Late Fall Finds

11/22/22 to 12/14/22

The series of cars for the late November/early December months of fall.

Above and Left: (11/22/22) - 1968 International Harvester Scout 1200 Pickup (Sam)

This was spotted as I was leaving campus to come home for Thanksgiving break. I was pleasantly surprised to see the rusty old International tailgate as I was walking to the car. Despite its outward appearance, this one looks to be well cared for. It's got new rims on it, and it might even be frame swapped. The rectangular tube bumpers are also a nice addition.

11/22/22 - 1990 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible (David)

Now I know I'm not one to take pictures of cars while I'm driving, but can you really blame me here? This was spotted on Rt. 1 in Kingston, as I was driving down to campus for my last class before Thanksgiving break. I was driving up to the junction of Rt. 1 and Tower Hill Rd, when I noticed off in the distance the distinctive rear tail lights that were only that of a Saab 900. As I grew closer, growing more excited, I pulled out my phone to try and catch a shot of the rear end, but instead got this nice rear quarter shot of it turning into a strip mall. I rarely do see a classic 900 driving, so I was glad to document this occurrence.

Note: This photo was edited to remove the blue hue the windshield gave it. The natural light shows the car more clearly.

Above: (11/22/22) - 1985 Volvo 245 Wagon Revisited Again! (David)

We return back to the Kingston 240 a third time! However, this time the car was not spotted in passing. As I was driving back from campus, I decided to take the back roads, as Tower Hill Rd. usually gets backed up from other students leaving campus. Here, you can see this Volvo in more detail. It's been pretty well kept, but casual wear and tare shows its age.

I really hope this old Swede goes to a good home. And, for bonus points, this has a manual transmission! That's something you rarely see on an old 240 like this, and I'm sure that also reflects this car's higher price than what the average 240 goes for. I sure would take it in if I could. I've included a picture of the window sticker in case anyone reading this is interested from the Northeast area.

May 2024 update: The Kingston 240 reappeared on Facebook Marketplace in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

Above: (11/25/22) - 1970 Ford F-250 Ranger Camper Special (David)

She's a survivor for sure, but a pretty sweet example of a classic Ford pickup! This was spotted outside of In Your Ear Records in Warren, RI. I just happened to look out the window, and I saw the unmistakable front end of a '70s Ford truck. This is a very well kept truck, and I can tell its clearly a driver. That jade green and off white two tone paint job are just one thing that keeps this truck timeless. Keep on truckin' Ford!

Above: (11/27/22) - 1992 Nissan Sentra Coupe (Sam)

This was spotted on my return to campus after Thanksgiving break. This generation of Sentra is anothe rare sight these days, so I jumped on the opportunity to document this example, even if it's showing a few bruises. Honestly, it's pretty clean rust-wise. The only cosmetic damage I can see is a dent on the driver's side under the tailight and a scuff on the rear bumper.

Above: (11/27/22) - 1978 Dodge Aspen R/T: The "Ass-Pen" (Sam)

I was very surprised to see this when I returned to campus. I felt like I had stepped back in time to the 90s. This is exactly the kind of budget muscle/sports car you'd see back then. In fact, this could be the NJ twin to the fabled Volare Duster that prowls the roads of downtown North Smithfield. Equally as weathered and equally as iconic (and with equally as bad a reputation as the Volare).

12/12/22 - 1965 Chevy C-10 Shell (David)

These next few finds were all found off of Jefferson Blvd. in Warwick. I was driving home from school one afternoon, and decided to check on a particular car that will be seen in a future entry. I was heading down the road, when two classic pickup trucks caught my eye. I immediately pulled into the adjacent lot to investigate. This was one of the trucks. It looks to be a 1964 to '66 Chevy C-10 shell, with a repaint and some racing rims. Since it was parked at a garage, I assume it to be a work in progress. I hope to see it completed one day. The next truck however will be a bit more captivating...

Above and Left: (12/12/22) - 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup (David)

This was the truck that caught my eye, as you can understandably see. This is the second Corvair Rampside I've ever seen, and in my opinion is one of GM's best looking vehicles ever put out.

I don't know if I mentioned this in my last Rampside entry, but these are very overlooked, as the Corvair has become a pretty niche car due to its "unsafe at any speed" reputation it was infamously given by Ralph Nader. But in 2022, the Corvair and its siblings (like this one and the Greenbrier Sportswagon) have become classics and collectors' cars.

Here we have a gorgeous example of a what looks to be a completely original truck. You can see clearly how Chevy was trying to go toe to toe with Volkswagen's T2 series of trucks, but gave it a more "Americanized" take, with elegant body lines and paint jobs as seen in '60s car styling. In my opinion it really is sad that the Corvair fell into such an undeserved poor reputation as it could've been a lot more than what people like Nader accused it of being.

Above: (12/12/22) - 1983 Saab 900 S Sedan (David)

If you asked me what my ideal Saab 900 would be, I would tell you the following: A pre-facelift ('79-'86) Combi Coupe (hatchback) model, with a 5 speed manual, and the Saab "manhole cover" rims. This isn't that exact car, but it sure is close. This is what I would choose to daily.

As mentioned in the previous '65 Chevy Pickup entry, this was the car I was going to check out. This car was listed on Marketplace by Conntech Saab, and I wanted to see it in person because, well you know, a classic 900 close by my house is nothing to ignore. I also don't get the chance to see sedan model 900s that often, as its hatchback and convertible counterparts are a bit more desirable. But, when you look at it, there is something quintessentially European about it that, I think, is captured a bit better than the other popular models.

Ironically, the sedan model was introduced to try and compete in the USDM market, and ultimately succeeded, but not in the way I think Saab intended. Saab was skeptical at first about the sedan 900, saying it looked "too American," but if you compare the 900 sedan to most '80s US sedans, it looks way ahead of its time, with aerodynamic body styling and more safety features, which proved why US auto sales were out competed by import models. Even compared to European sedans, like the BMW 5-Series E28, the 900 still looks unique in that regard. Despite retaining some of the early '70s Saab 99 design elements, the 900 looks ahead of its time, and to be fair, it was. Saab really set the standard in modern car design, which is ultimately what became the Saab legacy.

This 900 represents everything I discussed in this entry, being an all original time machine set straight to the golden years of Saab. I hope this 900 goes to a good home.

12/12/22 - 1988 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible (David)

You may have noticed the 900 convertible parked next to the sedan. I included this for good measure. It's a very well kept convertible, and is not for sale. I'm also a big fan of the fog lights mounted below the bumper. Those were a factory option from Saab. I don't know if this 900 has been photographed in my previous Conntech visits.

Above: (12/12/22) - Snowy Saab Shots (David)

I decided to include these "artsy" pictures I took of the two 900s. The bottom two give you a pretty good comparison of the pre-facelift era 900s and the facelift era 900s. And, how could I not include my favorite Saab rims of all time? Also, the snowy weather fits the Swedish vibe perfectly.

Above: (12/12/22) - AMC Eagle Sedan: Our First AMC! (David)

Lastly, I noticed another unique car from the 1980s parked in the side lot of Conntech. It may have been covered in snow, but its distinct ride height and design gave it away. This was none other than the AMC Eagle, yet another car way ahead of its own time, and from another brand that is unfortunately no longer with us.

The Eagle, much like the 900, pioneered much of modern car design, but in its own way. The Eagle was arguably one of the first SUVs produced. It had four wheel drive, much like a truck, but had the practical body styling of a station wagon, or in this case, a sedan. Almost everything in our SUV crazed car market is due thanks to the Eagle.

Some like to argue the Jeep Wagoneer was one of the first SUVs, which is a valid argument, but the Wagoneer was based off the Jeep SJ Gladiator, much like the Chevy Suburban was based off the C-10. The Eagle, however, was designed on its own to be a four wheel drive economy car, which makes it that much different than the Wagoneer and Suburban.

When I was driving back in my Saab 9-3X, I realized how much in common it had with the Eagle, and that if there was no Eagle, I'm not sure what would've inspired four wheel drive economy cars or SUVs.

12/13/22 - 1987 Honda Civic DX Hatch Revisited (Sam)

David: Ok, can we just appreciate how cool the rear fascia looks on these third gen civics? So '80s!

Above and Left: (12/13/22) - 1969 Chevy Chevelle Shell (David)

A Chevelle Shell - Quite a tongue twister! Like yesterday's finds, I took the main streets home instead of the highway to avoid rush hour traffic and roadwork being done. Once again, driving down Jefferson Blvd, I noticed two cars I didn't catch yesterday. This '69 Chevelle was a project car at the same auto shop where I saw the '63 Corvair Rampside and the '65 C-10. This is an automatic car, however I'm unsure of what was under the hood. My guess would be a big block or the good old 350. My other guess is that they're transforming this into a slightly modified restoration project. The interior was mostly original, but featured an aftermarket steering wheel and some gauges. As for the the car under the tarp next to it, I was unable to tell what it could be. It looked like a '60s GM product, but since it was covered, I couldn't confirm what it really was.

Above and Left: (12/13/22) - 1968 Ford Econoline 200 Camper Van (David)

This is what really caught my eye at first. How often do you see a classic Econoline van? This one has seen better days though.

As I was checking it out, one of the shop technicians came up to me and commented about how much he too liked the van and wanted to have it restored.

According to the shop tech, its a true California vehicle free from rust, and according to the owner, aside from the heavy damage on the passenger side quarter panel, the van is solid. Even the pop up camper still functions. He said the main reason that the van was in that condition was because it was tough to find parts for it. He mentioned one of his customers, who was having their car worked on, said their mother had a similar Econoline, which would have been a great donor car, but it sold before anyone knew of this van. He plans to restore it once he gets the parts, then he'll either sell it or keep it once its finished, and he did tell me it would be parked out in front of the shop in case I was interested.

Maybe we'll return back to see it finished, as I sure would. This is one nice van. It also shares the same color combination of the '70 Ford F-250 in the entry from 11/25.

12/13/22 - Late Night Volvo 240 on University Rd. (Sam)

This was spotted one night as I was heading to work at the university bike shop. I just happened to spot it and snapped a quick pic. I think it's a local car, as I've seen it several more times in the same lot. From what I could see, it looked to be in good shape. I'll have to take a closer look when I'm back on campus.

Above: (12/14/22) - The Seekonk Saab (David)

As promised from last summer, the Seekonk Saab did in fact return. The Seekonk Saab is a base model 900 sedan, and I believe it to be a car made between 1990 and 1993, given that it is equipped with an airbag. It also has the 5 speed manual transmission! It does have the Saab B202 16 Valve N/A, non-turbo engine. Saab began equipping the base model 900s with the 16 valve engine after '89. Previously, they were manufactured with the older 8 valve engine, with the Turbos and "S" models getting the newer 16 valve engine once it was introduced in 1986. Anyways, enough of me nerding out over Saab history, back to the Seekonk Saab. Unfortunately, this 900 seems to have been sitting for a long period of time. Evidence included an inspection sticker from 2017 and dry rotted wheels. Although, I'm fairly optimistic this car could be road worthy again with some minimal maintenance. For starters, Saabs aren't prone to much engine trouble and rot, and it looked fairly solid despite some rust starting to form on the body panels. I debated leaving a note on the windshield because I believe this car deserves a second life. I do hope it gets saved one day.

Reference Late Spring Spotting '22 for the original Seekonk Saab entry.

Above and Left: (12/14/22) - 1970 Buick Riviera (David)

Also spotted today was a Buick Riviera, a car I do not get the chance of seeing as much as I'd like to. The last time I photographed one was earlier this year in Bike Ride 15, but now we have the chance to get up close and personal with one and experience more of its unique design.

While the 1970 model is definitely more tame in its appearance compared to previous models from this second generation of the Riviera, it's just as handsome as its predecessors. You can also see the sharp boat-like styling that would follow the following year, which would be even more radical than the second generation pictured here, produced from 1966 to 1970.

12/18/22 - Acura Integra on Nassau St. (Sam)

This was a cool find that I think I've seen around a few times. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but you really don't see too many more of these eithers. This Integra was also in exceptionally nice shape. There's another one of these back in RI, but it's not in nearly as nice of shape as this.

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