James Dean

Why Are Some Convertibles Called Spiders?

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I have never truly understood why some convertibles are called spiders, since spiders are creepy and generally undesirable creatures and not small sporty topless fun machines. There are a few potential origins for this automotive arachnidian nomenclature mashup, one rooted in a poor translation, and one that comes from way back in the horse-drawn carriage … Read more

What Automotive Mystery Have You Never Found An Answer For?

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Snow and ice covers an old car parked outside a home during freezing temperatures in Lakewood, Colorado on January 16, 2024.Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post (Getty Images) You’d think cars, which are essentially engineered rolling mech suits created by science that we power with eons-old liquified plant matter, would be fairly straight forward. But through out … Read more