612 E. South, Plano IL 2/26/86
Time for another Street Scenes post. It has been on hiatus for better than a year (sorry about that, Chief), but never fear, for I still have dozens of these pictures from “back when.” Let’s start off with this neo-510 and a 1978-80 Regal. Could that Regal be a Mary Kay car? It almost looks pink. Maybe Mary Kay wasn’t doing so hot in Plano back in the winter of ’86…
For those of you just joining us, my father started his career, in 1972, as an insurance claims investigator at Illinois Casualty Company, which was my grandfather’s company. I worked there throughout high school, during and after college, and once again in 2012-13, before I landed my current accounting gig.
After Grandpa Bob cautioned him to “not go crazy” (his previous cars included a ’70 Boss 302 and ’65 TR4), he proceeded to pick out a new company car down at Bob Neal Ford in Rock Island. It was a bronze 1973 Ford Gran Torino sedan (where to, Lieutenant Kojak?), and so he went to work, driving all over the state of Illinois investigating dram shop claims (alcohol-related claims, for those of you not in the biz). Yes, drunk people, car crashes, bar fights–you name it. Fun! Or not. The Torino was just too mainstream for my dad, and it was replaced with a ’74 Capri V6 the very next year. Later company cars included a ’77 Volvo 245, ’77 Monte Carlo, ’79 Bonneville (my first automotive love!), and an ’81 Volvo 242DL.
5908 Adams Street, Bartonville IL 3/6/86
These pictures are from insureds with a policy in force in the mid-’80s. Back in 1999 or so, I was tasked with pitching a ton of old stuff that had been transferred to microfilm (remember microfilm?), including policies that had long since lapsed. Some of the files had shots of the location and I became fascinated with the old cars in the background. I asked my boss if I could keep some of them, and she said no problem, since they were destined for the garbage can. As a result, I have at least a couple hundred of these pictures, and it’s time to share some more!
115 W. Everett, Dixon IL 1/24/86
We’ve seen a Regal and an 88 (but did you notice what was next to the Olds?), so let’s finish with a FoMoCo product, in this case a 1975-78 Ford LTD hiding off to the left of this very ’60s package store. Looks to be a well-optioned Landau model–it even has cornering lamps! Sadly, we will never know if it was a coupe or a sedan. See you next time!
That first picture has me imagining a Mary Kay lady after a really tough day, popping the cap from a frosty PBR. Or maybe a boilermaker?
I can only imagine the shock to the system of alternating between a Porsche 356 and a Gran Torino. I don’t see how a guy could ever get used to one as long as he still had the other.
Probably no more trouble than I have switching between these … I’d call it more stimulating than shocking!
Looks like my iPad ate what I meant …
I have said it once before on this forum and others but i will say it again. Miata’s are good reliable cheap fun(especially the NA version with the pop up lights)
When i was working at a GM dealership(and was much skinnier then I am now) as an apprentice to the shop foreman(who was also the MD state inspector) I got to test all the cars going up for sale at the dealer. One was a black NA Miata. It was one of those “wow” moments. It was not really fast or had high HP but the combo of smallness and lightness made for a car that was very spirited on 495.
Tell me do Miata drivers still wave at each other while passing?
As for the wagon in that pic of yours, it looks nice also. I love BAWs(Big Ass Wagons) and that one looks in great shape.
Is that an Alliance next to the Delta 88?
I love the “Old Style” beer signs that seem to be in the majority of these bar shots.
The Regal seems more beige than pink, GM did have an applesauce pink beige flesh color during that era.
Last photo? Barnaby Jones stopping in for a bottle of Grandad after a long day at the office?
Yep. You can see the nose if you look in the reflection in the door to Terry’s Pizza.
…and the AMC logo on the trunk.
Barnaby only drank milk.
I dunno, driving that string of 1970s LTDs would likely have made anyone fall off the wagon and head to the package store at least once. 🙂
My great-great-grandfather, Hazard Kendall, was the Plano town marshall in the latter half of the 19th century. His 1899 obituary stated that he had a flowing white beard, wore a silk hat, and wore a Prince Albert coat. The obit goes on to say that he was a “terror to evil doers”. Sounds like a bad ass.
With a first name like “Hazard,” you’d better be badass.
I love these posts! It’s truly looking through a window of time. I recently came across some old photos with cars in them my grandfather took (not for work, he just like taking pictures). They might just find their way to my scanner and onto CC.
It must be that only the very earliest Alliances had “AMC” badges – I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
Being close to Kenosha, we saw lots of “AMC” badged Alliances during it’s first year. AMC loyalists were eager for the ‘all new’ car. But the word got around once they started dying in traffic, and the loyalty went away fast.
Regal looks off-white or some light creme color. Mary Kay cars are a lot more “pink-er”.
Lt. Kojak drove a Century, the only cop I know, real or fictional, to do so. (Broderick Crawford drove a couple of Buicks on “Highway Patrol” but he also drove Mercurys, Oldsmobiles and Dodges).
The 83 Alliance did have an AMC badge, which migrated to a decal on the back window, and then went away altogether.
Oh, I knew Kojak drove a Buick, but the Torino still reminded me of it. Crocker usually drove a blue Century, while Theo’s was brown. There were even Century NYPD squads!
From imcdb:
Somewhere in my house there is a Corgi version of that car, lightbar and all.
He drove a Torino in the pilot episode.
I’m loving the Datsun right of the Regal. I can’t recall since I last saw one. It looks so 80’s! I’ve seen more 510’s than I have this generation Stanza.
Every other car in the Regal shot is a Datsun.
Cars aside, I’ll just bet there are some interesting stories behind the reasons these photographs were taken!
They were insureds at the time, and a photo was taken for each policyholder’s place of business for the file at the home office. Sorry, I know it’s not that intriguing 🙂
BTW that Custard Yellow color on the LTD pins it as a ’77 Spring Special.
http://oldcarbrochures.org/NA/Ford/1977_Ford/1977_Ford_Spring_Wheels_Folder/1977-Ford-Spring-Wheels-Folder-04