About Us
Old New England Cars, formerly known as Car Spotting in New England, is an automotive blog dedicated to preserving the old, unique daily drivers and vintage vehicles that inhabit the Northeast Coast of the US.
ONEC was started by good school friends David Hajian and Sam Gerhard, who both shared a passion for classic cars. The blog took shape during the 2020 Pandemic, when David would ride his bike around his home city of Cranston, Rhode Island and photograph the classic cars he would find on his rides. He soon enlisted the help of Sam, who lived in North Providence, RI, to join in on the search for classic cars, and add them to the growing collection.
What started as just simply a hunt for classic American cars from the 1960s and '70s, began to diversify, with more imported vehicles and older daily drivers that, once common road vehicles, had begun to disappear from the brutal New England roads.
Currently, while the two primarily have been focusing on academics, the ONEC mission continues, with even more cars being spotted from different parts of the Northeast, including New Jersey, Maine, and New York.
David (Left) and Sam (Right) with Sam's '65 Impala
Our Own "Old New England Cars"
Sam's 1965 Chevy Impala Sport Sedan
Purchased in May of 2022, this has been Sam's project for the past year. Having the desire to restore a classic car from the golden years of American automotive design, Sam discovered this Impala a year prior in 2021, and fell in love with it.
It's an all original '65 Impala, with a 283 CI engine coupled to the undying GM "Powerglide" two speed automatic transmission. His goal is to restore it to its original state as it rolled off the St. Louis GM plant in '65. Modern appointments, such as front disc brakes and a retrofitted Bluetooth accessory in the radio were added for ease of use.
Read more about Sam's '65 Impala in 1965 Impala Restoration.
Also check out Sam's radio blog: https://scholarsproj.weebly.com/
David's 1990 Volvo 240 DL Estate
Purchased in April of 2023, the Volvo became the source of David's preferred method of transportation. After returning home from school in New York, a commuter car would be needed to get to school and back.
Being a Swedish car enthusiast, he came to the conclusion that a Volvo 240 would be the car of choice, as the Volvo 240 is revered for its reliability and safety.
Like the Impala, the Volvo is all original. The Volvo "Virgo" style rims aren't original, but will be kept due to their classic Volvo style. David's goal is to drive it daily, while preserving it for as long as possible. Like Sam, he also wanted a classic car to drive and care for.
The Volvo was sold in August of 2023, in favor of a more economic commuter, a Toyota Corolla.
Read more about David's Volvo 240 in The Volvo Journals.
Resourceful Links
Sam's Radio Restoration Blog: https://scholarsproj.weebly.com/
David's Swedish Car Blog: https://theswedishcarsite.blogspot.com/
Langdon Clay: Cars, New York City: 1974-1976 Photo Collection: https://langdonclay.com/portfolio/carsnyc
Old Parked Cars Blog: http://www.oldparkedcars.com/
NYC Hoopties Car Blog: https://nychoopties.blogspot.com/