Your neighborhood might be a better car show than you think

[Bryan]

If you live in a suburb, perhaps your usual route to and from home follow the same prescribed paths. That leaves lots of streets and driveways unseen, unexplored, and ripe for car spotting. Read the full article on Hagerty.com:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/your-neighborhood-might-be-a-better-car-show-than-yo...

[CVBurro]

Nice start to the article with the photo of a Lancia Montecarlo/Scorpion. I can appreciate the sentiment which is just a walk or a drive around the neighborhood.

[Sharx]

I have helped run a few car shows in recent years, from small 200ish Cars & Coffee monthly's to a 750+ County Fairgrounds one.  I have always been a car guy, but what I do not get is guys who show such disdain for a make or model because it's not the type "they" like.  I have had Pinto's/VW's to Porsches and Mercedes.  I have liked/loved them all.  I have seen old guys with their classics and hot rods to youngsters with their tuners.  What I often don't see, is a mixing of all of them.  If all of us do not relish and respect the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" philosophy, we may end up losing the younger gen's love of cars at all.  Fathers need to pique the interest in their sons/daughters like yesterday to keep them from losing what we grew up with.  Don't steer them away from what they like if it's not what you do, respect their interests and culture them.

[Laguna30]

Sharx

To your point, I attended a street car show in the area with an eclectic mix of vehicles - some 200 plus   I was behind an absolute gem of a 67 Corvette, drop dead gorgeous - I had brought my 88 M5 - The owner of the vette and I spent the day enjoying the reactions of the crowd - From indifference to both to absolute weak in the knees for one or the other or both - We had the biggest kick out of watching folks approach and trying to "eval" which ride would be their cup of tea - We both enjoyed talking shop with those who showed an interest, the fact that the split went 30/70 towards the vette was fine by me - Hey its 21 years older 

Respect your Elders 

[slaudick]

We call it the Shadow Ridge Motoring Club, on the block we have a '64 Corvette, '67 Camaro, '94 Z28, (4) Mustangs - '68 fast back, '68 Coupe, '98 coupe, '02 Convertible, a '73 Pantera, Porsche Boxster, '09 MB 550SL AMG and a '73 Jensen in restoration. It's a hoot in the Spring and Summer!

[MilesBFree]

tom_hdr posts a lot of photos on Instagram of cars he finds wandering around Paris and other European cities.  Finds some amazing cars, likely a lot dailied. 

[fshearer]

While working on my 66 Imperial in the driveway, in the last month I have chatted with people in my neighborhood who own: 67 Chev half ton, 66 Plymouth Sport Fury, 69 Charger & the previous owner of a Ford Model A truck. Old cars are a great conversation starter!

[avideo]

Lots of interesting cars and trucks out here on the west side of Phoenix. A couple of C5 and C6 Corvettes, the airline pilot next door drives a new Ford Raptor and is restoring a 1970 Mercury Cougar, and the guy across the street that restores old VWs is working on  an early 70s Van. Another neighbor has new Dodge Power Wagon, and two blocks away there's a blue 1971 Mustang convertible. 

[Planeguy]

I live on an airport and since everyone has a hangar, we have lots of room for cars. 
We have old fire engines, a handful of military jeeps(including my 1942 Ford), Model T’s, Model A’s, a variety of flatheads, a few brass cars, and quite a few 60s-70s muscle cars. Any given day it’s a car show!

[WestyinWV]

How true! Over the last few years walking to get exercise I've found and purchased within three blocks on my house in basement garages a 1949 original owner Pontiac Silver Streak two door fastback, a 1989 ASC McLaren Mustang ( only yellow one ever produced), and a month ago a real gem. 1969 Plymouth Hemi Roadrunner coupe , one of 194 4 speed cars produced that year. 

The Pontiac owner was in his late 80's and his Mom bought the car new. The ASC McLaren Mustang had some damage from a slide on black ice and the guy just didn't have the money to fix it with a new family, and the Roadrunner was a car that was reserved for drag racing early on and then just put away as the owner grew out of that phase of his life. The Pontiac and Mustang were bargains. I had to step up on the Roadrunner, but one of 194 and the iconic Hemi 4 speed was too much to resist.

Yes, they are still out there.

[Michaelmotorcyc]

That’s a pretty cool series of photos from wandering around one neighborhood. I live in a ‘burb here in the northeast and it amazes me to see the classics, daily drivers and survivors like there are out west. Also reminds me of the loss of the real utilitarian nature of some vehicles. Especially love the Little red Toyota truck contrasted against the Denali and the god awful H3

[FastnBigCars]

Love it! I've been "unconsciously" car spotting all my life but never knew what to call it. Thanks for the term and cool pictures.

[Tom5050]

I have seen a 1954 Chevy 210 sedan.  Two tome: brown with an ivory roof.

[johnu]

Sidewalk repair detoured my bicycle ride thru a neighborhood next to mine.  Stopping at a corner, I spotted 3 Corvettes, C2, C3 & C5 in open garages just by turning my head.

[bobmckenney]

We live in Fort Lauderdale and are planning to cruise along the beach in our old cars this weekend.  Everyone must stay in their car and only stop for stop signs or red lights. We have a planned route and will go directly home after the cruise.  Totally safe and hopefully fun. 

[Rider79]

Cool!

[bblhed]

I live in a small lakeside community, sadly or luckily I know all the cars in the Neighborhood. I also know where the Delorian is and where the guy that does frame up Corvette C3 rebuilds every summer lives, I love driving by that house because I never know what the car will look like on any given day.

[1968RCat]

I love the Ranchero

[Bluff17]

Thanks for making me smile this morning. 

When I visited my friend in Long Beach, who is also a car guy, we did this on a walk in his neighborhood 👍🚘 .

[1968RCat]

My wife and I walk the neighborhoods also, not near as much to see in St. Louis, MO

[fadler1]

Well I have parked by my garage, a 1961 Corvair Rampside pickup, a 1954 MG TF, a 1962 Porsche 356 B Super, and a Porsche 912 Targa Soft Top.

[Drake]

That is such a good idea! 

[qualicas]

On my driveway I have a 97 BMW M3 sedan that I rebuilt. Right behind it is another 97 BMW 3 series sedan with a 600hp GM LS. In my garage I have a 2006 CTSV and a 2016 ATSV plus in storage 2 BMW E46 M3s. Don't have to go far!

[Crashnburn]

Nice cars, all of them, but I have my own car show. It's only one, but Burt Reynolds and Sally Field made it famous in the first two Smokey and the Bandit movies by driving a car similar to it. I have a survivor, numbers matching, 1981 SE Trans Am Firebird, with a NA 4.9L V8. It's not a show car, just a show-off car.

[Tom9716]

Me, too. I’ve got my one owner, 36,000 miles, unrestored 1971 Camaro SS350, that I purchased new that year. I pinch myself every time I go for a ride (to pick up takeout, of course).

[roadio55]

My neighbor down the street just cruised by in his 1965 GTO. He rotates his collector cars which include a 1962 Corvette, a 1967 Safari wagon and two Comets, a 1964 and a Maverick-based version. Across the street from him is a second generation Mustang. In other parts of town I have stumbled across a 1949 Frazer, a 1948 DeSoto, a 1951 Chrysler, a 1967 Chevelle,  and a pair of 1959 Impalas. Those last six have all been neglected for many years, which is why I keep buying lottery tickets.

[Doug42]

Great pictures, I thought you didn’t get rust in L A, did the four wheeler drive in the ocean? I think I saw a 53 Ford and the Dynamic Olds was rare. Where I am we have to put our classics away for the winter. Stay safe.

[TrustyRusty]

Unfortunately, we have about 1000 miles of Pacific Coastline.  Cars that call home to that coast are likely suffering from some body rot...like my '86 Caballero...

[bhankinsonn]

Love that old Buick and the  Caddy with the fake tire cover on the trunk

[Jimmy56]

Yes, every time I drive my 56 Chevy around I see all kinds of nice older and new wonderful cars.  Sometimes I stop to chat with the owners. 

[scorp589]

That GMC can't be a Calif car with all the rust

[Solosolo]

Having just watched Tom Cotter finding two very different types of car collectors it amazes me that the one guy acquires cars by the hundred, restores about 40 of them by the look of it, and then parks them off and does nothing with them! He just lets them collect dust and knows that the engines will freeze and the rubbers will perish etc. but that's o.k. as he has a couple of hundred more that he is going to restore. There are so many enthusiasts out there that would love to buy so many of his cars, put them back on the road, and enjoy them. That might only happen after he croaks, and that might be past the desirability date of the current generation so they will possibly go to the scrapyard. The other gentleman is the real McCoy collector, driver, restorer etc. and drives and enjoys his cars whether or not they are perfectly presented. Thanks for another great episode Tom. 

[vettedriver]

We live in a gated golf community for  "over 55 active adults" with a little over 3,000 homes. The majority of whom retired from fairly average careers. It is amazing what we see in open garages when riding or walking around. 

We hold an annual "coffee and cars". Not only are there dozens of muscle cars, there are Corvettes from 56 to new, various vintage classics, cars not seen much such as a 59 Buick convertible, a 57 Ford Skyliner, several 55 - 57 T Birds,  several 50s vintage VW buses, British and German classics and more.  

Many are recent acquisitions by those who "always wanted one", and some have been owned for years. 

Truly a great neighborhood car show.

[GoldSS]

I'll be retired soon and looking to relocate to a community like that where I can keep my 70' El Camino.Head me in your direction.

[Ronniebisme]

love it , no for sale sign tho

[Rich8]

Ranchero is SWEET! 

[Joivalfesa]

Around my neighborhood are lots of nice old cars, but what I think is that COVID19 is real and very serious. It is proved that virus stays on the pavement and that you can take it home in your shoes, so I think it’s not a very good idea to be walking around your house and putting your family in risk just to check how many classic or interesting cars are around your home, it is a matter of responsibility with our beloved ones, STAY HOME!! 

[Barryneslo]

When I purchased my first car, a '67 RS/SS Camaro about 8 years ago, I started to notice all the older vehicles in my community so the next year I invited as many of them as I could get a hold of to come out for community car show.  That first year we had 27 vehicles, last year, our 6th we had over 125 vehicles that raised over $5000 for a local non profit that provides alcohol and drug rehab services.  It has been great to get to know the other car nuts and I look forward to resuming the car show once the social distancing has been relaxed.

[PeterSand]

When I go for a ride in one of my cars, I’m always looking to see something vintage.  I figure that since I’m driving a cool ol’ car it’s a license to stop and chat.  We try to do a monthly Cars ‘n Coffee and our owner list is at 2 dozen or so now.  Hopefully we’ll have a morning meet some Saturday next month, even if we have to keep 6 feet from each other!

[Maestro1]

 I really liked the Polara and the Thunderbird. You live in a good place.

[TrustyRusty]

Notice the California license plates, where rust does not rule!

[Callen]

The images brought back memories for me.  My first car was a 67 Firebird Sprint (not sure if the first image is a sprint or not).  The Sprints were unique and had a 230 cu in 230 HP overhead cam 6 cylinder with a 4 bbl Quadrajet and a Saginaw 4-speed.  My second car was 67 Mustang as shown in the next to last image.  When I got married in '77 I still had the mustang and my wife had a 67 Mustang GTA fast back,  The good old days.  

[Studey4ever]

We've been doing this kind of capturing of cars in the wild (not at auctions or car shows) for almost 10 years.  We nab them parked and in motion when possible.  Please check out Feral Cars on Facebook and/or feralcars on Instagram.  We run a new one every weekday and today's is truly amazing: a MBZ 300SL gullwing parked at the side of the road with the wings up.  Sometimes it's just a Falcon or Dart but we do get our fair share of stunners.

[Michellehrand]

A line-up of three MG Midgets nose to tail, two with hardtops.

[GFredenburg]

Wow, some nice cars and you may have found the 69 T-Bird that I sold in 1997.  I did the body work and painted it that exact same color, which if I recall correctly was not a factory color.  It had a 429 BB in it and ran great!  I sold when my wife and I started a family.  Should have tucked it away.  Oh well, hindsight is always 20/20.  If that is the same car, it is good to see it still surviving.

[patgarity]

Wow! Twice the Lightning strikes!

First as a written feature and now a picture of the most beautiful pick up ever made.

[canoecat]

No so much in Minnesota.  What you do see is extra garages next to suburban houses.  If I had X-Ray vision I would probably see lots of great cars.  

[7GNYC3]

Excellent article. Check out this account on Instagram. Car spotting from the streets of NYC.

American_Vroom

[Altema22]

We've got a '69 Chevelle SS, a '64 Vette, and '70 Karmann Ghia, all within a hundred feet here. There about half a dozen cars on the next block, but the never park them on the street, so you only get a glimpse when their garage door is open. The Vette was directly across the street and I never knew he had it, until it was towed in for work.

[02-orignal-ownr]

Unfortunately no picture, as this car was moving--right smartly--down US 35 near my house:  a black, XK120 Jaguar, top down, driver grinning as he tooled along "a few mph" over the 55 mph speed limit.  In very nice shape, but obviously not a Pebble Beach concours car. 

Can't remember the last time I saw a 120 that wasn't headed to or from a car show.  We gave each other thumbs-up ( I was driving my '91 BMW 318is) and proceeded on our separate ways.  Funny thing--I've never seen that Jag at a local car show, cruise in etc.  Wonder where it hides out.