Parking Lot Photo Shoot: 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air Wagon

Side Street Find: Datsun 510 Wagon and Suzuki SJ410 Jimny

I spotted this tatty but solid Datsun 510 station wagon whilst carspotting/old-iron hunting in an industrial area near me, it was in front of a warehouse, and appears to be a daily driver.

But what's that behind it? Surely it's a Suzuki Samurai! Still a worthy spotting in uncut condition like this.

Here we have an early 80s Suzuki SJ410 Jimny, a model not sold in the continental US, but distributed on outlying islands like Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Mariana Islands. It was the successor to the smaller, lighter-weight, less substantial LJ jeep of the 1970s and differs in numerous ways from the more familiar Samurai. This one is left-hand-drive, evidently has a few aftermarket Samurai bits on it, and appears to be owned by someone who knows what they have. The yellow Oregon plates indicate that it  has been on the mainland since at least 1986 (N numbers on Oregon plates were 1986-1987 only)

Classic Ads: 1961 Oldsmobile F-85

I must confess I have a bit of a soft spot for the 1961 Olds F-85. It was the baby Oldsmobile, but it was named like a jet fighter plane and bore a close family resemblance to the larger Dynamic 88. Perhaps my favorite part about it though, is that where the 88 has the 394 cubic-inch "Rocket" V8, the F-85 could be had with a little 215 cubic-inch aluminum V8 dubbed the "Rockette". That's just cute. And the little car puts on such a serious face as it goes about its business, riding on its perimeter frame with "Twin-Triangle Stability" on the rear axle.
When's the last time you saw a '61 F-85 wagon? Probably not that many of them around these days. The F-85 would later become the Cutlass, which went on to be America's best selling car a number of times in the following decade.

This ad appeared in the February 3, 1961 issue of Life magazine.

Early 60s Fiat 2100 Station Wagon Project

This Fiat 2100 station wagon needs a complete restoration, has some rust and body damage, is largely complete, but it does not come with the vintage Oregon plates seen on it and it is being sold on a lost-title form and bill of sale.

This is an ambitious project, or use it as a parts car for another 2100.

Find it here for $750 south of Portland, Oregon

Parking Lot Photo Shoot: 1960 Rambler Classic Cross Country

Parking Lot Photo Shoot: 1970 Toyota Corona Mark II 1900 Wagon 4x4

I'm gonna let my pictures speak for themselves on this one.

This thing followed me down the San Pablo Dam Road in Orinda one afternoon, about 3 cars behind and towering above the other vehicles. It's kind of spooky to actually see on the road.

From The Days of Disco: 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon with Vintage Paint Scheme

One may not think of the Ford Pinto as a collector car, but the wagons had a better solution to fuel tank placement and were no worse than their rivals. The Cruising Wagon was a rare variant on the Pinto wagon that was offered as a smaller alternative to the custom vans that were popular in the 1970s, and while it was not exactly popular, it remains an interesting piece of 1970s automotive history, and ones in this nice of condition are scarce. The car needs some mechanical attention, front carpeting, an appropriate 70s AM/FM/8-track stereo system (check eBay before buying from a junkyard) and front door panels, but the remainder of the car looks great. The 2800cc Cologne V6 and automatic transmission are a great combination, hop-up parts are still out there, but may be easiest to find through a Capri specialist in the US or the UK.

The price may be all the money for a Pinto, and between the 1976 model year and nearly $500 in back registration due in California, where the car is located, it is not ideal for Golden Staters. But if you live in one of the other 49 states or in another country, can do your own mechanical and interior work, don't mind salvage titles and like this type of car, it will be a great project and you will not see others like it.

Find it here for $5000 in Marysville, California, (or go here if ad disappears)