CC has received dozens, nay hundreds* of furious emails clamoring for my return. Have no fear, I am back and worse than ever, writing from a new location. We had a nice sunny day last week and I took a stroll around my new digs to get the what’s what, camera in tow. This steel-wheeled single-axle trailer was the first curbside oddity to come in to view.
*citation needed
Both sides of the axle had the same wheel; no clue as to the street legality of a rig like this. A few yards down and I spot this rather eclectic collection:
I spot a Chevy, Ford, Jeep, Ford, Chevy, boat, and, obviously, a 1938.5 Buick Barchetta GT40. The neighbors across the street have a nice collection going as well:
More boats, more trucks, and quite a Thunder Brougham Bird. Let’s take a closer look:
While the tags expired in 2012, this car is moved around the block from time to time. At least the hydraulic headlights still close. No clue if they still open, obviously. But wait, it get’s weirder! Back across the street:
A turbo Iron Duke, perhaps? I walk by this car often but haven’t seen the hood up. Like the T-Bird, it has expired tags, but still gets moved around the block now and again.
On to the next collection:
And that’s not all! Behind the AMC is an old van and, behind the white Ford, what looks to be an old Land Cruiser/Range Rover’esque rig. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a good view of them, and the place has a creepy vibe to it (and a few security cameras with warning signs), so I moved on.
This guy seems to have used the same shade of Krylon as Paul did on his Xbox. Not to mention that, in this case, drugs and crime pay! (click the photo if you can’t read the truck canopy windows)
A somewhat-rare Custom Camper, with a color that nicely matches the old houses surrounding it. And in their other driveway:
An even better throwback to the fifties. This is at least the third rig I’ve noticed with the original blue Oregon plate. Speaking of plates, I’m still not sure if our final entrant has a custom plate or not.
Or is it a coincidence? Anyway, these were all on my first walk around, and there are many, many blocks to go. Stay tuned!
The plate on the VW is a regular plate.
Manhole covers for wheels on a trailer? Ingenious!
This is as sharp a contrast as the high dollar John Deere tractors with century old steel wheels that are southwest of here.
I wonder if the steel wheels are an anti theft measure.
With only two lug nuts visible in the picture, I think you are correct.
Thats possible, or the owner needed the set of tires for a different vehicle, and the manhole covers are just “rollers” until the next time he needs the trailer.
Much to like here! The first photo immediately reminded me of this:
While the Vega likely has a SBC under the hood (note the side-exit exhaust pipe), a blown 2300 is not exactly unheard of. It does beg the question of “Why?” though.
Either the builder has a philosophical objection to V8s or wanted to retain the original engine, or more likely “just because” / “why not”!
I remember seeing an early RX7 about 20 years ago that had a 4/71 or 6/71 blower through the middle of the hood, but on top of the original rotary engine just to blow people’s minds that were expecting to see a V8 transplant.
The Beetle is somewhat harder to pin down. If the headlights are sealed-beam units, it’s a ’67, but other clues on the car seem to rule that out. It’s not earlier than a ’65, which is my guess for “most likely” model year. The bumpers are aftermarket units, which start rusting “just like that” usually in an year or two. Someone put some work into the car – it looks sharp.
The bug is also missing its overrider support tubes. Those were a total PITA on my car, as it had been bumped front and rear so nothing lined up. I wound up cutting them in half, lining everything up, then welding.
Pretty dodgy looking area in some shots, I’m surprised there aren’t more MOPARS….
The bug looks like a 66, wrong decklid for 67 and wrong wheels for both 66 AND 67. The steering wheel is black leading me to believe it’s a 66 not a 65, which had a white steering wheel. The 66 and 67 bugs both had black steering wheels, knobs and such.
Good catch on the steering wheel color. Wheels can easily be changed, and the script on the deck lid could have been removed and holes filled in a respray. The steering wheel is a lot less likely to have been changed out.
Agreed. The narrow rear track (as well as the rear deck lid) rule out a ’67. And the black steering wheel started in ’66. And the older style wheels still bolt onto these.
The larger windows and the early moon style hubcaps to clear the last year kingpin front end makes this a 65. I like the 2 tone paint job, nice to see an old bug kept stock appearing. 67 had black rubber knobs, 65 and 66 had white hard plastic.
So either the steering wheel and grab handle were swapped for 66-67 (it does have incorrect 67 up thin molding running boards), but the thick side chrome is 65-66. As Paul says, the wheels and caps can also be swapped. Not a 67 for sure, but tough to say if really 65-66. If it had the red hazard pull knob by the ignition switch it would be 66. From this picture, tough call. I did put black wheel and grab handle from a 66 on my old 63, easy swap. I really love that 39 Ford.
Looks like a neighborhood full of interesting! We look forward to more.
I do like that Vega wagon, btw. I shouldn’t but I do. Could be anything under that retro scoop.
One correction, T-Bird headlight covers are vacuum operated, not hydraulic.
That’s the sort of neighbourhood where popping out to get the milk might take hours.
Cars on the street with expired tags? The cops must be a heap mote lenient in Oregon than they are on that then they are here in Georgia. A car on the street with a tag more than six months out with have at least a hundred tickets on it and will get towed around here.
The headlight doors on the T-Bird will open. They’re vacuum operated and if the car looses vacuum the doors open.
Ohio’s not very forgiving about expired tags either.
Forget all the rest – you guys in Oregon are the 61 Mercury capital of the WORLD! Just when it looked like one of them might be going out of service, another is ready to step in to take its place. What a place!
I’ll take the Mercury cruising for a veggie burger and some Dick Dale on one of those hideaway CD players that go behind the old radio
I’d love to have the Merc too.
The Mercury is a 1961, right? The pics have a West Salem vibe, with all the cams and signage of doom.
Well, of course I like the ’39 Deluxe sedan best. I wonder if it’s still flathead-powered. It looks like it has 49-51 Mercury wheels, which I hadn’t seen before with chrome trim rings.
Have to agree on the 39, best looking Ford they made even had juice brakes new, its definitely on different running gear getting rid of the flathead stuff is a good idea.
Scary neighbourhood. Time to move me thinks?
For us IT types the best plate ever seen on a Bug is one that said “feature” as in “that’s not a bug it’s a feature”
Nice!
I always referred to my New Beetle as a Y2K Bug, given it was a 2000 model.
That blue/green Mercury is a ’61. One of a very small handful of survivors, I’d imagine.
So where exactly is your new ‘hood? I don’t recognize it, or any of the cars.
Good, fresh meat for CC! I’m now in Bethel a few blocks from WINCO.
Those 77-79 Tbirds were like a chili recipe that has way too many ingredients but tastes great. Take one little filigree away from the ‘Bird and it just wouldn’t be the same.