My neighbor, who teaches at Prescott College, alerted me. A very poorly advertised car show was taking place at the Crossroads Center today. A car show, yet! I usually associate PC students with anti-auto sentiment, but it turned out that this was an appropriate gathering: the Arizona Mini Owners.
And what a wonderful assortment of wee cars it was! Everything from several shiny new front-opening Isettas...
...to hot sports cars from an earlier era, back when such imports were a lot smaller than any American-made vehicles. However, I just noted the lack of wire wheels on the vehicle above -- in fact, it looks like modern low-riders, which, my neighbor who restores cars would explain, make for greater safety on today's high-speed roads.
There were Subes the likes of which I've never seen...
...a mail carrier direct from the UK, still wearing its English license plate.
No indication of this car's origins, unless one went up to inspect it!
As a reminder that at one time, made-in-USA cars weren't the huge gas-guzzlers we now enjoy, a line-up of Nashes. I remember the Nash quite well -- my LH was driving a little brown Nash station wagon when I met him!
Here's another small American car that I recall from the past -- the Crosley. In this case, a sporty convertible model. And below, its engine compartment.
It turned out that this colorful coupe is a work in progress -- bright shiny new two-tone paint on the outside, but in need of furnishings as well as work in the passenger compartment (below).
When your car is a mini, an enclosed trailer is quite feasible. The owner of this unit said that his collection included five little automobiles that he has restored.
And, yes, this wag not only had his jokemobile on display but rode it about to show just how to achieve the ultimate in miniaturization. I doubt if he worries about $4 or $5 gas.
My neighbor, who teaches at Prescott College, alerted me. A very poorly advertised car show was taking place at the Crossroads Center today. A car show, yet! I usually associate PC students with anti-auto sentiment, but it turned out that this was an appropriate gathering: the Arizona Mini Owners.
And what a wonderful assortment of wee cars it was! Everything from several shiny new front-opening Isettas...
...to hot sports cars from an earlier era, back when such imports were a lot smaller than any American-made vehicles. However, I just noted the lack of wire wheels on the vehicle above -- in fact, it looks like modern low-riders, which, my neighbor who restores cars would explain, make for greater safety on today's high-speed roads.
There were Subes the likes of which I've never seen...
...a mail carrier direct from the UK, still wearing its English license plate.
No indication of this car's origins, unless one went up to inspect it!
As a reminder that at one time, made-in-USA cars weren't the huge gas-guzzlers we now enjoy, a line-up of Nashes. I remember the Nash quite well -- my LH was driving a little brown Nash station wagon when I met him!
Here's another small American car that I recall from the past -- the Crosley. In this case, a sporty convertible model. And below, its engine compartment.
It turned out that this colorful coupe is a work in progress -- bright shiny new two-tone paint on the outside, but in need of furnishings as well as work in the passenger compartment (below).
When your car is a mini, an enclosed trailer is quite feasible. The owner of this unit said that his collection included five little automobiles that he has restored.
And, yes, this wag not only had his jokemobile on display but rode it about to show just how to achieve the ultimate in miniaturization. I doubt if he worries about $4 or $5 gas.
The pinky/maroonish drophead looks like maybe an american Austin.
ReplyDeleteAn acquaintance of ours dabbles in the restoration of minis.
Hermano
Wow, who would have thunk of PC having a car-show? Though it doesn't surprise me that it was poorly advertised, a LOT of things they do are. Which is a shame because they do put on some very interesting events.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of the cars as well! :)
Nifty looking rides.
ReplyDeleteBro -- Thanks for the ID; I figured there ought to be an Austin in there someplace & I had forgotten that they were made here as well as inthe UK. BTW, what's happened to your AC signature?
ReplyDeletetombo -- the little cars were a lot of fun; curious that it never occurred to me that there would, of course, be collectors of same!
steve -- and to think that many of them were American-made, back in the G.O.D.
I love that airy, spacious engine compartment on the Crosley!
ReplyDeleteMy son would love to see those. He has an old car, which he has poured more money than I care to think about, restoring & keeping it running.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the scratches from across the world too! That really made me giggle!
Cocoanuts the movie was from 1929. Earlier vaudevillian show 1925. Fuller comments under your remark on W & A
ReplyDeletedotter -- a good place to keep your pizza warm, right?
ReplyDeletemeggie -- These cars, with their much smaller engines, ought to be a lot easier to work on. I've been convinced for years that we lost a lot of pre-engineering training when we over-complicated, over-computerized our automobiles.
c-marie -- I'll be over shortly.
Pretty darn cute!!!
ReplyDeleteMari-Nanci
SnS -- aren't they just?
ReplyDelete