Bike Ride 28

David: This will most likely be the final bike ride for the summer, as I ran into more bike issues following the end of this ride. Someone had thrown a glass bottle into the road, which I didn't see until I ran it over and blew out my rear tire. While it's an easy fix, and certainly less traumatic than my last incident, I think this is it for the summer bike ride series. I'm very glad to have gotten three good rides in before I return to school in the next few weeks. 

This bike ride, again, rides through the city, this time exploring some local residential areas not yet explored by myself via bike. There's lots of rarities and obscurities for you to see on this ride, and I think all of the finds have never been seen before! I hope you enjoy the conclusion to the summer bike ride series. 

Above: 1987 Volkswagen T3 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Edition

The Volkswagen T3 was the final form of the beloved Volkswagen family of microbuses. While the original was introduced in 1949 for the 1950 model year, the bus's spirit would carry on all the way until 1991, when the final T3 rolled off the Hannover, Germany assembly line. The T3 was a much more refined design compared to the previous two generations, but it nonetheless remained a popular vehicle among those who used it for work, travel, or nomadic lifestyles. And, like the previous classic generations, the T3 has remained just as relevant today, finding its revival in "Van Life" trends.

The T3 bus was introduced in 1979, when Volkswagen updated their entire lineup. The previous T2 had been updated in 1970, but like its Beetle counterpart, the design was based off of a post-war '40s design, and was beginning to show its age. The T3 was a breath of fresh air, incorporating many styling cues of the 1980s. The design was more squared off and boxy, and it included headlights and black plastic trim, now flush with the body. With the change came a new powertrain as well. While original T3 models came with the classic VW air cooled engine, beginning in 1983, VW began using a naturally aspirated flat four cylinder, also mounted in the rear. 

1986 saw a slight update, including a new front fascia, switching from the single circular headlights to a rectangular design, seen on this example. This design would carry until the end of production for US and European market vehicles in 1991. Models made for military use stayed in production until '92, however, models exported to South Africa ended ten years later in 2002. 

Today, the T3 has seen a revival in popularity. With the nomadic lifestyle trend, commonly known as Van Life, the T3 has become the official van of those who wish to travel and explore the lands and roads via mobile home. While the Westfalia models are preferred, many have converted standard T3 models into small living spaces as well. The T3 is the more cheaper, durable, and spacious option, as many have been preserving the classic T1 and T2 models for car shows and museum pieces. 

Above: Combi Close Ups

This is a Wolfsburg Edition of the VW T3 Bus. The Wolfsburg Edition trim got you a van equipped with extra third row seating that could fold into a bed, as well as some storage cabinets under the seats. It wasn't quite a camper model, but it was close enough for those who needed a place to sleep if on the road for a long period of time, and didn't want the hassle of a fully furnished interior. 

This van has also been incredibly preserved, and sees daily use around town. The white rims have always stood out to me, and look really well in contrast with the dark metallic gray paint. I'm unsure if they're stock to the van though. I've always wanted to photograph this, but its usually parked in the owner's driveway, or not at home. Luckily this time, it was street parked, for me to get some photos.

Above: 1984 Toyota Camry LE Revisited 

We return to a car you may have forgotten about or overlooked. Last summer, this Toyota Camry was photographed in passing, so the picture wasn't great, and I wasn't putting as much thought into the entries and photos as I am now. Anyways, I digress. I hadn't really seen this Camry since last summer, leading for me to believe that the owner was visiting from out of town, or the car simply gave up. I hoped either weren't the case, as I always wanted to photograph the car again since I was unhappy with the photo I got last summer. While I went on to photograph many cars around my town, I always kept this Camry in the back of my mind, hoping one day I could photograph it again. 

Finally, we have ourselves a first generation Camry. A that's become exceedingly rare, and therefore, hard to find on the road. At least around my hometown of Cranston, I still see third generation Camrys, but I honestly think this might be the only second generation Camry I know of. If there's one Camry that started the reputation of one of the world's most reliable cars, the first generation was that car. Introduced for the 1982 model year, the Camry, once known as the Celica Camry, had become its own model in Toyota's line up. It was a simple car that reflected most 1980s minimalist designs of the era. 

Above: 1987 Chevy Celebrity CL Eurosport

The Chevy Celebrity has become a forgotten car of the 1980s. The Celebrity was intended to be the successor to the Malibu, which ended production following its fourth generation in 1981. While the Malibu was based on the GM A-Body platform, GM had developed a new A-Body platform for their new mid size front wheel drive vehicles. The previous A-Body was redesignated the G-Body, which is best known for the 1980s Monte Carlo and Buick Grand National. The new A-Body became the home for the Celebrity, the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera,  Buick Century, and Pontiac 6000. 

In 1982, Chevy introduced the Celebrity and its A-Body counterparts, which no pun intended, became a literal celebrity among GM buyers. During its eight year production from '82 to '90, the Celebrity sold very well. For an American car of the 1980s, it was stylish and modern enough to keep up with the other imported cars of its day. Along with the Cavalier, it became Chevy's best selling car through the decade. However, like a celebrity in their 15 minutes of fame, Chevy was turning the spotlight towards their latest project, the Lumina, which was being developed to phase out the Celebrity. Chevy decided they wanted to replace both the Celebrity and Monte Carlo with one car, so the Lumina would be Chevy's cat's meow for the 1990 model year. The Lumina would last for two generations when, ironically, the Malibu, Monte Carlo, and Impala were all revived in the 1990s. 

Above: A Forgotten Classic

The Celebrity Eurosport was introduced in 1984 as a "sporty" edition. Differences include black and red trim and badging, sporty rims, and a 2.8L V6, which made around 130 HP. While it certainly wasn't sporty or European, the Eurosport was one of the most successful trim levels of the Celebrity during its production run. 

Today, the Celebrity Eurosport has been lost to time. Overshadowed by most other '80s GM products, like the Caprice and Monte Carlo, the longevity and cultural status of these other models is what led to their rememberance in the 21st century. While the Celebrity was a success for GM back in the 1980s, it wasn't around long enough for Chevy to let it develop enough for the car to be fully remembered by most car enthusiasts in the modern day. Many critics regard this as the main reason why it isn't a cult classic today.

Above: 1987 Mercedes Benz 560 SL (R107)

It's been a while since we've seen a C/R107 Mercedes Benz on ONEC. I think the last time we saw one was back in May of 2023. Anyways, as I entered the city, I found this sleek classic parked off a side street. While these little sports cars are probably the most commonly found classic Mercedes, I can't help but admire them. They're beautiful cars, to simply put it, and its arguably why they've been able to stick around for all these years. 

When I was younger, my friends and I used to walk down to the end of our street to the town pool. It was always great way to kill a summer afternoon, especially in the New England heat and humidity. On our way down, there was always a white Mercedes Benz SL-Class roadster. It was a beautiful car, and I remember thinking that about it every time we passed by on our way down to the pool. Today, that car is long gone, and I'm not sure where it went exactly, but the essence of beauty the white Mercedes had within it remained with me up until today. So yes, while I photograph these a lot, they're damn worth it every time!

Above: 1987 Chevy K-20 Scottsdale

Continuing into the residential areas of Providence, I traveled west, leading me out of the downtown area. I traveled up Broadway street, one of the main roads that conencts the downtown area to the residential parts, as an alternative to the highway. 

I passed by a local gas station, glancing over, and my eyes rested on the unmistakable front grille of the Chevy C-series "Squarebody" pickup. The truck was higher in stature than most Squarebody pickups I had seen, which made me wonder if this was a custom truck, or the less common K-Series. The K-Series is the four wheel drive version of the C-Series. There's no difference between the two except the drivetrain. Upon closer examination, it was indeed the latter of the two, however there was a peculiar aspect to the truck that I'll get to down below... 

Above: A Confused Chevy

What may seem to be your typical Chevy Squarebody pickup is actually a little bit more! Look closely at those rims, and you'll see something that doesn't quite belong. Yup, Dodge Ram rims on a Chevy truck, and it fooled me at first, because they look pretty stock at first glance or to the common eye. I for sure found this to be an intriguing aspect, and I hope you do as well. 

Above: 1978 Ford Econoline Custom Camper Special

This is a rather groovy find! We have a classic Ford Econoline Camper Special from 1978, complete with faded brown and orange pinstriping and off white paint. This is a third generation Econoline, with an uncommon camper body. This is in fact a factory option, known as the Camper Special, and was offered by Ford throughout the Econoline's production, until the end of the 1980s. 

Let me start out by saying I couldn't find much information regarding the Econoline Camper Specials from this generation, so bear with me! The Camper Special was offered by Ford for both the Econoline and F-Series lines. For the Econoline, the Camper Special package was most popular on the first generation vans from the late '60s, with the option for a pop up camper top, similar to a Volkswagen Westfalia, like the T3 bus from earlier. In the 1970s, as motorhomes began to increase in popularity and evolve, so did the Camper Special. It essentially became what we see here: A luxurious motorhome, with a retrofitted living section, able to accommodate an entire family, which was much larger than the previous Camper Special offerings.

Like the T3, the old Ford Econolines from the '60s and '70s have seen a resurgence in popularity, although not to the extent the classic Volkswagens have. The classic first and second generations are much more popular and desirable among Van Life enthusiasts and collectors, due to their two tone paint jobs, and ergonomic pop-up camper. Being that this is the only Camper Special I believe I've seen to date, I'm going to assume they haven't caught on yet. I think the downfall of the '70s Camper Special is ultimately its size. This was a large vehicle, and if you're going to be traveling across the country, I feel you'd want a smaller van with better efficiency and something that takes up less space.

Above: 1974 Volkswagen Type 181 "Thing"

Here we have another classic Volkswagen, the Thing! The Thing, like Beetle, is one of Volkswagen's most historic cars, with a design also dating back to World War II! While I know I have to keep things short, I will take some time to discuss the history of these odd cars, and why they should make a resurgence today.

Before becoming known as the Type 181 "Thing," these were previously known as the Type 82 Kubelwagen, literally meaning "Bucket Car" in English. The Kubelwagen was designed by Ferdinand Porsche in 1938 and manufactured by Volkswagen in 1939 as a staff car for the Nazi military in World War II. It saw use immediately in the Invasion of Poland in 1939. It was used in many different fronts throughout the war, and was favored by soldiers due to its light weight body and ability to seat several passengers. When the Allied powers took control of Germany in 1945, production would halt, while other Volkswagens for civilian use were developed. Older Kubelwagens were repurposed, bartered or scrapped for parts. 

Following World War II, and the split between East and West Germany (I could spend days on this subject, please read about it if you haven't), production of the Kubelwagen halted, and Volkswagen wouldn't produce a vehicle like it until 1969, when the new Type 181 "Thing" debuted. Although it looked incrednily similar to the Type 82 Kubelwagen, the two vehicles shared no parts at all. The Type 181 was initially designed for temporary military use for the West German military while NATO worked on a project known as "Europa Jeep." 

The Type 181 entered production for civilian use in 1971, as Volkswagen saw an opportunity to create an alternative to the Beetle. Since Mexico was one of the largest markets for the Beetle, there was demand for a more rugged version, and VW thought it would fill that market demand. VW also knew of the dune buggy scene on the west coast of the US, and thought the Type 181 would also serve as an alternative to the Beetle, since it featured a convertible top and removable doors. 

Built out of a hodge podge of Volkswagen parts (Floor pans from the Karmann Ghia and axles from the T2 Kombi), the new "Thing" wasn't really the "new thing" VW intended it to be. While yes, it certainly was radical compared to cars of its time, it could be argued the Thing entered into production too late. In 1975, it failed to meet US safety standards, and in Britain, it sold so poorly, Volkswagen just stopped exporting them, and canceled production for civlian use. The Type 181 remained in production until 1983, only being sold to NATO forces, in anticipation of the Europa Jeep, which ultimately failed and was abandoned in 1979. The Type 183 was created in place of the 181 and the Europa Jeep, and became the successor of the Type 181. 

Above: The Thing: Front and Rear

Now why should Volkswagen bring this back? I think they have an opportunity to compete with other luxurious former military vehicles, like the Jeep, Land Rover, and Mercedes Benz G-Class. While the Thing wasn't a hit back in its day, I think its been able to overcome its reputation because of how unique its design is. Although Volkswagen has canceled the Beetle, it would be cool to see them bring this back as a fun alternative to the golf, and to compete with Jeeps and Land Rovers in the "luxury" off-road market.

It's not everyday you see a Thing, which makes seeing one all the more special. Seeing a Volkswagen Thing is like ordering a McRib. They're both great because they're infrequent. Maybe that's a poor analogy, but the point is, seeing one of these is special because you never do, just like how the McRib is special because McDonald's only sells it a few times per year. 

Above: 1986 Mazda B-2000 SE-5 

The Mazda B-Series holds a very interesting history. While it was initially developed as a compact commercial pickup in 1961,  it became a part of Ford's partnership with Mazda in an effort to compete domestically with the import car craze of the early '70s. While the second generation debuted in '65, in '72Ford's partnership with Mazda to badge engineer Mazda products in the US to compete with the import brands introduced the Mazda B-Series in the United States, known as the Mazda 1600 and also the Ford Courier. It sold very well, especially following the gas crisis of 1973 (here we go again!). The third generation debuted in 1977, and was produced until 1985. This would be the final generation produced in tandem with the Ford Courier. 

Following 1985, a new generation of the B-Series debuted. While not too much different from the previous generation, the fourth generation saw the B-Series as its own stand-alone model, with no badge engineered Ford product alongside it. It was praised by automotive critics for having a smooth, car-esque ride, and the ability to hold a lot despite its smaller bed and lighter weight compared to larger trucks of its time. The B-Series became the top rated truck for three straight years from 1986 to '88. Mazda introduced graphics available on higher trim level trucks, giving it a sportier appearance, as seen here. The fourth generation ended production in 1998, with the fifth generation coinciding again with the Ranger. The fifth generation would mark the final Mazda truck sold in the US. The Mazda BT-50 succeeded the B-Series, but was not sold in the US. 

Above: 1992 Nissan D-21 "Hardbody" SE-V6

And to conclude, we have a Nissan "Hardbody" pickup. There's a reason they call these the Hardbody, as it is one of the most reliable trucks ever built. We know from Jeremy Clarkson's demonstration on Top Gear that a Toyota pickup is indestructible, but a Nissan D-21 isn't too far off. Afterall, this was produced during the golden years of Nissan, and the company wasn't cutting corners in quality control.

Following the Datsun 720 pickup of the late '70s, the new D-21 was introduced in 1985 to compete with the Toyota Hilux and Mazda B-Series compact trucks. The truck earned the nickname "Hardbody" from its hard edged styling, and double-walled reinforced bed, making the truck very durable and appear very rigid and tall. The truck remained largely unchanged throughout its near 11 year production run, seeing slight cosmetic updates. Ultimately, production halted in the US because the truck's fairly antiquated design by 1996 standards failed to meet OBD-II requirements, and the new Frontier entered into production that year.

It wouldn't be the final truck Nissan ever produced, as the D-22 Frontier would succeed it following 1996. However, with the D-22, the quality control and reputation would go downhill following the turn of the century and a rather tragic merger with Renault. The D-21 remains one of the last great Nissan products of its golden days, and many are still seen serving their owners well today. 

Note: Parked in the driveway of the house where I spotted the Nissan truck was a 1993 Volvo 240 sedan. I would've gotten a picture, but I didn't feel like trespassing!