Parking Lot Pimpin: Mazda Miata MX-5

 

Boise Street Sighting: Ford Model A

As a longtime fan of post-war cars, pre-war cars are another item entirely; its not that I don't like them, per se, I just don't really know very much about vehicles made before 1940 or thereabouts. I do have a few favorites, though, and those all come from the Blue Oval. One of which is the legendary Ford Model A

In the early days of the automobile, Henry Ford made a killing in profits, mainly when he introduced the assembly line. His first major fruit came with the introduction of the Model T, and even though it was produced for eighteen years( 1908 through 1926), its successor would really put Ford on the map forever; like its Model T forebear, the A was also available in a wide range of bodystyles, and since so many were sold, and back then, cars had to travel much rougher terrain than their modern counterparts, the Model A doubled as the first successful SUV.

Coming in a wide range of bodies, the Model A truly was a car (or truck) for everyone. Two doors, Four doors, convertibles, pickups, you name it, one was available. It really is odd to see one model range be this comprehensive, but, really, up until the 1980s, that was the norm, and in Europe, its still common for a model range to be this comprehensive.

In the early days of hotrodding, Ford's venerable Model A proved to be a successful platform; likewise, the "A" was also a popular choice for auto restorers as well as enthusiasts of all ages. Case in point? The early As have been a staple in the Hot Wheels lineup since the 1970s. 

I hardly ever see vehicles this old, so I'm not going to whine about the condition too much; most of the Model As I see are either well-kept, decently restored, or have been chopped up and turned into various degrees of hot-roddisms.  This pickup is the antithesis of all that.

Baked in rust-coated stock body panels save for what looks like an aluminum hood, this old truck is in "as-used" condition, and would likely pass as a "used truck" in this region as late as the mid-1970s. After all, used late 1950s trucks are somewhat common in the dry Idaho climate.

Now, obviously, everything is stock, and the interior is about as bare-bones as it gets, but make no mistake, it is a truck--and is likely still a workhorse, even to this day.

I shot this in winter 2010 I believe, and I have not seen it since. I am glad I shot this for two reasons (besides the fact that I only have seen it once); I like roadster pickups, and this is a nice change from the rodded ones I see here at car shows.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Triumph TR250

I have a thing for British cars, and more often then not, the British beings I spot in Minneapolis are of the Triumph breed--and there's nothing wrong with that. I love them all; most of the ones I see are either TR-6s, or (sadly) the later TR7s, which I abhor. Earlier cars from the brand tickle my fancy, and to me, the TR250 is about one of the best examples of what the Triumph brand stands for.

Lightweight, and a good handler, yes, but fast..erm, no.According to wikipedia, these hit null to sixty in ten-and-a half-seconds, and took nearly forty seconds to hit the magic triple-digits. But, speed is not the point of British roadsters such as this. 

Oddly enough, for not being sold in the US when new apparently, most have made their way over here, and I wouldn't be surprised if most of the 600 left are in the US. I have seen about five or six, so I'd consider myself  very lucky.

I really like this example; the deep navy bodywork looks excellent, and is a standout considering most of the examples I see are either green or white. The tan top is wonderful as well, and definitely goes well with the exterior.  I also am a staunch fan of the luggage carrier, as it looks at home here; normally I decry the addition of such exterior "modifications", but in this case, the rack looks to be a period accessory, thus I don't mind it.

I dig the wire wheels on this one, too, and how could I not? While these cars did come with steelies (painted or otherwise), I feel that proper wire wheels are the way to go here. Wires just look right.

I love finding little British roadsters, and I love shooting them so; I know these pictures are fairly old, but I do think this is one of the better subjects I've shot; I am no expert at Triumph, and each one is a learning experience for me.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Plymouth Prowler

Chrysler had a history with both questionable cars, and retro cars; and it isn't just in the 2000s, either. Chrysler first hopped on the bandwagon with the Plymouth Prowler concept car in 1993, where it was a hit at major motorshows; in 1995, Chrysler wowed again with the throwback to the 1930s--the Atlantic concept car--and yet again in 1999 with the Pronto Cruizer concept. Just two of these vehicles would ultimately reach production; the Prowler first, then the production Pronto Cruizer bowed as the production PT Cruiser.

Chrysler really took a chance by producing the Prowler; it wasn't really a sports car because it didn't handle, and it wasn't really destined to be a cruiser either--mostly because it was cramped inside, and after awhile the spartan interior reminded drivers of the Dodge Viper-- but make no mistake, the Prowler wasn't fast. What it was, was an design exercise that enough people wanted to pay money for. And as that, the Prowler served Chrysler well; unlike most cars, Prowlers never became discount fodder--instead, most of them sat on dealer lots due to huge price gouges, and even today, they are far and few between--- the same can be said of PT Cruisers, but they're far and few between for an entirely different reason. 

Since the Prowler is so new, I'm not going to discuss overall condition; it's near spotless as any collector/niche car should be; it probably helps that I shot this one right after a rainstorm in the summer. Never the less, I love black cars--and I am also a sucker for the Prowler's styling--which is odd, because I detest most hotrods that looks similar. Maybe it's because the concept came out when I was young enough to appreciate "wild design"?

In an event, I am extremely proud of these set of photos; I had massive quantities of fun while shooting this subject, and it is likely a one-of-a-kind find; yes, there are probably more Prowlers around here, but I don't think I'll see another one on the street--much less in grimy downtown.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Mercedes Benz W113 230SL

I suppose I need to feature one of my favorite cars again, no? I have always liked the Mercedes SL-series roadsters and coupes, particularly those made before 1972. From that point on, the SL just got worse and worse, styling-wise, and eventually, you end up with what he have today. Before the R107, the Mercedes SL was quite the attractive car--as were most Mercedes Benz products. Aside from the obvious W198 cars, the W113 comes in a  very close second place as one of my favorite Mercedes vehicles ever produced.

Introduced in 1963, and living till 1967, the 230s were the first iteration of the W113 for America; the car would later go on to become the 250SL, and eventually the 280SL, the most common "name" for the classic SL. Just like the newer cars, this generation is, too, avialable in a hardtop and convertible guise, and looks great in either.

Minneapolis is sort of a hotbed for these cars, especially in recent years. With every SL in okay shape, I spot at least one "pretty nice" one, and there are a few gorgeous ones. Basking in the sun along Lake street, this example fit into the best category of them all; a pristine car that is cherished by its owner, as I have seen it a number of times--only on nice days--and obviously only with the top down. But who am I to complain?

Like most classic Mercedes of this vintage, this SL is stunning. Sure, the white over brown/black probably isn't as fetching as silver over red, but hey, this car generally works in almost any color combination one chooses. Cream definitely works here, as it showcases the lines of this fine German roadster to no end--I usually dig these is darker colors, but this one is presented extremely well. I also dig the painted-center hubcaps, which don't often look right on lighter colored cars. Here, they work great.

Inside, this precious roadster was immaculate like no-one's business; almost as if it actually is reserved for nice days. No trash or other marking marred the interior; again further proof that the owner babies his or her vehicle. I'm a tad confused by the driver's side sunvisor, but hey, this car is supposedly driver-oriented--something that can't be said of today's Mercs, roadsters or not.

All in all, such a wonderful car, and even better that no one was around to harass me whilst shooting it; I'm proud of this set of pictures, and I'm proud that they turned out well.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Triumph Spitfire

I've always had a thing for British roadsters; I think the TR-6 did it for me at an early age, then my love for little Brits was further enhanced by the likes of the MGB, and later I learned more and more about the AC Ace cum Shelby Cobra. Tossing all that aside, though, I really began to develop an interest in British cars back in 1999 when I was visited London for the first time. Discovering brands like Triumph (not just the TR-6 mind you), Morris, Rover, and other various makes made me appreciate the British car industry as a whole, made me wonder "why did we never get most of these cars in the US?" I suppose a few Britons could ask the same about classic Camaros, Corvettes, and whatever other US-built cars they seem to lust after. Growing up fascinated with British roadsters, one of the cars that quickly became my favorite Triumph was the Spitfire, and up until now, the later ones. Why, you ask? Because up until now, the later ones are all I've seen; two brown ones, a few green ones, and yellow one. This early blue model looks infinitely better than the later cars for several reasons, most notably the lack of "big bumpers." I detest big bumpers on almost anything, and foreign cars (namely British cars) are the single biggest culprit. I spotted this awesome Spitty in a slightly-shady area, about a block from last week's Buick Le Sabre and Electra; upon initial reaction, I was stunned, but at the same time, I kind of expected it--that area of town is filled with quite an assortment of interesting and obscure cars. The hue represented on this classic Brit is brilliant; definitely not a common color for any Triumph, let alone one as seldom-seen a Spitfire. The tarp over the interior is a shame, because I imagine its just as meticulously looked after as the body, wood wheel and all. Rolling stock of choice are Minilite wheels; something most people have a love-it-or-hate-it affair with. Me? I straddle both sides. I quite like these wheels (as well as the various derivatives of them), but I do think there are other choices. Problem is, Minilites are the Torq Thrusts of smaller. foreign cars. This is likely the cleanest, and by far the coolest, Spitfire I've seen. I'd gladly drive it as is, or maybe put in a hopped up Rover 3.5 or maybe even a small Ford V8. possibilities are endless, but I'd want to possible make this little Triumph "Spit Fire."--from the exhaust that is.