I’ve had a busy day doing Business Things for the Business in hopes of attracting Business to our Business; what that was specifically isn’t any of your business, so kindly mind your own business. This is serious business, and it has definitely added to my general busyness. Also: business.
But now I’m exhausted with business things and want to do what I love most, putting dumb car-related nonsense on this very internetwork-web page! And thankfully, one our intrepid Autopians, Tom, sent me a fantastic picture of three abandoned, rusty cars, and I thought a great way to wind down after a long, arduous week would be to try and figure out just what the hell these three cars are! Were?
That sounds like the perfect way to roll into the long weekend, doesn’t it? Trying to figure out what the hell three rusty, abandoned cars that are rapidly being reclaimed by nature, are? It’s the best way to roll into anything, period. Let’s take a look at the picture Tom sent me:
Oooh, this is a good one. Those cars are going to be tricky to ID, I think. Well. maybe except for the one on the left, which I got right away; if you’d like to know what that one is to get you going, feel free to click here. Otherwise, I respect your willingness to just try on your own!
As far as the other two, I have some ideas, but nothing certain, at least not yet. This seems like a nice, satisfying challenge, so I’m very curious to see how it all pans out in the comments. And, if it helps, I don’t think the middle car came with a trunk-tree from the factory.
Have at it!
Was the tree there when the car was parked? Would the answer help identify the vehicle? Even I recognized the manufacturer of the one on the left. The center one looks like an El Camino. The one on the right should be identifiable by someone by the the pseudo-vent windows on the rear doors. My poor brain wants it to be a BMW. Probably not.
Dad is telling me his guess for middle is 1955 Chrysler 300.
This is easy!
Ran when parked
Going left to right, I think it’s Jeremy, James, and Richard. Jeremy is showing his ass, James has some shaggy growth, and Richard still has some shiny bits.
I’m going to go with fourth-generation 1968–1969 Ford Ranchero for the center.
Hey i got the one on the left out the gate too! (Not the year though)
Center looks like a 70s Chevy C10 from the front with the nose removed. Narrow fender tops, low fender wells and master cylinder placement seem to match.
Also height of the fenders relative to the Rambler and Jetta seem to say “truck”.
What are three cars that have never been in my kitchen!
(maybe one of the oil pans in the dishwasher after using it as a salad bowl)
Who is Cliff Clavin for $100.
Three holy grails 🙂
Basically rust free for a Detroit based wrencher
I’m going against the consensus here; the one on the right looks like an ’80s J-car to me–Cavalier, 2000, one of those. The middle one looks to be in the El Camino/Ranchero category, but I see people saying we’re looking at the front. If so, I don’t know.
This was my first guess, too but the J-cars never had triangle shaped front quarter windows. I think it’s a Mk2 Jetta.
I agree on the Rambler, won’t argue about Door #3 being a Jetts, but the middle one is a last gen Ranchero.
The middle one could be a Sequoia.
I’m stumped.
Come on. It’s clearly an Aspen.
OK, Vincent Adultman.
https://haha.business/
1961 AMC Rambler Classic Super, a willow tree, Audi 100 LS ?
difficult to discern, but tree’s foliage appears to be alternate (vs opposite or whorled positions along branch). willows (and most flowering trees except for maple ash and dogwoods) do have alternate foliage.
the form of the tree growing through the middle wreckage is similar to the scrubby hedge in rightside background.
dunno where Tom took the photo, that’d help with the tree id.
Saskatchewan: Land of Living Skies
thanks. can’t see foliage nor flowers so using form, size, and assuming it is same as hedgerow in right background. my best guesses are either a cherry (pincherry P.pennsylvanica or chokecherry P.virginiana), seviceberry (aka “saskatoon” A.alnifolia), waterbirch (B.occidentalis), nannyberry (V.lentago)…or as HughC had suggested…a willow (Salix spp. – there are a couple that can be trees rather than shrubs in SK).
the cars? no idea!!
Great guesses. My silent generation mother often spoke of making Saskatoon berry pies. And I have a vivid childhood memory of vomiting after spontaneously eating chokecherries that were growing at my Aunt’s.
What about that wagon hiding in the background, behind the car on the right? I’m with El Camino for the one in the middle.
1961 Rambler Ambassador
Early Volvo 240 (We’re looking at the front – not the rear)
1st Gen VW Jetta
Oooh good call on the Volvo. The shape of the indicator cutouts in the fenders gives it away.
I don’t think so. Fender wells are too low compared to the fender tops.
The vehicle also seems relatively wide & tall (see Rambler for scale), which would pretty much ensure that it’s American.
I’m not seeing the boxed off strut tower I’d expect in a 240.
I almost thought 240 as well…
60’s Rambler
80’s El Camino
Mk1 VW Jetta
I’m wagnering a full size 60’s ford, Lincoln or chryco product. Rationale is that it’s huge in comparison to the rambler and Jetta. Square sides point away from gm of the era.
right one is a mid-80’s era GM product.
Right one
I thought so! I used to have an 84 Jetta, it was such a blast to drive
Middle maybe corvair? Right Jetta? Or Audi?
Sorry Jason you are going to have to do better than this if you wish to stump me. My guess, if you want to call it that, is they are all 4 door sedans.
could the middle one be an El Camino??
61 Rambler Classic
???
’80s Mk1 VW Jetta.
Yeah, the middle one is all questions marks, but the right one is a Mk1 Jetta for sure.
Yeah, I think you’re right – the c-pillar looks to be exactly that of the Jetta.
???? = The Larch!
We’re all just confused because it isn’t very far away.
https://montypython.fandom.com/wiki/How_to_Recognise_Different_Types_of_Trees_From_Quite_a_Long_Way_Away