Sometimes, up here in New England, cars signal "home." And our home obsessions occasionally creep into other parts of our lives. We’ve been in love ever since spotting a 1970’s Jeep Grand Wagoneer one summer many years ago on Martha’s Vineyard. It was teal with wood paneling and the back window was covered with years worth of beach and dump stickers. It even had a dog...
Island cars. They’re not just any vintage car, they’re old cars with personality. They’re knocked around, rusted out, never locked, bumper-stickered, gorgeous beach cars.
flickr photo by trixieslim
Lots of people on Martha’s Vinyard and Nantucket drive them, love them and just leave them there every year until the next summer. They’re cars that make you smile, even when you’re stuck in that annoying traffic when the ferry comes in. They remind us how fun it can be to drive. They have us at hello.
flickr photo by ms.elemvee
On the islands just about everyone has a colorful old beach bike, and they walk a lot, so these cars don’t get used much - and thank goodness for that, because many of them tend to be gas guzzlers - but when they do, its like peeking into yesterday.
flickr photo by Joan Hill
Maybe it was crazy, but we spotted a white paneled jeep Briarwood on craigs list last month that we just had to have. Neighbors told us we were crazy when we sold our pretty reliable Subaru Outback wagon and bought it. After all, Subarus are great in the Boston winters. But we were in love—and we don’t drive much anyway.
We don’t live on the beach or the islands, but this summer we’re going to feel like we do.
-Jeanine Brennan
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Comments (10)
Ooh, I love them! I live on a New England island year-round and just secured myself a 1972 GMC pickup in that particular shade of blue that they stopped putting on cars after the seventies. Great for hauling a boat to the dock or tossing lawn chairs in the back.
TaraGL,
Post a picture please? Sounds delightful.
Those are great. I love our West Coast equivalents—old VW buses; they are just the ultimate surf cars.
Years ago at a friend's summer place on Buzzard's Bay, I saw an ancient (really!) Model T one family used just to go back and forth to the beach. Had to be cranked up and everything.
Sure they get lousy mileage, but in the long run they're "greener" than buying a new car for occassional use.
These photos are awesome. I am now considering purchasing an island care even though I won't be able to make it to the islands this summer. But I believe I'll maintain a more laid-back attitude even during the work week with such a car. We'll see!
Ooooh, that top one is just gorgeous.
I long for an aqua vintage car
Like island bikes. Big, old, clunky one-speeds with baskets for town trips.
I've thought about chucking this city life and moving to an island. As an artist (with an interior designer wife), we're fairly portable and I already have all the passions and trappings of the laid back New England island lifestyle;
the 1920's wood and canvas canoe, the '59 Vespa in original paint, the 100 year-old letterpress for making greeting cards, the 60's Airstream trailer for a little beach cabana, and now this: my very own island car...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bredlo/2692347735/