Minneapolis Street Sighting: Chrysler New Yorker Brougham

Very rarely do I come across in absolute pristine condition, so this New Yorker was quite the shock to my eyes-- in a good way. I can't recall ever seeing a big Chrysler up here, let alone one this clean. It's almost like I took a trip back to 1975. But, there were modern cars. How does that work?
The paint and body were in immaculate shape. It was wonderful, really. I honestly don't think I've ever said "holy shit" more than when I saw this thing in person. It was big, long, wide, and best of all, clean and free of big car gangsteritus. Well, okay, I tend to think big 1970s cars are gangster--in the "I'm gonna commit some Mafia crimes and throw your ass in the trunk" kind of way. Back to the paint and body for a minute here. The trim was intact; the Brougham bagdes, the Chrysler script, the hubcaps, you name it, it was here. I honestly didn't get a close look at the interior because I spent so much sitting there in shock and awe and amazement. However, as I recall, the interior was in the same as-new condition as the exterior of the car. I can honestly say this might be a "time capsule" car rather than a restoration. Maybe I'll be lucky and see it at a car show this summer. I haven't seen it since late summer 2009, and I'd love to see it again.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Nash Metropolitan

I love old cars, and I love small cars;I love obscure cars, and I love "cute" cars. I love cars with the teal and white combo and ones in relatively well kept condition. So, this Nash outside a foreign car service place near my house fit the bill perfectly.
Like yesterday's Cadillac Fleetwood, I had loads of fun shooting this one. The paint on this example of yesteryear's minicar was flawless, and all the trim was not only intact, but it was perfect too boot. The wheels and tires weren't bad either. The interior, thought extremely sparse, even for 1950s standards, was immaculate.
Even though I love this teal and white example, seeing another one in a different color combo would be awesome. I'd shoot it the same, too.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Cadillac Fleetwood

So, new year, new street sightings, and what a sighting this is. This Cadillac Fleetwood has to be one of my favorite sightings ever: I hardly ever see anything bloggable in Minnesota's long, slow winters, let Cadillacs of this vintage. Second, unlike some of my finds, this shoot didn't result in a nasty confrontation with a wary owner, and third, traffic along Lake street (well, all two cars out at the time) stopped so I could carry on with my business.
First off, I must say, I have mixed feelings about the condition of this barge. Sure, it has collector plates, but jeez. I don't know whether to call the faded, chipped paint and rotten chrome patina or dilapidated. I do know that it strikes an odd balance, and certainly makes this example of a long-forgotten motoring era stand out in a crowd of modern generica that infects my neighborhood.
While the general condition of the paint (or lack thereof) is noted, the interior suffers the same fate. With 45 years under its belt, this once-luxurious car is going to need a boatload (sorry, bad pun) of extensive work to be returned to its former glory. Granted, it still has a lone factory hubcap, but still. This thing needs a lot of work.
However, needing copious amounts of work is no bad thing; this particular Cadillac looks like a vehicle in a horror movie. More specifically, a vehicle that would be right at home haunting a family in a late 1980s Ford Taurus wagon. Okay, maybe that's just a generic "cliche movie hell" scene from my imagination, but still.
I enjoyed seeing this car, and I had a lot of fun shooting it. Next time I'm on the prowl for older cars, I just may shoot more and more not-quite pristine cars. They sure are fun to write about, without having second thoughts about the imagery that occurs as a result of my vivid descriptions.

Minneapolis Street Sightings: Oldsmobile Delta 88 Convertible

As state in two previous posts, I absolutely love these cars. I don't know what it is about these, either. They're not fast, they're not really a "halo" car by any means, but somehow these bigger GM convertibles (particularly these Oldsmobile 88s) look... right. Everything, from the headlights, to the bodylines, to the taillights is perfect. I've gotta say, this car is definitely one of GM's better efforts.
Unfortunately, I shot this stunning example before I was OCD about car pictures, making everything perfect, and getting 10-15 good pictures per car, so the pictures are minimal. This one did, however, have one thing going for it that the last one I saw didn't; a beautiful, shiny paint job that looked too new to be factory. But it was gorgeous though. That shade of not-quite-maroon-and-not-really-red is just.. cherry (literally). The all white interior was pretty damn hot, too. I didn't see a single spec of dirt or grime throughout the whole interior. Last but not least, the car was riding on later-model Oldsmobile wire-look hubcaps. Honestly, they look better on here that the cars they came on from the factory. However, one thing is missing from the car. It needs me in the drivers' seat, and a wide, open, four-lane road. Summer road trip, anyone?

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Oldsmobile Delta 88 Convertible

As I said in a previous post, I really have a thing for certain Oldsmobiles; I love big '70s American convertibles, too. I also think cars with white interiors are sexy. Okay, not all cars with white interiors are sexy, but most are. Case in point for non-sexy: the new VW Beetle. The thought alone makes me cringe.
Now, back on topic. The paint on this big Olds was shiny, though not new-car luster. The trim, too, was presented well but showed some aging. Not at all surprising, considering the paint on this car, if original, is 35 years old. The interior showed the same condition, though it didn't really show much obvious wear and tear; the owner of this big vert takes really good care of it, both inside and out. I don't think I've ever seen this particular car with an ounce of dirt anywhere on it.
If I was going to have an Oldsmobile vert, this would be it. Mine would be done up in the same color combination as this one, or maybe even a dark blue with white interior. I don't think I'd do any mods to it, even a sound system. Okay, so maybe that's stretching it, but still. These cars are perfect when left stock.