Abandoned Car of the Week

Shovel nose Studebaker



This 1952 Studebaker was found languishing in an Arizona salvage yard. It is the so-called "shovel nose" Studebaker with a redesigned front end from 1951. The rest of the car, however, was a carryover from earlier years with its acres of glass in the Starlight coupe edition. Despite the redesign, sales figures were considerably lower than 1951. There were 246,195 Studebaker's sold in '51, and the number dropped to 167,662 in 1952. (Photo by Jim Prueter)

Relic of the '70s



This 1975 Datsun B210 hatchback, which provided entry-level transportation, was found in Arizona. It was outfitted with a 70-horsepower 4-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed manual. It featured rear-wheel drive. A sub-compact by today's standards, it measured 162 inches long with a 92-inch wheelbase. Zero to 60: 13 seconds.
(Photo by Jim Prueter)

The Great Depression Nash



The Nash LaFayette was the company's low-priced car in the 1930s developed to bolster sales during the Great Depression years. But the LaFayette had a hard time gaining traction during its first year in 1935 selling only 5,000 copies. Things improved in 1936 when 27,000 units went out the door. It rode on a 113-inch wheelbase with a 75-83 horsepower six cylinder. Retail cost ranged from $585 to $715. This 1936 model was discovered in a Texas salvage yard.
(Photo by Peter Hubbard)

Austin city limits

Austin is a British car company that dates back to the early years of the 20th Century. The name is perhaps best known in North America for manufacturing the Austin-Healey roadster. But its main emphasis was on family cars. An example is this circa 1950 Austin A70 discovered in a Texas salvage yard. It was built from 1948-1950. A sub-compact by today's standards with a wheelbase of 96 inches and a length of 163 inches. (Photo by Peter Hubbard)

A used up Impala



This 1965-1966 Chevrolet Impala has been picked clean of its engine and other parts, its driving life long over. Redesigned in 1965, the Impala set an all-time industry annual sales record of more than one million units in the United States. The 1965 had a new body that featured curved, frameless side glass (for pillar-less models), sharper angled windshield with newly reshaped vent windows, and redesigned full-coil suspension.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)

Depression-era Chevrolet



This 1935 Chevrolet work truck was discovered in Nevada. At the heart of 1930s era trucks was a Chevy inline-six-cylinder engine, which earned names like “Cast Iron Wonder” and “Stovebolt” for its rugged design. First produced in late 1928, the new engine had a modern overhead-valve design.
(Photo by Jim Prueter)

Almost unrecognizable 1938 Buick



A restored 1938 Buick can fetch a lot of cash these days. Unfortunately, this example spotted in a Texas field of used up cars of the past century is not one of them. Most 1938 Buicks came equipped with a straight eight engine of various sizes with horsepower ratings ranging from 120 to 168. Buick was the fourth best-selling car in 1938 behind the "Big Three" Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth with 168,689 units sold.  (Photo by Peter Hubbard)

Out to pasture



This circa 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am GT has already been put out to pasture in eastern N.C. despite its relatively young age. The compact-sized car came with a choice of three engines — 2.2-liter 4-cylinder, 2.4-liter twin cam four, and a 175-horsepower 3.4-liter V-6. The V-6-powered GT did a 0-to-60 in 7.7 seconds according to Car and Driver.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)

Out in the snow



This Dodge B Series pickup truck was found enduring a snowstorm in Nevada. The B Series was built from 1948 through 1953. This truck was from the 1951-1953 design and contained the Job Rated moniker. The 1953 truck could be purchased for the first time with an optional fully automatic Truck-O-Matic transmission.
(Photo by Jim Prueter)

Early '60s Buick Skylark



General Motors introduced three new compact cars in 1961 — the Buick Special, Pontiac Tempest and Oldsmobile F-85. In the middle of the 1961 model year, the Buick Skylark — a luxury trim of the Special — debuted. There were two engines available — a 3.2-liter V-6 or a 155-horsepower 3.5-liter V-8. The first generation was built through the 1963 model year. This example was found deteriorating along Route 66 in Seligman, Ariz.
(Photo by Ted Biederman)