Minneapolis Street Sighting: Dodge Challenger R/T

As per my interest in cars, I do have a budding interest in being a photographer as a whole, and some of my posts try to reflect that. Ii'm not quite up on most modern cars; be it too ugly, too bland, or simply just too generic, a vast majority don't pique my interest. There are a scant few modernish cars that do hold my interest, and the newest iteration of Dodge's fabled Challenger is one of those cars. I don't really find the new Mustang a very attractive car across the board, and the Camaro just looks fat.
While I will agree that the base model Challenger looks quite lame with its small wheels, and bright colors and not enough grunt to back up its appearance, the upper-crust models are definitely the way to go. Being a quite fond of the original, I will say that the new car doesn't quite have the good looks that match the old one's heritage, but the styling is unmistakable. Big, brash, and quite brawny, the Challengers lets its prey (and pedestrians) know what's up. The headlights have a sinister look at night that certainly strikes fear in car enthusiasts, and the exhaust rumble clearly back up that mean scowl that headlights put on. I do realize some enthusiasts will be turned off by its sheer size, not to mention weight, but the original namesake wasn't exactly a light car either. So what are those enthusiasts complaining about? They should be glad that we have a car like this in the age of hybrids. I sure am.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Chevrolet Lumina two door

First off, I usually don't blog cars this new, much less plain jane cars this new; but this is different. Sure, the Lumina is a mundane car, and rightly so; for much of its life, it was aimed primarily at rental agencies much like Ford's Taurus. Unlike Ford's Taurus, the Lumina (along with its W-Body platform mates) had something Ford never offered-- a two door bodystyle. In fact, despite being introduced in 1988 as coupes, the sedans for this platform came later, in 1990. All throughout the Taurus' lifespan, a coupe was never offered. I think Ford made a huge mistake. The W-body coupes tend to be popular with enthusiasts (of W Bodies, obviously) and family people alike. Plus, the coupes tend to look better than their sedan counterpart on many occasion, this one included.
Surprisingly, unlike most W-Bodies, not only is this Lumina a very early example, it seems to have been babied to death. Their isn't one single drop of missing paint nor a spec of rust. Even the original (and quite ugly) hubcaps still linger on, probably because this vehicle never gets driven hard enough for them to come flying off. It's not often that I see a Lumina that looks almost preserved. More often than not, these cars fall into two distinct categories-- beaters, or budget bling, or on rare occurrences, both. What I find intriguing (pardon the GM pun) is this example was fitted with base seats, base interior, but a maroon steering wheel and DIC. I don't think a DIC was an option on Luminas, I could be wrong though. Another cool aspect of this example was the intact trunk-mounted luggage rack. Surely, that's a rare item sought after by W-Body enthusiasts.
Overall, this is a very, very, very nice example--quite possibly the nicest Lumina I've seen since childhood even. Major kudos to the owner for keeping this staple of GM's midsize car era alive and running. Would I drive it? I did drive the successor to this car. So, technically, I have. I didn't mind it, but its not quite what I would call thrilling. I suppose these are good cars for someone though. But that "someone" better not be expecting spirited handling in any way, shape, or form.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Dodge Charger

I've just realized; in all my posts, I have never once featured a Dodge Charger, mainly for one reason; they're simply not common out my way. Usually, when a car enthusiast hears the namesake, he or she either thinks of a)The Dukes of Hazzard or b) Bullitt. Not so, with this example.
A far cry from the rip-snorting muscle car of 1967 to 1970, these 1971+ models were geared more toward luxury than any real muscle pretensions that the name would otherwise suggest. Sure, it had a wide slew of engine options, and even the bright colors of the previous generation did find home on this new car, but to many, the 1971-1974 were not quite what an one would call "sweet." What they lacked in appearance, they apparently made up for under the hood, but to most non-car fans, that doesn't matter. This generation simply isn't sought after; and with good reason. If you remembered a square, two box hardtop wearing a confederate flag on TV, would you flock to a vinyl top-laden, long-nosed short-decked beast that had the charisma of a dead rat? I don't think so. While I can't quite say I totally hate this generation, this particular one isn't doing my eyes any favors.
Caked in a decidedly matte finish, and rolling on turbine wheels, this car seems to be stuck in 1980, and it almost works-- wait. No it doesn't. It just seems like the current owner found it in a field, bought it, and got it running. Good for him. I'd rather see it either done up in all 1970s kitchiness with window louvers, proper American Racing Vector wheels and odd colored interior, or turned into a Super Bee clone. As it is, though, this car leaves me a be stale, excitement-wise. Definitely not quite what I expect from something carrying the Charger moniker. Well, there's always the new Charger...wait.

New Cars 2012: Chrysler and Jeep

To be perfectly, most of the new cars do either nothing or very little for me. While I did have fun here, this was mainly just an exercise in night shooting. If this were the daytime, I don't think I would've bothered to stop here, let alone shoot. I like going to dealers at night because it lets me be who I want to be, rather than catering myself to fit a dealer's expectations of someone who comes onto the lot. I am not a fan of the Chrysler 200, but I think these pictures are the first time I'd seen one outside of the auto show. Boring car, I know, but at least it's better than the Sebring, if only just. The other cars are not much to right home about either, to be honest. I am pretty much waiting for all of the SRTs to come out, then I can really shoot them and be happy. Till then, this was just purely a way for me to improve my low-light shooting.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Pontiac Bonneville

This car has an interesting story behind it; I've seen it sitting here for well over a year now, and each time I try to go and shoot, there's a lady in the apartment nearest the street who comes out and yells at me, and threatens to call the police. So, after about a year of waiting, I decided to try again. Welp,guess what? In the process, she came outside and proceeded to give me the rundown on why what I was doing was illegal (it clearly isn't), and asked what I planned to do with the pictures since it wasn't "my ol' school ass whip". To shut her up, I gave her a business card, which she said was "faker than a white boy president". No, I don't know what that means, and I didn't inquire. She seemed far too stupid to grasp even the most basic comprehension skills.
What I find interesting about this Bonneville is that it has up-to-date tabs, yet I've never once seen it move under its own power--ever. I've always seen it sitting in this same spot. I would go on to venture that it's abandoned, but knowing this area, for all I know, it isn't.
The paint on the old girl looks decent, especially considering the fact that it's been exposed to the elements for at least one rough winter; unlike most cars that just sit there, this example doesn't even have an trunk or roof surface rust--yet. It honestly looks mostly intact save for the missing hubcaps, which isn't too bad given its condition. Despite the off-color hood, this classic Poncho appears to have led a worry-free life and served its past owners quite well.
Upon research of the dealer plaque, it appears that Pentel Pontiac was in business from 1971 to 1981 at 5100 Excelsior Boulevard. In 1975, the dealer started carrying Fiat, and Alfa Romeo, and in 1981, the name was changed to Wilkins Pontiac Fiat, where to stood till 1993. Shortly after the dealership was demolished, construction began on an Urgent Care center. Not quite another car dealership, is it? Since the owner's son lives in the apartment where this was shot, and its been said he doesn't like driving, I am assuming he owns this car but just lets it sit there. Quite sad, really, because I think a car like this deserves a second chance. If the owner doesn't want it, he should sell it to someone who will save it. Just like that 326 LeMans, this big Ponch is too good to let die.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Pontiac Bonneville convertible

Now this is an awesome sighting! I hardly ever see vintage Pontiacs, and usually when I do, they end up looking worse than that tired 326 LeMans I blogged earlier this winter. Fortunately, this car had all one could expect from a big cruiser of this period; lots of chrome, wire hubcaps, and a formal paint color. Perfect, I'd say.
The Bonneville was Pontiac's "luxury" vehicle from day one, for people who couldn't afford a Buick, much less a contemporary Cadillac, and it shows; big, bold styling, a lineup of big V8s, and a "who-cares" attitude when it came to gas mileage--isn't that what a luxury car is supposed to be about? Unfortunately, as time wore on, the focus of the Bonneville was shifted. In the 1980s, it became a FWD vehicle that, among other setbacks, wound up ultimately being a car largely favored by rental agencies a many.
Let's not get off focus, here. This example was quite stunning; the paint seemed to be in near-perfect shape, likewise the chrome. One thing that I liked about this pristine big boat was the fact that it still had the dealer plaque on the trunk, leading me to wonder if this was a meticulous restoration, or if it is an original owner un-restored example. I highly doubt the latter, but it would be really awesome if it was. Parked in uptown, this beast certainly stood out, and with good reason. Not often do I see a vehicle which looks as great up close as it does across the street. Well spotted, I say. And to the owner, please keep up this wonderful classic Pontiac!