Minneapolis Street Sightings: Jaguar XJS V12

Want a British sports car? Don't want to pay a fortune for a new Jaguar XK or a new Bristol? The 1980s and 1990s Jaguar XJS is for you. Introduced in 1976, it sported a 5.3L Jaguar V12 with only 290 hp, enough to propel the vehicle to 60 MPH in 8.9 seconds, or roughly the time it takes a Prius to achieve the same speed. Unlike the Prius, though, the Jaguar didn't get 45 MPG. Instead it achieved barely 14 MPG--and that's on the highway. Top speed was the big coupe's forte. It could reach 144 MPH, and look good while doing so. The downside to the Jaguar is--you guessed it--reliability. In the US, prices skyrocketed over the years, and desirability fell, with the introduction of other sport coupes such as Mercedes' SL roadster, and eventually the ho-hum Lexus SC series. Nissan even lopped the roof of it's legendary 300ZX Z32.
So what makes the Jaguar an interesting car? It's styling, from the slender rectangular headlights, to the wide-spoked alloy wheels, this car is distinctly British. The interior was a treat too--when new that is. And don't get me started on the engine note. My god. It sounds like a cross between an older Aston Martin V8 and new Jaguar XJ series--and that's no bad thing.
So, if you're looking for that quintessential piece of the British Motoring pie, look no further. Your car has arrived. And the best part is... you can have one for less than the price of a new Ford Focus. Don't say I didn't warn you about the reliability though.

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Mercedes 300TD wagon

Aaah what can I say? Another hearty old Benz 300TD variant rumbling around in the Minnesota fall. Nope, they won't die. You can drive em through the worst of all conditions for hundreds of thousands of miles, and they won't give up.
I was actually pretty impressed with this particular car, more so than previous Mercedes finds for a few reasons. Not only do I adore this bodystyle of Benz in the first place, but seeing a wagon in great shape rather than the oh-so-common sedan makes this find much more special to me. First off, the cream/tan color combination is spectacular, especially on this car. Second off, the condition is simply amazing. Not one single dent or rust spot, although that could be attributed to the Washington plates rather than the Minnesota dealies that seem to grace the cars featured here. Also, the paint is in great shape, too. So often when I spot older metal roaming the streets here, the paint is faded to all hell, and all the trim is missing. Not in this case. It appears as if this car hasn't aged at all. I don't know whether that's a good thing though, because these Benzes were so common back in the day it's almost sad to see one untouched. At the same time, I'm quite happy the car has been preserved for future generations to oogle over.

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Back when the SUV market was actually about functionality rather than how much tech you can cram into a truck (or car)-based wagon, there were very few luxury SUVs available in the states. The Range Rover, the Suburban twins, and the Grand Wagoneer were about the only utility vehicles than emphasized luxury over sport. But, unlike today's luxury SUVs, these vehicles actually were sometimes taken off road. You certainly won't find Mr. and Mrs. Urban taking their $79,000 Lexus LX570 off road, and no one dare get their new Jeep Cherokee muddy.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer was made 1963 to 1993, but this bodystyle was made from 1978 to 1991. When the Jeep Wagoneer became a Grand Cherokee trimline in 1992, I lost all hope for a real Jeep. In 1984, the square headlight models came out, as a successor to the round headlight guys which were produced from 1963 to 1974 round headlight vehicles, built by Willys and Kaiser. The AMC model years, which later became the Chrysler powered vehicles, ran from 1974 onward, switching to Chrysler powered and engineered vehicles in 1978. By the end of its run in 1991, the original Wagoneer cost nearly $24,000 (up from $10,500 in 1981) and had parts from GM (steering column and transmission), Ford (carbs and fuel pumps, and electronic controls such as AC, heat, etc.) and was still powered by the good ole Chrysler derived 360 V8.

My first impression of this Wagoneer was an immense shock at how clean it was. Not one single rust spot, not one major flaw in the paint, and even the interior looked clean, too. I walked around the truck in amazement. I've never seen one these clean. Ever. Even Idaho didn't bring them as clean as this guy. I can only hope that it stays in this shape as long as it can, however, I am sad that it doesn't appear to be used as it should, which is why I'm torn. I love old trucks, and love them to be working, but at the same time, my jaw drops in amazement at a rust free example like this immaculate guy. If this one was for sale, it could easily fetch $25 or $30k, depending on miles and options. If it was an older truck, prices could easily double. So next time I see a Wagoneer for sale for under $10k, I'll want to check it out. Even if I lack funds to make it my own.

School?

Yeah... September is in full swing. I actually have classes now. Fun classes, but still classes. However, my car hunting is not on hiatus.. It's just taking a bit longer to post some finds. I saw some amazing vehicles today.. But those will have to wait for later.. Right now. I'm going to concentrate on adding some older finds to the blog. :) The practice of older finds being added will likely carry out periodically as the winter sets in. Right now, it still feels like summer; sorta. The air is warm, but I can feel the cold wanting to creep in. And it does at night. In the daytime (or what's left of it anyways.. it's still ripe shooting time provided I don't have class or homework. :(

Minneapolis Street Sightings: VW Karmann Ghia

The VW Karmann Ghia is a nice car, but among car enthusiasts in general it is often overlooked. Well, I like them. I usually don’t spring for later models, but this one was so clean I couldn’t pass it up. Not one single rust hole or piece of dirt graced this little Ghia. The orange paint looks very 1970s, as do the “oh-so-Beetle” wheels this example has on it. But, that’s not stopping me from liking it. The color and wheel combination makes for an interesting car. I’m actually sort of glad this example didn’t have the standard VW wheels I hate so much. The interior looked pretty clean to me, as well, but I’m not up to speed on VWs interiors as much as I’d like to be. Nevertheless, this example is one heck of a good spotting down on the Minneapolis street, where cars rust almost as fast as they get accident damage.

Camera Man

Everyone has a particular art form they use to express themselves; for some it’s poetry, for others, it’s music, and other people like writing stories. But me? I take my camera everywhere I go. To car shows, to family gathering, on road trips… hell I bring it with me even when I bike around the city.
To date, I have taken around 50,000 pictures of everything from cars to abandoned buildings to candid shots of everyday human interaction. Not only is the subject important for me, but it’s the thrill of going hunting that really gets me going. I like surprise. I never know what I’m going to shoot, so each day brings new subjects and new ideas for pictures. One day I may be in the mood to go shoot nature objects, some days I focus on cars, and other days I try to get as many building/signs as possible. I like setting out with a particular theme in mind, but at the same time I don’t; I like shooting at the spur of the moment as well; I like to have my subject in place, and focus the camera and wait for that perfect moment with no clutter and just shoot. Sometimes this takes one try; other times it takes four or five. Whatever the case, my 4 gig memory card can handle it.
I am very picky about what I shoot; I love looking beyond the norms. I pick things that are interesting to me. With every subject I shoot, be it a building, pets, people, or cars, I have to be passionate about what I’m shooting. It has to pop out at me. If I’m shooting a building for instance, it has to either be a well executed building with great architecture, not unlike the Basilica in on Hennepin Ave. If I’m shooting people, the person has to have either a funny expression or the moment has to be one of either laughable awkwardness or one of startle. For cars, that’s where it gets crazy. I’m a certified car nut, so I won’t even delve into my qualifications for shooting in that department.
When it comes to distinguishing a crap picture from a good picture, light is the key for me. I absolutely HATE sunlight. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. In fact, I can positively say I loathe it. I love shooting on semi-cloudy to overcast days. Not only does the absence of the sun avoid lens glare and other sun-induced picture-destroyers, it helps bring out a more natural color in whatever I’m planning to shoot. If I’m shooting right after a downpour, I love using macro mode to capture close-ups of object with droplets clearly seen in the picture. No better way to capture detail than with miniscule objects like droplets left from a downpour in the picture.
Contrast also plays a key role in determining a good picture from a crappy one. If I’m going to shoot a building sign, which I love doing, it has to either look cool in a rustic way, or it has to have contrast compared to its surroundings. I also love shooting down alleyways and getting whole scenes in one shot. The idea of framing a subject with two “walls” so to speak is awesome. To me, though, there is no better way to capture a scene than with framing, and having a scene in which alleyways make up the outer borders is awesome.
The satisfaction doesn’t end when I’ve taken the picture, however. When I’m back at home, loading all my pictures from that day’s shootings onto my computer, I get and incredible feeling of joy from looking at shots in which I excelled at capturing what I wanted to; it lets me know I’m doing something right. At the same time if I shoot something and it doesn’t come out right, I feel let down; I want to try again. I do try again.
But most of all, photography is a key part of my personality. It makes up who I am. If you don’t know my name, you will be sure to pick me apart from a crowd because more likely than not, I’ll be the one looking around with a camera at the ready should anything spark my interest.

--first written by me on April 29, 2008

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Oldsmobile Delta 88

Hmm.. this is an odd one. No, not odd in the sense that I didn't know they made a two door Delta, but odd because for making so many, I can safely say that this is the first one I've seen. And what a nice (for Minnesota, anyway) one it is. There are quite a few things about this particular Olds that piqued my interest. First off, the originality of the paint/trim had me curious, not only because the body itself looked to be solid, there is no evidence of a crappy respray either. Second of all, all the correct hubcaps, and badges are present as well, making this look like a car you'd expect to find in the cities in 1988, not 2008. I'm also surprised at the age of the driver of this thing. It had a CD case in the passenger seat, which would lead me to believe the owner is in the 21 and under age category, and if so I applaud him or her. Usually, car owners in that category are either one of two things here: gritboys who sware by anything American, or ricers who wouldn't dare touch anything made by the Big Three, much less with a V8. The final thing is its parking place. Why park something like this next to a trash bin. Granted, I wouldn't feel comfortable parking a car of this vintage and this condition out on the street, but still. Couldn't the owner at least have put it in a garage or something?

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Chevy Impala

Hmm.. it seems older GMs have been popping up out of the woodwork here lately, or maybe I'm just noticing them more and more now that I've cleared ricers and ballers from my main automotive focus. Or maybe it's because I care more now. Anyways this Chevy Impala sedan is pretty clean for it's age. It may not be an SS, and it likely isn't very fast, but who cares? It's big, it's roomy, and it's gas mileage is equivalent with that of a new Navigator, but that's not the point. The point is, having an older car is different. It will get you noticed. It's not a cookie cutter SUV, nor is it some expensive luxury car that you'd be scared to have valet parked for fear of possible damage. If you're a true car nut like me, you can appreciate this example of Chevy history for what it is. A typical classic Impala that doesn't look like the millions of other SS/SS clone's running around on Cragrars of Keystones, and the paint is its original color, and not the cliche red, black, or blue. Simply put, this is my kind of Impala.

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Oldsmobile Delta 88

For some reason, I've been seeing a lot of older GMs lately. First, it was the spree of clean Cadillacs, then I saw about 4 or 5 older Vettes (all at dealer lots unfortunately), and now for some reason, Oldsmobiles are popping up out of nowhere. I've seen a few Cutlass Supremes (A Bodys and a few Gs), and now I spotted this semi-clean Delta 88. The car had all the marks of a true daily driver: faded, but original paint, all 4 hubcaps, and seats that certainly had over 30 years of wear and tear. But, not one ounce of rust was to be found. The Delta 88 was the biggest car in Oldsmobile's lineup, and it certainly is a biggun. In the old days of huge cars, cheap gas, it was common for passenger cars to be bigger than trucks, and this huge Olds is proof. Coming it at more the 19 feet long, the Delta is longer and wider than a contemporary Suburban. Not that I mind that at all, because I certainly don't. Big cars with bigger engines rule. Even with a 190 hp Pontiac sourced 400, many performance parts can be had. With the huge Oldsmobile, however, I am worried about its fate after the current owner. Cars like the this are prime picking for demolition derby, and that's a fate worse being totaled in a wreck.