SC Bike Path Ride 3

David: I call this the "Land Rover Bike Ride" because of the amount of old Land Rovers I  found. I usually don't see old school Land Rovers that often, but for some reason, there were a ton around today. I also found some other cars too, including some old semi cabs.

Above: Land Rover Defender 4-Door Pickup

This is an early Land Rover Defender Pickup. These phased out the Land Rover Series III, carrying over similar design elements from the Series III into production. Starting production in the mid 1980s, these were originally designated the Land Rover 90 and 110, before being renamed the Defender 90 and 110 in 1990. Land Rover kept this design up until 2020, with the unveiling of the all new Land Rover Defender at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2019. 

Above: Land Rover Defender 110

Next to the blue Defender, we come to another Defender in a different body style. This one has the traditional Land Rover styling, a 2 door open top pickup, complete with a luggage rack on top. Dating these old Land Rover Defenders can be tough to do, since there aren't many cues to look at to distinguish each year. 

Above: 1991 Land Rover Range Rover Classic at Kingston Station

The Range Rover classic was another Land Rover kept in production for over for over 20 years. These were introduced in 1969 as a luxurious option compared to the Series II and III being offered at the time. This was arguably one of the first SUVs, alongside the Jeep Wagoneer. The Range Rover was offered as a two door until 1981, making this example a more recent model. The Range Rover was updated periodically with minor cosmetic updates in its almost 30 year run. In  1986, this recieved a small front end update, with a more refined grille. This Range Rover is a post-facelift model. Production of the Range Rover Classic ended in '96, as the more modern Range Rover took over as Land Rover headed for the 2000s. Today these are a rare sight, as I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen one of these. More historically, they're an important vehicle in Land Rover's history, as these not only paved the way for what Land Rover became today, but set the standard for modern SUVs, once again, along with the Jeep Wagoneer. 

Above: Mercedes Benz 300 TE (W124) Wagon at Kingston Station

The Mercedes Benz 300 W124 was the successor to the infamous W123 300 turbo diesels of the late '70s and early '80s. The W124 entered production in 1984, with the estate (wagon) entering production in '85. Towards the end of their production, these became known as the E-Class, a trim level still used by Mercedes today. 

Like the W123, these old W124 cars are approaching modern classic status, and becoming more and more a rarity on the street. I know we say that a lot, but it is true. I remember these a lot from when I was younger, but as I've aged, so have these, and it's hard to think of a car like this as something that becomes a nostalgic piece of one's memory. This car is like an old song that comes on the radio that you only heard when you were younger. And when you hear that song again, maybe 15 years later, it sparks memories of that time long ago. The Mercedes Benz W124 isn't a timeless classic like the 300SL Gullwing, similarly like Pink Floyd's The Wall isn't a classic on the same level like The Dark Side of the Moon. It never will be. However, both are great albums, and some that will be a relevant part of history for a long time to come, or as long as people wish to care about them. The W124 is The Wall, made by the same manufacturer of the 300SL, but it will never reach the status of the 300SL. However, the W124 will be remembered as one of the last classic Mercedes Benz cars before the modern era, like The Wall will be remembered as the last great Pink Floyd album with the classic band line up.