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Los Angeles Is Littered With Thousands Of Oil Wells Hiding In Fake Buildings, Under Schools And Playgrounds

staff@jalopnik.com (Logan K. Carter) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, abundant oil attracted waves of American settlers to Southern California, and it remains a significant industry.

5 Cars That Did Modular Bodywork Before The Slate Truck

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:25:00 +0000

Slate's modular truck may seem like a pathbreaker, but it's far from the first vehicle with swappable parts. These production cars and concepts got there first.

The 2007 Shelby Terlingua Is My Favorite Deep Cut Performance Ford Mustang

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:25:00 +0000

The Shelby Terlingua Mustang, named after the Texas ghost town Carroll bought in the 1960s, cost a bundle but had all kinds of fun modifications.

5 Of The Smallest Displacement 6-Cylinder Engines Ever

staff@jalopnik.com (Chloe Clougher) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

Six-cylinder engines come in a variety of sizes, but these are really tiny. And yet, one of them managed to get to 200 miles per hour, way back in 1939.

5 Of The Largest Inline-6s Ever Made (Ranked By Displacement)

staff@jalopnik.com (Marko Mikulic) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:25:00 +0000

The inline-6 is limited by the engine bay's size, but some huge ones have been built over the years. Here are five of the biggest, ranging to over 13 liters.

There Are Die-Hard Slot Car Fans Out There Keeping The Hobby Alive

staff@jalopnik.com (Chloe Clougher) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:25:00 +0000

Slot car race tracks and fanatical collectors were everywhere in the '60s, and then it all just faded away. But the hobby is surprisingly alive and well today.

Was The 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX 2000 Really Repainted To Fool The Press?

staff@jalopnik.com (Aakash Badree) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:25:00 +0000

The story goes that Carroll Shelby's prototype Cobra was painted multiple colors over time to make it seem like he had several cars, not just one. But was it?

Don't Believe Their Lies, Lots Of Great Cars Were Made In The '70s

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:25:00 +0000

The cars of the '70s are often derided as malaise-era clunkers, but that ignores the many great automobiles made in that decade. Here are nine of the best.

Why The 1979 Ford Mustang Indy 500 Pace Car Was Such A Big Deal

staff@jalopnik.com (Erik Sherman) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 03:25:00 +0000

In 1979, Ford showcased its new third-generation Mustang as the official pace car of the Indy 500. This was a key moment for the Mustang as a whole.

Quarter Century Of Automotive Taste: The Best Selling Cars From 1980 To 2005

staff@jalopnik.com (Josh West) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:45:00 +0000

Times change, and so does what buyers are looking for in a new car. You can tell a lot about generational shifts by seeing what was selling over 25 years.

The Alaska Highway Was Built Across 1,500 Miles Of Wilderness In 8 Months In 1942

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 09:25:00 +0000

The U.S. had proposed a highway to link Alaska to the lower states in the 1920s, but Canada wasn't interested. Then bombs fell on Pearl Harbor.

Connecticut Set America's First State Speed Limit In 1901, And It Was Charmingly Low

staff@jalopnik.com (Aakash Badree) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:25:00 +0000

If you were driving in the Nutmeg State in 1901, you might have been startled to see a sign telling you how fast you were allowed to go. It wasn't very fast.

The Atlas Engine Family: GM's Lost Inline-5 Experiment

staff@jalopnik.com (Benjamin Gracias) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 21:25:00 +0000

An ambitious attempt to modernize trucks, GM's Atlas inline-5 was a weird, complex engine that powered the Colorado and Hummer H3. But it had some problems.

5 British Car Brands You've Probably Never Seen On American Highways

staff@jalopnik.com (B. L. Johnson) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:25:00 +0000

You have to hand it to the British: they make truly gorgeous, unique cars. But we seldom see the best of them here in the States, and that's a crying shame.

7 Rarely Mentioned JDM Engines With Surprising Power

staff@jalopnik.com (Max Larsen) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:45:00 +0000

The Toyota 2JZ-GTE, Nissan RB26DETT, and Honda K24 get all the attention, and deservedly so, but these overlooked JDM engines deserve a closer second look.

How Cloning A Ford Pickup Started This Automaker's Rise To The Top

staff@jalopnik.com (Monday Goma) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:25:00 +0000

A certain automaker has become the biggest automotive brand in the world in terms of sales. And it wouldn't have gotten that far without an old Ford pickup.

8 Factory 4-Door Convertibles That Range From Stately To Quirky

staff@jalopnik.com (D Figg) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:45:00 +0000

From the start to the middle of the 1900s, lots of cars came stock with four doors and an open-top driving experience. Here are eight of the most interesting.

If Chrysler Had Built These Concept Cars It Might Not Be Failing

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:25:00 +0000

The once-vaunted Chrysler brand is all about minivans now, but it didn't have to be this way. Here are some concept cars Chrysler could have put in production.

8 Of The Most Unconventional SUVs Ever Made

staff@jalopnik.com (Michael Sullivan) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:45:00 +0000

Before all the SUV designs converged into what we see today, automakers offered strikingly different styling and concepts. Here are eight of the oddest.

How The Average MPG In The '70s Compares To The Average MPG Today

staff@jalopnik.com (Eugene Buono) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:25:00 +0000

You probably know that modern cars are far more efficient than 1970s models, but how does the average MPG truly compare once you factor in new technologies?