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Three years ago I posted Kodachrome slide pictures of this car show in the Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego, circa February 1972. I decided to scan all my negatives over the years during this shelter at home time in California. I started this 10 days ago and have a long ways to go. In a box of B&W negatives I ran across these shots which I was completely unaware of. Why? Apparently I developed but never printed them out since I had no enlarger at the time. Consequently I put them away, protected, never to be seen again till last week. Imagine my surprise as I have run across many similar negatives. Time wise, in my life, I had just turned 18 in December 1971.
The background as to what was going on: In October of 1971 I bought my first real camera. No more using a box type camera and then an Instamatic with incredibly soft focused pictures. Blah! I had purchased a Minolta SrT-101 with the standard 55mm f1.7 lens used for these photos. What I was doing here was learning everything from film, to exposure, framing, lighting, and depth of field. Ironically I learned how to develop film in my 7th grade Graphic Arts class but had no photographic education till I took a year of photojournalism at San Diego State University in 1975.
Frankly I can’t believe these turned out so well since most of the time I was learning about lighting and made many a mistake. This day had light overcast which is perfect as most shows have strong direct light with harsh shadows or strong light mixed with dark shade. The fact that my first roll of Kodachrome turned out so well was sheer luck given the film’s tight restrictions. So on with the show and as a shout out to Jim Grey the film used was Kodak Plus-X.
Here we have that Pantera that was so brilliant in yellow:
The Mercury Capri. Now who remembers the yellow car with black hood missing the letters R and I? You don’t see them and now you do. Photography is magic.
Some Mopar goodness:
Fiat 850 Sport Spider:
Saab Sonett:
The 240Z:
Unfortunately this was a roll of 36 and it seems I am missing two strips of cars. No idea so this last photo has no car photo associated with it except the engine. You’ll figure it out.
I even had unknown B&W of my car at the same time. Car spotters will see my brother’s car in the background. The only picture of it. That 4 speed had its engine rebuilt, by my younger brother, to an 11.0:1 premium fuel terror. Ever wonder what 100 mph is like in a Pinto? I know. My hand grip was imprinted in the armrest when I got out.
That is it for now. There will be another batch of assorted 1972 San Diego pictures that will interest car spotters as I scan them and see what is on them. I wasn’t out looking for cars as much as I was documenting something for myself.
Fun stuff, I was scratching my head about why an almost new Pantera needed a drip pan, but they all have that. Nice selection, the 340 Duster is calling me today.
There’s some good people watching in the background. Fro guy is considering how to fit his hair into the Pantera, and glasses guy is wondering if the Fiat 850 will make him a cool dude.
It’d be a tough call between the Capri (the stock one), the Fiat 850 Spider and the Duster 340.
I’d have a tough time choosing between the Duster and the Capri. I’ve always loved the looks of the Capri but never had a chance to drive one. I drove a 340 Duster in 1974 or thereabouts, and it seemed to me to be one of the best-balanced muscle cars of the era.
Pretty sure the engine bay is that of a Mazda RX-2.
Agreed.
Great pics! It really shows how much you cherished your Cougar then, with your stone guards and chromed or aluminum-painted? leaf springs and shackles.
Trivia question: What US prime-time 70s crime drama series police detective drove a (’73?) Mercury Capri as their on-duty and personal car for the duration of the series?
A: Theresa Graves drove a bronze Capri in the short-lived 1974 ABC series ‘Get Christie Love’. You can see the Mercury here at 45:11.
https://youtu.be/qWrEJANvcuc?t=2711
I’m consistently surprised at how sharp and detailed old film can develop into! These are some remarkably vivid shots… and what, no mention of the beautiful German(?) lounging on the driveway? 😊
Ah, that is Madchen…
Some really nice pics. Pantera or 240Z for me. I always wondered why Nissan didn’t put 3 carbs on these. Dual carbs are for 4 bangers!
You had/have a talent for photography. If you had not mentioned I would have believed these were professional photos.
I don’t know what it feels like to ride in or drive a Pinto at 100mph, but that comment reminded me of an encounter I had around 1977 in my Vega GT, on a twisty backroad (tbm3fan, I think you’d be familiar with Redwood Rd between Oakland and Castro Valley). A Pinto roared past me on a short straight … pulled over and talked with the driver a short distance afterwards, it had a small block V8 and was fast enough that any cornering deficiencies weren’t obvious to me.
Wonderful pictures of a time I remember well, and seeing them, another question popped in my mind: has CC ever covered the short life of bias-belted tires?
Know the road well. Discovered it the summer 1972 when we moved from San Diego to Orinda. Caught it at the top of Fish Ranch Road. North to San Pablo or south to Castro Valley. Very much like Skyline Blvd down the spine of the Peninsula. Haven’t been on in awhile and the Focus would enjoy it. I do need to drive Crow Canyon through the hills from San Ramon to Castro Valley several times a year. Single lane and good quick curves. Another similar road would be Niles Canyon that I have driven. I know there has to be a lot of twisty roads between 280 and the coastline.
The advertising for McCune Chrysler in San Diego would be collectible now, Google tells me that they closed in 2013, Mr. McCune retired and sold to Mr. Perry in 2013. The dealer named changed to Perry Chrysler etc. Wonder whatever happened to that nice Duster.
Thanks for sharing these wonderful shots. I love the look of B&W when it has this mild, nuanced shading. I once tried to run a roll of B&W through a point-and-shoot 35 mm at my local auto show around 1989 but whether it was the film, the camera, the settings or the processing, they all came back with a harsh, extra-high contrast look that I hated. I never tried again. I will have to find those shots some time and share them here. I remember being very excited by the new 89 Thunderbird SC.
Who would have guessed in 1971 that those ordinary Mopars might well have been the most valuable things at the show nearly 50 years (?!?) later.
Well, JP, it is a couple of factors. First it was a show without trees around. Some shows, such as the Fun Ford from years ago, used a fairgrounds where cars were under trees. That means shadows which is never good for detail. Some cars were half sun and half shade which is terrible.
Other shows, like the Mopar in San Jose, are in the wide open during summer. Bright sunlight, harsh shadows, and brilliant reflective surfaces. The show I shot was under a light overcast which gave very diffuse shadows since the water vapor spreads photons of light all over rather than in a direct line. That type of lighting is perfect in my book. No having to deal with bright whites and dark shadows, at the same time, which is beyond the capability of any B&W film
Stunning photos. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. You had/have quite an eye, sir!
The Polyglas tyres on the 2.0 Capri look like they would have trouble turning at the front, not to mention arch clearance.
Spring hangers on the Cougar …
Sonett was nice.
Spotted a Crown in the background too.
Excellent pics
Spring hangers were for clearing tires initially in 1970. They came off in 1973 for air shocks instead. Air shocks then came off decades later for Konis with new tires and wheels.
Both Pascal and his son Don are long gone. After 20years of Mercury’s ,they went on to form the largest RV dealership. In the world. Just Google d the name from the licence plate .I like to see if these dealerships are still with us, today.