Cars in the Park, Pontiac Muscle Cars, July 2, 2011

Just the facts, ma'am, that's what you'll find in the next photo, all about this car.




The distinctive front end of the 1969 Pontiac TransAm, listed as a Pony car muscle model in the Wikipedia article. Here's a definition of a pony car, an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.


I forgot to take a photo of the placard on the dash. Anyway on the license plate I see a 1969 sticker, so this just might be a 1969 Pontiac Firebird which is listed as a pony car muscle model; here's a definition of pony car, an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.


The engine compartment.


The front seats and the dash, and I can barely see the year 1969 on the piece of paper reflected in the window.




1965 Pontiac GTO Convertible


The interior and the dash.


Pontiac GTO--I don't know the year.


It says "The Judge" in several places on this beauty.


On the spoiler.

Cars in the Park, Vintage American Cars, July 9, 2011

I went camera shopping early Saturday, with Kailey and Leland, then with just Leland so that sweet Kailey could get some sleep--she works graveyard. After a total of three stops, I found what I wanted and what I could afford at Ritz Camera, a Nikon D5100. You see, my beloved Nikon D50 has been erratic at best lately, plus I pined for the sharpness of a Nikon lens again. Now I'm all set and can see about getting the D50 to the camera hospital.

Buying a new camera, of course, means charging the battery before you can go out and about with the camera hanging around your neck. An hour and a half after I plugged in the charger, I arrived at the South Park Blocks for this Saturday's car show right before 3 p.m. I figured I'd be just fine because the advertised end time was 5 p.m., so imagine how my mouth dropped open when I got to the top of the stairs at SW Main and the South Park Blocks and saw the streets 97% empty. Immediately I hot-footed it to the closest car, camera ready. As I took a few photos, I looked up and saw about a block away a Woody--the first one I've seen in person! Then in a few minutes I saw a car driving away that reminded me of a gangster movie car. For a little while I rushed around, taking photos. Here they are for you to enjoy.


1937 Ford V8. I asked the owner, the man in the red T-shirt, for the name of the color. He replied, "Autumn Brown. Like fall. That's a stock Ford color." The closest to the correct color is in that sunny spot on the front fender and in the sunny spot between the headlight and the grill--naturally the shade made the color darker.


The Ford's hood ornament; I wish I had asked whether or not it is original.


The 1939 Ford Deluxe Woody Station Wagon that caused my heart to race as I approached it--praying the owner was not inside and about to drive off. On the wall behind it is an image of one of the cars on display inside the Portland Art Museum, part of The Allure of the Automobile.


I have to tell you, the wood on this car outshone any of the totally metal cars I have seen. Rich, mellow, satiny smooth, gorgeous wood. I heard the man who owns the Woody saying that some of it was original!


More of that grin-inducing wood!


This beauty quietly drove up and then past me as I stared at the Woody, so I missed getting a photo of the front. You can see from the next photo that both cars look very much alike, which makes me think this one is a Pierce Arrow, too.


I know this one is a Pierce Arrow because I stepped up to the window and asked the driver as he waited for pedestrians to clear the intersection. This car is the one that made me think of gangster movies. Love those black-wall tires!


1938 Pontiac Two-Door Cabriolet Convertible


That's the owner standing by it in the photo above. You can tell that he's got it partially parked on the sidewalk.


I think that oblong black thing is the step you use to get yourself into the rumble seat. I wonder if he had it open earlier in the day?


The Pontiac's hood ornament.


When I looked back towards the Woody, I saw this beauty pulled to a stop behind it. The owner's getting out as I snap the photo.




The hub cab says Packard Super Eight. Unfortunately I am reflected too much in this photo--gotta pay better attention next week when I go see the Multnomah Hot Rod Council's vehicles!


Lovely, lovely car.


The Packard's hood ornament.

Car Parts: The Grill, as in I've grilled myself and will now tell the truth.

First, I know I said come back today and see the entire car. But, look what I've discovered! A different photo of the grill that shows beyond all doubt that my memory resembles a sieve, a strainer. Holes through and through. That's because when I posted on Saturday, I told a big one! When I looked at the photo and saw the red circle with the Indian chief in it, and a piece of chrome crossing in front of it, I thought, "Oh, I remember. The Pontiac was parked close up behind another car, and that chrome is part of that other car." Not true. See below for the truth. As for the why, I don't know why that piece of chrome bisects the red circle like it does. To me it detracts from the grill, but to others I'm sure it means design integrity and strength.





Sorry, I can't stop thinking about Saturday's post. When you think about it, just how could I have taken that straight-on full-frontal photo of the red circle with the Indian chief in it? With two cars parked bumper to bumper, where did I stand? I mean, you can see me reflected there, and, upon a closer look, it's evident that I'm not standing on the bumper of the not-really-there-car.

As promised, here's the whole car, the sum of its parts.


If I owned some sort of photo-manipulation-software, could I have erased the road warning sign, the white posts, and the curb, and then cloned the missing sections of the car? I wonder.

Car Parts: The Trunk, the Insignia, and the Chrome

Please come back on Monday for the entire Pontiac.

Car Parts: The Grill and an Indian Chief Emblem

The grill, close

The grill, a bit less close


The Pontiac Silver Streak parked extremely close behind another car. I saw them at a lot near Bright's Auto Upholstery back on July 7, 2008. I couldn't get between the cars to take a better photo than these.

You can see me, reflected in the chrome, just like you could see me in Wednesday's post, reflected in the side of the car.

Car Parts: The Steering Wheel and the Dashboard

Hydra-matic. Sounds so fluid. The definition at Wikipedia: the first fully automatic mass-produced transmission developed for passenger automobile use.

Do you really-young-blog-buddies know what N, D, L, and R stand for? I know you near-my-age-blog-buddies do.

Car Parts: The Hood Ornament and Chrome

Three views of an American automotive icon and ...
... a headlight.

... the rounded hood.

...an up close look.


Mama says she doesn't remember us having a Pontiac. Did you or your friends? Maybe you're a car collector, and you have one now. I'd love to read your memories or see your photos.

Car Parts: The Hubcap and The Tire

More car parts to follow.