Abandoned Car of the Week

1953 Ford in retirement

This 1953 Ford sedan has found a retirement home among other relics in an Arizona salvage year. Ford was riding high in the 1950s, alternating with Chevrolet for the title as best-selling nameplate. Ford was number 2 in 1953, but rebounded into the top position in 1954. The standard-sized Ford was all new in 1952 and with only cosmetic changes through 1954, when it was totally redesigned. (Photo by Jim Prueter)

 

Santa Monica or Bust



Many people have photographed this 1941 Studebaker pickup at a Route 66 museum in Victorville, Calif. Since the truck ended up in Victorville, the driver must have "busted" about 100 miles short of his goal of reaching the end of the road and the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. The 1941 truck was the first of the so-called M-series trucks built though 1952.
(Photo by Ted Biederman)

Third-generation Chevy pickup


This circa 1977 Chevrolet C-10 pickup was discovered in a rusted condition next to a boarded-up service station in eastern North Carolina. The 1977 model was part of the third generation manufactured from 1973 to 1991. It could be ordered with a variety os 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder engines and 3-and 4-speed automatic transmissions. A manual shifter was also offered. (Photo by Jim Meachen)

First all-new post-war Ford


The 1949 Ford is the first full-size Ford designed following World War II and the first Ford released after the deaths of Edsel Ford and Henry Ford. Ford was the first post-war America car line with an all-new model beating Chevrolet to market by six months and Plymouth by nine months. 1949 was a good sales year for Ford, which edged out Chevrolet for the top spot with 1,118,308 sales. This survivor was found in Casa Grande, Ariz. (Photo by Jim Prueter}

A Route 66 decoration



This 1951 Nash, decked out as a well-equipped police car, sits on the side of Route 66 in Paris Springs, Mo. Nash was rather successful in 1951 selling 205,307 vehicles ranking 11th out of 20 nameplates. And presumably some of those Nash models found their way traveling along the famous Chicago to Santa Monica cross-country road.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)

Loaded with junk



This used-up Volkswagen bus, parked on a vehicle trailer, might be headed for a restoration, but in the meantime it is serving as a junk hauler.
(Photo by John Harper)

A Ranchero lives among other relics



The Ford Ranchero is a coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run. Over its lifespan it was variously derived from full-sized, compact, and intermediate automobiles. This first-generation 1959 Ranchero was found rusting away in an Arizona salvage yard.
(Photo by Jim Prueter)

Abandoned Corvair in California



The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car built from 1960-1969 as a response to the popular Volkswagen Beetle. It was the only American-designed passenger car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. This abandoned early-60s Corvair was spotted in a yard near Ojai, Calif.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)

Massive 1975-76 Lincoln at rest



This fifth-generation 1975-76 Lincoln Continental, which stretched out 232 inches with a 127-inch wheelbase, was outfitted with a 206-horsepower V-8. Published 0-to-60 time was 12.6 seconds with a top speed of 114 mph. Gas mileage averaged 12 mpg. This example was found residing — perhaps permanently — behind a fenced-in lot in South Carolina. (Photo by Ralph Gable)

Remains of a '63 Chevy



This 1963 Chevrolet was found in South Carolina. The base engine was a 135-horsepower 6-cylinder. It cost $110 more to upgrade to a 170-horsepower V-8.
(Photo by Ralph Gable)