The Morning Commute with Sam

5/22/23 - Datsun 280Z

This was actually spotted on the first day of my internship, and it would continue to make a regular appearance throughout the Summer.  it was in really nice shape, and I think it was being used as a warm weather daily.  

5/22/23 - Double OBS Chevy Trouble! 1977 Suburban and 1972 C-10

Somebody's a big GM fan!  This house had not one, but two vintage Chevrolet trucks, with one being a pre-squarebody C-10 and the other a squarebody Suburban.  The Suburban looked like it hadn't moved in a bit, but the C-10 may still have been in use.  At least, none of the tires were flat, from what I could tell.  

5/22/23 - Two-Tone VW Beetle 

This was the first of many Beetles I spotted during my Summer commutes.  Apparently, the Volkswagen Beetle is alive and well in Southern Rhode Island, as many more would make appearances in the coming months.  I only spotted this one once, but I did see another two-tone one (this one was light blue and lowered) a few weeks later.  

5/22/23 - 1954 Chevy Bel Air Coupe

Down the road apiece from the Beetle, I was passed by this immaculate 1954 Chevy Bel Air.  This era of Chevy doesn't get as much appreciation as its Tri-five brethren from the following three years, but I still appreciate the styling of these rigs.  This car was in exceptionally nice shape, and I was pleased to see someone taking car of what is usually an overlooked car in the collecting community.  

5/23/23 - Frankenstein VW Super Beetle

This was the next Beetle I saw.  I can't remember which parts are which years, but the decklid and taillights are from two separate years.  My guess is that someone in the past replaced the decklid with one off an older Beetle because that was what they had available at the time.  I like the roof rack, but I'm not a huge fan of the aftermarket rims, which is usually the case with me.  I didn't see it move at all over the course of the Summer.  

5/23/23 - 1983 Chevy G-50 Van

This was another rare sight that I felt should be documented here.  At one point, these 80s-90s GM vans were everywhere, chugging along in various states of disrepair and being the subject of many a pedophile joke.  But they're mostly gone, now, being replaced by the occasional Astro Van and the last-generation Ford Econoline.  This one was in exceptionally nice condition and sporting a shiny, white utility paint job.  I'm glad to see someone taking care of this van.  

5/23/23 - 1973 Mercury Cougar

This car was located towards the end of my return route, so I saw it just about every day coming home from work.  It didn't move an inch over the Summer, but it had moved from the location it was in when I saw it the previous year.  Plus, it was now on jack stands and sporting a new antique plate.  Maybe I'll have the pleasure of seeing it on the road soon.  

5/23/23 - 1976 Chevy Nova in Hiding

This Nova has been sitting for awhile, and it didn't show any signs of movement when I saw it over the Summer.  This was another car on my return route that I saw almost daily.  It doesn't look to be in bad shape rust-wise, but I'm sure it needs the usual tuneup and brake work to get it drivable again.   If I had more space and less cars, I'd consider trying to buy it off the owner and daily-ing it.

5/24/23 - 1939 Chevy Deluxe Coupe 

I consider this one my coolest commute finds.  Although the bronze color isn't factory-correct and was probably done in the 70s, I still like the look of the car.  It was up for sale at a local shop, and I would have liked to take a closer look at it if I could.  I remember it moving around a bit on the lot, so it definitely still drove.  

5/25/23 - 1962 Cadillac Sedan DeVille in Hiding 

Also spotted in Reader Submissions 2023 

This Cadillac greeted me on the way to work for a couple mornings and then vanished, only to briefly reappear before vanishing again.  I'm not sure if it got sold or the house I saw it at wasn't actually its home.  I think I remember someone doing some work on it one of the times I drove by.  

5/25/23 - 1950 Chevy 3100 Dump Truck

This was parked outside an old salvage yard.  I'd like to take a trip to this yard at some point because it looks like it has a few old Beetles and a sedan or two from the Google Earth photos.  I don't recall this truck showing any signs of moving as I watched it over the Summer.  

5/30/23 - 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe 

This Mustang definitely still got out and about.  Some days, I'd see it parked in the driveway as you see it now, and other days, it would be out cruising or tucked away in the garage.  It's in very nice shape, and I'd definitely like to own one like it some day.  Wouldn't we all?

6/5/23 - Custom 1939 Ford Coupe

This was spotted on one of my return trips.  Going by the old saying of "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything," I'll keep my comments to a minimum.  Let's just say I'm not a fan of these kinds of custom jobs.  

6/6/23 - First Generation Ford Econoline Van

This Econoline looks like it's been sitting awhile, and it didn't show any evidence of being worked on as I watched it over the Summer.  I've driven by this van for awhile now, and I don't ever recall it looking any different.  

6/8/23 - Willys CJ-3A/M-38 Jeep

This was a cool find on the way into work one day.  I don't see Willys Jeeps like this too often, much less on the road.  

7/18/23 - 1974-78 GMC Squarebody

This truck made a brief appearance one day in July as I was coming home.  It was in really nice shape and may have been recently restored.  That, or it was well-maintained its entire life.  Regardless, I was happy to see it, but even happier for my next GM-related sighting that happened a few minutes later.

7/25/23 - 1979 VW Beetle Convertible

This was the last of many Beetles I recall seeing over the Summer.  It's funny, I saw this car stopped at the same traffic light several times on my way into work.  I guess the owner was using it as a daily over the Summer.  And no, that's not a Christmas tree strapped to the roof, though it might look like one.  It's just a bush perfectly blocked by the Beetle so only its top is showing.  Maybe I'm just seeing that now since I'm writing this entry at the end of November.  As it turns out, this is actually a very rare car as it is painted River Blue Metallic, a color used by Volkswagen for the Beetle's final year of production in the US.  I originally thought it was a custom color and didn't find out how rare a car I had seen until now, when I did some research while writing this description.  Buzz on, little Beetle!  I hope to see you again next year.

8/10/23 - 1990 Honda CRX Domino's Special

This poor, beat-up CRX was spotted on my way home on the last day of my internship.  I don't see these cars very often, so I try and document them every chance I get.  This one had some serious rust in the rear quarters, but it was still running strong.  I don't believe it suffered from any of the muffler deficiencies (either accidental or intentional) that typically plague its kind.  Being a delivery vehicle, this car likely gets the crap kicked out of it.  However, it's managed to hold on for this long, so what's a little longer?

8/10/23 - 1970-72 Ford Maverick

Another find on my final commute of the Summer was this first-gen Maverick.  Like most people, I find myself a fan of the Maverick before it got the humongous 5MPH crash bumpers in '73 (an affliction that would plague its sleek styling until it was discontinued in '77).  This one is sporting some muscle, or it at least appears to be, given the scoop on the hood.  There was definitely a V8, probably a 302 or 351, under the hood, and it sounded great when it took off.  

8/10/23 - 1966 Chevelle Sport Sedan

This is a car that I've known about for several years, but could never get a good photo of it.  I first saw it parked next to a garage on the side of the highway, but the growth of bushes and trees obscured it from view during the subsequent Summers when I passed by the car's resting place.  It was in disrepair when I first saw it, so I was surprised when I finally made the decision to leave the highway and drive past the house and saw it in its full patina glory, plated and wearing a set of rally wheels.  I'm really glad this one's back on the road where it belongs.  And with that, we end my commuter car series for the Summer of 2023.  Be sure to come back next year, as I'll be interning at the same place again and likely seeing more cool classics!