Like most of us, I love hunting down cars, taking photos of them and writing them up. But it can be hard! I’m lucky that there seem to be a lot of car enthusiasts in Indiana, but compared to those of contributors on the West coast or in the South, I go through dry spells. That would explain my apparent zeal in photographing this ’57 Buick during a March trip to St. Louis. The minor contortion was necessary to keep the lens from capturing the right side of my hip while getting the entire width of the bumper in the frame.
There are other obstacles, too; interrupting owners during their daily grind can be intimidating, especially if they own a mundane model whose significance they don’t understand (“why are you ogling my ’87 Tracer?”). Then there are cars seen in traffic, like this CRX Straman convertible I posted a few weeks back. Do you give chase, and risk looking like a deranged assailant? I chose not to, in this case.
Finding cars at nighttime can be especially frustrating; it’s hard to get a nice picture in such conditions without a good camera and I didn’t bother taking pictures, for example, of the 1991 Accord LX coupe I saw with a dealer-installed Landau roof I saw one night in front of my local library. Triborough, who saw this Lincoln Continental Mark III in the dark, returned to get a good picture of it in proper light; it’s hard to get results when using a flash.
And as this rather unflattering pose shows, it takes effort to get a good shot from the proper angle. They don’t always come easy and sometimes you have to risk a dirty tee shirt or minor embarrassment. I suspect many of you haven’t had the easiest time capturing your ideal creature in the wild, either; what’s been the biggest challenge in finding and shooting a curbside classic? What’s been the most memorable experience when doing so? And what model are you most likely to go to extreme lengths in capturing?
That first picture looks like one of those 50’s safety PSA’s
Doesn’t it? Twisting at the waist helps.
“Timmy what happened!”
Copyright MCMLVII
Safety Films Inc.
How far would I go? It all depends on the circumstances. Normally, not more than 100 feet unless it was parked somewhere close by.
I was mistaken as a repo man taking photos of a first generation Escalade parked on the grass (Florida Thing),in front of a home. He firmly requested that I immediately get lost. I’m paraphrasing this to keep the CC work and family friendly.
I have gone further; but the nut job was the type who shoots, and FLA has very generous self- defense policies. I could have gone one way ticketed far away.
Hatman, the Repo Man!
Tell you one thing, I have never gone down to the pavement for one. 🙂 Of course, you are younger than I am, too.
I have given chase to two cars, both Studebakers that I have spied while on the move (63 Wagonaire and 62 GT Hawk). Fortunately, the cars came to rest within about a 3-5 mile range. I will confess I started to wonder how much more time I had to devote to the quest before I had to resume with life, but both times I was saved from that gut-wrenching decision to disengage. I guess the odds are that any time you catch a Stude on the road, it is likely to be a local trip.
The 66 Toronado was another that I chased and found. However, there have been many that I have seen while on the way somewhere with no time for a deviation in route. The red 66 Continental convertible with the top down was a sad loss for me, as it would have completed my “last generation of luxury convertible” set.
In looking at this Buick photo again (and with today’s Eagle fresh in my mind) the question that comes to my mind is: how far would Perry go to shoot a car that is not at least partially white? 🙂
This one was cream and cobalt. But-UGH-even TODAY’S car was white!!! Let’s just count the Buick as white ANYWAY!!!
Does driving at 75+mph on the freeway trying to snap a photo of a running 1980 911 turbo count?
Until you plow into someone while being distracted, yes.
That can definitely be a problem. So please be careful how you follow other cars.
I’ve often gotten down on my knees Perry, but you so win the contest today.
Your theme song for the day; Dusty Springfield “I’ll Try Anything”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtompNKo6ak
I think the typical story of my chasing the classics is told by the 1963 Ninety Eight I chased back in January of 2013 that’s posted here; I’ve stalked some unsuspecting drivers. And obviously annoyed friends and loved ones; albeit Ian said once “Oh, so that’s how the magic happens.”
Annoyed friends and loved ones, definitely! You’d think my wife would be used to it by now…I don’t know that I’ve ever given chase though other than long enough to get a windshield photo or three. My detours usually are of the “see something interesting in a parking lot or along the road and pull off” type.
I have, however, passed interesting cars at night or when I couldn’t stop, and then gone back later or in daylight to see if they were still there.
Where to begin? I’ve followed cars for miles, until they turned off. Probably the longest was a cute little red Triumph Herald, way out in the country, probably some 15 miles. But it was worth it, as it was still owned by the same original owners, an older couple. Ironically, I ran into it yesterday in town, parked. More on that later.
After realizing that just following a car could be a long trip, I started resorting to pulling alongside, waving my camera, and making a gesture to suggest pulling over. That’s actually worked pretty well. Most owners are very happy to have their baby shot and admired. Maybe I should get a bullhorn mounted on my car: PLEASE PULL OVER AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY!
I will admit to being not quite so aggressive anymore; I’m sitting on hundreds of cars shot and yet to be written up, so I figure I’ll probably run into them again, which may actually not be the case.
The other question might be “Which cars you saw do you most regret not chasing down?” That would be the Cord 810 sedan I saw in San Jose while riding in the car of some friends there, but I was too polite to ask them to turn off their course and follow it. They later asked why I didn’t ask them to follow it.
I saw a fantastic chartreuse ’65 Impala coupe, faded and very original, a true CC, in traffic the other day. I’ve never done a ’65 Chevy, and this one was beyond perfect. But I felt in a bit of a hurry, and let it go the other way. Pangs of regret….
Stephanie calls me “the car stalker”. Yes, I’ve chased quite a few. But it sounds like I’ve handed the baton to you, more or less. I’m feeling like I’ve let myself down a few times recently.
Naw, you just haven’t had anyone take a picture of you rolling around on the pavement!
Seriously, though, finding cars around here isn’t done with very active effort from time to time.
I’m kinda surprised that I’ve only once seen Paul shooting; I was in a hurry and simply honked and waved and didn’t get any pics of him getting pics.
“I will admit to being not quite so aggressive anymore”
Translation: Sure stinks getting old, or, I have more important things to attend to.
I know the feeling!
I got to talk to the owner of an original 1961 Chrysler New Yorker. It was a beautiful Tahitian turquoise colour, 4 door hardtop. Although it wasn’t a Concours D’Elegance car, it still looked great. I wish I had my camera smart phone with me, so that I could’ve taken pics of the car. 🙂
I once drove around the block. I have also looked up the address on the vehicle’s business sign and driven over there to see if I can find it.
You have me scouring my brain for an answer….
As a goodly number of my finds have been for sale alongside the road, I have intentionally altered my return route to grab pictures – or turned around to go back.
Most of the time I have had no problems grabbing pictures, although I do like to stick to side and 3/4 view shots out of looking like I’m up to no good, as my wife says it appears. I’ve squatted a few times for pictures, but never been on my back or side. I have also recruited my wife into being a photographer if I saw something while driving.
There was the instance about two months ago with the ’75 Chevrolet Bel-Air wagon I found ninety minutes after Perry’s e-bay find of one was published. While taking pictures of that car, I kept having really bad vibes from the whole area, so I did cut myself short on picture taking.
Missed opportunities? An ’80’s Thunderbird Turbo Coupe with a carriage roof. A ’53 Chevrolet last Friday. The list goes on, but like fishing, you can’t catch them all.
I usually don’t follow cars, but on many occasions I’ve returned to a spot where I’ve seen a parked CC in hopes it will still be there. I often try to shoot cars early in the morning if I can to avoid strange looks and/or questions. I’m a lot more nonchalant that when I first started, but every now and then I still chicken out of shooting a car under some circumstances.
Yesterday was the first time I’d ever asked an owner if I could photograph his car. I was driving home from an adjustment of my hearing aid at the audiologist and I passed an old car…’wait, that wasn’t a ’55 Chevy’ so I turned around at the next driveway and parked in the breakdown lane. ’56 Desoto Firelite sedan with a 330 Hemi. Give me a couple of days to write it up and submit it.
Back in 1995 I gave chase (within the law) of a Vector M12 prototype. This was of course, not a classic, but a very rare car nonetheless. When I reached the car at a gas station, it was full of the requisite testing devices and I had a short talk with the driver.
I happened upon this opportunity because the cars were being built for a short time near my home. For those that care, the Vector M12 was a Lamborghini V12 engined progression of Gerald Weigert’s original concept, only 17 were produced.
B3
did you take photos back then?
Please post your story in our VECTOR MOTORS facebook group.
“But it can be hard! I’m lucky that there seem to be a lot of car enthusiasts in Indiana, but compared to those of contributors on the West coast or in the South, I go through dry spells.”
You’re right: it can be like shooting fish in a barrel here in SoCal. The owner of this very original 72 LTD with period correct plates was pretty terse when I tried to engage him in conversation (to be fair, he was busy washing the car); hence, I surreptitiously took a shot from inside my car so as not to annoy him. He did reveal that the car had been in the family since new, purchased by his grandmother.
I’m new at photographing CC’s so am trying pick up on the etiquette from what you guys are saying. There are so many well preserved old cars around here, a significant number of which are still used as daily drivers, that folks often seem pretty blase about them. I haven’t rolled around on the ground yet and admire your willingness to do so on our behalf.
I followed a 37 Buick limo right thru Napier to its final destination which turned out to be a large she full of 30s Buicks an Austin, Auburn Packard, Mullins trailer petrol pumps its all on the cohort, I was asked not to shoot the outside of the building nobody knows they are there and the owner wants to keep it that way.
I sometimes sit like Gandhi if I need to take a really low angle shot. That pic of Perry contorted on the pavement in front of the Buick makes my back hurt! I usually don’t chase after cars, but I’m a bit spoiled, living where I do. Some of the pictures that I’ve posted to the cohort have literally been taken from my front porch. Not braggin’, just sayin’.
I actually had a weird situation develop while taking pictures of a clapped out gen2 Scirocco about a month ago. I frequently park on the street when I walk around around Green Lake, a 3 mile path in Seattle. Several cars I’ve snapped have been used on the site.
After snapping pics of the car, I crossed the street to enter the park. A guy followed me across the street and stopped me. He was definitely the poster boy for a meth addict – skinny, twitchy and awful teeth. He was very insistent that I delete the photos from my iPhone. His problem was he was concerned someone would target his car for stealing.
I ended up deleting the photos. I do wonder whether he had stolen this particular car though.
That sounds awful and is something I fear.
That’s why I’m often more wary of photographing “ordinary” cars, though those are something of the meat and potatoes of CC. The way I see it, if someone is driving, say, a well-worn ’67 Rambler American, and they see someone taking photos, they know it’s an interesting old car. It may not have been particularly remarkable when new, and it may not be in great shape, but when anything hits that age, it’ll attract some attention. As opposed to the fellow driving a ’91 Nissan NX2000–it may just be a beater that they got for cheap, or a car they’ve owned for 20 years that refuses to die, or any other number of explanations, but if they’re not a “car person” they may well be alarmed by seeing a camera-wielding stranger paying their car an undue amount of attention.
I’ve never had anyone follow me or even question me, the worst being some weird looks, but that concern is in the back of my mind.
(I have, however, in my haste to get a photo of an interesting car, on more than one occasion inadvertently driven the wrong way down a one-way street.)
Tracers appeared in 1989, if I remember correctly. I test drove one. Nice little Mazda, it was.
It was nice. And it was introduced in ’87 for the ’88 model year. We’re BOTH wrong–YAY!
Is that behind Delmar in University City?
It’s behind SOMEthing in University City.
I’ve chased before. I’ve also done a stake-out. I sat on a bench next to a rare Acura that was parked on a main street in northern Utah. Owner came out awhile later, we exchanged info, and it took me 4 years but he eventually sold the car to me. Haha
My ex(early Mercury Cougar anorak) spent 2 weeks in East London as he heard a manual big block 67 Cougar had been seen there.He also watches old TV shows and films hoping to spot any 67/68 Cougar
I saw a 1974 Buick Estate Wagon in traffic and followed it until it stopped and parked. I didn’t approach the owner because it was in my early CC days and was still intimidated about approaching folks and looking like some kind of nut. These days, I would have introduced myself to the owner. Live and learn!
Here’s the post: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1974-buick-estate-wagon-hold-the-fake-wood-please/