    10

    jeffjaguar4 commented on No Reserve: 27k-Mile 1989 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Coupe

  • Yesterday’s comments of note — Explained

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “@pa_hillbilly @Goog66 Thanks!! Well fought!
    Quick story…my buddy was on @BAT yesterday, and he happened to see a 1972 Elkhart Green Corvette that looked a lot like the one my father used to own. He clicked on the link, and crazily, this car was located in Mentor, Ohio, not far from where we live. I know my father sold this car back in 2003 to someone local (he owned it since 1975), but I had no idea that it was still in the area. I basically lost track of it. Sure enough, the VIN checked…”

    52

    MichaelPCLE commented on 23-Years-Owned 1972 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 4-Speed

    “Looking through the photos at the hand built beauty of this Cheetah is a reminder of a time when a bunch of guys with a dream could put something like this together.
    Some chrome moly, fiberglass and a bunch of odd parts and down the road you go. Like when my dad and I built a go cart from a Sears catalogue and a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower motor.
    Miss those days.”

    16

    RussR commented on 1966 Bill Thomas Cheetah Coupe

    “In the summer of 1971, my parents took my brother, sister and me across country in a 67 Camaro 327 Sport Coupe towing a U-Haul covered trailer from Los Angeles to New Jersey. We were 13, 11 and 6 years old and it was tight back there, but an adventure. So yeah, people put a hitch on anything with a V8 back in the day. Beautiful car. I can’t help but wonder if someone will go stock, or create a Bullitt clone.”

    12

    Ivabign commented on 58-Years-Family-Owned 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback S-Code 390 Project

  • Yesterday’s comments of note: A Practical Look

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “The car is one thing, the person that Ken Block was is something else. Watching the video of him teaching his daughter how to do donuts shows a special person in love with live and his family.”

    19

    Jags_in_the_barn commented on Ex–Ken Block 1978 Ford Escort Mk2 Gymkhana-Spec Drift Car

    “Cool car. Not many Sprints with the OHC six still running around. Might not be the fastest Firebird out there, but definitely one of the more interesting ones.”

    17

    David_C. commented on 1967 Pontiac Firebird Sprint Coupe

    “The Shelby Shadows are the one Whittier issue I never owned. But I did have a Shadow ES 4dr with the VNT Turbo lV which is even more rare. The variable nozzle turbo was magic, with low RPM response and torque to match the top end. It was also brave of Garrett to put a dynamic turbo housing into a production car with the vicious heat cycle. Mine grenaded when fortunately I was able to find a complete new one off the shelf.
    @Craven Funny you call out the Sundance, one of my favorite cars…”

    13

    Valiantjim commented on No Reserve: Ex–Carroll Shelby 1989 Shelby CSX-VNT #1

  • Celebrating 4/06 With Ford’s One-Year Hi-Po FE Big Block You Should Know

    Byjustpastevehicles

    Henry Ford II declared war on everybody in 1962. His “Total Performance” mandate brought Ford factory racing support to drag strips, ovals, and road circuits around the world; in nearly every arena, Ford’s weapon of choice was the V8. The 406 was the latest evolution of their thin-wall FE big block, arriving mid-year for regular customers and racing teams alike. This transitional performance motor was in production for just one year, until it was superseded by the mighty 427 in mid-1963.

    Click above to open the article in a full-window viewer, or hit the “share” arrow to download the PDF.
    This 1962 feature from Hot Rod by Ray Brock spells out the differences in great detail. What made the 406 more than just a punched-out 390 was its strength. The cylinder wall castings were thicker, and the bottom end was similarly beefed up. Cross-bolted main-bearing caps were added later in the production cycle—a first for Ford V8s. New heads had larger exhaust valves and tighter combustion chambers, giving the motor an 11.5:1 compression ratio out of the box. Factory ratings were 385 horsepower with a single four-barrel carburetor and 405 with three two-barrels.

  • Question of the Week: What Car Would You Choose for a Jolly-Style Conversion?—WINNER’S UPDATE — Explained

    Byjustpastevehicles

    WINNER’S ANNOUNCEMENT:

    We’re back to announce the winner for our Question of the Week, where our winner will rest on their laurels and accept a $25 credit for a hat or T-shirt from the BaT Gear Store.

    This week, we asked: What car would you choose for a Jolly-style conversion?

    Thanks to everyone who chimed in! Since the Italian translation for Jolly is “Joker,” it was serendipitous that thiss question landed a day before April Fools’ Day, but your answers were anything but a joke. BaT member @IsAlwaystheAnswer left the most-liked comment this week for the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet. But seeing as he’s a three-time QotW champ, we went with another one of our favorite nominations, which came from @shakingthrough for the Citröen 2CV: 

    “How about a Jolly Citroen 2CV – France’s version of the People’s Car. It was designed to carry a basket of eggs through a freshly ploughed field without breaking any. Instead put a cooler and picnic basket in the back, and you could certainly traverse a rocky beach in style.”

    5

    shakingthrough commented on Question of the Week: What Car Would You Choose for a Jolly-Style Conversion?—WINNER’S UPDATE