Autospotting

I have been a car guy for as long as I can remember. My mother gave me my first Matchbox car when I was two. I think she immediately regretted it because I started learning the year, make, and model of any car I saw and would recite them as we rode down the road.

I can still envision most of the cars on our court when we lived in Chesapeake, Virginia. Our next door neighbors, the Heafner's had a 1965 Olds Cutlass in Lucerne Mist Poly (Beverly) and a 1964 Ford Fairlane (Harold). Paul Midgette, my best friend's father, had a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville convertible in Marimba Red Poly with a white vinyl top. The Carando's (not sure if I am spelling their name right), whose steep driveway we would use for sledding when it snowed had a Vintage Burgundy Poly colored 1964 Ford Thunderbird.



1963 Ford Country Squire

Renault Dauphine (unsure what year)

The cars my parents drove when I was born were a 1963 Ford Country Squire and a Renault Dauphine. At the time, I hated the station wagon, but today I would love to own one. We later owned a Meadowlark Yellow, 10-passenger Ford Country Squire with a 429 Thunderjet. I initially did not think much of the Squire because it replaced my beloved 1967 Mercury Park Lane. That has changed. I think the lines of station wagons are more beautiful than their sedan counterparts. In fact, I am a now huge station wagon enthusiast and dream of owning a 1969 Country Squire like the one my parents owned. Of course, that is starting to appear less and less likely because a pristine example just sold on EBay this week for over $15,000.

1969 Country Squire

I like to think that station wagons are making a slow comeback, and I hope it continues. BMW and Mercedes make some pretty cool wagons that are way out of my price range, while the Mazda 6, VW Passat, and Saab 9-3 wagons have been catching my eye lately. I love my 1998 Subaru Outback, but am hoping that Subaru will come out with a Hybrid version that does not cost $40K. Today's wagons will never be the big beautiful beasts they were in the 1960s, but the sleek shapes they come in today are pretty cool and worth considering.

2006 Mazda 6 wagon



2006 VW Passat Wagon

I started this blog because I love to talk about cars. I am not sure if anyone will ever read it besides me (unless I decide to send the link to some of my many car buddies), but I thought this would give me and anyone else out there who just likes to talk about cars a place to post and talk about any car they want - not just muscle cars; not just super-exotics - any car. All opinions are welcome - I may not agree with everyone, but sometimes the debate is just as much fun.

Channing Greene
Chicago, Illinois
02/02/08