CC Cohort Saturday Cafe: Coffee, Cars, And More Cars

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– Posted on March 18, 2011

I’m a mediocre point and shoot photographer at best. But I am a lover of good photography. And a couple of superb shots are in the latest additions to the CCC-Flickr page. This one really holds my attention: all those angles and sharp lines in the Riviera are so perfectly mirrored in the overhead trolley lines. And such a contrast to its round and featureless blue neighbor. A truly outstanding photograph by larsupreme. I hope I remember you telling me you were a pro; right? Please say it’s so. More gems:

I’ve just made the feeblest beginnings of trying to capture cars on the go. With my $99 Lumix, that’s no joke; or maybe it’s the lack of knowing even the rudiments. I should just take a class. This is another superb shot by larsupreme; the sign post is perfectly positioned, no less. And you obviously have some effects going on to make the whole scene look like a toy diorama.

Sticking with the theme of distant shots, here’s a poignant one of a snowy streetscape in Milwaukee by Davo.

That ’55 DeSoto looks right at home. This one by Davo too. He must get around.

I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but this battered terminal cancer victim Pontiac convertible deserves its day in the sun and some sympathy. A testament to someone’s attachment to this once proud bird. This one by improbcat.

There’s a slew of other great cars in the recent additions, but the grille on the British Ford Zephyr catches my eye. I found a similar old Brit Ford a while back, but not with this elegantly simple grille, given the typical stuff of the times. Also by improbcat.

Now here’s an eyeful and mouthful: 1964 Daimler Majestic Major 4.5 Liter V8 Saloon. KC7IT takes the credit for finding a car that doesn’t exactly live in my most commonly used memory synapses. Incredibly anachronistic for 1964; looks more like 1949. This was one of a handful of the old school upper-crust sedans just barely in existence by then, a living fossil.

But this Daimler had a delightful little secret under that bonnet; not some old stodgy six like most of its contemporaries. A 4.5 liter V8 with aluminum hemi heads, looking like a scaled down Chrysler hemi, from which it was heavily inspired. There were two versions of this engine. The more familiar is the little 2.5 liter version, which powered the ugly but brisk Daimler SP 250 sports car. And this 4.5 made a healthy 220 hp, and when tested in a big Jag Mark X sedan (after Jaguar took over Daimler), it was found to be a superior engine to its 4.2 L six in a number of aspects. Here’s a picture of the 2.5 L version.I always had an intense fascination with this mini-hemi, ever since seeing one in shop as a teenager: “Wow; looks just like a hemi!”, as if no one else could do that.

Great find, and sitting next to a Jag, no less. There’s lots more finds over at the CCC Flickr page, (including some brand new arrivals) so check them out. Kudos to all the submitters!