Canadiancatgreen, our most prolific Cohort poster, has uploaded his latest trove of finds. I’ve selected a number that are all in driveways, many of them in unassisted long term care awaiting some future ministrations, which may or may not ever come. Shall we place bets as to whether this ’54 Chevy pickup has had or is still awaiting its engine swap? Never mind; that’s too easy. How about what engine is intended for its engine compartment. Too easy too…
Both the ’70s and the ’80s are represented well here. Guess which one still runs, probably?
Two Volvo 200 Series sedans.
Here’s a better look at the daily driver. It’s always good to have a parts car on hand.
Even the 1940s are represented, in the form of this ’46-’48 Chrysler.
This Cadillac also seems to have been relegated to either parts or “someday” status. Don’t wait too long!
As best as I can tell, this is a Porsche 911E 2.4, which would make it a 1972 or 1973 model year. Very nice…My pick of all of these, not surprisingly.
Some fine old vans resting up for the next adventure, if it ever comes.
A better look at the Dodge. I would have loved this back in the day. I did end up with a ’77 Dodge Chinook.
One of a growing fleet of the many used imported vans from Japan. A Toyota Hi-Ace, in this case.
Here’s another, a smaller Toyota Noah. FWD, and probably a similar size to the Previa. I’m seeing several Honda StepWgn minivans around here. Something in between a kei van and a more typical minivan.
One more, of a more recent Toyota Alphard. Canadians only need to wait 15 years to be able to import non-complying cars. Lucky them.
Another RV waiting hopefully for one more trip. Where shall it be to? Baja? Florida? Arizona? It was likely a snowbird’s motorhome.
A Toyota FJ lover lives here.
Another angle. Both FJs are having a battle with rust. Who will win?
Here’s another shot, of a pretty rusty Land Cruiser.
A big bruiser Lincoln Town Sedan, missing its driver side window.
Everyone needs an old Ford pickup hanging about.
Whether it runs or not.
This Cadillac looks to still be a runner.
An old Dodge truck makes a good alternative to a Ford. it’s going to be an ODGE pretty soon.
There’s got to be at least one old VW Beetle in every neighborhood. The Dodge Maxivan didn’t leave much room for it.
This is what I really wanted back when we wanted to buy a station wagon for Stephanie some years back: a Honda Accord Touring; it’s not a North American Accord but the Japan and European version, which was a bit shorter, narrower and also had a wagon version, the Touring. The sedan version was sold here as the (first) TSX, widely proclaimed for its delightful handling, zip and tidy size. But Acura failed to bring the wagon over. Boohoo! The next gen TSX wagon we did buy is also a Japan/Europe Accord, bit it’s a fair bit wider and chunkier.
That’s the end of today’s drive somewhere in Canada. Someone will figure out just where it is.
Great collection of Photos. thank you
Border states are good for car-spotting, as we’ve seen a few Mexican HiAces and HiLuxes here.
Anyone know what hurdles there are in purchasing these secondhand?
The driveway car, the testament to our good intentions, but lack of follow through. My neighborhood is a solid middle class neighborhood of well kept homes, not a DIY kind of place. Most homeowners don’t even do their own yard work, there aren’t guys in their driveways working on their cars and trucks. There aren’t even young kids driving around in their parents handed down vehicles. From what I can see, I’m the only guy that works on their own machines. But I see many cars sitting forlornly in the drive, and they haven’t moved in years, and probably never will. But no one has donated these to a charity for a Tax deduction. Most of these cars aren’t being protected from the elements, they are just weathering away, which leads me to believe that they aren’t being saved for someone, like a younger family member. Why are they keeping them?
At one time, I had a few cars parked around, but mine were always protected from the elements.
On my daily walk around I can count 10 driveway cars; two late nineties Camaros, two unidentified un interesting sedans, a ’90’s Explorer minus rear wheels,
an ’80’s Jag XJ6 in a garage, a ’90’s Honda Accord, a ’90’s Toyota Solara, an ’80’s Buick J car,and a mid 2000’s Jaguar XJ8 that was beautiful, (heartbreaking) but sat the curb for almost a year before it disappeared. Then there are the curb cars, that I see occasionally move; an 00’s GMC Yukon and an Infiniti G37 coupe with a slightly damaged front bumper.
There are also two stalled restorations. A recently painted ’67 Impala coupe, on jackstands, (why isn’t this in the garage?) and a ’74 Camaro which had the front clip removed by the young guys in the family, and looks like it might be slowly going back together again.
I am currently down to a total of four cars and a motorcycle, and all of them run and are driven. No more driveway cars for me.
I enjoyed this post and reminded of the times many years ago I used to cruise back alleys in certain neighbourhoods to see what was parked in the back. On rare occasions if I came across a car I thought had potential for restoration or minor repairs to make it roadworthy, I’d ring the doorbell and enquire.
I recall a rough looking 67 Shelby fastback, mid-90’s Impala SS (before they became a thing), an LTD LX with a mid-eighties Mustang beside it in the driveway. The 69 Charger with the damaged roof. No longer living in a residence with a double garage, work bench and lots of tools, my days of serious wrenching are way behind me.
I bet that ’54 Chevy either runs or could be made to easily .
Old vans like these are finally not being saved by gardeners, too thir$ty methinks .
Most of these are at least parked on Concrete, that’s the single most important thing if you ever want to save it .
-Nate
The brown 911 is a 1972, the tell is the “oil flap” i.e. what looks like a fuel filler flap behind the right hand door. The actual fuel flap is in the front fender, the oil filler flap apparently caused lots of issues with mistakenly being used for gasoline. Hence it disappeared and is a 1972 only “feature”.
All of the current plates are Alberta issue. The house next door in the Toyota Hi-Ace image plainly shows the address, which is in Edmonton. That narrows it down some.
The first Cadillac in image #6 has a Hawaii plate – it has been around.
Great photos!
Wonderful pictures. Of (mostly) wonderful cars and trucks and vans and SUV’s. A lot of nice older stuff, but I’ll confess to be smitten by the Accord wagon. I remember seeing a few of these in Hong Kong at the tail end of my Asian business travel before I retired (2011 – 2012). Along with the Toyota Alphards which were common executive (???) transport in HK, always with large diameter wheels and very low profile tires and totally blacked out windows – as were many of the Accord wagons. Not my thing but very noticeable on the streets. My HK colleague had an English-language term for this style of long-roof wagons and vans. Maybe “gangster”?