The Knocking Rod

Hard as European automakers have tried to show off their wagon wares to American consumers, the effort has largely failed. Which is truly a bummer, especially in the case of the Volvo V90…draped in Maple Brown Metallic paint…with a 330-horse Polestar optimized twin-charged engine…and all the longroof sleekness you can handle. Like this stunner from Cars and Bids.

All I can think about when laying eyes on this glorious Roller is dropping off the kids at school with Miss Ecstasy herself leading the way. Naturally I would need to dress up like Judge Smails anytime I were to take her for a spin. But just behold this beauty! 17 feet of V8-powered elitisim! And so clean for a 35-year-old car…that was built by hand…in Britain. Did I say it was over 30 years ago? Would I be the chauffeur or the chauffee?

Mitsubishi may be makers of bland crossovers today, but circa 1986, the Japanese automaker was in the business of badass. Specifically the Starion. A righteous little 2-door with RWD, a boosted four-pot full of torque and ludicrous lag, fat rear tires, and a 5-speed manual. I had a silver one, much like this beauty over at Bring A Trailer, as my first ride.

A recurring theme I’ve come across in conversations with car enthusiasts is making other people happy. Ian Henry, owner of an Aston Martin-esque vintage Mustang, said one of his favorite things about taking the car for a spin is the smiles and animated discussions it generates from interested passersby. Recently, I found the same sentiment during a trip to Minnesota. It was here that many car things happened, all of which were centered around Chrysler.

Over in Switzerland, snow tires are highly encouraged by the law - and insurance - to the point that nearly every car on the road is sporting them during the winter months. Anyone who’s driven in St. Louis during a snowstorm likely knows this type of mandate has obvious benefits. Here in New England, snow tires are more commonplace, but still nothing like on the other side of The Pond.

In the inaugural Knocking Rod podcast, we talk with Tyler Stender about his first car - a glorious Powder Blue 1989 Toyota Corolla, replete with 75 horsepower and bicycle tires. 1 of only 50,000,000 ever made. Credit: Bring A Trailer (where it sold for 17 grand!) We also delve into Tyler’s favorite car - a 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring, specially made for hungover cross country road trips and a beast in the snow. Finally, the dream car in Tyler’s words - a shiny, new Audi RS6 Avant.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -10:15 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Adam and the Camaro The Knocking Rod Podcast | Episode 2 On today’s episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I chat with good friend, neighbor, and consummate car guy Adam Cullinane about many things. There’s his first car, an epic V6-powered Camaro, replete with powder-coated rims, custom-trimmed springs, and so much more.

Man, get a load of this old Suburban. Perfectly patina-ed, riding extra low, and rocking three rows of family cruising goodness. These were from the era of Suburbans with a power tailgate window. A tailgate that also flipped open for easy cargo access….or sitting on during rides to the beach. At least that’s how I remember one of these old hosses owned by family friends as a young lad. The seller says “Truck is tight.” I agree, but I think we’re talking about 2 different things.

Though it generally flies under the sports sedan radar, the Acura TL has been in continuous-ish production for almost 30 years. The original 1996 TL replaced the lovely Vigor with inoffensive square lines and a long, flat hood. Then there was Gen 2 in 1999 and its available Type S variant with silky V6 power and chunky 5-spoke wheels. For Gen 3, in 2004, Acura killed it on the styling, bumped Type S output to 270 horsepower, and offered a stick for the first time.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -24:11 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Caroline and the Golf The Knocking Rod Podcast | Episode 5 It's unclear if there is a mooning happening in the first pic, but it's VERY clear that there is a righteous Taurus SHO in the second pic AND a rarely seen OG Mazda MPV. And the Zentmeyer girls with a Herbert Ave alum shot FTW! On the latest episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I talk with my favorite sister, Caroline, about many things.