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logo
  • Features
    • Behind the Wheel
    • From the Back Seat
    • Junk in the Trunk
    • Under the Hood
  • About
  • Dream Garage
mobile logo
  • Features
    • Behind the Wheel
    • From the Back Seat
    • Junk in the Trunk
    • Under the Hood
  • About
  • Dream Garage
Behind the Wheel

Cover Model Material

Jaguar's sublime Series I XJ6 steals any spotlight, in any company. I may have been excited to peruse the February 1973 issue of Road & Track because my beloved BMW Bavaria graces the cover, but it shares that honor with two other cars, the slinky Jaguar XJ6

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ByNathan
March 13, 2017
1 Comment
Under the Hood

I made a thing, and you can buy it

If you're not already deeply in debt to aware of Blipshift, you should be. Each day, five days a week, they bring out a new T-shirt with an awesome automotive or motorcycle-themed design, submitted or suggested by automotive artists and enthusiasts of all stripes, and

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ByNathan
March 10, 2017
0 Comments
Junk in the Trunk

Road & Track, February 1973

When my grandfather died last year, I inherited his collection of Road & Track magazines, encompassing nearly every issue from 1950 to

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ByNathan
March 10, 2017
2 Comments
From the Back Seat

At night, the Prius reveals its true feelings

The word has come down, from Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda, that Toyotas must now reflect enthusiasm and inspire passion. So far, the company seems to be adapting to this new edict by embracing, shall we say

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ByNathan
March 8, 2017
4 Comments
Under the Hood

We’re back!

Hello, friends! It's good to be back! Since we last met, as promised, I've made some changes to the site. Most obviously, you'll notice new fonts, chosen for improved readability. (Please let me know in the comments if I've failed to meet this goal.) There are

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ByNathan
March 6, 2017
0 Comments
Behind the Wheel

Can a nerd like me love a Corvette like this?

When I first met my father-in-law Andy, he was so excited that I was a car guy that he proclaimed me the son he never had, deeply annoying the son he did have. Andy's an incredibly open, welcoming person, but I always worried that once

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ByNathan
March 6, 2017
1 Comment
Under the Hood

Editor’s Note

Greetings friends, If you've been a subscriber or a regular reader (my deepest gratitude to both of you!), you may have noticed a distinct lack of new content around these parts lately. I'll be frank with you: I have a lot of excuses for this. This site was

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ByNathan
November 28, 2016
0 Comments
Behind the Wheel

Never Drive Your Heroes Vol. 4: 1970 Opel GT

Photographs by Nick Farrell While most gearheads drool over close-coupled sports cars, at 6' 3", I usually just wonder if I could possibly fit inside. Family history told me that I'd fit into Opel's pint-sized GT - as it turned out, too well. [metaslider id=539] The Hero The Opel GT

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ByNathan
October 26, 2016
0 Comments
Classic Volkswagens Square Off
Junk in the Trunk

Classic Volkswagens Square Off

With its new Volkswagen Beetle model joining the classic T1 Camper Van, LEGO has classic VW fans covered two ways I take the "nerd" part of Automotive Nerdery very seriously, so it goes without saying that when LEGO's new Volkswagen Beetle set came out, I made

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ByNathan
October 17, 2016
1 Comment
Behind the Wheel

Never Drive Your Heroes Vol. 3: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300E

In Scorpio Rising, posted earlier this week, the Merkur Scorpio is clearly the headliner, with the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300E primarily along to provide a more familiar baseline with which to compare the somewhat obscure Ford product. The secret, though, is that while the Scorpio was

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ByNathan
October 12, 2016
1 Comment
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  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • ‘80s hangover • Showing off the modularity of the Saab 900 model’s design, a new base and wheels bring this casting into the ‘90s as the hot 900 SPG. Which version do you prefer: pre- or post-facelift? #saab900 #saab900spg #saab900aero #saab #900spg #900aero #radwoodapproved #80s #90s #164scale #diecastcollectors #diecastcustoms #autonerdery
  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • The Honda Accord was a hot property the moment it debuted in 1976, and remained so all the way through the ‘80s. Pop-up headlights made the third gen the freshest yet—so where have the 1:64-scale versions been? My ‘89 coupe and sedan can now join their first and second-generation Accord ancestors, with working headlights to boot. Dirty secret: the base, including the bumpers and grille, is identical on both models. #honda #hondaaccord #accord #popupheadlights #flipupheadlights #radwoodapproved #80s #164scale #diecastcollectors #diecastcustoms #autonerdery
  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • The ‘87 Volvo 740 Turbo wagon is a variation on my very first prototype. Integrating the grille, headlights, and bumpers into the base means that the same basic body shell could be used to make something like a dozen 700 and 900-series wagon variants—not that I’m crazy enough to try and make them all (not yet, anyway). #volvo #volvo740turbo #volvo740wagon #volvowagon #volvoturbo #turbo #740turbo #80s #radwoodapproved #164scale #diecastcustoms #diecastcollectors #autonerdery
  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • The ‘85 Saab 900 Turbo is by now a familiar friend. Modularity is a design priority for my cars; with the Saab, for example, the bumpers, headlights, and grille are integral to the base, so the main body section can be used for a three-door 900 of any vintage from 1980 to 1993 (not the ‘79 with its smaller taillights, though). The spoiler and rear window louvers are a separate piece as well; remove that piece and swap out the wheels to turn a Turbo into a basic 900S. #saab #saab900turbo #saab900 #900turbo #turbo #80s #radwoodapproved #164scale #diecastcollectors #diecastcustoms #autonerdery
  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • Class of the class is the ‘83 Jaguar XJ6 Series III. Dinky/Corgi did the definitive version of the sublime Series I; Ertl did a charmingly crude Series II (erroneously labeled an “XJ10” on the packaging); and there were many versions of the new-generation XJ40 that debuted in 1987. But the Series III is no less deserving of its place in the XJ pantheon, and I’m proud to bring it to 1:64-scale life. #jaguar #jaguarxj6series3 #jaguarxj #jaguarxj6 #xj6 #xj6series3 #radwoodapproved #80s #164scale #diecastcollectors #diecastcustoms #autonerdery
  • Another #radwood show today seems like a good excuse to show off my little quintet(-ish) of ‘80s rides • Oldest of the group is the ‘81 AMC Eagle Limited wagon. Older still were its bones; swipe to see it hanging with its ‘70s antecedent, the AMC Hornet. A clever marriage of a midsize car body and a Jeep-derived four-wheel drive system, the Eagle was one of many creative cars borne of financial desperation at America’s smallest automaker. It was AMC’s last hurrah, but would prove hugely prophetic of today’s crossover takeover. #amceagle #amc #americanmotors #eagle #80s #radwoodapproved #164scale #diecastcollectors #diecastcustoms #autonerdery
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