J.W. Burleson photo / Boquillas del Carmen, Coah.

PHB

My photo
Brooklin, Maine, United States
We own a 1975 GMC Sierra Grande 15 in Maine and a 1986 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe 10 in West Texas. Also a pair of 1997 Volvo 850 wagons. Average age in the fleet is 28 years--we're recycling. I've published 3 novels: THE LAW OF DREAMS (2006), THE O'BRIENS (2012), and CARRY ME (2016). Also 2 short story collections: NIGHT DRIVING(1987) and TRAVELLING LIGHT (2013). More of my literary life is at www.peterbehrens.org I was a Fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study for 2012-13. I'm an adjunct professor at Colorado College and in the MFA program at Queens University of Charlotte. In 2015-16 I was a Fellow at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The Autoliterate office is in Car Talk Plaza in Harvard Square, 2 floors above Dewey Cheatem & Howe. SUBSCRIBE TO THE AUTOLITERATE DAILY EMAIL by hitting the button to the right.

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Citroën Deux Chevaux, Buenos Aires.

 We would see a lot of these when we were living in the Netherlands. Sam Harper caught this one in Buenos Aires.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

1970 Ford Gran Torino, Marfa


The car's for sale at Roy's in Marfa, Texas. I'm guessing 1970, and this was a midsize Ford, back in the day.




Indoors and Out; Don & Valerie's, West Texas. + F-250

 1979 Ford F-250




Thursday, December 28, 2017

Pinto Canyon Road, 0730


So far we've seen javelina, mule deer, a multitude of rabbits & hawks, a coyote sleek in winter coat, and this morning's bonus---a bull elk, size XXL.







1956 Ford plainjane

 Backstreets of Marfa, Texas on Christmas Day.




Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Toyota Land Cruiser at the hockey rink

Before these got transformed into plush, leather-clad couchmobiles with backup cameras,  front-end sensors and 1000x more electronics than went to the moon, I thought they were pretty cool. Worldwide, they still are the rugged venturesome workaday beast of choice.



Monday, December 25, 2017

Advanced Design Christmas: Chevrolet 1430

from Alex Emond:" Merry Christmas Peter. This icy blue one ton "Advanced Design" Chev is the most Christmassy truck that I could find in my shoebox of Saskatchewan beauties. All the best , Basha and Henry too... Happy New Year. Alex"

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Friday, December 22, 2017

Txmas 2017

Heading to West Tex for Christmas. Joyeux Noël to y'all, and especially to mes amis à Montréal. And everybody, please send AL old trucks. Photos. Field notes. Where what when. Back in Cambridge winter is a poor season for old iron, it's all tucked away in barns somewhere. New Hampshire. Old Pontiacs too, if you spot 'em. 1959 Catalinas! Plymouths, Dodges, Mercurys--diversity is our watchword here. Road poems. Essays on landscape.
If you're on the road this season be safe. We'l be looking out for rabbits and antelope on the road in from El Paso.

1955 Ford F-250


from Colin Washburn in the Northern California wine country: I do believe I sent this one in a few years ago. A fine “Campbell’s Tomato Soup with milk" patina. A fixture at the Jimtown Store & Cafe, out in the vineyards near Calistoga, Ca.




Thursday, December 21, 2017

1955 Jeep

 Geoff Park caught the Jeep at Home Depot in Dartmouth, Mass.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

1990 Dodge D250




From David Branch in Marfa, Texas: "Just picked up this old Dodge on the cheap. Ex-Judd truck. Purchased new in Midland, Tx by 'ol pappy Judd himself. Or, his cohorts at what would become the Judd Foundation for use on his properties. 2wd. Four speed manual with compound low 1st. Many dings & much oxidation.

"Judd was fond of Dodge trucks. There was an article in "The Times" on one that found its way to upstate New York and was up for sale. By my recollection the owner sounded as if he'd little sense of the West Texas terrain. Something about "it probably never saw a hill." If he'd tried to get to Las Casas or any of the back country off the south side of the Marfa plateau he'd have rethought that remark.

"All the same, I tried to buy the winch off of this one and ended up with an entire truck. I powerwashed the engine bay, the exterior, the bed, and the interior. Many beer cans. Much dust. Much grease. There were live cactus growing in the dirt that had collected in the bed. All of this is gone. Dropped the gas tank, replaced the fuel lines, filter and pump. Fresh battery and an oil change and she's now driving around town again.

"I include a photo taken by my girlfriend Kathleen Shafer of the Dodge in its Judd livery. (I had to sand that off as a condition of the sale). I plan to devise my own logo. I'll keep you posted"-DB