Spotted While Driving, or Curbside Classics Out to Play Post Pandemic

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– Posted on November 17, 2022

It’s been almost two years since my last Spotted While Driving post, a series I began in 2014. I drive probably half as many miles as I used to, as post pandemic I work from home most of the time. In these two years I’ve finally found enough rolling classics to put together a post! Let’s lead off with this Geo Tracker.

I fell behind this final-generation Firebird on 86th Street on the north side of Indianapolis. Its styling was over the top then, but looks simply ridiculous now.

Speaking of ridiculous, take a gander at the narrow little bed on this fourth-gen Chevy C/K. I fell behind this one exiting my neighborhood in Zionsville.

Proving that there’s no accounting for taste, I always liked the looks of the Olds Alero coupe. Knowing that it was the same car as the Grand Am under the skin always kept me from buying one.

I also liked the looks of the ovoid Taurus wagon. I did own one of these, with Mercury Sable badging. The head gasket blew in that car, followed a year later by a freeze plug that required lifting the engine out to replace. That was the single most expensive car I ever owned, in terms of repairs.

I was very surprised when this final-generation Chevy Nova passed me on a busy Indianapolis street. I was never able to get a great view of it but managed to snap this quick shot at maximum zoom. It’s in impressive condition for being about 35 years old.

Spoiler alert! I always thought the fifth-gen Toyota Celica hatchback resembled the Ford Pinto, at least from the side.

This Honda S2000 with New Mexico plates is a long way from home, rolling down this central Indiana street.

I normally photograph cars stopped at lights. This Contour was parked, but was waiting for traffic to clear so it could pull out. I was stopped behind a long line of cars on my commute home, which let me make this snapshot.

Someone just bought this Fiero — that’s a paper temporary plate hanging there. I spotted this one just a couple weeks ago near my home.

Here’s a conversion Ford Econoline with a roof graft. I wonder if it has the 300 six. I drove a cargo Econoline with that six back in the day — it wasn’t fast, but it was hardy.

Finally, here’s a 1952 Chevrolet with Powerglide, as the decklid so prominently announces. I pulled up alongside this car at the next stoplight and found a man probably in his 30s behind the wheel, his dog in the passenger seat. Nice to know the old-car hobby is passing along to the next generation.