By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to another edition of the CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot where we discover hidden gems that you may have never known about, and I try and convince you that they are worthy of the muscle car designation. There is no doubt that Buick made muscle during the later half of the 60s, right up to 1972 with the Skylark GS and GSX. These were deemed as the gentleman’s muscle car, one that spoke softly and carried a big stick. However, Buick was about to introduce a new line of mid-sized cars, and they dusted off an old nameplate, Century. They didn’t completely ignore the performance and youth market though, and that is where this model comes in, the Buick Century Gran Sport, with the 455, for 1973 and 74.

Continue reading after the jump!

Continue reading "CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot: The 1973-74 Buick Century Gran Sport" »

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

The new year is upon us, and it’s time for a brand new season of the CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot, where I profile a car (or in this case, a truck) that you might not consider a muscle car, and try and change your thinking on what a muscle car can or should be. It’s been a while, and I’m glad to be back at CarDomain, writing about obscure muscle, like this entry on the Dodge Dakota 5.9 R/T.

Continue reading after the jump!

Continue reading "CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot: The Dodge Dakota 5.9 R/T" »

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot, a series where I describe what I consider to be a muscle car, and where you either agree or disagree with me. It has been a fun year last year, and in December I ran a series of posts in which I asked you, the reader, to select your favorites by decade. Well, it’s time to reveal the best, and to do a final vote. Think of it as the Superbowl of Obscurity.

Continue reading (and vote!) after the jump!

Continue reading "CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot: The Best of 2009" »

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about. And not all of them were produced in America, as this post illustrates.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So what are your favorite Muscle Cars produced Overseas?
- The Jensen Interceptor: Chrysler Power, British Coachwork!
- The Mercedes Benz 450 SEL 6.9: A German Panzer Tank that performed!
- The Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3: The Heart of the 600 Pullman Limo in a manageable size!
- The 2003 – 2004 Infiniti M45: So Obscure, even Infiniti dealers don’t recognize them.
- The Lexus SC 400: The Performance Lexus.
- The 1985 – 89 Merkur XR4Ti: Turbocharged European Ford with a mind blowing name.
- The Ghia L6.4: Italian Body with a Chrysler Power Plant.
- The Chevrolet Firenza Can Am 302 – South African Muscle with a Yankee Heart!
- The Ford Capri Perana – Another South African Wonder, and why was it not offered here in the states?

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, The Muscle Trucks of the Parking Lot. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So, what are your favorite Muscle Truck of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot?
- The Dodge Warlock and the Lil Red Express Pickup Trucks, the fastest vehicles available during the late 70′s!
- The 1990-1993 Chevrolet Silverado 454 SS, a Big Block in a two wheel drive dynamo.
- The 1993-1995 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, the first generation.
- The 1999 – 2004 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, this time with a Supercharged V-8!
- The 1971 – 1072 GMC Sprint SP. Don’t call it an El Camino!
- The 1956 – 1958 Chevrolet Cameo Pickup. The first truck for the leisure market!

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, the 1980′s, when Muscle Re-emerged. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So what are your favorite Obscure Muscle Cars from the Regan Era?
- The 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2, an Aerodynamic Coupe produced to dominate the NASCAR high speed tracks.
- The 1983-84 Ford LTD LX, a Mustang 5.0 with four doors!
- The 1984-86 Ford Mustang SVO, a new wave performance car
- The 1984-88 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, with a screaming four cylinder Turbocharged engine.
- The 1984-90 Lincoln Mark VII LSC, the return of the Hot Rod Lincoln!
- The 1986 Buick LeSabre Grand National, the OTHER, somewhat tamer Grand National.

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, the 1970′s OPEC Cruisers. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So what is your favorite Muscle Car dominated by 2 OPEC Oil Embargos, as well as the Disco Era?
- The 1977 Pontiac LeMans Can Am. This was suppose to be the new GTO!
- The Mercury Marauder X-100, and this turned out to be one of the more popular posts in this series!
- The 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst, one of the last of the Full Sized Muscle Cars.
- The 1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350, or what it really was, the 442 Light!
- The 1971 AMC Hornet 360 S/C, a follow-up to the S/CRambler.
- The 1971 – 72 Plymouth Sport Fury GT. This was a full sized Muscle Car that sold in small numbers.
- The 1974 AMC Matador 401 Coupe. A New styling direction for AMC.
- The 1970 AMC Rabel Machine. Just as cartoonish as the S/CRambler, but even bigger!
- The 1977 – 79 AMC AMX. An anemic AMC, built off the Hornet platform.
- The 1974 Pontiac Ventura GTO, built off the Chevy Nova Platform. This would be the last domestic GTO.
- The 1973 – 74 Ford Grand Torino Cobra Jet, the very last CJ equipped Torino.
- The 1973 – 74 Chevrolet Laguna S-3, equipped with a 454 Big Block.
- The 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Wagon, built in very limited numbers.
- The 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon with the 429 Cobra Jet!

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So during this week, it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, the 1960′s Unknowns. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So, what is your favorite little known Muscle Car from the period dominated by muscle cars?
- The 1962-1963 Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire, Americas first Turbocharged V8!
- The 1963 Studebaker R2 Super Lark, and the R2 Super Hawk, both with Supercharged V8s!
- The AMC Rambler Marlin, predecessor to the great Javelin and AMX models.
- The 1968 – 70 Oldsmobile Toronado W-34, the first Front Wheel Drive Muscle Car!
- The Ford Galaxie 500 7 Litre, from 1966 – 67, Big Power in a full sized car!
- The 1963 to 1965 Buick Riviera. Classically proportioned Muscle, that was also luxurious!
- The 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440; a very rare compact Muscle Car.
- The 1965 Chrysler 300-L; The Bankers Hot Rod!
- The Turbocharged Corvair, an unusual choice, and the second Turbocharged American Car.
- The Beaumont SD, and mix of Chevrolet and Pontiac for our Canadian Neighbors.
- The 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G; A tribute model for Dan Gurney.
- The 1969 AMC Hurst S/CRambler, an outrageous Rambler, in an eye searing color scheme.
- The 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix; Different Body, the year before the Mid Sized Grand Prix debuted.
- The Studebaker Avanti – Ahead of its time, too little to save Studebaker.

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the year end wrap-up of the Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot. If you recall, this series was all about uncovering obscure makes, and redefining what a Muscle Car could be. We have discovered that Muscle originated during the 1950s, blossomed during the 1960s, and continued on through the 70s and 80s in a somewhat de-tuned state only to find a re-birth we are enjoying today. My focus was not to highlight the already established Muscle Cars like the Chevelle SS, the Pontiac GTO, or the Hemi Chryslers, but to find hidden gems that you may not have known about.

So it is now up to you, the Car Domain reader, to vote on your favorites. There will be specific categories, like today’s example, the 1950s Cruisers. In the end, sometime after the New Years Holiday, there will be one car crowned as your favorite Obscure Muscle Car, and park it in the Parking Lot, with a few CarDomain Members rides highlighted.

So what was your favorite 50′s cruiser from the Series?
- The 1957 Rambler Rebel, defined as the one car that started the Muscle Car Period.
- The 1958 Packard Hawk, with it’s Supercharged V8, and were very rare.
- The 1957 Pontiac Bonneville, the car that ushered in Performance at Pontiac.
- The Studebaker Golden Hawk, with either a Packard Big Block, or a Supercharged Small Block.
- The Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a car that virtually dominated NASCAR during the first half of the 50s.
- The 1957 Supercharged Fords (Called the F-Series), which included the Thunderbird, and at least one Wagon!
- The Dual-Ghia, with Chrysler Power, and Movie Star Panache.
- The Dodge D-500, with rip snorting power, and huge tail fins!

By Ryan Porter

IN-N-OUT Editor

You have no idea how many e-mails we get about ratings. Members are constantly concerned about the members who’ve rated their car and until now we couldn’t really help anyone out all that much. Well guess what, now you can see who rated your car and how they rated it!

I don’t know about you, but I find this to be awesome. I’d much rather know who took the time to leave me a rating verses who left me a comment. From there I can check out their rides and leave them a more personal message.

To find this, go to your ride page, scroll down to your guestbook and click on Ratings on the right hand side.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

UPDATE: 12-18 8:15AM

I wanted to give you a heads up on a few changes that we’ve made.  First we’ve gone through cleaned up votes from nearly 17,000 non-authentic users who over the years had joined only to leave bad ratings.  We looked for users with out complete profiles who had been leaving notoriously bad ratings to everyone.  (Our search was far more complex than my above statement but that covers the gist of it.)

Second, XTZTwinTurbo pointed out another behind the scenes feature that I would like to address.  Behind the curtains there is a lot of magic going on to keep ratings fair and one is a tool to stop repetitive votes coming from the same IP or in other words from the same household.  What this means is that uses can no log in from multiple accounts a the same location and voe for the same car weather it be good or bad.  Tools like this and many others are all things we’re doing to make ratings the best feature we can.  -Ryan