I thought it was going to be a lean year for spotting and photographing old cars through the windshield of my car. The town I live in now is known far more for new luxury SUVs than curbside classics. Also, I no longer commute on surface streets, where the harvest is ripe, but on Interstates, where few old cars dare to roll. But I still managed to find 20 old cars still doing their thing since the last time I did one of these Spotted While Driving roundups last year. Not bad. Just like this oddly painted IH Scout is not bad.
This VW Karmann-Ghia was in rough, rough shape. It’s hard to tell because my iPhone set exposure based on incoming sunlight, casting this K-G into the shadows. It looked like a very old one to me.
Sure, this Saab Bravada 9-7x isn’t all that old. But I say document them now, as they weren’t common in the first place – and given GM’s quality in these years, they’ll all be gone soon enough.
It was a joy to pull up behind this second-generation Honda Civic wagon. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed seeing these running about.
This car is making a repeat appearance in Spotted While Driving as I’ve spotted and shared it at least once before. This Nissan 300ZX gets around.
This final-gen Caprice wagon passed me before I stopped behind it. Whenever I see a bulbous Caprice I peek at the dashboard to see whether it was an early (1991-93) or late (1994-96) one; this one had the early dashboard with the horizontal instrument cluster.
I was three cars behind this Beetle convertible for a couple miles when, by a stroke of luck, it pulled off onto a vacant lot to turn around. This is another car I miss seeing in great numbers on the streets.
This VW Westie was looking really good.
The original Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager turned out to be seminal vehicles, and I hope a few of them end up being saved and restored. Here’s a Voyager still doing what it was built to do.
It must be a sign I’m getting older that it took me a minute to realize that this Chrysler LHS is more than 20 years old. I recognized the car instantly, of course. But it was a “holy freaking <censored>” moment to realize that these went out of production the same year my 22-year-old son was born.
This 1973-74 Chevy Nova had some really ugly bodywork from the C pillar down to the rear wheel well. You can sort of see it in this grainy picture. We were all stopped on the Interstate or I would never have been able to show you.
I’m starting to photograph these sixth-gen Centurys now, even though the newest of them are only 15 years old. They don’t seem quite a plentiful today as they were just a few years ago.
Whaddya know, a Chevy Cavalier convertible not all clapped out. Someone must really love their Cavalier.
Holy frijoles what happened to this Firebird’s paint? Still, this sleek design continues to look good.
A final-gen (1997-2003) Escort wagon isn’t special, I know, but I like them and have always sort of wanted one.
A job change this spring has me working in Downtown Indianapolis, where I expect to see more old cars rolling on the roads. Like this third-generation Camaro that someone just bought.
It was such a surprise to see this 1963 Ford Falcon on I-65 one morning that I broke my rule and photographed it while driving. Traffic was moving at only about 20 miles per hour and I shot blind, while looking straight ahead. I’m lucky any of the shots turned out.
A Cadillac deVille that someone just bought. These old sleds still have their fans.
A 1970 Buick, debadged for your protection but I’m guessing a LeSabre, was up from Kentucky to visit.
This Ford Maverick brings up the rear. Good on the fellow who restored it and drives it. That’s a lovely blue.
Ha! Maybe that Nova needs to stop by Cirilla’s for some love!
The Nova and the lingerie shop billboard are alarmingly juxtaposed in the photo. If there’s two things I’d rather not think about simultaneously, it’s a brown Nova sedan and lingerie.
I’ve long wondered why GM bothered redesigning the C-pillar and rear door frames on the ’73-74 four-doors for what would be a two-year run rather than putting that expense forward to the real, ’75 redesign. Four-door compacts hadn’t hitherto sold on style and it (imo) wasn’t really an improvement.
Agreed.
Cirilla’s is a chain operation with over 60 locations, mostly in the Midwest, according to their website. There is one here in Evansville and they use the same billboard as the one in the photo with the Nova. It says something about our culture that mom and pop sex shops have competition from the “big box” stores.
I could get seriously depressed pondering why none of these cars seem old to me. Glad you shot them. I’d never think of doing so as these cars were in showrooms after my peak gearhead days.
I feel you.
The kickup at the rear of that Scout turned out to be predictive. Note the same shape on the red car in the same picture.
IH stylist Ted Ornas drew some prototypes that were even closer to the new high-butt style, but IH gave up on passenger cars before they could be built.
What I find oddest about the 9-7x here is that the owner was enough of a Saab enthusiast to put a big Saab griffin logo on the rear window.
The Civic wagon is really remarkable — there’s one near here that’s been sitting at a service station parking lot for a few years, but that’s the only early Civic I’ve seen in a mighty long time.
That Chrysler Concorde has much more road presence that I’d given it credit for previously. I suppose absence makes the heart grow fonder. But yes the Civic Wagon just looks like friendliest little car you could find, when will people finally see the light and collect those, they need to be preserved…
I have seen that Scout somewhere before and have definitely seen the Nova – I shot pictures of (what I believe to be) that one in a used car lot between Indianapolis and Bloomington a few years ago. Finding the enthusiasm to write it up is something else . . .
That Cadillac is one of the old ones – a 78 or 79 – with the 425 V8/THM 400 drivetrain. No wonder the guy bought it.
And that Civic, just wow! I have not seen one of these on the road for a long time, especially here in rust country.
The Civic and the Maverick are my two favorite finds.
Karmann Ghias remind me of a classy Old Hollywood player, an underrated B-actor who still works even into their current antiquity: now, as then, a bit player, but one whose presence brings a glimmer of gold into the drear of CGI for 14 year olds (or what passes, lengthily, for movies today).
They have a knack of descending into shabbiness whilst losing only a proportion of their youthful glamour. They were good-looking and characterful new, but not stunners. Nor were they near as pricey as a casual observer might’ve assumed, which meant their decline occurred in public, and in use. Bereft of the money for rejuvenations wrought by new paint or wrinkle removal, their character comes to the fore, and they still carry themselves with the noticeable aura that they could have been a contender. It stands out thus in modern traffic.
Ofcourse, with more weight than a Beetle and 1100cc’s, they were never going to actually lead the traffic (or carry a movie) in either period of their existence, but even browned-up and crinkly as here, I’ll believe it’s an expensive scion who fell from old money long ago.
Nice finds! As a longtime fan having owned two, a ’70 (key on the dash) and a ’71, love the Maverick. More need to be restored and loved. Seeing that fine example made my morning.
Drove a friends Karmann Ghia with a 2180cc engine in it. It was FUN! Would leave any 356 or 912 Porsche in the weeds, and most V8 powered rigs too.
Only one I ever drove couldn’t get out of its own way! I wanted it anyway but couldn’t come up with the funds.
The Honda and the Escort remind me of how much I miss compact station wagons. Now I’m sad.
That Scout seems to have something of a quasi ‘dazzle’ paint job that was a Navy scheme for ships so the enemy couldn’t judge size for targeting. It actually kind of works on the Scout since it seems to make it look longer than it actually is.
I didn’t have to photograph in traffic (I usually don’t) to find this same-vintage Chevy S-10 & Blazer pair at my local Tractor Supply. Front end would put both as late ’80s to early ’90s models & they appear to share the same mirrors. Talk about a rare find!
Rear view: they share the same wheels too!
I love it that Indiana will let you daily drive a vehicle with Historical Plates. I have also heard that you can put a year of manufacture license plate from any of the fifty states on your Indiana registered antique as long as you have the Indiana plate in the car. Not gonna move to Indiana just so I can put antique plates on my Camry though.
Great catches you have here especially the mundane vehicles and looks like some of them have severe sun damage. Even in Oregon I have not seen that vintage of Plymouth Voyager in a bit.
I don’t know about any other states but in Indiana you can register any motor vehicle as “Historic”, as long as it is at least 25 years old. The Historic plates cost the same as any other plate and there are no restrictions on mileage or how often the vehicle is used.
In addition any Historic vehicle can be registered as a “Collector” vehicle for a reduced fee. The vehicle must be owned, operated, restored, maintained, or used as a collector’s item, a leisure pursuit, or an investment; and Is not used primarily for transportation. There is an affidavit that must be submitted when the collector vehicle is first registered and then resubmitted at the time of annual renewal.
Yep, you totally can place year-of-manufacture plates on your cars here. We got a new plate (rear only, we never do fronts) every year through sometime in the 80s I think, making it easy for cars of that era. You can buy old plates all over the place.
Careful while traveling with those antique or historical plates. A few years ago, an older fellow by the name of Rob Bruins from Washington state had them on his classic 1962 Chevy Impala while driving through Nevada with his wife. His antique license plate caught the attention of a Nevada state trooper who couldn’t figure out how to enter the registration info correctly.
So, it came back first as a stolen Harley (!), then as a stolen ’63 Chevy. They roughed the old guy up at gunpoint and tossed him in jail overnight, finally figured out all the screw-ups the following day and released him. He sued but the judge ruled that it was A-OK for the cops to be bungling idiots and ruled in the their favor.
Just arrived home from work in my daily driver KG. It’s got the “big” 1600 twin port and still needs rowing along to keep up with traffic… can’t help but love it though!
Wonder if someday someone will snap it and it’ll appear as a CC?
Snap it yourself and write a “My Curbside Classic” piece on it! We’d love to hear its story.
Hi Jim, I’ve only the KG for a couple of months, but I do know it’s history, way back to first owner, so might put something together. This one has certainly infected me with the air cooled VW Bug (pun intended) and I am doing bits and pieces to it as and when I can – it’s my daily driver here in Illinois, so have to plan carefully. Looks like I will be doing ball joints this weekend, as one has been rattling since I got it.
One thing I have noticed is that all ages love this strange little coupe – I have had more compliments about this car than any of the more exotic sports cars I’ve had. I guess old VDubs don’t project wealth or aggression and that means they’re approachable.
The simplicity of the thing is also invites you to do maintenance and repairs your self, as does the great (and cheap) parts back up. It also encourages a bit of personalization – mine has some rather tasty Fuchs wheels waiting for it to connect with my past….
I love the way it springs to life every morning first turn of the key and feels generally robust – great qualities in such an old vehicle…..I think it’s a keeper!