These days, the name McLaren often accompanies names like Ferrari and Lamborghini as a manufacturer of high-end supercars, but back in the early 1980s, the company wasn't making road cars. At that time, McLaren was primarily known for its racecars and turbocharged Ford-Cosworth engines which claimed victories in Formula 1, Can-Am, and the Indianapolis 500. So, when Ford decided to build a performance-oriented, turbocharged version of the Fox Body Mustang, they asked McLaren to work their magic on its engine. The result was known as the M81 McLaren Mustang, and only 10 prototypes were originally produced, making it one of the rarest Fox Body Mustangs of all time.

Bill Ford, the Executive Chairman of the Ford Motor Company - yes that Bill Ford - paid a visit to Jay Leno's Garage one day to show off his fully restored 1964.5 (early 1965) Mustang convertible. Mind you, this isn't just any Mustang drop top. She was the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Official Pace Car - the very one that paced the race in 1964.

Last week, we wrote an article about the Pontiac Tojan, a Trans-Am-based supercar GM developed in hopes of beating Ferrari to the title of the first automaker to produce a 200mph production car. While the one-of-a-kind Tojan prototype succeeded in that mission, the production version was watered-down dramatically to reduce costs, and it ended as a commercial flop. Around the same time, Ford was developing its own secret supercar intended to target Ferrari. This mid-engine project was called the Ford GN34, and the story of how close it came to reaching production is fascinating.

For the 1968 Ford Mustang model year, the Ford Motor Company continued to improve upon the already outstanding significance of America's first pony car — the Ford Mustang. Saddle up your Mustangs and let's go for a ride to decipher several data tags and VIN codes. There are a few stunning examples ahead, so stay tuned. We hope this 1968 Mustang VIN decoder will help you learn more about your classic Mustang, or research a car you're planning to buy.

Wandering around the internet when one is an automotive enthusiast, one can while away the hours, especially with barn find content. Patrick Glenn Nichols Musclecars Barn Finds is a YouTube channel and also found on Facebook. 

Homologation is a strange word, but one that's associated with some of the rarest and most impressive road cars ever built. In simplest terms, homologation cars are vehicles that were built to comply with specific rules for racing — most notably the rule that a certain number of "race-spec" cars must be built and sold to the general public before that car can be used for racing. In the late '60s, Ford wanted to put its new 429ci V8 engine into racecars, but NASCAR required them to put it into at least 500 road-going cars first. Thus the decision was made to shoehorn it into a Ford Mustang, and the Boss 429 was born.

Held on Saturday, August 17, 2024 towards the end of Monterey Car Week, Concorso Italiano celebrated all things Italian, especially pertaining to Italian automobiles and the Italian way of life. For 2024 as with in many other years of the Concorso, non-Italian marques were also invited to attend. There was a smattering of American, British, and German vehicles also on exhibit, as if to provide a contrast to the numerous artful Italian automobiles that comprised a commanding presence at this year's event. Indeed, the Concorso Italiano media team even invited Classic Industries to partake in covering this longstanding Italian-themed super car and vintage iconic Italian marques celebration.

Pebble. This one word has abundant meaning for avid golfers. The same is true for those who have a passion for vintage automobiles. The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is the pre-eminent concours vintage car show on this great planet that we somehow manage to cohabitate. Classic Industries was at this prestigious event this year to cover all of the glorious action for the 73rd celebration on Sunday, August 18, 2024.

Classic Industries was at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to witness and celebrate 50 years of vintage auto racing history with the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2024. When Classic Industries' humble scribe (namely me) learned about this vintage racing extravaganza, he knew where he wanted to be from August 14 through August 17, 2024.