Whenever I'm traveling, I like to keep the camera handy and take photos of old cars slowly returning to the elements whenever I see them out in the countryside, and I did once catch a couple of Oldsmobiles. Also, my wife and I like to stop in antique shops when we can, and I like looking for old postcards that might have by chance caught an Oldsmobile in the photo. I have found three so far.


Here's the one photo I have of mouldering Oldsmobiles. One looks to be a mid-80s Delta 88, and the other is a '71 Custom Cruiser. Photo was taken about two years ago in south-central Pennsylvania. They're next to a couple of decaying Cadillacs and something unidentified in the back right.


Whenever I come across a scene like this, I always wonder how it got that way. Somebody drove these cars (or maybe they were towed?) to this spot and left them there. If they were driven, why to this spot and then never driven again? If towed, why here? Why not to a junkyard or metal salvage yard or something like that? Why just park them and leave them? I find them charming in an offbeat way, but I imagine most people, especially those living nearby, would find them an eyesore.

Here's a close-up of the Custom Cruiser from the other side. My father bought one of these new when I was 14 years old. It was the same color scheme, and it was the first car I sat behind with my brand-new learner's permit two years later. Shortly after I got my permit, he traded it on a '73 Custom Cruiser, maroon with the woodgrain siding, and that was the car I did most of my learning-to-drive on.

I remember that the '71 was a post-GM strike car, and closing the doors always sounded like dropping a big can of nails. There's also a closer view of the left rear of the Delta 88. Someone can probably tell what year it is.


There's something majestic about these man-made objects slowly returning to the elements whence they came. We never really do take materials from the earth. We only borrow them for a while, and then nature slowly takes them back.



Here's the three postcard photos.

The first is of the "Downtown Motel" at 115 North Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio. I have no idea if the motel is still there. If I'm not mistaken, isn't that a '59 Olds 4-door something (88? 98?) as the sole car in the parking lot?




Here's postcard number 2. It's of the "State Motel" on I-40 in Groom, Texas. There's no mistaking that that's a white '64 F-85/Cutlass 4-door in the center of the photo.



The third postcard photo is of a Holiday Inn in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Again, I see what looks like an Olds right between the two Fords. This looks to be a '64 Vista Cruiser.



P.S. When's the last time you saw a Holiday Inn with this style of sign out front? I guarantee you, it's been MANY years!

 

I like your hobby! I have done the same quite a few years ago, now I just get the Hemmings Calenders! I certain parts of the country(Georgia comes to mind) they call that "yardart"! I believe the unidentified car next to the others is a pinto....

 

the stories that cars could tell are fun to imagine. from going down the assembly line and the workers that touched them, the family that purchased them, first time drivers, first date night, anything else that the car was part of.

 

.... like the trips to HOOTERS?!?!

 

This is what I thought also...

Lets all keep this photos coming - I enjoy seeing them!

 

Cool pics.I love looking at old postcards/photos. Always seems like a better time.

 

I have a few more photos, but they're not all of Oldsmobiles. The first is not one that I actually took but rather was sent to me by a fellow in southern Ohio who was looking to sell this car. But I think it certainly qualifies for the gallery of photos displayed here. It's at least up to its axles in the mud. It's a '66 Toronado. Other than the fact that it IS up to its axles in the mud, it looks otherwise fairly complete. Even that front bumper looks to have only surface rust and could be resurrected. I don't know if he ever sold it.





This next one is what looks like a late '80s Cadillac beginning its slow descent into the earth. This photo was taken about a year ago in upstate New York near Watertown. If nothing else, those wheel covers look pretty good and might have some value.





This next one was taken on the same trip as the Caddy above. This looks to be a mid-70s Lincoln? I really don't know. The round headlights would, I think, put it not later than that. It looks like those headlights were hidden, but the headlight doors are now stuck in the open position. This car doesn't look too bad, either, if someone were interested in towing it away and putting some time and effort into it.

You know that a car has been commissioned to a long-term sit in a situation like this because the grass has been mowed at least once AROUND the car but not under the car itself. So they can't be bothered to move it when the grass needs cutting. Yep, this one's going to be here a while.





Here's a 1940 Chevy sitting in a field near Lancaster, Ohio. Photo taken in September of '08. There's no mistaking the year as it says it right on the windshield. I'm guessing this car was for sale, although I didn't see the words "For Sale" anywhere on it. But otherwise why write the year on it? If you look closely, you can also see that it was chained to the telephone pole undoubtedly to prevent unauthorized removal. A knock on the door of the nearby farmhouse probably would have gotten an affirmative on the "is it for sale" question.

With the side windows missing, the interior isn't going to last too long open to the elements, if it wasn't already gone, but, still, this car looks complete enough with the headlights and most of the trim still intact that a serious pre-war Chevy fan can probably do something with it.





Next up is what looks like a '67(?) Camaro in pretty sad shape. I don't think there's enough here to make it worth salvaging, especially given the fact that there are probably quite a few of these still around in better shape. It won't be long before this white car is indistinguishable from the white rocks in the foreground. Still, it undoubtedly has some parts to contribute. Perhaps the wheels would be of interest. This photo was taken in May of '08 in southeast Ohio right along the Ohio river.





Last up in this go round is what looks to be a mid or late '40s Chevy? I really don't know. Like the '40 Chevy above, this car looks too good to simply let it decay. Again, it looks mostly complete with just surface rust on the body and mostly all there trim. Hard to tell from this distance how much glass is missing, but still, there's potential there. This photo was taken in central Pennsylvania near State College in September of '07.

 

i still wish i was thinking about pictures.

 

I believe the last picture is a 51 plymouth. See the same thing around here. my next door neighbor has a collection growing into the ground just like the pictures above.

 

Thanks!

 

The white one is a 76 Trans Am.

 

Wow, I'm 0 for 2 on these wild guesses, aren't I? At least I had it correctly identified as a GM product!

 

i wanted to add to your collection. i was to get this car 3 years ago for $100. we never could arrange a time we could get together to get it. now i got hold of him and told him i needed to get it and he decided to raise the price. now i don't know if i want it. it is a 68 toronado.
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What were you planning to do with it? Restore it? Or just get parts off of it?

 

it is to far gone for a restore. just going to part it if there is enough interest for the parts.

 

AWSOME HOBBY! I love that 71 Custom Cruiser!

 

I spotted two more while hooking up with Delmontcruiser this past weekend to buy a rim from him.



The first is a '57 Chevy Bel Air 4-door hardtop. With the '57 Chevy being over 50 years old now and hugely popular as a collectible for much of that time, I would have thought that pretty much all the restorable '57s would be gone by now. But apparently not. Yes, there's some serious rust-through on the body on this, but given the fact that you can pretty much assemble a '57 Chevy completely from reproduction parts these days, it should be a fairly simple matter, relatively speaking, to bring this one back to life. It had a for-sale sign in the window with a phone number, but no price mentioned. I didn't go up to the front door and knock.

Car was seen near Rochester, New York.







The second, also seen in suburban Rochester, is a late-'50s (I think) Ford Fairlane 500 with the retractable hardtop. This is a highly desirable collectible, and even in parts-car only condition, it's worth about $1500.

But, unlike the Chevy above, this one is beyond hope, or at least close to it, I think. I didn't photograph it, but, other than the dash, the interior is completely gutted. Several significant holes rusted through the floor can be seen. The photo of the rear shows significant parts missing. It did have nice glass and a decent front bumper, though. I have no idea what was under the hood.

There was no For Sale sign on it, but given its value, it SHOULD. (There was what looked like it was once a For Sale sign on the inside of the windshield on the driver's side. Nothing was legible, though.) It was just sitting out in the front yard by the road like a lawn decoration. I'm sure the neighbors are thrilled.

 

Man those are some rust buckets

 

You have some nice pictures here along with some story/descriptions.I think I may have seen that yellow 57 but don't remember were.I will have to take a picture of a car looks to be from say 30's or 40's on route 31 not shure what it is but it is yellow and white.the car would look better without the fenders or some modification.The one fender on this car is rusted bad.You are right about the 57's though there is a site you go on I forgot the name and you can buy a brand new reproduction convertable car.They sell three different versions I think.The one is a turn key car though I belive they are kits most of them.

 

It's not too far from you. On route 31 between where it intersects your street and route 259.

 

Ahh ok that makes sence as I do remember seeing it.There is some interesting stuff in the village or not far from the general area A guy has three army trucks ten wheel is it duce and a half forget the name or term.I seen several old cars on my recent trip including one of those two seater thunderbirds,several chevys etc.The goofy part was I had my camera with me the whole time and never used it.