1984 Pontiac Grand Prix LE - 08/06/23

Another not-so-abandoned car for the blog, and one previously mentioned in the 73' Chevelle racecar post - my daily-ish 84' Grand Prix. The 383/TH350 drivetrain inside was originally taken from my dad's Sportsman series car and INTENDED for the Knoxville car, it found its home here - a rustbucket my dad had bought nearly 13 years ago and stored outdoors for 10. I convinced him to drag it out and to work we went, putting spare racecar parts and pieces into it like a Ford 9" rear end, a Stant radiator, and even a tachometer.

It was my high school car and I'm still the owner, and even with our ups and downs, I love this car to death because it reminds me of my dad's old racing days and of countless hours spent in the shop wrenching with him. I love you, dad. Even though you can be an ass sometimes, LOL.

1973 Chevrolet Chevelle - 10/30/22

Two-time Iowa Sportsman Series Champion and four-time Knoxville Extreme Enduro race winner Darin Van Dee (my father) cruised to three of those four Knoxville wins in this exact car - a frame-damaged 1973 Chevy Chevelle that he turned into a racecar by hand around 07' or 08'. I watched my father drive this car a lot as a kid - even "spotting" for him for his 2018 win. The memories of this car and it's sounds and smells are pungent in my mind - and not just because it's drivetrain was transplanted into my 1984 Pontiac Grand Prix street car.

1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - 01/26/23

Another first gen Monte Carlo post - actually in the same town as that one as well. This 71' Chevy Monte Carlo has been the object of desire of the town for maybe thirty years (?) give or take. I remember riding on the school bus and passing this every single weekday, and even as a kid would I drool over it. Rumor has it, this is a triple-black Monte packing a 454 big-block V8 that's been modified by either this or it's previous owner. The car looks solid - but since it's been outside for several years, who knows what the underside or inside of the car may look (or smell) like. I'll post an update on this car the next time I'm down in my hometown and I can get some clearer pictures of it for you all.

1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 - 02/15/23

The XR7 is one of the rarest and most lavish trim options for any Cougar - but a rust-free nearly all-original 1970 model with low miles and low wear is even rarer. This example sits in a shed on the property my dad rents, owned by the couple we rent it from. Several hundreds of people have probably offered large sums of cash for it, but the only deal we've ever been offered was to pay 100K for both the car and the house. You can imagine just how quickly my dad backed down from that. So the Cougar shall sit for probably another 40 or 50 years - or perhaps until the olden shed it sits in collapses on top of it. What a shame - this car is probably worth around the kind of money they were asking for it if someone could or would care for it, like it so rightfully deserves.

1967 Ford Mustang - 05/10/23

Figured with this post I'd clarify - the date at the top, for now, is the date in which the pictures were taken. Once I've run out of old material, I'll start using it just to mark the date of the post. This might suck when it comes to chronological backlogging. This 1967 Mustang is located in the front lot facing the highway at Doug's Four Wheelers in Pella, Iowa. No, he does not bean ATV's, Doug's specialty is 2WD and 4WD vintage trucks, as well as a plethora of dilapidated muscle cars and other such vehicles. He wants a pretty penny for most cars on the lot, usually a sum of two grand, however I think 2K is reasonable for a Mustang of this year and in this state. Sure, the interior of the car has been stripped and made into a home for chrome and other trim, but maybe it could benefit from a complete custom interior job. Maybe a racecar style barebones approach, some furry seats and fuzzy dice like a lowrider, or perhaps just a remade set of the original style. Either way, this Mustang could be a classy build or an all-out monster with the right owner.

1995 Chevrolet 1500 - 08/20/23

A breakaway from the usual postings on this blog, this was my grandfather's 1995 Chevy pickup. Back when he was still alive, he worked this old girl to death. And yet, the only true signs of wear or rust is a dent in the passenger's side bed panel. For a work truck of this vintage, you'd be surprised to know that it only has 68,417 original miles on her. I one day hope that maybe I could own this truck, because damn is it pretty and damn is it sweet.

1967 Ford Mustang - 08/20/23

From all the stories I've heard, this car has been sitting here longer than I've been alive. Located next to an abandoned bowling alley a few towns over from mine, this ole 'stang sure has seen better days. While the body lacks severe or even surface rust, the interior is noticeably shot and filled with spare parts and hubcaps. Another interesting detail I noticed was a Cobra head that replaced the circular badge in the rear of the car, likely an homage to the Cobra made infamous by Carroll Shelby, who also produced the GT350 and GT500 model Mustangs for Ford. Update: Apparently it is NOT a 68'. IT IS NOT A 1968. I guess.

1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - 08/17/23

This one hurts. Located maybe a decent walk outside the town my father lives in, this 71' Monte feels like the ghost of one badass car. From the demon stickers on the rear side windows to the Cooper Cobra tires adorning its rims, something about this car just feels so lived in. I can just imagine it hurtling down the road racing a Mustang or a Viper in the beginning of F&F: Tokyo Drift. Tried to buy this car several times, but owner wont budge. Ironic considering there's a groundhog hole underneath, and he probably doesn't want to move either LOL.

Favorite kind of car to see in the wild?

1967-1968 Mustangs. Those cars are perfection - a balance between the softer, smoother 1964 1/2 - 1966 models, and the aggressive lines and stance of the 1969-1970 cars.