FOR SALE: 1979 Chevrolet El Camino V-8

FOR SALE: 1979 Chevrolet El Camino V-8

For reasons I won’t bore you with, I ended up with this ’79 El Camino and don’t need it in my fleet. So its for sale. I’d call it a good driver quality piece, better than a beater or a parts car but nobody’s show car. Runs and drives...
DRIVEN: 2015 RAM Promaster City Wagon SLT

DRIVEN: 2015 RAM Promaster City Wagon SLT

I love vans. Always have, both in the custom, surf wagon, shag carpet and 8-track sense, and because of their inherent practicality. I owned an old Econoline back in the day, and would own another van if I had need (or room) for one. My general preference is for...
2015 San Marino Motor Classic

2015 San Marino Motor Classic

This show took place nearly six months ago, so I’m almost embarrassed to finally be putting up these photos now. But its such a great show, and I didn’t want to waste Kirk Gerbracht’s great photos, and this can also serve as a calendar alert for the...
SPEED READING: James Dean, On the road to Salinas

SPEED READING: James Dean, On the road to Salinas

Last September 30 marked the 60th Anniversary (September 30, 1955) of the death of actor James Dean, as he and his mechanic were involved in a tragic, fatal accident as they were driving from Los Angeles to Monterey for an SCCA sports car race.  Along with the...
DRIVEN: 2016 Nissan Titan XD pickup trucks

DRIVEN: 2016 Nissan Titan XD pickup trucks

I love big, sturdy pickup trucks. Of course pickups are built in many parts of the world, and serve many global markets.  My favorites are what I’ll call, for lack of a better term, American style pickups.  Large, capable, sturdy, long lived, powerful.  And up...
DRIVEN: 2016 Nissan Altima

DRIVEN: 2016 Nissan Altima

I’ve liked the Nissan Altima ever since, in 2002, Nissan threw away the old Stanza based Altima, and restyled and really grew the car up to the segment.  In 2002 came new styling, new underpinnings, finally a V-6 engine option, all in a segment appropriate size...
Visit Nostalgia Street Rods in Las Vegas

Visit Nostalgia Street Rods in Las Vegas

Let me clue you in to the coolest little hot rod collection / museum that you’ve probably never heard of, and I’ll bet you’ve never seen. It’s called Nostalgia Street Rods. It’s all been assembled by The Goldstrom family, husband Art,...

November 7, Book signing calender alert

  Just a quick reminder that if you live or are going to be near the San Francisco Bay area next weekend, I’d love to meet you at the justifiably famous Black Collection museum in Danville. I’ll be giving a brief talk and slide show entitled Legends,...
Guest Blog: Serpents in the Garden

Guest Blog: Serpents in the Garden

Commentary and photos by Kirk Gerbracht Ultimately, it’s great cars that make a great car show.  But sometimes the venue can add a little something extra to create the perfect event.  Such was the case with Serpents in the Garden.  A little more than a year after the...
Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Camaro SS

As you know, a much revised Camaro is on its way for 2016; the car moves from its previous Australian Holden based chassis architecture to another global GM platform which will make it easier to produce and offer more flexibility in terms of options and technology,...
Montrose Village Classic car show

Montrose Village Classic car show

Every year, my local area merchant’s village in Montrose, California puts on a summer car show.  Montrose is often referred to as “Mayberry RFD” due to its clean, homespun personna.  The village has become a kind of trendy happening place as of late,...
Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Trax LT FWD

Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Trax LT FWD

As an automotive writer, road tester, and studier of the business, I’ve always found cost effective, economical transportation as important a subject as all the fast and dangerous stuff.  As much as I love Porsches, Ferraris, AMG Mercedes, and all that fast and...
Welcome to the revised MattStoneCars.com

Welcome to the revised MattStoneCars.com

  Thank you for continuing to visit my site. I hope you’ve noticed that we’ve freshened things up here a bit lately. The site functions much as it did before, but has been mildly redesigned in order to be more attractive, a little easier to use, and...
Reviewed: EVO SUPERCARS

Reviewed: EVO SUPERCARS

  England’s EVO magazine is in my opinion, one of the world’s best enthusiast car magazines. The writing is generally good, the stories well conceived, they dig up good news and dirt, and the photography and graphics are compelling. Every so often,...
End of Summer Car Detailing Hints

End of Summer Car Detailing Hints

Everyone has their favorite and special car detailing hints and tricks, plus their preferred brand of products. I certainly don’t know it all, but have been shining up cars for more than 40 years, so I can only share what I’ve learned, and others can...
Gasser Tribute II coming to the ADM this Saturday

Gasser Tribute II coming to the ADM this Saturday

In 2014 the Automobile Driving Museum (ADM) hosted their first ever “Tribute to Gassers” event. With much success and popular demand, the museum is proud to bring back “Tribute to Gassers II – LEGENDS” exhibit and show on Saturday, August 29, 2015. The ADM will be...
The 65th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The 65th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The big show goes big, and is a wrap for another year As I played with the calendar functions on my phone, then ran the sums, it struck me as amazing that this was my 34th Monterey car Week, and the little service lapel pin they presented me at the judge’s meeting...
Lyon Air Museum extends fabulous Duesenberg exhibit

Lyon Air Museum extends fabulous Duesenberg exhibit

  If you’ve never been to the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana, California (abutting John Wayne Orange County Airport) you simply must put it on your Bucket and To Do Lists. It’s an otherworldly collection of WWII era aircraft, cars, motorcycles, and...
Auctions America

Auctions America

A few entries back, I previewed Auctions America’s upcoming California classic car, motorcycle, and automobila sale, moving to a new location from Burbank to Santa Monica, focussing on less cars and higher quality more engaging offerings than its larger past...
Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Impala 2LT Sedan

Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Impala 2LT Sedan

I grew up during the heyday of what I’ll call the Great American Sedan; big comfy conventional four-door cars with lots of room inside, rear wheel drive, and a big trunk out back. Large displacement, lazy overhead valve V-8s up front that would run forever, and never...
The Wizards of AUS

The Wizards of AUS

A few vacations back, I spent two weeks in Australia. Mostly in Sydney, but also in the Hunter Valley wine country and the Blue Mountains. Wonderful country, nice people, and the most amazing harbor you’ll ever see.     And a bitchin car scene. As you...
2015 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

2015 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

I grew up a Lincoln guy, my dad always had them in the 1960s and early 70s, and I’ve owned them too. One of America’s great car company brands, with substance behind the name and big chrome grille. Not always, but usually. Needless to say, it really disappointed me...
Alfa Romeo Car Show (AKA Alfas at the Autry)

Alfa Romeo Car Show (AKA Alfas at the Autry)

I’m embarrassed to have to admit to you that this wonderful little club concours took place last fall, and I just kept overlooking the photos in my “To Post” file. So for that, I apologize. But no matter, I thought you’d still want to see the...
Driven: Chrysler 200C V-6

Driven: Chrysler 200C V-6

By now you’ve seen Chrysler’s “America’s Import” ad campaign for the Chrysler 200 sedan. It’s pretty clever stuff, leaning on big name talent icons such as Eminem and Bob Dylan. And it also plucks our heartstrings for Detroit; America’s long ago designated Motor City....

I’ve spent many hours daydreaming about why car people are so jazzed up over finding a dusty old car abandoned in a barn or garage. Is it an update or automotive incarnation of the buried treasure fantasy? Or a spin on the notion of nostalgia? Or maybe some people...
Denise McCluggage, 1927-2015

Denise McCluggage, 1927-2015

By know you may have heard that Denise McCluggage passed away last week at 88. I knew her for many years, and pretty well. Among many other things, she was a superlative racing driver, competitive skier, and sports and automotive journalist. I won’t recount her...
Driven: Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

Driven: Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

When I first saw the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG at an auto show, I knew it was a car I had to drive and evaluate as soon as possible. I immediately liked the CLA’s curvy styling, and was interested that Mercedes had again elected to offer a more value priced “entry...
Woodies in the Park show coming soon

Woodies in the Park show coming soon

Some news from my friends at the Automobile Driving Museum that I thought you might enjoy…. (El Segundo, CA) The Automobile Driving Museum (ADM), a non-profit museum that preserves historic automobiles, is proud to present “Woodies in the Park” picnic and car...
Amother Amazing Amelia (Island Concours) Again

Amother Amazing Amelia (Island Concours) Again

photography courtesy Neil Rashba and Kirk Gerbracht Here’s some news from my friends at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, at which I’m honored to serve as a judge and also contributing writer to the show’s official program. And extra...
Trying My Best to be Media Social

Trying My Best to be Media Social

I find the media convergence to be very exciting. Although it can be a bit dizzying to an old school dog like me. For my life and business, Facebook and Twitter don’t really fit to well, which is why I’m not active on these platforms. Of course this...
Horseless Carriage Club Tour

Horseless Carriage Club Tour

Photography by Kirk Gerbracht and Linda J. Stone I figured I better post these photos before they become as old as the cars in this wonderful event. Each December, the Horseless Carriage Club of Southern California hosts one of those “not to be missed”...
Got Junk in your Trunk?  Just call Ellen!

Got Junk in your Trunk? Just call Ellen!

The pert, charming redhead in the photo above is my friend Ellen, and yes boys, the gray 911 she’s standing with is hers. Not a boyfriend’s, brother’s or husband’s, but 100% all hers. She’s a serious gearhead girl, a Bondurant trained...
Remembering Pontiac

Remembering Pontiac

Some news I thought you might enjoy from my friends at the Automobile Driving Museum… Remembering the Pontiac (El Segundo, CA) The Automobile Driving Museum (ADM), a non-profit automotive museum that preserves and educates of historic automobiles will be hosting...
Coming Soon — My New Book: Exotic Barnfinds

Coming Soon — My New Book: Exotic Barnfinds

                  Like most of us hopeless carfools, I love great barnfind cars and stories. So I decided it was time to publish my own compendium of them. My friend Tom Cotter really identified the genre with his...
Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Pickups

Driven: 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Pickups

The “compact truck” segment, as we knew it, is largely dead. It was the segment launched in the late 60s and particularly early 70s with those charming, cheap to buy and easy to live with little trucks like the Ford Courier, Datsun 2000 pickup, Toyota...
Number Crunching the Arizona Collector Car Auction Week

Number Crunching the Arizona Collector Car Auction Week

These results are tabulated by the good folks at Hagerty Collector Car Insurance, and while you may really enjoy people paying tons and tons of money for collector cars, or alternately, you may hate it, the information is always interesting to say the least.  So...
MOTOR4TOYS SHOW A HUGE SUCCESS

MOTOR4TOYS SHOW A HUGE SUCCESS

I wanted to show you photos from and tell you about this great event, which took place in early December, before talking about a holiday toy and fun raiser show seemed too strange in the new year.     Motor4Toys is an annual show held in a massive office...
Already Missing Edward Herrmann

Already Missing Edward Herrmann

I’m still in disbelief and shock over the New Year’s Eve passing of Ed Herrmann. I first became aware of Mr. Herrmann’s power and capability as an actor from his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the TV miniseries, Eleanor and Franklin and also...
Driven: 2015 Ford Transit Vans

Driven: 2015 Ford Transit Vans

                  I love full sized vans, particularly Ford Econolines. Now the outgoing 2014 version of the Ford E-Series (nee Econoline) has been around a while and served well, but Ford has been long planning to replace...
Rusnak’s Morning Octane Cruise-In

Rusnak’s Morning Octane Cruise-In

photos by Kirk Gerbracht As you know, I love Cars N Coffee style morning cruise-ins. Get your car out of the garage, see some other cool cars, have a cuppa, BS with your pals, and be home in time to get after your weekend schedule or chores. These things are a great...
“MUSTANGS IN THE GARDEN”

“MUSTANGS IN THE GARDEN”

Guest Blog: Words and photos by Kirk Gerbracht ARCADIA, CA – Ultimately, it is cars that make a great car show. But sometimes the venue just adds a little something extra. Such was the case with Mustangs in the Garden. Celebration of the Mustang’s 50th birthday...
Coming Soon, My New Book; James Garner’s Motoring Life

Coming Soon, My New Book; James Garner’s Motoring Life

James Garner, Steve McQueen, and Paul Newman. My three original Hollywood Car Guy heroes. Somehow I wrote books about them in reverse alphbetical order. Steve McQueen first, then Paul Newman, and now the trilogy is complete, as my piece on the car guy life of James...
Speed Reading: Beast, by Jade Gurss

Speed Reading: Beast, by Jade Gurss

The 1994 Indy 500 was special for me for many reasons. First was that it was planned as my here and friend Mario Andretti’s final crack at the Brickyard. Second is that I planned to be there, with my now late father; we’d gone twice before and had a blast....
Driven: 2014 Chevrolet SS V-8

Driven: 2014 Chevrolet SS V-8

Sir, your four door Camaro SS is waiting… The new Chevrolet SS Super Sport sedan has lived many lives in many different countries under several names and badges. In Australia, it’s a Holden. In England, A Vaxhuall, and an Opel in Germany. It was here in...
Highway Earth 2014 car show — A Star Is Born!

Highway Earth 2014 car show — A Star Is Born!

My friend, photographer Evan Klein and I were having lunch one day and he said “hey, what would you think about a car show at Franklin Canyon Lake Park?”  That’s easy; the Beverly Hills location is beautiful, rustic, casual, genuine, and historic....
MUSTANG The First 50 Years; Two-DVD set now available

MUSTANG The First 50 Years; Two-DVD set now available

I’m not plugging this DVD set because I appear in it.  I’m happy to tell you about it because it’s very good, well done, and every Mustang enthusiast will enjoy it and needs one for their DVD collection. This documentary is very entertaining, and...
Cars & Coffee, Virginia Style

Cars & Coffee, Virginia Style

  It all began last March on a hotel rooftop parking lot in Amelia Island, Florida. We were cruising the lot during Concours weekend, checking out cars as they rolled into and out of the RM auction that was taking place in the Ritz’ ballroom, as were Bev...
Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show 2014 a Huge Hit

Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show 2014 a Huge Hit

    By now you must know that I have a very deep relationship with and affection for this fabulous show, which honors the memory and bitchiness of Steve McQueen, and benefits the Boys Republic, where he wound up as a wayward teen, cleaned himself up and...
I’m Finally Floored!

I’m Finally Floored!

Nearly every garage I’ve owned has had a lousy, or at best, very average floor. I once bought a new house that had clean, pristine, uncracked concrete, and I covered it with a giant piece of tight loop commercial carpeting that a contractor friend of mine pulled out...
Barnfind Car Stories Wanted

Barnfind Car Stories Wanted

I’ve finally decided to write a “barnfind car stories” book.  It’ll be called Exotic Barnfinds, and true to that name, will focus on wonderfully derelict Aston Martins, Ferraris, Maseratis, Mercedes, Porsches and anything else that fits...
A Star is Born: Say Hello to Desert Concorso

A Star is Born: Say Hello to Desert Concorso

Among my very favorite car shows in the world is Concorso Italiano, which takes place on the Monterey Peninsula each August, all wrapped up in the Monterey Car Week that encompasses the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Rolex Motor Sports Reunion at Mazda...
Driven: 2014 Nissan Leaf SL electric

Driven: 2014 Nissan Leaf SL electric

I have great interest, and great faith, in the future of the electric car.  You may or may not remember that at the birth of the automobile, way early in the last century, electric cars were common.  But battery and electric motor technology wasn’t very...
As Always, Amelia Amazes

As Always, Amelia Amazes

Let’s begin with the Big Statement: The Amelia Island Concours d’elegance is among the world’s finest car shows. That is a no-longer questioned fact.  Happysnap photos here by me! It’s a concours at a Ritz-Carlton golf club, on the beach, no...
Lunch at Carroll’s Garage

Lunch at Carroll’s Garage

I miss those phone calls. My cell would ring and it was that unmistakable, I’d-know-it-anywhere-in-the-middle-of-the-night, rich yet raspy Texas voice, announcing that it was “Carroll Hall Shelby, here” – as if it could possibly be anyone else. He’d follow up with...
Review: George Follmer; American Wheelman

Review: George Follmer; American Wheelman

Here’s the dealio on a killer great new racing career history book you won’t want to miss. It’s a large and semi expensive book but worth every penny in terms of the whole story about one of our greatest ever road racers, and beyond that, the rich...