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HomeRandom Shots

Random Shots

Skagit Valley sunrise
Random Shots

Sunrise over a country road evokes a classic 1923 Jordan ad

February 23, 2025 Steve 6

The car-buff media is so oriented toward the gear that it tends to neglect one of the biggest reasons people drive automobiles — to go somewhere interesting. We could talk about that in scholarly terms. […]

Maui road sign with sense of humor?
Random Shots

A road sign with a sense of humor?

February 16, 2025 Steve 2

I have long thought that American government could communicate more effectively if it used a senes of humor once in a while. Thus, I was intrigued by this sign on an obscure rural highway in […]

Like many newer cars, the Ford Escape has a skimpy bumper
Random Shots

Bumpers are almost useless on newer automobiles

January 19, 2025 Steve 0

Remember the good old days when cars had meaningful bumpers? The repair costs for even a 2- or 3-mph parking lot ding is much higher than in the days when the feds required bumpers that […]

Random Shots

Would you prefer an agile car or a tank?

January 11, 2025 Steve 8

Jerry P. Hirshberg, Nissan’s retired president of North American design, once stated that when “Europeans think about safety, they think about a light, agile car” — much like the one pictured on the left. However, the […]

Unofficial speed limit sign works better than a real one
Random Shots

Unofficial road signs were better than the real ones

January 5, 2025 Steve 0

A few years ago residents of a Lake Quinault neighborhood posted a number of do-it-yourself, speed-limit signs. However, when I drove through this neighborhood last summer I didn’t notice any of the signs. If they […]

Random Shots

Can you guess what make and model of car this bumper sticker adorns?

June 18, 2024 Steve 1

Recently I noticed a car parking in my neighborhood that I hadn’t seen before. What really stood out about this particular vehicle was its selection of bumper stickers, such as the one shown above. As […]

1954 Chevy abandoned in Quinault garage 6.8.23
Random Shots

An automotive time machine with an open door

June 8, 2023 Steve 9

Since I began visiting Lake Quinault in the mid-1980s, I have noticed this 1953 Chevrolet sitting in a garage. The garage’s door has always been open and the Chevy has not appeared to have been […]

A car without a real front bumper
Random Shots

See, bumpers aren’t needed anymore

May 14, 2017 Steve 2

More proof that humans have evolved to a higher level of consciousness. Parking dings are a thing of the past. Bumpers? They’s so 20th Century. Share your reactions to this post with a comment below […]

  • 1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
    Speedreaders.info is a rare source of book reviews, but quality varies
    June 3, 2026 0
  • 1958 Lincoln
    1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game
    June 2, 2026 12
  • 1957 Nash Ambassador
    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • 1976 Tatra T-613
    Tatra was yet another automaker that deemphasized aerodynamics by 1970s
    May 22, 2026 12
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

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