Ross Mills

Ford 1932—The Little Deuce Coupe Model-18

Henry Ford spent six years quietly developing the flathead V8 before it debuted in the 1932 Model 18 — the engine that would define hot rodding for the next two decades and, according to legend, even earn a thank-you letter from Bonnie and Clyde’s Clyde Barrow. It replaced the Model A as Ford’s flagship and became Henry Ford’s last major engineering achievement before he handed the company to his son Edsel. Production in America ended in 1953, but the flathead kept running in France and Brazil for decades. Read on for the full story of Ford’s most influential V8.

SRT Viper 5 gen 2013

by Ross Mills

The 2013 SRT Viper GTS paired a 640-horsepower, 8.4-liter V10 with real stability control and Brembo brakes — the first Viper generation built to back up its speed with genuine handling credentials. On Pirelli Corsa tires, it posted a lap time at Laguna Seca that beat the Corvette ZR1, and it went even quicker on slicks. A 33-unit Time Attack edition and a factory GTS-R race car pushed the formula further still. Read on for how Dodge finally built a Viper that could out-brake its own engine.

Dodge Viper – First Two Generations

by Ross Mills

The first Dodge Viper wasn’t built for comfort — it launched in 1992 with no side windows, no door handles, and no anti-lock brakes, powered by an aluminum-block V10 good for a 12.6-second quarter mile. Carroll Shelby drove an early prototype as the 1991 Indy 500 pace car before the public ever saw one for sale. By the time the second generation wrapped up in 2002, Chrysler had refined the formula without softening it. Read on to see how the Viper evolved across its first two generations.

Ford Model A Flathead 1930 images

by Ross Mills

This Model A wearing a flathead V8 is almost certainly a later hot rod swap, not a factory pairing — Ford’s real Model A ran a four-cylinder, and the V8 did not arrive until the 1932 Model 18. That original flathead made just 65 horsepower, yet Ford built over 3 million of them by 1936, launching the era’s most enduring engine-swap tradition.

Tesla “S” Sedan is a Muscle Car for 2013

by Ross Mills

Tesla’s 2013 Model S launched four years ahead of schedule, with its top trim producing 416 horsepower and running 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, numbers that justified comparisons to gasoline muscle cars. A 17-inch touchscreen controlled nearly every function in the cabin, while three available battery packs offered up to 300 miles of range. Read on to find out how the muscle car comparison held up as Tesla’s lineup evolved.

Classic black convertible car with sleek curves and a white soft top.

Ford Cabriolet 1940 images

by Ross Mills

This 1940 Ford Cabriolet’s spec sheet lists a 302 small block and C4 automatic, neither of which existed until decades after the car was built. See what Ford actually put under the hood back in 1940. Then see why swapping in a modern drivetrain has become the standard way to keep prewar Fords like this one on the road.

Chevrolet Master coupe 1937 images

by Ross Mills

A 1937 Chevrolet Master coupe looks like simple Depression-era transportation, until you dig into the ground-up redesign hiding underneath it. New frame, new suspension, new engine, all in one model year. See what made this the most important Chevrolet of the decade, and why so many of these coupes are still around for collectors to find today.

Classic white 1960s muscle car in a showroom.

Plymouth Fury III -1965 images

by Ross Mills

The 1965 Plymouth Fury III rode on an all-new full-size platform, and buyers could option it anywhere from a thrifty slant-six to a 365-horsepower Street Wedge V8 few ever actually ordered. Most Fury III buyers picked comfort over conquest, driving nearly 330,000 of these full-size Plymouths off dealer lots in a single year.

Restored car gas cap with a unique dent.

My restoration has begun-gas cap is now fully restored

by Ross Mills

One classic car owner’s restoration didn’t start with the engine or the paint job — it started with a single gas cap. That choice says more about how real restorations actually unfold than any teardown photo could. Read on to find out why the smallest parts often matter the most.

Lotus Elise Series 1 – 1996 – 2000

by Ross Mills

The Lotus Elise Series 1 built its reputation on weight, not horsepower, tipping the scales at just 725 kilograms while still running 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Variants ranged from the entry-level GT1 up through the stripped-down, roofless 340R and the hardtop Exige, each pushing Lotus’s lightweight philosophy further. Read on to find out how a car this light managed to out-corner machines with twice the power.

Classic beige Morgan convertible parked on asphalt under sunlight.

Morgan Plus 4 – 1966 images

by Ross Mills

This 1966 Morgan Plus 4 still uses a wood-framed body and a Triumph-sourced four-cylinder engine, built the same way Morgan had built cars since 1950. It’s proof that hand-built simplicity found its own audience even during Detroit’s V8 arms race. Here’s the story behind Morgan’s stubbornly old-fashioned approach to performance.

Mustang 1968-2 bbl “A” code-by MCF Charles

by Ross Mills

Built entirely by one owner in a home garage and driveway, this 1968 Mustang started as a rust-free 289 two-barrel A-code car and emerged with a period-correct-looking 302 V8 swap, a custom twin front sway bar setup, and Spring Time Yellow paint. The goal was a reliable daily driver capable of real track days, not just cruise nights. Read on to find out what else went into the build.

Dodge Dart 1963 through 1976-G3 & G4

by Ross Mills

Dodge’s Dart Demon nearly launched under a name far ruder than anyone at Chrysler intended, and a stripped-down Dart Sport later embarrassed a Corvette’s top speed on a magazine test track. Between a 50-unit, unpainted 426 Hemi drag car and a dashboard full of push-buttons, the compact Dart quietly carried more oddball engineering than any car its size had a right to. Read on for the full thirteen-year story.

Ford Torino 1973 —The Last Generation

by Ross Mills

New federal bumper regulations forced Ford to reshape the 1973 Torino’s front end, adding weight and trimming horsepower across the lineup. Despite the changes, Ford expanded the model range with the new Gran Torino Brougham and went on to outsell the rival Chevrolet Chevelle by more than 168,000 units for the year. Read on to find out how a heavier, slower redesign still managed to win the sales fight.

Classic red convertible sports car in a showroom.

Ford Mustang GT500KR 1968 images

by Ross Mills

Legend holds that Carroll Shelby trademarked the ‘King of the Road’ name in a hurry after hearing Chevrolet wanted it for a Corvette — securing it for his new 428 Cobra Jet-powered Mustang instead. Shelby built the GT500KR for barely two months in 1968, producing just 1,053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles — 1,570 cars total. Independent road tests of the era clocked it at 5.4 seconds to 60 mph, numbers that placed it among the quickest American cars you could buy.

Posts By: Ross Mills