New Companion Site

From now on, all posts for cars that are listed on various Craigslist sites and at dealers specializing in project cars are on my other blog, http://www.lowcostprojectcars.blogspot.com. In keeping with the title of the blog, most of the cars are projects priced under $20k, but there may occasionally be a higher-priced and/or restored car from time to time.

Down by the Railroad: Pictures of assorted cars and junk found near the Eugene, OR Union Pacific railroad tracks

Derelict drive-through coffee shop, circa early 1990s. This used to be Fast Lane Coffee's Oakway Mall location in Eugene, if I remember right. Never in my life would I imagine I would find one of these in a junkyard.

Dead trucks, camper and random junk near the same junkyard-type lot that the coffee stand was in. There was a house with a large Free Souls Motorcycle Club banner displayed prominently directly across from this, so I left as fast as I could.

Smashed 1960 Dodge Pioneer 2-door sedan with top removed. I doubt that this car has ANY usable parts at all, except possibly the Pioneer script on the rear fender.

BMWs and a Datsun Z-car, again, but with better chances of being rebuilt than the other ones I posted about two weeks ago.

Partial 1940 Ford two-door sedan, nose into the weeds next to the wing off of an outlaw-style race car.

Abandoned Building: Danebo Flowers & Gifts, Eugene, Oregon

During my photographic travels of today, I decided to take a picture of this long-abandoned florist's shop in West Eugene, fairly close to where I live. This flower shop closed sometime in the 1990s, and was one of several casualties of the neighborhood's business slump, caused by a heinous murder at a nearby convenience store in the early 1990s (the infamous Dari-Mart Murder), and not remedied until a new subdivision with a shopping center, two gas stations and a replacement for the store the murder occurred in were built in approximately 2003.

 

Viewed from the front. Notice the graffiti on the unbroken windows.

From the side. That appears to be the remains of a topiary of some sort on the opposite side of the tree from the sign.

Poster advertising professional florists still hanging on a wall. Despite the abundance of broken glass and other vandalism inside the building (I didn't go inside, but I saw it through the windows), it's strange that this poster and the office window next to it are intact.

Empty 40-ounce malt liquor jug on window ledge, behind filthy glass and peeling paint. Someone's definitely been inside this building since it ceased business, and it wasn't me!

The building being slowly taken over by ivy. This used to be the side door.

Considering that there is a childcare facility directly across the street from the part of the building still bearing signage, and that the rest of the neighborhood has been extensively redeveloped, it surprises me that this building hasn't been renovated or demolished.

Castoff: Roadside Fiat Spider

I spied this relatively well-preserved circa-1980 Fiat 2000 Spider sitting beside a road in Eugene, Oregon that borders the railroad tracks on St. Patrick's Day, but it was almost completely covered by a tarp. But when I saw it again a couple days later, the wind blew the tarp off almost all the way. While this car appears to be in restorable condition and still proudly wears its classic Pininfarina lines well, it is not as likely to be restored than a 1968-73 in similar condition due to the complicated electronic fuel injection, NHTSA-mandated impact bumpers and the later models having somewhat less attractive styling than the original design, which debuted to rave reviews in 1967 and was inspired by the Corvette-based 1963 Rondine show car, also built and designed by the good folks at Pininfarina. (stock photo below)

Returning to Nature, Part 3

1960s Mercedes-Benz 220S "heckflosse" (fintail) sedan and 1970s Ford Econoline van. The Mercedes may have a possible future as either a parts car or a project (older Mercedes are often worth more in parts than as a whole car, particularly in this condition), but the Ford next to it is little more than scrap metal.

1960s Dodge walk-in delivery van, returning to its elements in the same yard as the Mercedes and Ford van. About the only usable parts that one can see here are the Dodge script and possibly the side mirror.

Burnt 1950s school bus of unknown make with 1940s-50s-era locomotive carcass behind it. Again, worthless except as scrap or photographic subjects.

1970s or 80s Toyota Tercel, parked in front of a West Eugene home. There were hornets flying out of every opening in this car they could fit through, including those on the wheels.

Returning to Nature, Part 2

This 1970s-era Chevrolet Malibu stock car appears to have not moved in years, and is pretty well hemmed in by vegetation, both dead and alive. It is located next to the yacht and bicycle in Part 1.

Returning to Nature, Part 1

Today at Lane County Photos of Interest, we have a multi-part series of vehicles returning to nature.

Here are a derelict yacht, an old bicycle and a few garden implements including a wheelbarrow and potting bench, returning to their elements in a West Eugene front lawn.

A Car Graveyard in the Heart of Eugene

I have known about this stash of 1970s/80s era cars and parts, mostly BMWs and random parts thereof, located in the Whiteaker area of Eugene, Oregon, for many years, and have always wanted to get close to them, take pictures, and maybe even rescue a car or two. Well, I got the first two out of the way, and building a Revell plastic model kit of an E21 BMW 320i, similar to one of the cars here, will have to do for now as far as rescuing a car from here goes. 

The cars here include a W107 Mercedes-Benz SL roadster with a hardtop and some front-end damage, an early-model Datsun 240Z that was so badly wrecked that it would be impossible to rebuild but undoubtedly has at least a few usable parts left on it, a chrome-bumper BMW 2002 that looks to be a viable project car if it's not too rusty, an E21 BMW 3-series coupe, an E30 3-series coupe that would make great parts cars (or 24 Hours of LeMons/ChumpCar race cars, if one could be bought for under $500), and an extremely rusty "boattail" 1970s Buick Riviera. The parts include many doors, boot lids and bonnets from BMW E3 (Bavaria) and E12 5-series sedans, numerous tires, wheels, suspension struts, hubcaps and other bits that (for the most part) look to have come from BMWs and Datsun Z-cars, and many nuts, bolts and other fasteners. Due to all the interesting stuff out front, I would think that the garage/warehouse directly behind these cars would have similar if not better contents.

2002, E21 3-series and Buick Riviera in background, E30 parked in front

SL, Z-car and E30, E21 and Riviera in background

SL and BMW body parts

SL with 1970s slot-mag wheel, janitor's plastic mop bucket and unidentified steel disc wheel in foreground

Ninkasi Brewery: Construction Photos

I was in the Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene, Oregon today, and snapped these pictures of the Ninkasi Brewery, maker of many types of fine, craft-brewed beer and ale. This brewery was a former plumbing company headquarters in its previous life, and has had the original building extensively remodeled to incorporate a tasting room and a far more modern esthetic than its previous iteration. Construction is far from finished, though, and much more is being added to the old plumbing-company building as I write this and these pictures show. The strange thing about the location of this brewery is that it is slightly more than 100 yards from the JESCO Club, an establishment used chiefly for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which also has a tavern located two doors down from it. Clearly a foolish place for a building that AA meetings are held in.

 Tasting room and brewing tanks.

From the side, looks like it might be the start of the brewhouse or a bottling facility.

From the back (Blair Boulevard). 

In addition to the brewery, a warehouse appears to be under construction in the shell of this long-abandoned bakery outlet store. Little can be seen in this picture, but I was also in this area a few weeks back when most of the doors were open, revealing hundreds of gallons of beer and ale contained in single bottles, palletized six-packs and draft kegs. 

This Bridgeport beer bottle (brewed in Portland, Oregon, and a rival of Ninkasi) was lying in the grass between a sidewalk and the street across from the side of the brewery site seen in Picture #2. Oddly, there were no Ninkasi bottles in the area, or other alcoholic-beverage containers for that matter.

An Update, At Last!

I have been busy with many other things, and am just getting back to work here.

If anyone's noticed, I have added advertisements to my blog, and I will be paid for people clicking them to go to the service or product that the ad links to.

Anyhow, more pictures are on the way, and enjoy!

New Name, New Web Address, New Content

Hello, readers, this is your webmaster here, and I have some announcements!

1: We are no longer StreetShots & More, and no longer strictly a car website. We are now Lane County Photos of Interest, and our focus is to expand beyond cars only to encompass nature photography, old buildings (including long-unused commercial space and old agricultural buildings such as barns, pumphouses and sheds), old trailers and motorhomes, interesting graffiti, sunsets and sunrises, and anything else we deem worthy of photographing.

2: Our page appearance has changed, but the guestbook, subscription and sharing features, weather forecasts and search have not.

3: I have changed my title from "StreetShots Admin" to "Photog" (rhymes with frog).

4: We hope you enjoy the new content and new look, and please add our new address to your Bookmarks or Favorites!

Taking a break

Hello readers, we are taking a temporary break from publishing new material here.

But don't worry, we will be back, with great pictures and car ads!


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Crimson and Clover: 1947 Ford Truck Restoration Project, $2500

After an accidental one-week absence, Vintage Truck Friday Night has returned. Today, we have a 1947 Ford truck with a color scheme reminding the author of a popular oldies song.

This 1947 Ford pickup project's mixture of red, green and red-oxide primer paint colors got that good old song Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells going in my head, so that title became the heading of this post.

The truck is in better than average condition for a well-used 63-year-old truck, and appears complete with the exception of the gearshift knob, original bumpers and taillights, the tailgate and passenger's-side inside door handle, all of which are readily available in reproduction form. Oddly, all four hubcaps are still present despite the shift knob and inside door handle being gone, considering that they could easily have been stolen or destroyed in its long existence. There appears to be little rust, although Bond-O and riveted sheetmetal patch panels may be issues here. The styling of these trucks is very nice, and this appears to be an easy project. The flathead V8 is still present, but no word on whether it runs. The transmission is said to be a 5-speed, but is probably a 3-speed or a 4-speed and erroneously called a 5-speed due to that configuration's ubiquity in sporting and economy cars today and/or the owner not knowing the gear configuration. One thing's for sure about the transmission, it's definitely a manual. The period-correct aftermarket turn signals add safety while keeping the truck's appearance close to how it might have looked when new. The price of $2500, the simple nature of early V8 (1932-48) Ford engineering, and the large variety of reproduction parts make this an attractive proposition for restoration, especially for a novice or someone looking for a straightforward project.

Find this project here in Chewelah, Washington:

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1559350874.html

French Exotic Duet: Two 1979 Matra-Simca Bagheeras

To all you fans of obscure European sports cars, here's something to get your heart racing, particularly if French cars are more to your taste than German, Italian, Swedish or British ones. In Madison, Wisconsin, someone is selling two 1979 Matra-Simca Bagheeras, which are unusual in many ways, such as having three-abreast seating, being named for the panther in Rudyard Kipling's classic novel The Jungle Book, and being rare grey-market imports as opposed to the slightly more common full Euro-spec Bagheeras imported on an individual basis by enthusiasts. (However, I must say that no Bagheera is 'common', anywhere.) 

While the second car is not pictured, the blue one featured here is said to have very little rust in the monocoque-style steel understructure (the body panels are made of polyester plastic and thus don't rust), has a very good interior and a clear Wisconsin title. Molds for the special US-spec bumpers are included, along with 8 finished units. However, it is not said how many are front or rear. The black car is said to have nearly enough parts to complete the blue car, or could be brought back to life by a dedicated enthusiast, but there are no carburetors or intake manifolds for either car.

The seller also includes free technical and parts assistance from a North American Matra Registry member and Bagheera owner, and makes mentions of an "M550 factory code" and the importer Geo. (George?) Goodrich of Santa Clara, California, neither of which I could find any information on via a Google search. If any readers know about the "M550 code" and/or Mr. Goodrich, please leave a comment. 

Find these cars here:

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/1550141932.html

More Street Shots: From Decomposing Hippie Busses to a Fiat 1100

1940s Reo school bus, converted to motorhome. This bus appears to have been there for many years, and is slowly returning to the earth.

Close-up of Reo bus' front end. Notice that the bonnet has fallen off and the engine has been overtaken by blackberry vines.

Late 60s Chevrolet school bus, also returning to the earth. This bus has evidently been sitting in the same spot since the early 90s, and a pole thicket has grown up around it.

Front of Chevrolet school bus. For the record, I did not trespass onto the property, I just used my camera's zoom lens to take a closer look at the bus.

1961 Volvo 122S Amazon, front view. The originality of this vehicle is impressive, and it would be very well worth restoring.

Volvo Amazon 122S, side view. Notice the PV544-style hubcaps, which are original.

Inside of Volvo Amazon. Restoration is definitely in order, but everything looks good. Notice that the radio opening has not been cut out to install a modern sound system.

Rear view of Volvo Amazon.

Circa-1959 Fiat 1100. This was once a very nice-looking little car, but has suffered gross neglect and even a gunshot to the windshield.

Not a Gordini: 1964 Renault R8 Project Car, $1200

I admire the honesty of this car's seller in stating that it is not a Gordini, hence the title of this post.  This 1964 Renault R8, while somewhat dinged up and disheveled, appears to be a good restoration project, has good glass and appears very complete and original with the exception of the steering wheel and roof rack. I like the styling of this car and the subsequent R10 better than the Dauphine which preceded them, but not as much as I like the quirky and overtly French appearance of the 4CV. The seller states that s/he will only sell to a Renault enthusiast, which will hopefully rule out the scrap-metal dealers, parts pullers, car hoarders and 24 Hours of LeMons and ChumpCar racers. 

Another especially appealing (or unattractive, depending on one's point of view) feature of the Renault R8 is how the designers of the instrument panel made it bear an uncanny resemblance to the front of a bookcase stereo receiver dating to the Reagan administration when it is actually the speedometer and gauges of a car built when DeGaulle was president of France and the car was imported to the US and sold new during the Johnson administration, well before rectangular black plastic stereo equipment reached ubiquity. 

The asking price of $1200 is quite reasonable considering that one can find the less desirable Dauphine in similar or worse condition than this car for more money on eBay more often than one can find any kind of R8 there at any price.

 Find this car here, in Corvallis, Oregon: 

http://corvallis.craigslist.org/cto/1551477306.html

Rare Vintage RV: 1959 Bigfoot Motorhome on 1959 Ford F250, $2,500

Although this site is technically not an RV website, I sometimes find it hard to resist posting something unusual, such as the 1960 Bedford Dormobile or 1944 Flxible bus that I posted previously. 

This 1959 Bigfoot Class-C motorhome (then known as a chassis-mount camper), based on a Ford F250 cab and chassis, needs tires, brakes and paint but runs well, and appears to have all of its original appliances and fixtures, with what I can see of the interior in excellent condition. This motorhome has a 292 V8 and 4-speed manual transmission, and is available in Dayton, Oregon for $2,500 or trade for a 1958-59 Ford or Edsel car. 

Vintage RVs are an increasingly popular collector item, and are getting harder to find, especially with the interior as good as in this one and as original as this is. 

Find this motorhome here:

http://eugene.craigslist.org/rvs/1520475749.html