The First Curbside Classic

Paul Niedermeyer
by Paul Niedermeyer

You might think I’ve been taking pictures of old cars on the streets forever. Not so, actually. I’ve been ogling them, but I always saved my film for family. Probably not completely coincidentally, I started CC about the same time our nest was emptying. But there was one single exception, and today I stumbled on it: a photo of a 1951 Mercury that lived on the street a few blocks from our house in Santa Monica. Its dark blue paint was oxidizing into a divine shade of purple, and one day in 1979 on our regular walk to the beach, I had the impulse: to immortalize this aging neighbor before it disappeared. Technically, this wasn’t really an exception, because Stephanie is in it. That part has changed, mostly.

She still appears from time to time, but much more discretely, as she usually manages very adroitly to keep out of the shots most of the time, regardless of the angle. It’s about the cars now, but she’s still my first Curbside Classic. Happy 33rd!

Paul Niedermeyer
Paul Niedermeyer

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  • 285exp I am no less interested in buying an EV this year as I was last.
  • FreedMike @Tim Healey: Off topic but this site is becoming borderline unusable from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, laptop or Ipad. At some point you can't type anymore.
  • Rochester It depends entirely on the vehicle. Summer-only tires are pointless on a Sentra, but awesome on a Z.
  • 28-Cars-Later I see velour and pleather seats are back in style.
  • 28-Cars-Later Please come buy one of the two things we sell which don't suck.
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