Kansas City Street Sighting: Rambler Classic 770

When out carspotting, vehicles from the big three usually are the most common cars found; but in the land of very little rust (compared to Minnesota), surviving vehicles from other makes are alive and well--and I'm not talking imported makes either. Every so often, an AMC slips through the cracks here and there, and slowly but surely, vehicles from the brands' previous incarnation are becoming more and more common; its not every day I see a Rambler, much less one in the ghettos of Kansas City.

For those who don't know, the Ramber Classic is the midsize of the group, and 770 denoted that this one is the nicest vehicle in the lineup. I have no idea what engine powers this one, as there are a few engine choices, ranging from a six cylinder to a fire-breathing 290 cube V8. If it were up to me, I'd chuck a 390 in it, and go from there. But hey, not everyone wants a performance four-door; oddly enough, these Ramblers are more common, than say, a Fairlane four-door or a Biscayne four-door of the same year.

Odd, really, since the other two cars mentioned were probably more common when they were new. As with most cars, the more common they were, the less valuable they are, so most got pre-warranted death sentences by way of demolition derbies and simply driven into the ground.  Quite a bit of the remaining Ramblers I see (and I don't even see that many) are is fairly good condition, especially considering their age.

 I spotted this one from a cross-street, and I assumed it was going to be a total beater--and I was wrong. Yes, it does have rust, and yes, the paint is fairly faded, but overall, this Rambler is a very nice survivor that would make for a relatively easy restoration.

The trim and hubcaps are still in place, and surprisingly blemish-free; as expected, forty-plus years of winter have taken their toll, as there is a minimal amount of body rot; overall, this is one of the nicer 1960s vehicles I have seen, especially considering that this example comes from a non-mainstream manufacturer.

I had immense fun shooting this, as its one of very few Ramblers I've even seen; I have to admit I was a tad scared, seeing as this one was in the ghetto, but I think I did okay here.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Ford LTD

Growing up in the 1990s produced, for me, a huge love for big, American sedans; I saw them everywhere, in various stages of use. Taxis, police and fire chief cars, criminal/getaway cars in crimes, and just being used as daily drivers. Among the favorite of the line of big boats to choose from was Ford's LTD line. I grew up watching this namesake be the car of choice for law enforcement and criminals alike. To me, knowing about the Ford LTD is not only a choice, but as an American, you're obligated to know about such a car. I would say that the LTD has almost as much of a name-recognition status as the Ford Model T.













This generation of LTD was launched (I think) in 1973, and stayed with the Ford lineup until 1978; the following year, it was replaced with the new bodystyle which would be the typical movie car of the 1980s, and well into the 1990s; this bodystyle, however, was a popular movie and TV show extra. Appearing often in shows like CHiPs, and even in "The Dukes of Hazzard", this generation never really became quite the star-car its newer namesake did. Because of that, and limited collector appeal, this generation is rather hard to come by. These days, 1973-1978 cars are favorites for demolition derbiers, stoners, and people who simply want a cheap, old car to get them around in their day-to-day commute, running errands, going to schools, and whatever else the day's journey may have planned.
This rather worn-out example was doing the latter fairly well; Ive tried to track down this car for about a year or so, and I finally found it parked on a lonely side street. In all it's beater glory, this big Ford sadly is a lot worse-off than it initially appears. Upon first contact, It really doesn't look all that bad--or at least not at first glance. Up close, though, is where the trouble begins. Aside from the minor paint chips, and lack of hubcaps, this LTD looks like a typical beater, right? It does, but as one moves closer to the front, signs of a major collision rear their ugly head. Since this car does not have crumple zones, its front impact was spread out even across the front end and bumper, effectively (and quite possibly) culminating in severe frame damage. The body, aside from both front fenders) looks relatively straight, but the amount of structural damage likely is fairly high.
I feel sorry for this car not only because its own of very few of this generation of LTD that still lives, but its an example that likely does not live up to what the LTD original stood for-- Lincoln nice at a Ford price. Or maybe that was the Mercury Marquis. At any rate, this poor car definitely needs some love, but unfortunately, the damage its already suffered makes the idea of a restoration seem not only implausible but worthless to boot.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Ford Model A Roadster Pickup

Yesterday I featured a beautiful, if not semi-worn stock Model A; today, I bring you its hot-rod cousin. This stunning pickup is owned by the same owner as the stock 1930 I previously featured. While I usually don't fall head over heels for hot-rods, this particular trucklet was extremely well-done, and... wait for it.. tasteful-- something most hot-rods I see aren't. Obviously this Model A garnered my attention because, honestly, how many hot-rods do you see on a daily basis this side of a car show? Exactly. And parked in Uptown with the rest of the yuppie-mobiles? Double win right there!
This example was clean; sporting a simple yet effective matte tan finish, this looked as if it could've come straight out of 1955. And judging by the 1940ish Ford chrome hubcap rings, it very well could've. No overdone anything here. Just a clean, simple throwback to what hot-rodding was like in yesteryear. No bling, no candy paint, no $25k engine, and no alcantara that's too nice to even sit in. This is a no-frills, to the point hot-rod. And for that I love it.
It's the kind of car you'd expect that badass in highschool circa 1955 to 1960 to drive. You know, the kid with the leather jacket, and slick backed hair? The one who drove a clean new pickup lowered on reverse chrome steelies? Yeah. This is his other car. All stereotypes aside, though, I dig this thing. I don't know what it is, either. There's just something about a clean, minimalist hot-rod that makes me go "oooooooooh". That reaction alone proves I am not a traditional car person, I am a total car geek.