1959 Dodge Regent

 

From Alex Emond: "Behind a chain link fence in Redcliff, Alberta lurks this wild-looking car. The tail fins could have been inspired by sharks, not jets. The face, grill, front end...that's got a lot going on. What an era, circa 1959, when designers went just a bit too far. That's not to say I don't love it.
I'll ask a few questions about this car next time I pass by. It's so ugly it's beautiful."
AL: Regent was a Canadian Dodge, which was a Dodge front end strapped onto a Plymouth. For comparison here are a couple of American 1959 Dodges, a Coronet and a Crown Royale. I thought calling the car a Regent was a Canadian quirk but it seems Dodge really had a monarchical thing going, even in US. There was a Nissan President Sovereign VIP, if you can believe it. Straining for grandeur, maybe. As far as I know no one's ever called a car a "Congressman". 
AL: favorite Dodge? Maybe this 1990 D250

AL: Cars of 1959, you ask? How about this El Camino?

AL: personally, our year is 1961.

Mercedes 300 TD (for sale)

 

This one's a diesel and for sale. In Cambridge MA. See below. We caught a 300 TE in Frankfurt a while back. Maybe our favorite Benz is till the 300SL gull-wing Susan Richardson's father owned, and drove in the snow.

MGB, MGA, MGB-GT

 

From Reid Cunningham: Driving on a back road that I think was in New Boston, New Hampshire, this trio of MG's were in someone's yard. I didn't want to trespass so a group shot from the road. MGA, MGB and MGB-GT. What a nice collection...

AL: How about an MG-TD? 

An MG SA?

Or a supercharged 1933 MG L1?

And this 1952 MG TD we caught in Quebec a while back. 

1967 Pontiac Catalina

 

Cambridge, Mass. Basha Burwell photo. Late summer light.

1946 International Pickup

 

From Alex Emond: "Off the top of my head I don't recognize the make. Mid - 40's, again guessing.
Somebody did some good work here. This is in Ponteix , Saskatchewan. but those are Alberta plates.
I think that's a low luster top coat and not just black primer. This is the finished ride."

AL: We made an educated guess at date and make. Alex found another some years back also in Saskatchewan that we called a '46 then, but was likely later.

Cosworth Vega barn rescue.

Reid Cunningham: After a 30-year sleep, this was pulled from a barn in Aaronsburg, PA, and hauled to it's new home in New Hampshire. Only made in 1975 and 1976, a destroked to two-liter Chevrolet Vega block with a Cosworth Engineering (the Formula 1 folks) dual overhead cam, 4 valve per cylinder head. The first computer controlled fuel injection in a mass produced car, forged internals and a hand welded stainless steel header. An entirely redesigned rear suspension with a locator arm and panhard bar, along with an upgraded front suspension. A hairshirt driving experience, no power brakes, power steering, air conditioning or automatic transmission available. 75's only came in black, in '76 they came in any of the Vega colors. This one is Firethorn Red with the optional 5 speed that became available that year, a 4:10 positraction rear axle and the AM/FM stereo (since it was a Vega, they didn't have speakers on both sides of the car. Instead one channel was in the front and the other was in the rear. You only got true stereo if you say sideways in the seat.). The engines were all hand assembled and the Cosworth cars were sent down a slowed-down production line in batches to get them right. Each came with a numbered dash panel. They were expensive, twice the price of a regular Vega and not much less than a Corvette. 2,000 built for 75, 1,500 for 76, and that was that.
Why do I know so much about this car? I bought if off the rear row of a used car lot in 1986 and drove it for a few years before stashing it in the barn in PA. It was a nightmare to keep running, no one knew how to work on the fuel injection. With the internet and a small but very active owners association, it's actually easier to keep them running now.
The PA house was sold so I needed to rescue it. My middle-school-aged son is excited to work with me on getting it road worthy. Having just moved, that won't happen until at least spring, but we are happy to have it in the garage to begin tinkering. It has some rust, but nothing fatal. The engine will require a lot of checking and TLC before turning over, but the interior is on surprisingly good condition. Wish us luck.

16 Valve Engine Dual Overhead Cam reads the dash plaque.

Unleaded Fuel Only, that transition period.

Scout II in Cambridge

The transmission was in the trunk but otherwise she was in fine shape. Those Seventies graphics are still kinda stunning. AL saw her up at Fresh Pond, in Cambridge MA. Jonathan Welsh caught a Scout II Rally in NJ a while back. And a couple of vintage Scouts from Colorado Springs.