Category archive for ‘Opinion’ 
The Old Coot used to …… (Comments Off)
4/23/12 •
I was hanging out with a bunch of “forty-something” guys the other day at the Goat Boy Coffeebar. They were talking about the workout they had that morning, the basketball game at the Boys & Girls Club the previous day, the bike ride up Montrose Turnpike planned for that afternoon. I sat mute. I couldn’t [...]
Collector Car Corner – Those fabulous Hudson automobiles (Comments Off)
4/23/12 •
Q: Hello Greg and thanks for all the fun columns on the old cars. My dad drove Hudsons his whole life, and I fondly remember many of his cars, especially the ‘grand daddy” of them all, his 1953 Super Wasp four door sedan. How about a few words on these great motorcars? Thanks, Alex H., [...]
The Old Coot is in a panic (Comments Off)
4/16/12 •
You hear it all the time – a horn sends out a series of blasts in a parking lot. You fumble in your pocket for your key ring to make sure it’s not your car that’s causing the ruckus. When you discover it isn’t, a smug grin crosses your face and you look around to [...]
Collector Car Corner – Mercury Cougar enthusiast (Comments Off)
4/16/12 •
Q: Greg, which of the Mercury Cougar’s would you like to own if you could choose just one? I owned a few Cougars in my day, but I never had any of the high performance models. Charles P., email from Massachusetts. A: Charles, if I could choose just one, I’d probably opt for the 1968 [...]
The Old Coot knows the answer? (Comments Off)
4/10/12 •
Back in the dark ages, circa 15 B. G. (Before Google), we rooted around for a piece of information, thumbing through dictionaries, encyclopedias and old newspapers or squinting at faded microfiche screens. Often times our inquiry went unanswered. The thought bubbles floating above our heads were filled with question marks. If we absolutely had to [...]
Collector Car Corner – A little more Buick history (Comments Off)
4/10/12 •
Q: Greg, I’ve read in your columns that you and your grandfather owned Buicks. When did Buick begin operations? I, too, have been a Buick lover and owner all my life. George, age 79, retired in Illinois. A: George, Buick actually began producing a horseless carriage in 1903 utilizing a chain driven twin-power engine. The [...]
Car Collector Corner – Funny Car champ Dale Pulde is a ‘Valley Fever’ survivor (Comments Off)
4/03/12 •
After writing our recent column on Dick Harrell, Pulde and his lifelong companion Valerie Harrell (daughter of the late, great Dick Harrell), the duo informed me of important information regarding an illness that continues to grow in numbers, and has stricken all-time great nitro funny car driver Dale Pulde. It’s called Valley Fever, and it [...]
The Old Coot speaks a new language (Comments Off)
4/03/12 •
I’ve noticed a lot of British accents on TV lately. It’s an invasion of sorts, like when the Beetles came to America and pushed Elvis aside. More and more of the commentators on news shows have a British accent. You never hear them say, “Me saw a man get arrested in Cairo!” They speak the [...]
Collector Car Corner – 1953 Dodge Hemi fan (Comments Off)
3/27/12 •
Q: Greg, I’m enjoying your recent articles on the Hemi, car models and the Dick Harrell 427 Nickey, Gibb and Yenko Camaros. However, I’d like to let everyone know that those famous 426 Hemi engines came out way before 1965, but in smaller dimensions. My dad had a 1953 Dodge with a Hemi in it. [...]
The Old Coot pegged his meter (Comments Off)
3/27/12 •
I was grousing around the other day. To anyone within earshot. Nothing special. Just a collection of little irritations. McDonalds got me started. I’d ordered a hamburger kid’s meal. They should change the name to “Kid’s & Old Coot’s” Meal. More old coots order it than kids. I bit into the burger and immediately realized [...]