Tag: autos

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 12, 20259:39 pm

Buggy Dogs

According to Sperling’s Best Places, San Diego “has a mild and pleasant Mediterranean climate…The summers are warm and dry, with temperatures usually reaching the mid-70s Fahrenheit (25 Celsius)”. Rainfall: About 12 inches annually. Such an environment practically preserves Volkswagen cars and minivans, which are spared the otherwise audacious expansion of rust.

Hence, old Volkswagen Beetle and minivan sightings are not uncommon. But black ragtop and red body? With two aged mutts that look like they could be as old or older than the vehicle?

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 1, 20258:56 pm

Depression-Era Driving

How unexpected. According to Google Circle to Search, the vehicle in the Featured Image is a 1929 Ford Model A. My wife and I passed it today while walking West on Madison Avenue in our San Diego neighborhood of University Heights.

I used Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for this one. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 64, 1/1250 sec, 115mm (film equivalent); 11:59 a.m. PDT. The camera continues to satisfy, which is one of three benefits keeping me from taking advantage of massive trade-in discounts for Galaxy Z Fold7. For example, this shot is 5x zoom; the Fold tops out at 3x.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 19, 20259:57 pm

What’s the Buzz?

This afternoon, I sighted my first Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric bus parked along Shirley Ann Place in my humble neighborhood of University Heights. Until the encounter, I was thrilled about VW bringing back the minibus, which is one of my all-time favorite vehicles.

But this thing is ugly (and pricey). And all electric? Not hybrid? When I think of the evocative freedom to travel that a minibus imbues, limited range between charges squashes ambiance and purpose behind it.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 18, 20258:13 pm

Classic Cars Meetup

This afternoon, I walked over to unbeloved Hillcrest to mail a package at the United States Post Office. The postal workers were friendly and helpful, but the place was surprisingly not crowded. Plausible explanation: This is a holiday weekend for some people, particularly leading into Monday events.

Jan. 20, 2025 celebrates Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, and the day will also be the inauguration of Donald Trump as 47th president of the United States. If Microsoft Copilot can be trusted for accuracy, Trump will only be the second President to serve non-consecutive terms (Grover Cleveland is the other).

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 22, 20249:45 pm

We Found a Rat Rod

This morning, my wife and I walked through Lafayette Hotel, here in University Heights, to see if it was as bustling busy as last Sunday when we looked in to see the holiday decorations. The place was livelier seven days ago.

I had wanted to stroll in with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 to capture video of the zillion Christmas trees (some hanging from the ceiling) and raucous crowd (some of whom were hanging from the ceiling—or might as well been). Perhaps Christmas Eve, or better, New Years Eve will bring the right ambiance.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 26, 20249:21 pm

Second Sighting, Still Ugly

What a surprise is this! Another Tesla Cybertruck, seen within week’s time, but parked in an alley. The other, a different color, was a drive-by. I mean no disrespect to the owners, but what is the appeal? Futuristic design—like from B-science fiction movies?

Because I swear that the angler, boxy, bulky design is straight out of some filmmaker’s dystopian dream. Look to Blade Runner, Freejack, Timecop, or Total Recall, among others, for influence and as reference.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 21, 202410:10 pm

Seen in the Wild…

The unexpected encounters on California roads are sometimes surrealistic sci-fi—as was the case today driving down Texas Street and entering I-8. My wife pulled behind a futuristic vehicle that I realized could only be a Tesla Cybertruck. This was my first sighting, here in San Diego.

I got to say that Elon Musk, his designers, or perhaps all, should stop watching shoddy science fiction movies. Pick one: Blade Runner, Freejack, Timecop, or Total Recall—among others. Boxy vehicles with sharp lines are almost stereotypical to the point of being tropes. Now they’re for real? Oh my.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 20, 202310:05 pm

A Pair of Classic Cars

I avoid walking through Hillcrest, unless need presses. The neighborhood is atmospherically and physically filthy. Strange how people don’t know that they live in Hell. But the same could be applied to most of California, expanding Dante’s nine circles of Hell to the 21 missions around which major cities were built. San Diego was the first, in 1769.

Franciscans sought to bring Heaven to native populations, rightly or wrongly (you decide which). Centuries later, the fire of Hades burns across the state, by many measures.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 7, 202310:10 pm

Volkswagen Wagon

Let’s recap: On June 2, 2023, I walked along Adams Avenue from San Diego neighborhood University Heights to Normal Heights. At 2:46 p.m. PDT, I stopped before the clock near Boundary Street. Four minutes later, I stood on the bridge overlooking I-805 traffic. Locals say the 805—and they put the article before all major roads (e.g. “the 163”). I am an East Coaster and writer who detests the. (You hadn’t noticed that I often omit “the” like someone speaking English as a second language?)

At 2:55 p.m., I delighted in the colorful car wash sign. Continuing along, I approached my destination around 3:06 p.m. How could I resist a classic Volkswagen wagon parked outside the Vons supermarket? Out of my pocket came Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and into my photo library went the Featured Image and companion.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 2, 20239:00 pm

Light Traffic

Lots of people are overly, ah, proud during June every year, around San Diego neighborhoods Hillcrest, North Park, and (here) University Heights. Stepping back from the parade of flags—and distracting colors galore—I will use Leica Q2 Monochrom to primarily shoot black and white. When need for color arises, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will fill in.

The Featured Image is first photo of many other monochromes to follow between now and last day of the month. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/11, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, 28mm.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 28, 20229:14 pm

What’s Not to Like?

I am not a car guy, but even poor pitifully mechanically-challenged me croons over this Land Cruiser. Anyone know the vintage? The color and styling beam classic. My wild, uninformed guess is a model from the 1980s.

On Oct. 21, 2022, I just happened to come upon the vehicle as it was being parked. I waited a bit, rushed back, and grabbed a single shot using Leica Q2. My intention was to get more vantage points. But I returned later to find that the owner had pulled over a protective cover. The off-red and beige beauty is still parked with fitted-tarp. Protection from the Southern sun prevents photo followups. Oh, well.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 6, 20229:24 pm

Is Today’s Classic Tomorrow’s Stigma?

For years, I have seen this truck parked along an alley located somewhere on the West side of Park Blvd in University Heights (not saying where, exactly). How long before old Fords like this one are taboo? San Diego’s three-summer climate is amazingly kind to vehicles of all varieties—like: Alfa Romeo Spider, battery-converted lowrider, Bel Air, Chevy cruiser, Mini, Nineteen-thirties-era Buick, red Rolls Royce Convertible, or vintage Volkswagens. They last forever.

But California’s upcoming ban on sales of gasoline vehicles is sure to turn classic into stigma, because these presumed polluters won’t be tolerated by the socially-compliant masses enthralled by Climate Change doctrine. Their fervor is religious, uncompromising, and dogmatically committed to their truth (none other viewpoint is ever considered). Hey, just saying.