Holy cow, what a great carspotting day. First, I saw this Imperial. Then, I saw a BMW 2000 sedan like this one. And an Alfa Giulia Sprint GT. Finally, I saw this Merak SS parked at a gas station.
Top left corner: Finger belonging to Malaise Era import.
That's a Ferrari 308 in the background. Rumor has it that it's been sitting at the shop for months, waiting for an obscure part made of unobtainium.
You know what, E., we Americans are so used to these federalized monstrosities that I had to look at the pictures again (and compare them to European Meraks) to realize what you were talking about.
Sorry to rub it in. :) As a consolation, at least you guys have these things around on the streets. Never seen one of those IRL. Classic exotics are pretty rare altogether (in everyday traffic) over here.
Trust me, Meraks are not an every day experience in California either. I had an almost full tank of gas and put $5 of gas in my tank just to have an excuse to take pictures of this car.
Ok ok, but still... If I were to start carspotting the most exciting find would be a family sedan with a V6 instead of a small I4. :) But then again, just California has 7 times more inhabitants than our entire country. :)
When I living down in Naples, Florida, the old man who lived across the street had one of these only in yellow. It was a total rust bucket but the only one I have ever seen. He passed on and several years later two of his nephews came with a flatbed trailer to pick it up. They clearly had no idea what the car was or how to load it. They had no ramps and used refrierator doors instead. My buddy and I sat in my front lawn and just laughed our rearends off. It was a sight to behold! Nice find though. This is why I always have a camera with me.
Holy sh&t, that's a funny but sad story about the Merak and those clueless nephews. I left my camera phone at home last Saturday (very rare occurrence) and went to the local Beverages & More (it's like Costco for booze) and in the parking lot, parked next to each other, were two identical forest green Cobras in Pebble Beach Concours condition. Neither were replicas as both had California Historic Vehicle plates. Do you know how fast I drove back home to grab my phone camera and how hard I was kicking myself when I returned to find both Cobras GONE?!
Nice bumpers.
ReplyDeleteYou know what, E., we Americans are so used to these federalized monstrosities that I had to look at the pictures again (and compare them to European Meraks) to realize what you were talking about.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are hideous.
Sorry to rub it in. :) As a consolation, at least you guys have these things around on the streets. Never seen one of those IRL. Classic exotics are pretty rare altogether (in everyday traffic) over here.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, Meraks are not an every day experience in California either. I had an almost full tank of gas and put $5 of gas in my tank just to have an excuse to take pictures of this car.
ReplyDeleteOk ok, but still... If I were to start carspotting the most exciting find would be a family sedan with a V6 instead of a small I4. :) But then again, just California has 7 times more inhabitants than our entire country. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I living down in Naples, Florida, the old man who lived across the street had one of these only in yellow. It was a total rust bucket but the only one I have ever seen. He passed on and several years later two of his nephews came with a flatbed trailer to pick it up. They clearly had no idea what the car was or how to load it. They had no ramps and used refrierator doors instead. My buddy and I sat in my front lawn and just laughed our rearends off. It was a sight to behold! Nice find though. This is why I always have a camera with me.
ReplyDeleteHoly sh&t, that's a funny but sad story about the Merak and those clueless nephews. I left my camera phone at home last Saturday (very rare occurrence) and went to the local Beverages & More (it's like Costco for booze) and in the parking lot, parked next to each other, were two identical forest green Cobras in Pebble Beach Concours condition. Neither were replicas as both had California Historic Vehicle plates. Do you know how fast I drove back home to grab my phone camera and how hard I was kicking myself when I returned to find both Cobras GONE?!
ReplyDeleteAnd being an absent minded dufus allows me to
Celebrate Life.