Vintage iron endures.

The 1960-66 Chevrolet C10 is the truck that made pickups cool. Before this generation, trucks were strictly utilitarian. GM's designers gave this truck car-like styling — the wraparound windshield, sweeping fender lines, and available Custom Cab interior made it something you'd want to drive, not just need to drive. The drop-center frame lowered the floor height for easier entry. The optional V8 engines made them quick. These trucks launched the custom truck scene that continues today. A well-built 1966 C10 was the truck every high schooler in America wanted.

Ford's first-gen Econoline was American industry's answer to the VW Bus. Where VW used an air-cooled rear engine, Ford put a Falcon six under the cab floor. The result was a genuinely useful commercial vehicle that also worked for families, campers, and custom van enthusiasts. The cab-forward design maximized cargo space in a compact footprint. Before full-size vans became conversion van monsters, the Econoline was right-sized and practical.

The C2 Corvette is America's sports car at its most beautiful. The 1963-67 'mid-year' generation introduced the Stingray name, the split rear window (1963 only), and some of the most stunning automotive styling ever committed to fiberglass. By 1967, the final year, Chevrolet had refined the car's quirks while adding the monstrous 427 big-block option. The result was a sports car that could humiliate European exotics on both the track and the street. The L88 racing engine option — aluminum heads, 12.5:1 compression, and a factory-rated 430 hp that was actually closer to 560 — is one of the most valuable engines ever installed in a production car.

The A100 is the muscle van. While Ford and GM were putting economical sixes in their compact vans, Dodge offered a 318 V8. The legendary 'Little Red Wagon' drag truck was an A100. This was Chrysler being Chrysler — if some is good, more is better. The forward-control design put you right over the front wheels, which was either exciting or terrifying depending on your perspective. The A100 proved that vans didn't have to be boring.

The '67 Mustang is where the pony car grew up. The original 1964½ was a secretary's car — a compact Falcon in a pretty dress. For '67, Ford stretched the body to fit big-block V8s. The fastback roofline became the defining silhouette of American muscle. Steve McQueen's '68 Bullitt Mustang (nearly identical to the '67) cemented the fastback as the coolest car shape of the era. This is the Mustang that launched a thousand posters.

The GTO invented the muscle car. Period. In 1964, John DeLorean and his team at Pontiac dropped a big 389 V8 into the mid-size Tempest, creating a formula that every other manufacturer would copy. By 1967, the GTO had its own body — no longer just an option package — with more aggressive styling and the new 400 cubic inch V8. The 1967 model is the sweet spot: refined from the crude early cars but still raw enough to feel dangerous. Ronnie & the Daytonas wrote a song about it. Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine.

The VW Bus transcended transportation to become a cultural icon. It was the vehicle of the counterculture, the road trip, the alternative lifestyle. The split-window 'Splitties' and later bay-window 'Baywindows' carried surfers, hippies, travelers, and dreamers to wherever they wanted to go, slowly. The Bus proved that a vehicle could be more than transportation — it could be a statement, a home, a lifestyle. Every modern camper van owes something to the Type 2.

The '67-72 C10 is the canonical classic truck. The Action Line redesign cleaned up the bulbous '60-66 look into something timeless. It's the truck in every truck commercial when they want to evoke authenticity. The square body that followed ('73-87) is also cool, but these are the ones that launched the restomod movement. LS swaps, air ride, patina paint — the C10 is to trucks what the '32 Ford is to hot rods: the canvas everyone starts with.

The fifth and sixth generation Ford F-Series trucks represent Ford's transition from work truck to lifestyle vehicle. The 1967-72 'Bumpside' trucks have clean styling that's highly collectible today. The 1973-79 'Dentside' trucks added the character line down the bodyside and a more comfortable cab. The 300 cubic inch inline-6 became legendary for bulletproof reliability — many have crossed 500,000 miles with basic maintenance. The F-150 designation appeared in 1975, eventually becoming America's best-selling vehicle for decades. These trucks were built to work, and the survivors are either still working or treasured for their simplicity.

The '69 Camaro is GM's answer to the Mustang, perfected. The 1967-68 cars were good; the '69 is great. The redesigned body added aggression without losing elegance. The Z28 became a legitimate race car for the street — the 302 V8 was designed specifically to dominate Trans-Am racing. The SS 396 put big-block power in a car that could actually handle it. And the COPO 427 cars, ordered through dealer back channels to bypass GM's ban on engines over 400 cubic inches in intermediate cars, are now worth six figures. This is the Camaro that defined what a Camaro should be.

The 1968-70 Charger is the most recognizable muscle car silhouette ever drawn. The hidden headlights, tunneled rear glass, and Coke-bottle curves made it look like a spaceship from the future. Then Dodge dropped the 426 Hemi in it. The Charger R/T (Road/Track) came standard with the 440 Magnum — 375 horsepower of reliable big-block power. The optional Hemi added another 50 hp and legendary status. Yes, the General Lee destroyed hundreds of these cars. But the Charger's design transcends any TV show. This is what a muscle car is supposed to look like.

The CB750 is arguably the most important motorcycle ever made. Before 1969, if you wanted a fast, reliable motorcycle, you bought British — and accepted oil leaks, electrical gremlins, and kick-start rituals. Honda showed up with an inline-four that was faster, smoother, more reliable, AND cheaper. It had an electric starter and a front disc brake when British bikes still had drums. Within five years, the British motorcycle industry was essentially dead. The CB750 didn't just win — it changed what a motorcycle could be.

The 1969 Firebird is when Pontiac's pony car came into its own. While the Camaro got more aggressive styling, the Firebird went racing. The Trans Am was born this year — a homologation special named after the SCCA racing series Pontiac wanted to dominate. Only 697 were built, all painted Cameo White with blue stripes. The Ram Air IV engine was Pontiac's masterpiece: round-port heads, radical cam timing, and performance that the factory underrated for insurance purposes. The '69 Firebird is GM's pony car for people who wanted more than a rebadged Camaro.

The Bonneville defined what a motorcycle should look like for two decades. Launched in 1959 after Johnny Allen set speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the T120 became the template for the cafe racer movement. Steve McQueen rode one. Countless movies featured them. The parallel twin has a character that inline fours can't match — a mechanical heartbeat that resonates at every RPM. This is the motorcycle that British motorcycling's reputation was built on.

The Gremlin beat the Pinto and Vega to market by six months, making it America's first subcompact. AMC took a calculated risk: chop the back off a Hornet, call it a new car, and hope nobody notices. It worked. The Gremlin sold well despite the mocking. And here's the thing: underneath the strange proportions was a genuinely good car. The AMC inline-6 was reliable. The handling was decent. The V8 option made it a sleeper. The Gremlin was better than its reputation.

The 1970 Chevelle SS 454 is the apex predator of the muscle car era. When GM lifted its 400 cubic inch displacement limit, Chevrolet responded with the LS6 454 — 450 horsepower, 500 lb-ft of torque, and a factory 0-60 time under six seconds. The redesigned body was aggressive and purposeful. The hood scoop actually worked. For one glorious year before insurance rates and emissions killed muscle cars, the LS6 Chevelle was the most powerful production car you could buy. The LS5 (360 hp) was the 'mild' option. Nothing about this car is mild.

The 2CV is the anti-sports car. Citroën's engineers were told to create a car that could carry four adults and 50 kilos of potatoes across a plowed field without breaking the eggs on the seat. They succeeded beyond imagination. The result was something genuinely innovative: interconnected suspension that floats over bumps, air-cooling for simplicity, and design so honest it became art. The 2CV was France's answer to the Beetle, but even stranger and more lovable. It's automotive proof that charm beats performance.

The 1970 'Cuda is the muscle car distilled to its purest form. Plymouth took the humble Barracuda nameplate and turned it into something extraordinary. The 'Cuda package was available with everything from the small-block 340 to the legendary 426 Hemi. The Shaker hood scoop — mounted directly to the engine so it literally shook with the motor — became iconic. The styling was aggressive without being cartoonish. Only 652 Hemi 'Cudas were built for 1970, and the convertibles (only 14 with Hemi, 4-speed, and shaker) now sell for over $3 million. The 440 Six Pack cars offer similar theater at a fraction of the cost.

The Pinto is forever associated with its fuel tank scandal — Ford's calculated decision that paying wrongful death settlements was cheaper than fixing the design. That scandal defined automotive ethics debates for decades. But before that, the Pinto was just Ford's answer to the import invasion. It was cheap, efficient, and sold millions. The car itself was adequate transportation for people who needed adequate transportation. The scandal shouldn't define the car, but it's impossible to separate them.

The Scout invented the SUV. International Harvester, a farm equipment company, created a vehicle for farmers and ranchers who needed something between a pickup and a car. The Bronco and Blazer followed, but the Scout got there first. The Scout II refined the formula with more power and better on-road manners. These were genuinely capable off-road vehicles built by a company that knew heavy equipment. The Scout is the grandfather of every crossover on the road today.

The Chevrolet Square Body is the last old-school American truck — simple, solid, and infinitely fixable. The design ran for 14 years with only incremental changes, which means parts interchange across the entire run. The square styling that gives these trucks their nickname was revolutionary in 1973 and still looks purposeful today. They were workhorses when new, and the survivors are either beat to hell or lovingly maintained. The K-series 4x4 trucks, especially short-bed models, have become the hottest segment in the collector truck market. A clean 1987 K10 Silverado can sell for more than it cost new, adjusted for inflation.

The CL180 is proof that motorcycling's best days don't require displacement. Honda's Scrambler line put high pipes and semi-knobbies on their small twins, creating bikes that looked adventurous and were genuinely capable on dirt roads. At 17 horsepower, you can use all of what's available without going to jail. It's light enough to pick up when you drop it. Simple enough to fix yourself. Cheap enough to not worry about. The small-displacement scrambler is motorcycling's best-kept secret.

The MGB is the British sports car. More were sold in America than any other British roadster. It democratized the sports car experience — not as exotic as a Jaguar, not as expensive as a Triumph TR6, but genuinely fun and within reach. For decades, the MGB was the entry point into British car enthusiasm. The 1974.5 and later 'rubber bumper' cars get grief, but they're also cheaper and still fun. The MGB created a template for affordable sports cars that echoes through every Miata on the road today.

The TR6 is the hairy-chested British sports car. Where the MGB was friendly and approachable, the TR6 was muscular and aggressive. The inline-six engine delivered real power. The Karmann-designed body looked like someone had chiseled it from anger. This was the TR for people who wanted more than the MGB could offer — more power, more presence, more drama. The TR6 was the last of the proper TRs before the wedge-shaped TR7 killed the brand's credibility.

The Thing is what happens when you take a military utility vehicle and sell it to beach towns. Based on the WWII Kubelwagen design, VW updated it for the '60s and '70s as a recreational vehicle. In America, it became a cult item for exactly two years before failing new safety standards. That brief window and the quirky design created instant collector appeal. The Thing is the ultimate beach cruiser — doors off, top down, completely impractical, and absolutely joyful.

The Pacer is automotive proof that courage and good intentions don't guarantee success. AMC designed it for a rotary engine GM never delivered. They built it anyway with their inline-6. The styling was genuinely innovative — the fishbowl glass, the width, the rounded shape were all intentional aerodynamic choices. Critics destroyed it. Sales collapsed after 1975. But the Pacer was trying something. In an era of Detroit conformity, AMC swung for the fences. They missed, but at least they swung.

The G-Series van defined what a full-size American van should be for 25 years. The second-generation design ran from 1971 to 1995 with minimal changes, proving that sometimes you get it right the first time. The G20 became the platform for the entire custom van industry — shag carpet, bubble windows, and murals of wizards on the sides. But underneath the conversions was a solid, reliable truck that could haul, tow, and work. The G-Series was America's utility vehicle.

The Chevette was GM's white flag to the imports. After watching Japanese cars steal market share, GM finally built a proper subcompact — by copying what worked. The Chevette was adequate. That's it. Not good, not terrible, just adequate. It did what millions of Americans needed: basic transportation. The RWD layout was archaic even then, but it made the car simple and somewhat fun in snow. The Chevette is the car nobody loved but everybody accepted.

The 124 Spider brought Italian sports car experience to American driveways at a fraction of Ferrari prices. Pininfarina design, a genuine DOHC engine, proper handling — this was real automotive passion accessible to the middle class. Yes, the electrics are Italian. Yes, it rusts. But behind the wheel, with the top down, none of that matters. The 124 Spider taught Americans that sports cars could be affordable and still feel special.

The SR500 is motorcycling's monk's cell. One cylinder. Kickstart only. No electric gadgets to fail. Yamaha built it as a callback to simpler times, and it became a cult classic for people who wanted to actually ride instead of manage electronics. The big single-cylinder engine has character that multi-cylinder bikes can't match — a rhythmic thump that connects you to every combustion event. It's meditation with handlebars.

The AMC Eagle invented the crossover. Before Subaru Outbacks, before lifted wagons became a lifestyle, AMC took a regular car, raised the suspension, and added full-time 4WD. Critics laughed. Buyers bought. The Eagle pioneered a vehicle segment that now dominates the market. AMC was broke, desperate, and innovative by necessity. They couldn't compete head-to-head with Detroit, so they built something nobody else would try. The modern CUV owes everything to this weird little company's desperate gamble.

The Samurai proved that small doesn't mean incapable. At barely 2,000 pounds with proper 4WD and low range, the Samurai could go places that heavier trucks couldn't reach. Consumer Reports' rollover controversy nearly killed it in America, but the Samurai was vindicated — it wasn't more dangerous than comparable vehicles. The lightweight platform created a cult following among off-roaders who appreciated what less weight and tight turning could accomplish on trails.

The second-gen CRX is the Miata's sibling that never got the credit. While Mazda was building the perfect roadster, Honda built the perfect coupe. Under 2,200 pounds, a willing SOHC engine, and handling that embarrassed cars costing three times as much. The Si version with the D16A6 engine found the sweet spot: enough power to be fun, reliable enough to be daily driven, efficient enough to pass gas stations without stopping. This was Honda at the height of their engineering arrogance — building cars that made you wonder why anyone bothered with anything else.

Kei trucks are Japan's dirty secret. For decades, these miniature pickups have done real work on Japanese farms, construction sites, and narrow streets. The 25-year import rule has finally made them legal in America, and people are discovering what Japan has known: sometimes smaller is better. A Carry can fit where full-size trucks can't, haul surprisingly heavy loads, and sip fuel. They're not highway vehicles, but for property work, they're brilliant.

The Festiva is transportation reduced to its absolute essence. Built by Kia, engineered by Mazda, sold by Ford — a globalized economy before anyone used that word. It's slow. It's tinny. The three-speed automatic is basically two gears and a suggestion. But it weighs nothing, sips fuel, and will get you from A to B forever if you do basic maintenance. For kids learning to drive, this was perfect: nothing to break, nothing to race, just honest transportation that taught you how cars work.

The OBS (Old Body Style) F-150 is the quintessential American truck. It's what people picture when they think 'pickup.' The 1987 redesign added aerodynamics without losing the truck's essential character. The 300 cubic inch inline-6 is legendarily reliable — truckers call it the 'big six' and swear by it. The XLT Lariat trim added carpet, power everything, and enough creature comforts to make the wife happy. This is the working truck that could also be the family vehicle.

This is the truck that built Toyota's American reputation. The one that survives neglect, abuse, and decades of use. It's not fast, not luxurious, not particularly capable by modern standards. But it starts every time, runs forever, and does exactly what a truck should do without drama. The 22R-E engine has a cult following for good reason: it may be the most reliable engine ever mass-produced. These trucks just refuse to die.

The E36 is the forgotten middle child between the legendary E30 and the bloated E46. But it might be the sweet spot. It's the last 3-Series you can work on without dealer software. The last one that feels connected to the road through hydraulic steering. The M52 straight-six is one of the great engines — smooth, willing, and tough. These cars taught a generation what 'Ultimate Driving Machine' actually meant, before BMW forgot.

The Defender is what happens when function dictates form for 68 years. Land Rover started with a vehicle designed to go anywhere, and despite periodic updates, never abandoned that mission. The Defender became the vehicle of choice for African safaris, military operations, aid organizations, and anyone who needed absolute capability. The NAS (North American Specification) Defenders from 1993-1997 are particularly desirable because they're the only ones that were legally sold new in the US.

The first-gen Bronco was Ford's answer to the Jeep CJ — a no-nonsense, purpose-built 4x4 for people who actually needed to go off-road. The short 92-inch wheelbase made it absurdly maneuverable in the rocks and woods. The removable hardtop made it a convertible. The V8 option made it fast. For a decade, the Bronco was the serious choice for serious off-roaders. Then the O.J. Simpson chase in 1994 made it famous for entirely different reasons. Today, the early Bronco is one of the hottest collector trucks on the market, with values that have tripled in a decade.

The CJ is where the Jeep legend lives. The military MB won World War II; the civilian CJ brought that go-anywhere capability to everyone else. The CJ-5 ran for 28 years with relatively minor changes — a testament to the design's rightness. The CJ-7, introduced in 1976 with a 10-inch longer wheelbase, added practicality without sacrificing capability. These were the Jeeps that crawled Moab before Instagram. The AMC inline-6 engines that arrived in 1972 are bulletproof and still run daily. The CJ is the original recreational 4x4 — every Wrangler since has been chasing this formula.