Continuing on from California Streetscape Part 1, we’ll see more of California’s street side diversity.
First up is this very intact looking Jeep Wagoneer. While the donor vehicle is very much a product of the 1960s and decorated with throwback fake wood, the Wagoneer was definitely one of must-have vehicles of the 1980s. Rust and high fuel costs mean that few remain as daily drivers like this one, which the owner has even seen fit to adorn with a custom license plate.
Parked in the background sits one of the Wagoneer’s modern high-status counterparts.
Canada never got these Australian Mercury Capris, which I figure is no great loss. I never quite understood why one would buy one of these over the dynamically superior Mazda Miata.
Filling our air-cooled Volkswagen allotment this segment is this Baja style buggy. The “wide five” bolt pattern wheels indicate this Baja was built on a pre-1968 Beetle pan.
Exposed engine, oversized rear wheels and whip style antenna complete the Baja look.
This Datsun 280Z has seen better days, with its mismatched hood along with a missing bumper overrider and hood vent. The body still looks very solid thanks to the mild California climate.
Hopefully the lack of license plates means its someone’s project rather than an abandoned car.
This classic 1959 GMC 100 pickup truck, with sun damaged paint, has patina to spare.
According to his bumper sticker, the owner would like to keep his clunker and I’d expect they could keep on driving this truck for several more decades.
This reasonably early Porsche 944 looked rather appealing even without a very flashy color.
When these cars were new, I never cared for the reflective panel between the lights that spelled out “Porsche.” My opinion has mellowed over the years and now it is a charming period quirk.
I like the Toyota Previa for its handsome styling and novel engineering, but they have always been a rare sight in western Canada. Southern California seems to have been blessed with a large number of survivors based on my very non-scientific survey. This was the roughest of all the examples I saw, but it has a certain character to it.
Toyota pickup trucks are another vehicle that seem relatively plentiful. It is strange to see them with a fully intact box.
This Chevrolet Nova two door looks to be in solid shape despite sunburnt paint.
The 350 call-out shows us it is a V8 powered car. Note the missing headlight up front.
Appropriately parked only a few spaces down from the Nova is this lovely yellow Corvair.
We will end with the rear view of the Pontiac Firebird in our leading photo; the blue LeMans behind it likely belongs to the same owner. Looks as though California remains one of the best places to own a classic.
I’ve always like that style of Firebird. The viny top really sets it off. The baja bug is a 64 and older model with it’s smaller windows. Cool collection to spot today.
I love early 2nd gen firebirds and Camaros. That Firebird is sharp.
I dig that Nova too.
Nice old ford in the background of the last photo.
That GMC wins the day! DIY wood side rails, heavy duty extended rear bumper with welded-on trailer hitch. Even a faded business logo on the doors. Too bad the original wheels were replaced.
Ooooh – a rust-free California Grand Waggy! I’m in! The old GMC pickup is certainly charming as well. I could even warm to the 280Z based upon a long-ago brief drive in one which impressed the snot out of a young me.
Southern Cal is certainly a great place for CC spotting.
As much as I love Corvairs, that Firebird is IT! Love it!
+1 on the Firebird
Nice to see that GMC still on the street! Up here in northern California there are a ton of old Chevy pickups but very few of the older GMC trucks out and about anymore.
“I like the Toyota Previa for its handsome styling and novel engineering….”
Interesting styling for its time, yes, I agree. With regard to engineering it’s best described as it was in a UK auto publication when it first came out (Car Magazine 1990). “Not quite as clever as it looks”. Each to their own opinions, I tend to agree with them.
Mid engine, laid over engine with the option of 4WD or supercharging? Not mind blowing perhaps but certainly mechanically more interesting than the competition here (ie either a fwd box like Chrysler or rwd box like GM and Ford).
I think they had higher expectations overseas at the time.
The 4wd versions seem to be troublefree (i have been running a ’93 for about 5 or 6 years now) although it is certainly no off-roader as the suspension travel is short, but there have been mechanical concerns with the system and economy with four half shafts and all the associated gubbins that goes with them still is around 29 to 30 mpg at open road speeds (100kmph at 2400rpm). What is a problem is cooling…unless it is kept in top shape it will struggle to cool the hard worked mid-placed engine effectively. In mine I fitted a big extra width radiator so that I can keep it floored up long steep hills under full boost and not have to watch the water temp rising on the gauge. I have given mine a little bit of extra boost fueling at the pump (diesel) and have increased the boost increment (by using a 2CT diaphragm actuator and wastegate rod) and have taken out all emission junk so it no longer chews it’s own cud and also have removed the baffle restriction in the exhaust system and fitted a nice big droopy at the road to take out drone. Also Amazon sell a K&N for these for about $38 with free postage.. so it is now quite a sprightly old thing, sort of :). On the top is a front opening fibreglass pop-top roof with a bed in it and a reading light and mosquito gauze ..and below is a table and gas cooker and clean and grey water tanks with external filler cap and an electric pump and mini sink with a retractable spout (all from the Toyota factory as an optional fitment apparently). The mid-seating row can be split into one third two thirds and rotated as rearward or side facing or a combination of both. It has full curtaining and one way glass (black tint) and it has a big fluorescent light and an independent second 12 volt battery system for this and the sink pump and the upstairs reading light.
I bought the whole thing off Trade Me for next to nothing ($2000).. however ..however there is a catch ..the 3CT cylinder head will crack between the valve seats (in time) ..there is nothing you can do about this but buy a brand new head every few years… and they are cheapish ($700 complete with new valves, guides, springs, buckets and camshaft) ..i have done about 60,000kms on a new head so far ..no problem yet, but if it starts using water and finally missing on one cylinder that will be the first sign.
Agree about the styling of the Previa (Tarago in oz). This was so well rendered the next gen was a step backwards. That Capri was a bigger lost opportunity than many Australians realise.
“I never quite understood why one would buy one of these over the dynamically superior Mazda Miata.”
They were cheaper and had a (small) rear seat plus more trunk space. It was more like a convertible version of a 323 than a sports car even if the turbo version had enough power.
Interesting selection of cars, I’d say the Jeep is probably the most surprising to see in California.
It was exactly that a minor restyle of a Mazda 323 Cabriolet.
That very first pic looks like the bad guy’s hangout in an episode of Police Woman.
If you waited 10 minutes longer, Michael Ironside and John Saxon would have stormed out and burned Sears Guardsman rubber in that Firebird. Before rolling it on the San Diego Freeway, with Earl Holliman in pursuit, driving a gold 1972 Dodge Coronet.
And a nurse who drove the blue LeMans would be held hostage and forced at gunpoint to remove a bullet from one of the bad guys as the house is surrounded by cops.
Stinger exhaust on the Baja Bug. That’s how it was done. Essentially an open exhaust, those things were louder than heck.
Take it from an inmate, California is not all that great a place to have a classic car, depending on what you mean by “classic.” 1976 and later cars have to pass smog checks (even diesels have to as well, if they’re later than 96), and it can be difficult or expensive to do so …
Nova may need more than a headlight. With the back wheel against the curb and the suv parked about six inches in front I don’t think that Nova is going anywhere for awhile. Nice car and easy to work on though.
I like the 944, but it’s in too-good-to-be-true condition. In other words, I wouldn’t be surprised if it has an automatic.
Wow you saw two Corvairs on that trip. I really like the 944 even in that beige I wonder if it is a factory color. The Toyota truck is nice too.
Is the 944 beige or pink? Neither looks like a factory color, and it’s surprising someone would choose it for a repaint… but it works.
It was a beige. My camera was in the process of dying so may have tainted the colours somewhat.
+1 The 944 looks incredibly cool in that color. Love the vintage gold wheels on the Toyota pickup as well. I haven’t seen an un-rusted example from this generation in forever!
That first photo looks like it could have been taken in the 1970’s.
I can picture that as the background that Ponch and Jon go speeding past.