Wonders of Somerville (Union Square)

  

Somerville is, like Boston, another town that borders Cambridge. Sumvul has several different neighborhoods, which all have their own character. Houses, three-deckers and apartment buildings are in a variety of styles. Much of the housing stock seems to have been built between the Civil War and 1900– and almost entirely of wood. Buildings featured in this post are all in the Union Square neighborhood.

I'm trying to learn more about this brick building, corner of Bow and Summer Streets. 1870s?

Queen Anne style, and over several tops!

1979 Datsun 510 Wagon

You don't often catch a Datsun on BaT. Japanese cars of that era were inexpensive, reliable (compared to Detroit hulksters) and prone to rust. So this baby's a survivor.

1995 Mercury Marquis Colony Park

The Wagon was spotted on a walking tour of Somerville, Massachusetts the other day. We posted a 1964 Colony Park a while back. And a 1987 Mercury Colony Park in Blue Hill, Maine. A 1989 Mercury Colony Park was for sale at Motorland some years back. 

Like Boston, Somerville is another town that borders Cambridge. Housing stock is an amazing mix of vernacular styles, much of it from the late 19th century, some earlier. Most housing built of wood, sometimes vinyl-clad these days. All kinds of triple-deckers, all over town..(we've posted a bunch on New England triple-deckers; you could start here.)

..and some quite astonishing juxtapositions of different buildings...and sometimes different styles in the same building, as on the right, below. (The yellow and pink buildings are one.) Somerville is fascinating place to walk around if you're interested in vernacular house-building 1850-1920. Like most towns spun around Boston it has a very distinct look and feel. 10 minutes walk from Harvard Yard, and a whole 'nother world.

1997 Volvo 850 wagon, Cambridge, Massachusetts

1941 International Harvester KB

Michael Moore spotted the truck for sale in Sierraville, CA ."It’s been sitting there for years and now there’s a sign on it…"

AL: Then there's the International Model D hidden away in a barn in Saskatchewan.

 

1966 Mercury 100

 

from Alex Emond: "I drove past this truck in Lafleche, Sask... then made a U-turn. The closer look was worthwhile... it's in nice shape, restored and running. As you know, this Mercury is virtually identical to a Ford. It's a Canadian thing. 
"A few years ago I was poised to bid on a Merc truck(below) at an auction, but the price zoomed up to almost C$8,000.00. Whoa. So much for that idea."

AL: We posted a Mercury M-3 truck from Nova Scotia a while back, and a c.1950 Mercury M-2.

Ford Taunus dans le 4iéme arrondissement

 

From Don Culbertson, in Paris: This was a curious find in the 4iéme arrondissement. At first I thought is was an old Peugeot. On closer inspection I thought it said Taurus which turned out to be Taunus–trying to decipher the stylized scripted writing is no easy task. I did a web search only to find that the Ford Taurus was launched only in the 1980's as an American legend for Ford. Changing the r to n brought me to the story of Ford creating this car for the German market with many generations and iterations. I've cut and pasted some material about the 1962 Taunus (below)."

AL: the Taunus hills are near Frankfurt. I spent some time there in Carry Me, my 2016 novel.

Hiking Party, Taunus, Hesse. 1925. HHB in shorts.

1954 Plymouth Belvedere

We have posted a bunch of Belvedere wagons--like Michael Moore's  Mopar sleeper, a while back.And speaking of sleepers, there was this HP2 Belvedere at Motorland a while back.  The 1954 wagon here goes  on the block today at Hemmings.

1986 Toyota Land Cruiser

These trucks have a calm and utilitarian demeanor. We spotted this unit on a bright, cold winter day in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  I suspect these Land Cruisers were more reliable than the contemporary Land Rovers; I could be wrong. And Land Rover's aluminum body was perhaps a better bet than Japanese steel. We caught an earlier edition Land Cruiser  with a serious rust problem in Cambridge. And posted another Land Cruiser of this era from the Bay Area a while ago. Another FJ55 was on the block at BaT a while back. Also at Bat: a stunning fj45.  Here's a 1990 Land Cruiser we spotted in Inman Square, Cambridge. And a 1978 FJ40, posted from Colorado.

 

VW on the PCH

 VW Bus on the PCH.  Jens Ochlich photo. Prints for sale at PurePhoto

Land Rover Defender, Cambridge (Massachusetts)

 

There are several Land Rovers buzzing around Cambridge. We're not up on the nomenclature, but here's another short-wheelbase LR that posted a while back. And a 110...and another.

1964 Pontiac Catalina

 

You know we have a thing for Pontiacs from 1959-69. This one's on the block at Hemmings.

Mary Louise Geering and the 1985 Buick Skylark

From Mary Louise Geering: "Here is the scoop on my 1985 Buick: I got it from my Aunt Barbara in 1997 with only 26,000 miles on the odometer. She had bought it new, and it was kept garaged in West Virginia for 12 years. I got it as a cream puff and then drove it in Brooklyn, NY for 19 years, which was quite a change of scenery for this baby. It ran great all those years - getting 28 mpg on the highway - and made countless trips to Boston, Buffalo and New Jersey as well as forays to Kentucky, Mississippi and Omaha. By its 29th year it was looking pretty grubby with lots of rust above and below. 

                 

"So, for its 30th birthday I decided to give it a facelift.

"I painted it sky blue with a 1 and 1/2" brush with my custom mix of Rustoleum. The first coat was a little pale, so I gave it a second coat with a deeper blue. My friend Ted reconstructed the grill and did the Bondo work as the fumes make me sick. We got most of the rust off with naval jelly and then I got to work with my little brush in his yard out on the North Fork of Long Island. I drove it looking pristine for a year and got lots of waves, smiles and requests for photos.

"Then, unfortunately it met its demise as I was corralled in fast-moving traffic over a raised manhole in Soho where they were grading the street. There should have been hazard cones, but honestly the street should have been closed as it was a land mine. I knew the resounding "crack!" was probably fatal, but it still ran like a tank albeit louder. I had planned to drive to Buffalo and decided to have my mechanic to take a look. He found a broken engine mount, cracked oil pan, twisted subframe, mangled exhaust, and cracked bell housing resting on the engine. It was deemed unsafe to drive and too rusty to attempt repairing. Alas, it was the end of an era! I donated it to the Humane Society through an auction house. I also filed a meticulous claim against the city of NY which resulted in a $750 payout, which seemed pretty good to me after all the damage and years and mileage. It had about 190,000 miles. I don't know for sure since the odometer broke at about 110,000 as well as the speedometer. My father was incredulous that I could drive all over with no spedometer, but I told him it was like riding a horse since I've been driving for 42 years."