1968 Firebird

This 1968 Firebird was parked in Safeway parking lot in Redwood Shores, CA, and appears to be a daily driver. It is a typically equipped car with a 350 engine with automatic transmission, bucket seats with floor shift and standard interior. The really rare feature of this car is the fact that it has hub caps and white walls. The last hundred or so 1967-1969 Firebirds I have seen all had aftermarket wheels or the ever popular and attractive Pontiac Rally II wheels. Although a common sight when these cars where new, white walls on a 1968 Firebird is a rare sight today. They give the car the pure, innocent look of a one owner, unmolested car. I can’t say if I purchased this car that I would not change the wheels and tires to redlines and rallys, but it is nice to see one of these cars as it would have looked on the street forty years ago.

Rolls Royce and Bentleys at the Lake Tahoe Boat Concours

A gathering of expensive vintage wooden boats brings the old money crowd out that owns them. Lake Tahoe has always been a playground for the rich, with the likes of George Whittell Jr and Bill Harrah owning estates and properties on the lake. Older Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles were casually parked on the streets in and around the Carnelian Bay area near the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance this year. Most were just in clean driver condition, being used as transportation. The only exception was a striking early fifties Bentley Continental, too nice to be a driver. An older Rolls or Bentley is the perfect car to drive to such a splendidly elegant event. Just like wooden boats, Rolls and Bentley cars are often retained by their original owners for many years.

Morris Minor

Berkeley California is known for is eclectic, diverse, and interesting population. This is also true for the unusual collection of older cars used for everyday transportation in Berkeley. This Morris Minor is a great example of a vintage car still used as a everyday car. It was captured on the street in its natural habitat, in traffic on Telegraph Ave. Morris Minors were built in England, and were produced between 1948 and 1971. This specimen is a Morris Minor 1000, introduced in 1956. The exact year of this car is unknown. But what is known, is that this car is always going happy in Berkeley, sharing the streets with many other old, small, European cars.

1975 Cadillac Eldorado

This beautiful 1975 Cadillac Eldorado frequents the Fourth Street Bowl Coffee Shop in San Jose, adding class and elegance to this eating establishments parking lot. Large, full-size portions are served at the coffee shop, making this car the perfect choice of transport after a heavy meal. This car is unusual not only for its exceptional condition, but for how it was equipped from the factory. It has the seldom seen sun roof option, but was ordered with out a vinyl top. Also unusual are the set of aftermarket wheels installed when the car was new. 1971-1978 Eldorados are rarely seen on the street anymore, making the spotting of this car a feast for the eyes.

1969 Chevelle SS396

Dull, dirty and drab, with a combination of faded silver and gray primer paint, this 1969 Chevelle SS396 almost goes unnoticed in a parking lot. But on close inspection, this is a straight, solid, and totally stock original muscle car. Spotted in a high school parking lot in Pleasanton, California, it is unmodified, with the original AM radio, bench seat, and correct 14” wheels. This appears to be a daily driver, with no attempt at keeping it clean, much less restored. I like it. A real muscle car used like a car, not a garage queen. Of the over 86,000 SS optioned 1969 Chevelles sold, not many are left with such a unmolested patina like this one.

Rabbit Pickup

This early eighties vintage VW Rabbit truck showed up at GM Sports Salvage in San Jose, CA, to pick up some parts. The driver claims that Ellsworth Automotive Center in Menlo Park, CA, purchased the truck new, and it has been in daily use ever since. After nearly 30 years of service, it still looks good. Some damage to the right front, but it appears to still wearing its original paint. They just put a new battery in it once in a while, and it keeps going, and going, and going.......

1968 Impala Fastback

This well preserved 1968 Chevrolet Impala was spotted on Highway 5 near Sacramento. Light rainy weather conditions prompted the car's driver the clutch on to the large steering wheel with both hands. The driver, as well as the car's over-all appearance, appear to be original. This huge white car, with it's dramatic fastback styling, was easy to spot from a far distance. My co-pilot snapped these photos as we rolled by.