Category: Cars

My good friend and longtime colleague Bill Dickson has a weakness for Scandinavian cars. Every time I see a vintage Northern European two-stroker, odd V-four, or similar – I think of Bill. This machine was spotted on a recent biz trip to the Seattle area, on I-5 near “the brewery”. Here you go Bill! This Saab’s for you.

An irony of the art of photography is that it captures moments in time with amazing detail of objects, but without any information much less detail on subjects. Nowhere is that so well illustrated as the photo above.

I was having a conversation with a friend at work about family histories. He showed me several photos that he had collected of various members of his family, many he had never even met. One such photo is this one, which he knows is an uncle, and it was taken sometime in the mid-20th century in California. Beyond that, he knows little. Nothing about the woman. I said to him that I bet I could help him narrow it down to a specific year, based solely on the newish looking car behind the subjects. I told him I have a bunch of readers who are excellent car spotters. Let us know what the pictured cars are and we’ll at least fill in some blanks.

Can you name this car? This company is not known for building engines in this configuration, but you already knew that.

Of all the spectacular machines present at the Art Center School of Design Car Show I attended in 2009, this one stuck out as my favorite. Not because of its provenance really, but because of it’s well-worn and comfy patina. Unlike the ultra-perfect collection shown on the grass around it, this car was not over-restored. It wore its age like a nice old leather jacket.

Upon researching the car’s history it appears to have been restored in the 80s, but at least the owners since then have allowed it to be used as its makers intended.