Late Spring Spotting '24

This Spring season has been providing us with some amazing cars! With the last two Spring collections (Early and Mid Spring) giving us a great showcase of classics from all generations and countries, this later Spring collection continues where we left off in April. If Spring has been this good so far, we can only hope that summer will be even better! Happy May everyone, see you this Summer! 

Above: (5/6/24) - 1984 Pontiac Grand Prix (Sam)

Starting off, we have this wonderful example of a mid-80s A-body.  I actually spotted this car a couple times in this location, so I'm wondering if they were affiliated with a production at the theater behind it.  This was taken while I was out for a run, so the camera quality isn't the greatest.  The paint scheme is also very custom, but it makes the car stand out (in a good way, in my opinion).  Ignore the photobombing Suburban in the foreground.

Above: (5/7/24) - 1980s Mercedes SL-Class Coupe (C107) (Sam)

To prove that these cars literally are everywhere, here's yet another example of a mid-80s Mercedes SL.  This one was sporting some Euro-spec plates and was also parked on Williams Street, the source of all classic cars found on campus.  It was in really nice shape (and sporting some late-model BMW rims, as David pointed out to me).

Above: (5/15/24) - 1985 Porsche 944 (David)

Here is a beautiful example of a Porsche 944. This 944 is completely stock, and features a nice set of color matched rims, something uncommon to see on a 944. 

Typically, in my opinion, the 944's design is much overshadowed by the more popular Porsche designs of its time, like the 911, 928, 935, and 959. Maybe less-than-favorable perception of the 944 is a result of modern day examples that I see. Because the 944 is the "affordable used Porsche," the 944 has become inevitably subjected to poor, tasteless modifications. Some are often neglected, and left to sit in driveways, resulting in faded paint and rust. Most 944s I see happen to appear this way, with the exception of a few that are in actual decent condition. 

While the 944's design certainly isn't a timeless one like that of the 911, it is without a doubt an iconic design from the '80s, along with its identical sibling, the 924. However, like the Porsche 914 from the '70s, I think it will be remembered for its contemporary and un-Porsche-esque design. These are not bad qualities, but those that make the 944's design stand out from the rest of Porsche's line up. 

Above: A Closer Look at the 944

With its arctic white paint contrasting with the cloudy skies, my perception was changed, and this 944 came to life. This is a really cool looking car! As I mentioned above, despite its contemporary '80s sports car design, I really like the wedge like appearance up front, streamlined canopy, with the rear glass hatchback. 

My one critique of the 944 are the body panels. I'm usually accustomed to seeing Porsches as one piece of metal, with a seamless appearance of a sleek sports car. The 944, in my opinion, lacks that seamless appearance. Of course, I realize that this is the more budget friendly Porsche, so its likely that the same quality measures weren't taken with higher end models like the 911 and 959. However, I think that an attribute of what makes a Porsche design an iconic one is its seamless and sleek appearance. Perhaps this is the reason why the 944 isn't remembered as highly as the classic Porsches, like the 356, 912, 911, and 959, all of which feature a design similar to what I described. 

Now, to contradict my argument, I don't want this entry to appear as if I don't like the 944's design. I do like it. I think it's a great design from the '80s. I like it because it's a product of its time. Boxy, wedge-shaped cars could only exist during the 1980s. The world was gifted many legendary classics like the C4 Corvette, Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX-7, and the Toyota Celica Supra, all of which feature a design somewhat similar to the 944. Maybe the 944 isn't held as highly as its sportier siblings, but in the land of '80s sports cars, perhaps it's its own legend. 

Above: (5/15/24) - 1958 Chevrolet Fleetside (Sam)

Holy turqoise!  This blue beauty was spotted at Ottoburger, a wonderful restaurant housed in an old garage in Hopewell, New Jersey.  Not only was the food amazing and farm fresh, but I got to listen to big band Jazz and stare at the beautiful truck while I enjoyed my meal.  I would  definitely recommend checking the place out if you're in the area.  It's worth it for the truck alone, in my opinion.

Above: (5/16/24) - 1988 Ford Econoline 150: A Jalopnik Special (David)

Oh look, a BROWN van! If the writers of the automotive news site, Jalopnik, were here, this brown 1988 Ford E-150 would fit the category of one of their favorite flavors of vehicles: brown vans. Seriously, there's nothing more late century Americana than a big, brown, and boring van. While certain shades of brown cars are still produced today, they don't exist anywhere to the extent of the amount brown that rolled off the assembly lines during the 1970s and 1980s. So, turn on your 8-Tracks and don't forget your Motorola DynaTAC, we're talking brown cars today.

In the 1970s and 1980s, brown and its many shades were the "in" color. Houses were brown, furniture was brown, leather jackets were brown, and of course, cars were brown. Every decade of vehicles has a palate of colors associated with that time. '50s cars were painted in coral pinks, yellows, and greens. '60s cars were painted in bright red, orange, green, yellow, and blue. '90s cars were beige. 2000s cars and today are silver, black, white, and red (if you're feeling a little crazy). '70s cars were light brown, dark brown, medium brown, milk chocolate brown, dark chocolate brown, beige, frosty gold brown, and the list goes on. So why the many shades of brown?

According my research, the popularity of the color brown and its many shades was due to the growing presence of environmental awareness following the first celebration of Earth Day in 1970, government emission restrictions, and of course, the oil crisis. As the saying goes "art reflects culture and society," and while a car isn't particularly the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of art, they all spawned from a design crafted by an individual or team talented in creative drawing. In short, cars are works of art brought to life, just like everything else designed, from clothing to interior design. 

Cars in the '50s and '60s were bright because they were a reflection of the post war-boom and good economy that the US saw. When the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Protests, and political unrest became part of reality, the culture of the US became less brighter and more darker. People became grounded and down to earth. They became aware of issues that affected them, like the environment, equal rights, and war. With their new "grounded attitudes," colors became grounded as well, resulting in earthy tones like dark greens, yellows, oranges, and of course, brown. 

Above: (5/16/24) - 1970 Volkswagen Beetle (Sam)

Heading home for my Summer break, I spotted this little Beetle getting a drink at a gas station.  Judging by the car's slightly worn exterior, I'm guessing this could be a daily driver, at least for the warmer months.  As rusty as it is, I don't think it would look that good if it was driven in the snow.  There were plenty of bumper stickers adorning the rusty, rear beam (some from California), so it looks like this Beetle certainly gets around.  I'm not sure if it's been driven to California, but I don't doubt that it could in its current condition.  Drive on, little Beetle!

Above: (5/17/24) - 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe (David)

This a rather peculiar looking Mustang. It was spotted at the Cumberland Cruise In car show, but was not in the main lot with the rest of the show cars. As to why that may be, I'm not sure, because despite its derelict appearance, I really like the chaotic nature of this car's paint scheme. I'm going to try my best to piece together the various aspects of this paint scheme, but take what I say with a grain of salt, because even I truly don't know what is exactly going on with this car. 

It looks to be that the original paint was possibly the color of Night Mist Blue at an earlier stage of its life. At some point, it grew a primer black coating over 1/3 of the front end of the car. Judging by the American Racing "Outlaw" style rims, maybe this Mustang was used for racing, or the owner wanted to give it the appearance of a race car. Later on, perhaps the car retired from its racing career, or it was adopted by a new owner who disapproved of the black coat of paint over the front end of the car. Whatever the case was, the two shades of paint were sanded over, and then coated with another different shade of primer. This leads me to think that it may be reverted back to its original shade of Night Mist Blue, or the owner is going to keep the patinaed look, with the various shades of paint. If it were up to me, I'd keep it in the current state its in, as it gives the car a unique appearance, and gives the owner a cool story to tell at shows. 

I wish this car were in the main lot with the rest of the cars, as I would've loved to learn the true story behind these interesting paint choices. Perhaps if Sam and I return to the show on a different date, we may be able to meet the owner and learn the story of this Mustang. I'm intrigued and curious. 

Above: (5/17/24) - 1965 Pontiac GTO (Sam)

This clean, Hurst-equipped GTO was spotted in a neighborhood near my house.  It's actually on the route I take home from work, so I get the pleasure of seeing it almost every day.  There's also a '73 F250 that lives at this house, but it was out and about when this photo was taken.  Hopefully, I'll be able to grab a shot of the pair together at some point.

David: There's an irony to this photo, if you can notice it...

Above: (5/24/24) - 1983 Chevrolet El Camino Revisited (David)

With another beautiful day and a day off, I decided to hit the bike path for some exercise and fresh air. During the ride, I photographed three cars. This '83 El Camino is the first of the three. 

It's been quite a while since an El Camino has been featured on the blog. Excluding a car show, the last time one was photographed on the street was back in 2022! Otherwise, a few El Caminos from various generations were photographed at a few car shows last summer. This '83 El Camino marks the return of its presence on ONEC, and also the return of one of our earliest official entries! More on that detail later, so stay tuned. 

So, what type of vehicle is an El Camino exactly? Well, an El Camino is classified a "Coupe Utility," a classification coined by Ford, when they introduced their own Ranchero model based on the full size Ford Fairlane in 1957. Chevy followed suit in 1959 with their own adaptation, the El Camino, based on the Chevy Impala. The El Camino and Coupe Utility vehicles alike would eventually become known as a "Ute"(pronounced "yoot"), a term which originated in Australia and New Zealand car cultures. 

This 1983 El Camino is part of the fifth and final generation of the model line, which would end production four years later in 1987. The fifth generation was launched in 1978, in tandem the redesign of the GM A-Body cars that year. The El Camino had always been based on the A-Platform, as it was directly related to the Chevy Malibu, and followed all the mechanical and cosmetic changes to the Malibu since its of introduction in 1964. Prior to 1964, the El Camino had existed for only two years, based on the 1959 and 1960 Chevy Impala. It returned in '64 with the introduction of the Malibu on the new GM A-Platform.

Flashing forward to 1978, with the new redesign of the A-Body cars, the new El Camino appeared sleek and nimble, allowing the vehicle to finally have a sportier appearance, which had arguably been lost during its fourth generation Malaise-era years from 1973 to 1977. The SS trim returned again, but wasn't immensely popular in sales. Though the El Camino model itself was fairly popular with its initial release, as the years rolled by, it gradually sold less and less models, and by 1987, only 13,700 units had been sold in that year only. The El Camino was gradually phased into obscurity, with little acknowledgment by GM. Leftover 1987 models were sold as 1988 models, but only a select few made it to dealer lots. This would be the last time Americans would ever get their own Ute. 

Above: One of Our Earliest Finds!

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this entry, this is one of the earliest cars photographed during ONEC's first official year of 2020. If you venture all the way back to the first Spring Car Spotting entry, you'll notice I originally photographed this El Camino four years to the day I photographed this one. This was completely unintentional, just being a sheer coincidence and surprise when I uploaded the photos after I returned home from the bike path. 

Above: (5/24/24) - 1964 Ford F-250 Custom Cab (David)

Continuing on my ride down the East Bay bike path, I noticed a boxy shape in a clearing through some trees. Interested, I rode to the clearing at an intersection and looked over to my left, to see this beautiful 1964 Ford F-250. It was parked at a construction site, although no workers appeared to be present. Interested in the truck, I hopped off my bike and walked over to investigate. 

This '64 F-250 is part of the fourth generation of the Ford F-Series, which was produced from 1961 to 1966. The fourth generation is notable for modernizing the F-Series line, and bridging the gap between the post-war stylings of the third generation models and the iconic "Dent-Side" style trucks of the subsequent generations starting in 1967. It also separated the Ford Van into its own model, the Ford Econoline, which is also still in production today. 

Ford brought some refinements to the new generation of trucks in 1961. The truck was lowered, widened, and its bed, cab, and front end were designed to have a seamless appearance, with each section constructed at the same height as the other. Several bed sizes were available too. The most noteworthy bed style was the "Integrated Pickup" option, produced only from '61 to '64. The Integrated Pickup saw the cab and bed as one single body panel, removing the gap between the bed and cab in a traditional pickup. However, this would be discontinued in early 1964, when customers complained that overloading the bed would cause the doors to get jammed. 

In 1965, Ford introduced the new Twin I-Beam chassis, which brought an all new independent front suspension to their trucks. This proved to be a revolutionary design for Ford's trucks going forward. Chevrolet had experimented with this design earlier in 1963, and it would take Dodge until 1972 to include an independent front suspension on their trucks. Ford would use the Twin I-Beam design until 1979. 

The fourth generation concluded production in 1966, and the F-Series would be redesigned for the 1967, featuring a more squared off appearance and the iconic "Dent Side" styling. The fourth generation had already laid the ground work to modernize the F-Series and help make it one of the best selling trucks ever made. While the fifth generation proved to be one of the most successful generations in the F-Series' history, it wouldn't have seen the success it did without the modernizing design changes of the fourth. 

Above: Custom Clab Close Ups

It was nice to see a classic truck being used as a work truck. I see classic work trucks occasionally, but not as much as I'd like to. The most notable classic work truck on ONEC is the 1969 Ford F-250 used by Providence Painted Signs. Like their F-250, this F-250 is also in a similar condition, with lots of patina and a bone stock appearance. Besides their beautiful designs, the best part about a classic truck is that it will run forever, and if maintained well, so will the body. I'm sure this is no secret to many of you reading this! In the modern day, where trucks are oversized and used more as people carriers, and less for work, why not consider a classic truck like this F-250? They'll last forever, and you can look classy on the jobsite!

For those wondering what "Custom Cab" refers to on these old Ford trucks, it's simply a trim level. The Custom Cab gave customers a deluxe interior (radio and power steering), and almost any options they wanted, customizable to their tastes. Hence, the Custom Cab name. The trim level would be removed after 1972. The Custom Cab is different from the F-100 Custom, which was the base model offered in the late '60s and throughout the '70s. 

Above: (5/24/24) - 1979 Jeep CJ-7 Revisited (David)

Here's another classic from some time ago, last seen in Bike Ride 17 from 2022. In that entry, it was spotted at Fred's Service Center in East Providence, and nearly two years later, it resides at the same shop and exact parking spot from when we saw it last. As to why this is, I can only hypothesize. The exterior looks to be in decent condition with very minimal rust, but maybe it has some internal issues. 

Perhaps though, I could be fearing for the worst, and this Jeep could be perfectly fine and has simply remained unused in between the times I've seen it. Afterall, the AMC straight six, which was used in Jeeps from the first 1954 CJ-5 all the way until the last Jeep Wrangler TJ-Series in 2006, has been known to be one of the most reliable engines ever made. I suppose I should start looking at cars with the "glass half full" from now on instead of assuming the worst. 

Above: (5/24/24) - 1935 Ford Coupe: A Profile of a Pre-War Coupe (Sam)

While David was out photographing his CJ-7, I was involved in some Jeep shenanigans as well.  While I didn't photograph any classic Jeeps, I definitely saw a few when I gave my friend a ride to pick up his 2000 TJ from a repair shop in Taunton, Mass.  

This Ford coupe was parked at one of the buildings adjacent to the repair shop, and it looked to be mostly original.  I didn't get out to investigate further, as not to appear suspicious, so I took the picture and went on my way back home.  On my way back, I saw a couple classics on the side of the road, and I also had the brief pleasure of following a silver '72 Camaro strip/street car.  

Unfortunately, being the only occupant of the vehicle and currently engaged in navigating it back to Rhode Island put me down the two hands needed to take photos.  Hey, when they figure out how to make self-driving cars, or even self-classic-photographing cars, then we'll be all set.  

Above: (5/31/24) - 1977 Buick LeSabre Custom Landau (David)

Later in the week, I completed another bike ride on the East Bay bike path. Unlike the last ride, I didn't find much in terms of classic cars, but I think that this 1977 Buick LeSabre Custom Landau makes up for the lack of cars on the roads today. 

This 1977 LeSabre Custom is a beautiful original example of a late '70s General Motors B-Platform/Body vehicle. This car has been incredibly well kept, and appears to be in original condition, judging by the quality of the paint and chrome trim. While the paint and trim is in impeccable condition for being 47 years old, there are small areas where the paint has faded and chrome has corroded that show this Buick's age. 

However, don't mistake this as a negative quality. These small imperfections make this LeSabre one of my personal favorite cars to photograph. An all original car gives a glimpse into the era in which it originally existed. In a sense, it serves as a time capsule, preserving the original parts, interior accessories, and options that were given to the car upon leaving the assembly plant that were ordered by its supposed new owner. 

Younger generations, like Sam and myself who enjoy classic cars don't truly know what our favorite classic cars from the '90s and earlier were like, as we were born after that decade. Original examples give us maybe not a true glimpse into a time we never knew, but they do a pretty good job of it. 

Above: A Luxurious LeSabre

The LeSabre Custom Landau was the most luxurious option offered for Buick's full size flagship model during its fifth generation from 1977 to 1985. Despite the downsizing that occurred on updated full size GM B-Body models in 1977, the LeSabre's interior and trunk space were enlarged for better comfort and leg space. The Custom Landau was only available as a coupe, but the Landau top was also available on sedans.

The 1977 to 1985 LeSabres would also be the final LeSabres to be produced on the GM B-Platform. Following 1985, the radically redesigned sixth generation would be produced on the new H-Platform, along with other B-Body alumni, the Oldsmobile 98 and Pontiac Bonneville. The fifth generation LeSabres would also be the final examples to feature a V8 engine and rear wheel drive powertrain, as the aforementioned sixth generation, as well as future generations, would be produced with a front wheel drive setup and a V6 engine. 

Later LeSabre Customs would be slotted to the base trim option instead of the top. The Custom would be replaced by the Deluxe trim option for 1992, and would also be slotted below the Roadmaster and Park Avenue, which would replaced the LeSabre as the full size Buick model. When the Roadmaster was discontinued in 1996, the LeSabre would return as Buick's full size offering, alongside the Park Avenue until 2005. The Buick Lucerne replaced both the LeSabre and the Park Avenue in the full size market. 

Above: (6/3/24) - 1991 Volvo 240 (David)

This Volvo 240 is actually one that I've been trying to photograph for sometime now. As you know from the various entries of 240s on this blog, I see a lot of them. This one in particular is one that I had been seeing around various areas of Providence, RI for the past few years, but never got a chance to properly photograph it. I figured I'd wait for the right opportunity, as there was a strong chance I'd eventually stumble upon it, considering the amount of times I visit the city each week. As my luck would have it, my waiting paid off, and I found it street parked in the West End of Providence when going record shopping. 

This 240 is clearly a daily driver and street survivor. Tell tale clues include the missing trim on the driver's door and faded paint. What isn't pictured was a pretty nasty dent on the rear passenger side door and quarter panel. The car probably obtained these from what looked to be an accidental side-swipe at some point in its life. Hopefully its owner gets it repaired at some point in the future. 

1991 wasn't a particularly interesting year for the 240. The most noteworthy change was the retirement of the "DL" trim option. From 1991 and onward, with exception of the "GL" in 1992 and "Classic" in 1993 (which were exclusive to those model years only), the 240 would have no more trim options going forward. This was likely because Volvo was planning on retiring the model in 1993, and the 740, 940, and 850 were already positioned above it with a higher price and marketing bracket. Volvo most likely wanted to focus buyers on their newer models, despite the popularity of the 240 at the end of its production in the early '90s. 

Above: (6/6/24) - 1965 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan (Sam)

It's only fitting that given the date of this post, we take a moment to honor the troops that gave their lives on the beaches of Normandy 80 years before this photo was taken.  It's something we often overlook and take for granted, not realizing how fortunate we are and what we have been given.  I'll refrain from getting patriotic, but I have to give respect to those who so tragically earned it.  

Something that definitely wasn't overlooked was the full-sized Chevrolet in 1965.  The general cranked out a little over 1.6 million full-sized Chevrolets in 1965, a record which still stands to this day.  Of this total, 1 million cars (including my Sport Sedan) were Impalas.  This Bel Air sedan is one of 271,000 produced for '65, and thanks to David's sleuthing a few weeks prior, we know this car lacks any fender badging, making it one of 107,800 six cylinder Bel Air's made that year.  These cars were already less common than their Impala counterparts to begin with, and with many of them being parted out to revive wrecked and rodded Impalas, four door sedans like this one are a rare sight today.  

It's cool to see this daily-driven example, even if it's a little rough around the edges.  I had to admit, though, I thought someone had stolen my car when I first spotted this one.  I'd like to meet up with the owner at some point and hopefully learn the backstory of the car.  Maybe we can do a full-sized '65 meetup.  This is (unsurprisingly) one of my favorite sightings for this year.  

See Bike Ride 38 for the original entry.

Above: (6/7/24) - 1963 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova Convertible (David)

Here is one of my favorite cars from my childhood, at least in its wagon form. When I was younger, I recieved a Hot Wheels diecast model of a 1964 Chevy Nova Wagon. It was dark metallic red, with black and white stripes. I absolutely loved that toy car because it was a regular car, and not a sports car or muscle car that I was used to seeing in the typical Hot Wheels car lineup. 

While I still loved classic muscle and sports cars, there was something to be said about seeing an everyday car appear on the shelves instead of what I was typically accustomed to seeing. I grew up watching classic television shows, like Adam-12, Emergency!, and CHiPs, so the regular cars that were in the backgrounds of these shows fascinated me because they were the cars that were always overshadowed by the muscle cars and seldom appeared at car shows. My father and I would have competitions to see who could spot the most cars in one scene, and also who could spot the cars first. Our viewings of these classic shows turned into watching the shows for the cars, instead of the plot. Perhaps you could make an argument that this is where my inspiration for ONEC came from. 

When I saw that Nova Wagon, I was excited to see that Hot Wheels was acknowledging the underdogs, and equally just as cool regular cars, of one of my favorite eras of car design, stemmed from my appreciation of those aforementioned classic TV shows. In the years that followed, I began seeing these trends among toy car brands, like Hot Wheels and Matchbox, producing the regular everyday cars that no one would typically give a second glance to. 

I think it's important that cars like these get acknowledged, because they're a part of automotive history, and are usually what helped keep the brands we know and love today alive. On a deeper level, these cars are what our parents grew up in. Whether it be my father's familiy's 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser or my mother's family's 1969 Chevy Impala, these were the cars that they held deeply within them because they were usually space or literal vehicle that allowed memories from school or roundtrips to be born. They look back on these moments with laughter and joy, and also noting the exact car that they were in when these memories occured. Whether it be multiple trips cross country to California in the third row of the Vista Cruiser, or at Gettysburg with an inaccurate map of the park, these regular cars that may seem irrelevant to someone else, were just as relevant to them, and vice versa. Preserving their legacy preserves these memories, because everyone has a memory that started inside a regular car. 

Above: Before the Nova 

Before the Nova, there was the Chevy II. After the success of the Ford Falcon, introduced in 1960, following the recession of 1959, a new compact segment of vehicles proved to be a very popular and profitable market for automotive design. AMC had the Rambler American, which debuted in 1959, and Chrysler had the Plymouth Valiant (known as the Valiant), which had debuted in late 1959. That left GM empty handed without their own small, affordable car. 

In 1961, GM executives were frantic to get their own basic car off the floor. They had the Corvair, but that was technologically complex, featuring an air cooled rear engine, and also a poor reputation from Ralph Nader. So executives pressured engineers and designers to produce a car very similar to the Falcon. They requested no ambitious designs and no unique features, but simply just the bare bones of what makes a car a car. 18 months later, the results of their hard determination to produce a small car paid off, and the Chevy II rolled off the assembly line in 1962, making the Chevy II the fastest new car turnaround in GM history. 

Initially, the name "Chevy II" wasn't GM's first pick to name the small car, as "Nova" was their first choice. However, "Nova" eventually lost because it didn't start with the letter "C." The Nova would be marketed as the highest trim option, sold Chevy II Nova, and later replaced the name as its own model in 1968. 

The Chevy II Nova was offered with the best features available for the model range. This essentially included the largest engine available, automatic transmission, and a radio. It is important to note that a V8 option was not available until 1964, with the introduction of the Chevy II Nova SS, following the introduction of the mid-size Chevelle Malibu that same year. Prior to '64, the biggest engine offered was the inline six cylinder 230 cubic inch engine.