JULY 1 STAR OF THE WEEK: 1980 PLYMOUTH GRAN FURY A-38 ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE CAR

JULY 1 STAR OF THE WEEK: 1980 PLYMOUTH GRAN FURY A-38 ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE CAR

July 1st is a huge party for Canadians --- Canada Day 2012 is the 145th birthday and Canadians from coast to coast celebrate the "true North strong and free" with a party in a land so big that it crosses 5 time zones, 10 provinces, 3 territories and touches 3 oceans.

It takes place in areas so far north that the sun never sets and so far south that it parallels northern California in latitude.

You need to have a big party in a country that big...Canadians have it covered.

This big 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury was the perfect choice for mscc Star of the Week. These old Mopars are rare on their own but 13,000 mile Royal Canadian Mounted Police A-38 police service vehicles are off the chart rare.

A Mountie police car on Canada Day...was there any other choice, eh?

JUNE 30 STAR OF THE DAY:1950 MERC—FROM THE "THINGS YOU DON'T SEE ANYMORE FILE"

Many good things were left in the past – this is one of them. When was the last time you saw a project worthy 1950 Mercury.

Every car guy knows that the 49-51 Merc took on instant curb appeal, long before James Dean drove one in Rebel Without a Cause..

That's why supply rapidly outstripped demand so affordable Mercs disappeared faster than beer at a frat party.

This Star of the Day was found in the past...probably at least 40 years ago so it is clearly an entry in the "things you don't see anymore file".

JUNE 29 STAR OF THE DAY- 1969 CAMARO AT NIGHT...BLUE CHIP PIECE OF AUTOMOTIVE ART

This Camaro was at a show late last summer and it set up a great twilight shot. This one clearly wasn't stock – the 454 badge was a dead giveaway.

1969 Camaros are like investing in gold because they really are a hedge against inflation. There has never been a point in the history of the 69 Camaro where it dipped in interest...they even survived the tepid cultural era known as the late 70s disco period.

This one was a Star of the Day because it was cool in 1969 and still pulls off cool today...only guys like Jack Nicholson can pull that off over 40 years.

JUNE 28 STAR OF THE DAY:1968 CHRYSLER 300 CONVERTIBLE – MOPAR LUXURY IN 68

1968 was a turbulent year of unreast in many ways but one tradition continued at Chrysler Corporation – the 300 convertible.

It was considerably tamer than the hairy brute 300 letter cars of the late 1950s but it still had presence and a respectable wallop with a 440 under the hood.

This 68 300 was in a feature mscc story last year and that proved to be a very popular story so here's another look at this Mopar classic (and today's Star of the Day) from a show last year.

JUNE 27 STAR OF THE DAY: 1960 VOLVO 544 B-16 – THE KIND OF CAR THAT TUGS AT YOU

The Volvo 544 series is definitely an acquired taste. Old school car guys liked the amalgamation of post war 46 Ford/48 Chevy fastback styling in these Swedish imports.

Volvo hung onto that look into the mid-60s so these retro-looking cars hit the streets as brand new cars, just as the muscle car era began so it wasn't unrealistic to see a brand new 544 parked next to a brand new GTO.

That was a very, very cool sight...one of many enigmatic features of the 1960s.

This 544 was in a back alley and it turned out to be for sale. That was like an electromagnet...a huge personal tug because there's a big family ownership history with these quirky-yet so cool Swedes.

Nostalgia may be a driving force but this 544 is an easy Star of the Day.

JUNE 26 STAR OF THE DAY:1984 HURST OLDS – DR. OLDS WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD

In the early 1970s Oldsmobile ran a very successful campaign based on a character called Dr. Oldsmobile. He was a white-coated guy with a fictional scientific background who checked out the mammoth-engined 442 Olds in the ad.

That was in the early 70s when brute force was the only form of physics that mattered on the street. In the 1980s Dr. Oldsmobile would have been in his element because the mission was simple-wring power out of choked-off smaller engines.

Olds pulled it off in 84 with this Hurst Olds. They were like welterweights – smaller, quicker punches delivered in a hurry...TKO.

This Star of the Day was at an early June show and it showed the world what Dr. Olds was doing in the mid-80s.

JUNE 25 STAR OF THE DAY: THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE ROAD – TWO DIFFERENT CARS...ONE PHILOSOPHY

This picture travels on many levels. On the surface you have a 2nd Gen Mustang doing highway time with a 61 Chevy Impala – the combination is calendar worthy visual for car guys.

But it also speaks to a bigger philosophy...a car guy philosophy.

Car guys are notoriously loyal to their brands so Chevy guys and Ford guys mix like the proverbial oil and water. They defend their turf like George Washington at Trenton when the topic of Chevy versus Ford versus Dodge becomes a battle.

Until they hit the road.

That's when car guys sign Peace Treaties and demonstrate the true meaning of "car guy". On the road labels disappear and that Chevy guy in the lead becomes a car guy. If he has a problem that Ford guy behind him is going to be the first guy on the scene.

The Star of the Day is the Brotherhood of the Car Guy because it transcends brand loyalty...that's how it works for car guys.

For past Stars of the Day please click here -- http://www.mystarcollectorcar.com/2-features/star-car-tunes/1560-star-of-the-day.html