As 2026 begins, it seems like a natural time to revisit some random car photos I took during the second half of last year. These are cars and trucks I’ve found interesting enough to photograph, but with only one or two pictures, I don’t have enough material for a long write-up. Many were taken on the road, and none will win any photographic prize, but together they form a varied collection of curbside classics. I’ve organized these roughly chronologically, starting in the summer – enjoy the journey of randomness.
We’ll start with this 1997 Nissan pickup. Several things attracted me to this truck. For one, pre-Frontier Nissan trucks have become mighty rare, but aside from that, this one looks to be in showroom-new condition, with wonderfully ’90s Vivid Teal paint and swooshy side stripes. Commonly known as the “Hardbody,” these were officially just called the Nissan Truck and were produced from 1986 through 1997. As a ’97 model, this is the last of its line, before Nissan began producing the equally successful Frontier.
“There’s no smoother, more comfortable way to get there on the ground!” That was one of Chevrolet’s ad slogans for its 1963 Impala, and while this Impala sedan looks to be a bit far from that motto now, its clean lines still carry quite a bit of poise.
BMW’s E21 3-Series cars, sold in the US between 1977 and 1983, have become scarce, so seeing one is a cause for celebration. Or at least a photo. My best guess for a model year for this 320i is 1979-80 – it’s great to see one of these still on the road, since the E21 was a huge factor in BMW’s success during the 1980s. And look at that airy greenhouse!
I’m one of the few who liked Buick’s Reatta, and spotting this 1990 model was quite a treat. Like it or not, this is a distinctive shape — when I first saw this car from about 100 yards away and through traffic, I instantly knew it was a Reatta. Buick produced only about 6,400 Reatta coupes for 1990, so I don’t expect to see another one of these any time soon.
When seeing cars like this Mark I MGB in traffic, it’s hard not to be impressed at how minuscule it seems compared to everything else on the road. Here we see the B dwarfed by a Honda CR-V, which itself is considered a modestly-sized car now.
Not many cars would dwarf this convertible — well not in size, at least. Everything else in Chrysler’s 1969 lineup dwarfed the 300 convertible in sales figures, as only 1,933 of these were made. I wish I had come across this car in some venue other than while driving on a highway, though it was great to see this man getting some highway-speed, open-air enjoyment out of his rare Chrysler. [correction from the Comments – it’s a 1969 Newport… thank you Johnster]
Here’s a 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau featuring the unique “Fashion Tone” two-tone paint scheme offered for 1976 and ’77. A $104 option on Landaus (and $233 on non-Landaus), this pattern created a painted side cove evoking either (or both) early Corvettes or 1930s luxury cars. This example appears to be in cream and buckskin colors.
Next, we have a beautiful-condition 1986 Cadillac De Ville. I loathed gold trim when it was popular in the 1980s, but now it seems like a quirky historical oddity. Such trim was usually added by dealers, and in this case, the dealer badge (from Lindsay Cadillac) was gold as well.
I rarely crane my neck to look at old vans, but this 1981 Dodge Ram is enough of a survivor to be photo-worthy. This van has probably been a trusty work companion for quite some time, because the license plate itself dates to the early 1990s. Six-digit license plates have become pretty rare in Virginia, since standard-issue plates have contained seven characters since 1994.
Cabover trucks are scarce enough that I try to photograph them when I can, so I was glad to catch this Ontario-plated Freightliner Argosy on Interstate 95. Turns out this is a 2014 Argosy that was originally built as a Glider. “Glider” is a term with which I was unfamiliar until researching this truck, but essentially gliders were rolling chassis built without drivetrains, with the drivetrains being added later by aftermarket firms.
Freightliner built fully equipped Argosys for North American markets through 2006, but afterwards only produced glider kits. The US government essentially shut down the glider business in 2017, supposedly for environmental reasons, since the engines installed in gliders did not always meet new-truck emissions regulations.
Now for a slightly smaller truck, here’s 1986 Ford F-350 dualie still doing heavy work.
Here’s the back end of the 1968 Thunderbird that led off this article. It’s unusual to see these big birds anywhere other than a car show, and this one was in excellent condition.
When I saw those standard wheel covers on a late 1980s Crown Victoria, I knew I had to take a picture, since it’s a base model rather than the more plentiful LX. However, what surprised me most about this Light Sandalwood 1988 Vic was something on the inside.
Not too many of these Crown Vics had crank-up windows. This was among the last Crown Victorias built with without power windows, which became standard in 1990.
From the same year, but in a bit rougher condition, is this 1988 Dodge Ramcharger.
My wife came across this 1981 Chevrolet Malibu, and kindly texted me this picture. I instantly recognized it, because I wrote about this very car for my first Curbside Classic article back in 2015. I immediately drove over to its location to take more photos and write an update to that ten-year-old article, but the Malibu was gone by the time I arrived. Despite faded paint and some missing hubcaps, it still looks pretty good – hopefully I’ll catch up to it again sometime.
This 1970 Chrysler New Yorker was flexing its muscles at the same intersection where I photographed the MGB a few months earlier.
I find myself on Northern Virginia’s chaotic highways quite a bit, and these are two of the more oddball sights I’ve come across recently. On the left is a Ford Explorer whose driver really needs a friend with a pickup. If I were to overload a vehicle like this, I would use non-highway routes for my trip! On the right is a BMW being towed on Interstate 66, with an Alaskan Malamute sticking its head out the rear window. I assume the dog belongs to the tow truck operator, and it seemed to be enjoying itself… but still, this was an odd sight.
Early Mustangs are always a pleasure to see, especially when in this kind of condition. The dusk lighting gives the old Mustang a majestic glow.
Volkswagen’s Cabriolet became a living fossil, since it stuck around long after the other Rabbits in VW’s warren gave way to Golfs. This example is from 1987 – the year before Cabriolets received a redesigned front end featuring body-color bumpers, round driving lights and additional spoilers – so this Cabrio still looks just like an earlier Rabbit.
Not the clearest picture here, but 1980s Supras are definitely photo-worthy, even if they’re parked at a supermarket at night. This is my favorite Supra of the era, too: A non-turbo without the Sport Roof.
I miss Saabs, and this 1988 900 Turbo Convertible was my best Saab sighting of the last several months.
I apologize for this photo’s blurriness, but I was multitasking at the time, giving my daughter one of her first driving lessons. When I saw this 1969 Mercury Cougar driving up from behind, I asked her to slow down so I could get a picture of it passing. It’s nice to be chauffeured around in these kinds of situations! A yellow Cougar convertible was certainly worth slowing down for.
Here’s a rare sight on the US East Coast: a 1983 Toyota Sunrader Motorhome. Manufactured in California, these small motorhomes were popular in the 1980s and early ’90s until it became known that the rear axle on some dualie Toyotas had a tendency to snap with the vehicle in motion. Many Sunraders were recalled as a result, and the company went out of business shortly afterwards. I love the idea of a small RV, so I enjoy seeing these still on the road.
My final picture may not seem unusual to European readers, but VW doesn’t sell the Crafter in North America, so seeing this French-registered van at a Maryland highway rest stop was rather surprising. While European campers are occasionally seen at notable US tourist attractions, like national parks, coming across one on the outskirts of Baltimore during the winter is much more unusual. Even more surprising is seeing a foreign-plated travel vehicle that isn’t a high-end RV, but rather a modest-looking camper van. From what I can tell, it’s a 2018 model, and even the dealer shown on the license plate frame (from Brittany) has been under different ownership since 2022 – so it seems that this a private vehicle, rather than some kind of luxury rental. This van’s owners must be on an interesting trip.
I’m looking forward to see what kinds of surprises and oddities will cross my path in 2026. And speaking of turning over the calendar year, I figured I’d end with a 46-year-old New Year’s ad… in case anyone is longing to celebrate the new year with a new Monza for $4,295. Happy New Year everyone!
To have found this many one-offs during the last six to eight months is quite remarkable. You have definitely got lots of variety going on.
I’m glad you found that Chrysler convertible. A similar one presented itself to me a few years ago (although in some shade of green) and its 440 was remarkably robust as he flat walked away before I could catch up for pictures, and it was never to be seen again. That you also found a fuselage coupe is icing on the cake.
The ad at the end is great. Yes, Eric, I will take the Fleetside, but make mine an 8′ bed with a 305 and automatic instead of that wheezy six and a three-speed. We’ll likely need to add a grand to the price.
That “69 convert” was a rare bird! Beautiful. The blue “Tbird” too.
Fantastic late summer tour on this snowy upstate NY Sunday morning…!!! Great variety of cool cars, from big mopars to little B’s.. Had a roadster for 5 years, love hate relationship.. Still admire them. So many nice clean unique cars running around. Can’t wait for spring to enjoy my toys full time again, instead of when the salt is finally off the roads in between snow storms.. Thanks for the escape from the frigid depths of winter to the sunny days of pleasurable cruising.. We made the trek to Raleigh Christmas week , was 70 degrees Christmas day and the day before. Saw some nice cars in our travels. Got back to NY in time to beat the 7 inch snow storm that arrived shortly after we got home… Oh yes, my daily highway cruiser is a 2002 BMW 530 msport sedan with 140k miles. She’s a pleasure to drive and still gets some smiles and comments… Happy new year..!!
I have to say that although I’ve never been a fan of Glamour Birds, that ’68 looks pretty terrific.
My pick too
Fun! I’ll take my Fleetside Chevy with a 350 instead of the emasculated 305, and make mine with the excellent THM400 please!
My uncle had a ’84 Chevy van with a 305 and it would hardly get out of it’s own way, and with loads? fuggedabouit!
The guy with the Explorer seems to have everything strapped and tied down securely which is more than I can say for many pickups loaded with random loose crap in their beds on the freeway around here so he’s making it work which is great in my book!
The Sunrader I think is my favorite, at least from the outside, the solar panel add-ons indicate somewhat regular current usage too.
But a pox on the Aldi-shopping Supra user for parking in the disabled person spot without an apparent tag or plate denoting such a need….
Worthy finds, all of them!
The Sunrader’s my favorite too. I suspect these are still a fairly common sight on the West Coast, but here in the East not so much.
True about the Explorer driver at least tying down his load. But random sofa parts are commonly seen along our highways, so he’s probably in the minority.
Wow those fuselage Chryslers are ugly.
Excellent collection of finds.
I was behind one of those FL Argosys just the other day, a hay hauler, with three load areas filled with bales: a short section behind the cab, the semi-trailer and then a short trailer hooked to that. Making the very most of the maximum length allowed in Oregon.
I rather suspect the dog in the back of the BMW wasn’t the tow truck driver’s dog, as that would be in very bad form. It was almost certainly the BMW driver’s dog, and the owner is in the (single) cab of the truck.
Ah – I bet you’re right about the BMW dog. Somehow, I didn’t think of that scenario – still an odd sight, though.
Came here to say the same thing, you beat me to the punch! 🙂
I think that MGB has parts from several eras, doors look MK1 with pull handles, but the passenger side dash has the pillow dash of later cars. You should come to Colorado Springs if you want crazy variety and old cars on t
The “Abington pillow” is a tell tale for late ’60s & early 70’s MGB. It should have the ugly recessed grill. I daily drove an MGB for ten years. Then again, cars weren’t as tall and bulky as they are now. You learn really quickly to stay out of blind spots. Now I have a 1989 560 SL Sunday driver, and though it has AC and enough power to keep up with modern traffic, it also feels small compared to what’s on the road today.
Every time I see them, I become more enamored of the downsized Chevrolet A- and B-body cars. Simple and beautiful designs. In 1984, I had one of the last “box” Impalas (before they all became Caprices) as a company car. It was as stripped as one could get, with the 4.3 V-6. The only option on the sticker was a rear defroster, which was mandatory in NYS.
As for the loss-leader Chevy half-ton in the ad, I imagine there were still plenty of truck buyers in the Midwest who wanted trucks equipped exactly like this. Just a basic truck for doing basic truck stuff. I might have bought one just like this, but if I was ordering, I’d pay a few bucks more for the floor-shifted 4-speed. I had an ’80 longbed C-10, and while the column shifter was interesting in its own way, by the time I got the truck, the shifter was so sloppy that I could barely find a gear. I think the only 4-speed you could get for a 1980 I-6 truck was a “granny low” transmission, which could be handy in certain situations anyhow.
In the add, the pickup is 25% less than the Impala. The cheapest Chevrolet half ton is now 44,000 and that model is still, by today’s standards, as basic as it was in 1980. Comparing it with the few sedans now available, the price differential has basically been reversed. Most of the people who buy them today do not buy them for reasons of utility and that has enabled manufacturers to make them their most profitable vehicle.
The 1980 C-10 and Impala/Caprice had LOTS of parts sharing, which increased economies of scale. Engines, transmissions, front steering & suspension, and lots of interior parts. I bet Chevy made a million small-block engines in 1980. That added up to huge cost savings.
I think you’re looking at 4x4s, the cheapest Silverado RWD listed on the Chevrolet.com site is $36900+ $2795 destination for a total of $39695. And then immediately a discount of $5350 for a net price after offers of $34345 before haggling with a dealer. Still twice the price of the “sale” ad adjusted for inflation but no idea how much the now standard power windows, locks, AC etc adds relatively, never mind the better power, economy, longer warranty, and safety or how much could be bargained off the price on the lot.
$2795 destination for a base Silverado seems like the biggest scam in the world, or at least a poor attempt to pass on cost increases due to tariffs. I’m pretty sure a car hauler would flatbed a single Silverado across the country for less than that even without taking a whole truckload of them at once.
It’s hard to make truly valid direct comparisons, but the increase of the base Chevy pickup, from an adjusted $18164 in 1980 to $39695 is very clearly much greater than the increase in comparable other models. The Monza ($16,613 adjusted) would roughly compare to a Civic ($24,250), the Impala ($24,689) to a Camry ($28,700). All of the new cars (and pickup) have vastly more standard equipment and features, but that’s universally the case.
The reality is that the Big 3 are living (very well) on the very fat profit margins of trucks. Given Ford’s staggering cumulative losses on EVs (some $25-30+ billion) they would be hurting badly if not for those huge profit margins.
In 1980 the Big 3 had not discovered the profit potential of trucks yet, and they were priced very competitively as well as reflecting the fact that they really aren’t expensive to build, then and now.
Paul
A recent buying experience is of note: I bought a new 2025 Hyundai Elantra hybrid for $21,200. My only complaint thus far is the narrow windows which do not provide as much vision and the screen is small. But overall, a very good vehicle. I have a 2019 Fit with 25,000 miles which I have been advised by Carvana is now worth $14,800. I paid $16,500 for it new. And new cars sold for an average of $48,000 dollars last year. Because people are so easily duped, there are some good values out there,
I know it’s a small thing but the dash on the Crown Vic seems to be in perfect condition, something uncommon until the dash was changed in 90.
I had a 68T-Bird so the pic of ones brings back fond memories.
Everything about that Crown Vic was immaculate – I’d love to know its story. I found it parked outside of my local DMV branch, so I assume its owner was inside doing some registration stuff.
My heart goes out to a father who was trembling so violently while teaching his daughter to drive that he was not able to get a clear stable shot of the Mercury Cougar.
Ha – thanks! All things considered, that shot came out pretty good.
Wow, not 1 but 2 fuselage Chrysler 2 doors! From the view you got, the stylists’ conversion from hardtop to convertible was a bit awkward. The last convertibles from all the manufacturers were afterthoughts by the time they arrived, and this Chrysler shows that.
Some really great catches here!
Excellent collection of CCs!! Regarding the BMW E21, if rear lights and external mirrors are the same as those sold elsewhere, the car is at the earliest an ‘80 model
Great pictures, my favourite is the perfectly framed Tbird in the rear view mirror, it looks like the Challenger is giving it the side eye.
Pretty sure the Chrysler convertible is a ’69 Newport, and not a Three-Hundred. (taillights, wheel covers, even the chrome badging on the rear fender near the rear bumper appears to say “Newport”). Not quite as rare as a Three-Hundred convertible, but still, a great find.
I’ve been in love with Newport convertibles ever since the creepy episode of Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery,” called “The House,” where a beautiful Joanna Pettet drove a red ’70 Newport convertible to her newly purchased haunted house.
Wow, you’re right – thanks for catching that! I’ll update the text too.
Yep, Newport. The lights for the 300 went all the way across with a small break in the middle for 300.
Wonderful collection of catches! One comment, and a guess…
Wow, I’ve lost track of Virginia “antique vehicle” plates, but good grief, why on Earth did they consign those plates to such an ugly design?? If I were considering an antique plate in VA, I’d think twice about it just so as to avoid that ugliness.
I am going to guess that the Crafter may belong to someone attached to the diplomatic mission from an EU country (France? Someone here is probably more expert in decoding EU plates than I could ever be). When I was a kid living in DC, I used to see a whole lot of oddball vehicles with euro plates. I can’t remember the rules as to why or why not someone attached to the diplomatic corp needed to get DC/diplomat plates or could be allowed to temporarily bring in a vehicle and drive with country-of-origin plates…but both situations were quite common.
That’s a good guess about the Crafter. Even though I live in Northern Virginia, I rarely see foreign-plated vehicles around here (but admittedly, I haven’t been in DC proper in a few years). I think when diplomats bring cars from other countries, they quickly register their cars with the State Department and receive Diplomatic plates. However, I can definitely see a diplomat shipping over their personal van for an extended vacation, and shipping it back within the allowed time frame.
As for Virginia antique vehicle plates, the Commonwealth provides two choices. The black-and-white plates replicate what VA plates looked like in about 1915. I think the idea was that owners of old-timer cars would like those plates since they’d be roughly period-correct, but they appear to be more popular than the more conventional-looking yellow and blue plates (both shown below), even for recent vehicles. The BMW with 1915-looking license plates does look a bit weird.
Like many other states, Virginia also allows cars from 1972 or older to use Year of Manufacture plates (like that ’68 Thunderbird). That’s an even better way to go, and good-condition old plates are easily available.