1942 Ford Super DeLuxe Station Wagon: Rare Woodie of the War Years

The 1942 Ford Super DeLuxe Station Wagon stands as one of the rarest and most distinctive “woodie” wagons of the prewar era. Produced in limited numbers before civilian automobile manufacturing ceased in early 1942 due to World War II, only 5,483 examples were built.

Featuring real wood bodywork of maple framing and mahogany panels crafted at Ford’s Iron Mountain plant, the Super DeLuxe wagon offered seating for up to eight passengers and was powered by Ford’s reliable 221-cubic-inch flathead V-8. With its updated grille, lower stance, and elegant wood construction, the 1942 model represents the final flourish of Ford’s classic woodie design before the war interrupted production.

These beautiful photos capture the elegant wood craftsmanship and wartime rarity of the 1942 Ford Super DeLuxe Station Wagon.

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Mercedes-Benz T80, the Fastest Car in the World That Never Ran

The Mercedes-Benz T80 (Type 80) was a specialized, six-wheeled land speed record vehicle completed in 1939 that became famously known as the “fastest car in the world that never ran.” It was an extraordinary engineering collaboration born from the personal ambition of racing driver Hans Stuck, the design genius of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, and the corporate backing of Daimler-Benz. Officially sanctioned and funded under Adolf Hitler’s regime, the T80 was engineered to showcase German technological supremacy on a global stage, but the outbreak of World War II permanently halted the project before it could ever make an official record run.

Mercedes-Benz T80. Hans Stuck’s project designed for over 373 mph (600 km/h) by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche.

Chassis of the T80 with the DB 603 engine connected to the transmission. Note the drive arrangement to the four rear wheels and the fuel tank.

The framework of the T80’s body is shown here, illustrating how much longer the body was than the chassis.

44.5-litre displacement for the world record-breaking car: in the end the T 80 was equipped with a Mercedes‑Benz DB 603 aircraft engine.

In 1936, legendary German auto racer Hans Stuck dreamed of reclaiming the absolute world land speed record for Germany, which was dominated by British drivers like George Eyston and John Cobb. Stuck brought his vision to three powerful figures: Wilhelm Kissel (Chairman of Daimler-Benz), Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (who officially signed the design contract in January 1937), and Ernst Udet (an Air Force general who helped secure aviation hardware).

Porsche initially designed the car to achieve 550 km/h (342 mph). However, as British rivals continuously pushed the record higher in the late 1930s, the T80’s target speed was aggressively raised to 650 km/h and ultimately projected at 750 km/h (466 mph). Hitler saw the project as a massive public relations triumph. The plan was to broadcast the record attempt on German television as the first absolute land speed record achieved on German soil, specifically on a cleared 10-kilometer stretch of the Dessau Autobahn.

Built at a cost of roughly 600,000 Reichsmarks (about $5 million today), the T80 pushed the boundaries of aerodynamics and mechanical layout. The car had three axles: the front provided steering, and the two rear axles were driven by a 2,717 cu in (44.5 L) Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V-12 aircraft engine. Ernst Udet, director of Germany’s Aircraft Procurement and Supply, provided the third DB 603 prototype engine for installation in the T80. The supercharged DB 603 engine with mechanical fuel injection was specially tuned to 3,000 hp (2,240 kW). The engine ran on a special mixture of methyl alcohol (63%), benzene (16%), ethanol (12%), acetone (4.4%), nitrobenzene (2.2%), avgas (2%), and ether (0.4%); it utilized MW (methanol-water) injection for charge cooling and anti-detonation.

Power from the engine was transmitted to the four drive wheels via a hydraulic torque converter to a single-speed final drive. To maintain traction, the T80 had a mechanical “anti-spin control” device. The front and rear wheels each had a sensor to mechanically detect wheel spin. If the rear wheels began to spin faster than the front, fuel to the engine was automatically reduced.

The T80 was 26 ft 8 in (8.128 m) long and 4 ft 1 in (1.245 m) tall. Its body width was 5 ft 9 in (1.753 m) and 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) wide including the wings. All six wheels were 7 in x 32 in and had a 4 ft 3 in (1.295 m) track. The vehicle weighed about 6,390 lb (2,900 kg).

The T80 as it looks now in the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

The vehicle was fully completed by late 1939, and the world record attempt was tentatively scheduled for January 1940. However, the invasion of Poland in September 1939 launched World War II, instantly grounding the project.

The T80 was stripped of its massive DB 603 aircraft engine, which was returned to the military for wartime use, and the vehicle chassis was moved into safe storage to survive the conflict. Because it was never tested on an open road, its true performance threshold remains one of automotive history’s greatest “what-ifs.” Today, the pristine, fully preserved body and chassis can be viewed by the public on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette: The Birth of America’s Sports Car

The 1953 Chevrolet Corvette marked the beginning of one of the most iconic American sports cars. Unveiled as a concept at the 1953 GM Motorama in New York, it entered limited production later that year with only 300 hand-built examples completed in Flint, Michigan.

Every 1953 Corvette was finished in Polo White with a red interior and powered by a 150-horsepower “Blue Flame” inline-six engine paired exclusively with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Featuring a groundbreaking fiberglass body, the car combined sleek European-inspired styling with American engineering.

Though production was modest and performance modest by later standards, the 1953 model established the Corvette name and laid the foundation for decades of legendary sports cars to follow. These classic photos capture the pioneering style and historic significance of the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, the first of its kind.

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Diana Dors Posing With Her Custom 1949 Delahaye Type 175 S Saoutchik Roadster

The 1949 Delahaye Type 175 S Saoutchik Roadster owned by British “blonde bombshell” actress Diana Dors is widely considered one of the most striking and flamboyant coachbuilt automobiles of the post-WWII era. Often referred to as “the ultimate expression of French automotive Art Deco,” the car was a spectacle of dramatic swooping lines and extravagant chrome ornamentation.

The car was originally commissioned by the flamboyant English millionaire Sir John Gaul. Built on the first post-war Delahaye chassis (chassis number 815023), it was brought to life by the legendary Parisian coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik. Saoutchik gave the roadster its iconic “Narval” nose, heavily inspired by the protruding tusk of a narwhal whale. The car was fully wrapped in sweeping, voluptuous Art Deco bodywork featuring fully enclosed wheels, heavily skirted fenders, and intricate brass trim that was original gold-plated.

The roadster debuted at the 1949 Paris Auto Show and spent the year sweeping top honors at elite European Concours d’Elegance events in Monte Carlo and San Remo. It was eventually purchased for a 23-year-old Diana Dors for £5,000 in 1954, before she even possessed a driver’s license. She did not keep it long; it was traded for a Cadillac Eldorado convertible around 1955.

By the 1970s, the car migrated across the Atlantic to Colorado. Frustrated by the unreliable and complex French mechanical layout, a subsequent owner controversially sliced out the front portion of the chassis to swap in an Oldsmobile Toronado V8 engine and a front-wheel-drive system.

The car remained separated from its original powertrain for nearly 40 years. Eventually, a dedicated collector sourced correct Type 175 components, commissioning master restorer Fran Roxas to bring the vehicle back to its original factory glory. The restored automotive masterpiece made its official comeback debut at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it won Best-in-Class. It later commanded a jaw-dropping price of nearly $5 million USD at auction and has been displayed as a historic treasure at the Qatar National Museum in Doha.

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Riviera Town Car: Rare Brewster Elegance

The 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Riviera Town Car by Brewster is one of the rarest and most elegant coachbuilt automobiles of the late 1920s.

Only about ten examples of this distinctive Riviera Town Car style were produced, featuring graceful curved front doors, a low windshield, and close-coupled proportions that gave it a more sporting appearance than traditional formal town cars. The rear compartment was often finished with intricate canework, fine wood inlays, and luxurious appointments befitting its wealthy owners.

Built on the powerful Phantom I chassis, it combined Rolls-Royce’s legendary engineering with Brewster’s refined American coachwork. Today, surviving examples remain highly prized for their rarity, craftsmanship, and timeless elegance.

These photos capture the rare beauty and sophisticated design of the 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Riviera Town Car, a true masterpiece of coachbuilt luxury.

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1955 Triumph TR2: The Affordable British Sports Car Icon

The 1955 Triumph TR2 is a classic British sports car that helped define the postwar open-roadster era.

Produced from 1953 to 1955, the TR2 featured a lively 2.0-liter inline-four engine producing around 90 horsepower, capable of exceeding 100 mph, making it one of the most affordable production cars of its time to achieve that milestone.

With its clean, purposeful styling, separate chassis, and engaging driving dynamics, the TR2 quickly found success both in Britain and especially in the American market. A total of 8,636 examples were built before it was succeeded by the more powerful TR3.

Today, the 1955 TR2 remains admired for its simplicity, character, and important place in Triumph’s sporting heritage. These photos capture the timeless charm and pioneering spirit of the 1955 Triumph TR2, a true icon of 1950s British sports car design.

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1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges: The Origin of “The Best Car in the World”

The 1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges represents the early flowering of a legend. Powered by an exceptionally quiet 7.0-liter inline-six engine, the Silver Ghost quickly earned its reputation for unmatched refinement, reliability, and engineering excellence.

The elegant Roi des Belges open touring body, a style originally associated with the King of Belgium, added grace and presence to the already outstanding chassis. It was cars like this that led contemporary observers to declare the Silver Ghost “the best car in the world”, a title that has remained inseparable from Rolls-Royce ever since.

More than a century later, the 1909 Silver Ghost Roi des Belges still stands as a defining masterpiece of Edwardian motoring. These photos capture the pioneering elegance and enduring legacy of the 1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges, the car that helped establish the phrase “the best car in the world.”

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Historical Photos of the Deadwood Coach From the 19th Century

The Deadwood Coach (or Deadwood Stagecoach) is one of the most famous and historic stagecoaches of the American West, celebrated for its perilous journeys during the Black Hills Gold Rush and its subsequent global fame as a star attraction in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows.

The iconic coach was built in 1863 by the renowned Abbott-Downing Company in Concord, New Hampshire. It was equipped with innovative thoroughbrace leather springs that allowed the carriage to sway instead of bouncing violently, making it uniquely suited for rugged frontier terrain. In 1864, it was shipped “around the Horn” of South America to San Francisco, California, alongside a fleet of other coaches. After operating for several years in the mountains of California, it was transferred east to Wyoming and the Dakota Territory to serve the newly booming gold mining settlements.

Beginning in 1876, the stagecoach became a vital lifeline for the region, transporting mail, gold, and passengers along grueling routes like the Cheyenne to Deadwood Trail. Because it frequently carried massive fortunes in gold dust and bullion out of the Black Hills, it became a prime target for notorious highwaymen like Pegleg Bradley and Dunk Blackbird. The coach’s history is filled with dramatic frontier lore.

The coach suffered its first major tragedy when driver John Slaughter was shot and killed by bandits in White Wood Canyon. The horses bolted, outwitting the outlaws and bringing the passengers and coach safely to the next station. To combat relentless ambushes, operators eventually constructed specialized, steel-plated “treasure coaches” equipped with portholes for shotgun messengers and bolted-down “salamander safes” designed to resist forced entry. Legendary Western figures, including Calamity Jane, spent time guarding or driving the Deadwood stage routes.

The stagecoach lines remained highly active until the arrival of the railroad in December 1890, which rendered horse-drawn stage transit obsolete.

The coach entered its second era of fame when William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody purchased it for his world-famous Wild West Show. For decades, the actual battle-scarred vehicle traveled across America and Europe. It served as the centerpiece for thrilling, theatrical reenactments of bandit ambushes and Native American attacks, performed for millions of spectators, including European royalty.

The legendary status of the coach inspired a 1924 silent Western film titled The Deadwood Coach, starring Tom Mix. Though the film itself is now considered a lost film due to the degradation of silent era film stock, the legacy of the physical coach lives on through surviving examples preserved in institutions like the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

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1907 Cadillac Model M Coupe: Early American Motoring Elegance

The 1907 Cadillac Model M Coupe was a refined early automobile produced by the Cadillac Motor Car Company.

Part of the Model M series introduced in 1906, the car featured a single-cylinder engine rated at 10 horsepower and a slightly longer wheelbase than the related Model K. Notably, the Model M included Cadillac’s first production one-cylinder coupe body style, offering a more enclosed and elegant alternative to open runabouts and touring cars of the period.

With its carefully crafted design and reputation for reliability, the 1907 Model M Coupe reflected Cadillac’s growing emphasis on quality and sophistication in the pioneering years of American automotive history. These photos capture the elegant design and pioneering spirit of the 1907 Cadillac Model M Coupe, a rare classic from the dawn of American motoring.

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1956 Auto Union DKW F93: Distinctive Two-Stroke Classic of the 1950s

The 1956 Auto Union DKW F93, also marketed as the “Big DKW 3=6,” was a distinctive West German automobile produced by Auto Union.

Powered by a three-cylinder two-stroke engine that delivered 38 horsepower, the car was promoted with the slogan “3=6,” claiming performance comparable to a six-cylinder four-stroke. The F93 featured a wider body than its predecessor, an oval front grille, improved suspension, and front-wheel drive. Available in sedan, coupe, and limited cabriolet versions, it combined practical design with the unique character of two-stroke engineering.

Produced until 1959, the DKW F93 remains a memorable example of postwar German automotive ingenuity. These photos capture the distinctive style and engineering of the 1956 Auto Union DKW F93, a unique classic of the 1950s.

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