This is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan. She was built in Baltimore, Maryland and came from the factory with the 220 horsepower “Power Pack” 283 V-8 with dual exhaust and Powerglide transmission.

Old Betsy is a Model TT (Ford truck). The body of Old Betsy could be from 1919 and the engine is a 1920 model. She was originally outfitted with a water tank, a CO2 canister of about 50 gallons, and a manifold for connecting to a fire hydrant for fighting fires.

Text and photo: Erol Orhun

The first time I saw a Toyota Hilux (pronounced “high lux”) double cab was in 1987 when I was in elementary school visiting my cousins in Japan. A 4×4 truck w/ 4 doors and a short bed is still one of the greatest ideas I’ve seen. Every trip abroad I would see the evolution of the Hilux which would never make it to the US.

My “Corvair Story” began in June of 1963. My family had been a Chevrolet family, and my Mother had just acquired a four-door, metallic blue 1962 Corvair for family use. It was then that I began to long for not just a Corvair, but a Corvair Spyder. It arrived in June of 1963, the day after High School graduation: 150 HP, turbo-charged, Palomar Red, black bucket seats, and a four-speed, complete with chrome rims.

As a teen, I used to spend a big part of my summers with my grandparents on the other side of the country, which meant traveling to and from all day by train. That meant I needed something to eat and drink on the train, and since the restaurant car had ridiculously high prices for everything, I always brought my own snacks — typically some candy, a tube of Pringles (Sour Cream and Onion), and soda. My grandparents spent practically all summer at the cabin in the middle of nowhere and only came to “the civilization” twice a week to buy groceries and do laundry. (The cabin had running water, but it came from a well, and during summers, there was always a risk of running out of drinking water, so laundry was done in town.)

It began as a joint project with his father a decade ago. Now, you can spot this olive-green Ford Escort Bulldog Machine cruising the streets and circuits of Sweden, eagerly awaiting your attention.

Many people often feel saddened and frustrated when they see classic beauties collecting dust in a garage or barn. After all, they should be out on the roads, covering kilometers after kilometers, because that’s what they were made for.