What is the Smog-Era? The ‘meat & potatoes’ of the Smog-Era are vehicles made between 1973 and 1983. Also known as the Malaise-Era, this timeframe was undoubtedly the low point of automotive performance. Some of the best and some of the most controversial styling was offered during this time. We can’t forget about the vinyl […]
Continue reading…

Stutz Blackhawk The Stutz Blackhawk as of 1973 was based on the Pontiac Grand Prix. The body was made by a coachworks in Torino, Italy. It was available usually in coupe form, though the occassional convertible was sold.The wheelbase of the GP was retained at 116 inches and the car weight about 5000lbs. Powering it […]
Continue reading…

Delorean DMC-12 The sole model produced by DeLorean Motor Company was the DMC-12. It was introduced in 1981, but on the drawing board since 1974. The founder of the brand, John Delorean was American, while the car was actually produced in Ireland. The body was made from stainless steel. This material looks great, but can […]
Continue reading…

Bricklin SV-1 The Canadian company known as Bricklin started producing the SV-1 in 1974. The ‘SV’ part of the name stood for “Safety Vehicle”. Many features we take for granted in modern times were on this car. These were side impact beams, a built-in rollcage and 5mph bumpers front and rear. Every car featured gullwing […]
Continue reading…

Avanti 20th Anniversary Edition In 1983, Avanti Motors got a new owner. Halfway through the year, a 20th Anniversary Edition was introduced in recognition of the first Studebaker Avantis. The most obvious changes were the rectangular headlamps and unique wheels. There was also less chrome on the exterior. This was the direction that all future […]
Continue reading…

Avanti II *There was just one model and one body style produced by Avanti Motor Corporation for most of the smog-era. We’ll use “II” as the model, though we acknowledge that some folks consider the “II” as part of the manufacturer name…* The Avanti II was still based on its Studebaker roots in 1973. It […]
Continue reading…