Patinated Parkwood Wagon - A Life Well Lived

Patina:
A change in appearance produced by long-standing behavior, practice, or use: a face etched with a patina of fine lines and tiny wrinkles.
[From the Latin, plate (from the incrustation on ancient metal plates and dishes); see paten.]

A word that has gained popularity in the car world in the last few years; people seem to be looking for that lustreless look and if they can't find it, they make it up, with differing results. But what forced patina lacks is a story; cars with 'earned' patina have a history, and probably one we can only guess at.
This 1959 Chevrolet Parkwood is one of those cars that it's fair to say definitely has a history. The Parkwood was the middle tier of the Chevrolet station wagon lineup from '59-'61, above the lowest-priced Brookwood models, but below the luxury-leader Nomad. Engines were either the famed 'blue flame' straight six or the 283ci small-block. The Parkwood name only existed for three years, with GM rationlising their somewhat confusing naming system for '62, which makes this wagon a rare sight, in any condition. Although I did not have a chance to speak to the owner, I'm assuming that the car had been sitting for most of it's life in the open and as a result it wears the scars of exposure with pride. there are some tantalising clues as to its history: a Vermont inspection sticker resides next to a University of Maine parking permit on the dog-leg windscreen (both in the state of new Hampshire, in north-east America). Theres also a flyer on the dashboard for former New Hampshire Republican senator and attorney James Koromilas, who served from 1967-1972.
Yeah I know, it doesn't add up to much, but I can tell you it has the 283ci engine and was imported into the UK in 2010; I guess only the car knows where it's been, but it's certainly fun to guess and no hardship at all to examine the photos for clues.


- Amazosan

Commercial Break: Hillman Minx, 1959/1960 (UK)

At The Movies

West Coast Customs 1959 Corvette

Not much info on this, but I saw these photos on WCC's Flickr feed and for sure they caught my eye. Built for (deep breath) rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer Will.I.Am of the Black-Eyed Peas, it's a'59 Corvette C1 body on a cutom-made tube chassis with modern-day Corvette C6 running gear. So that means a 376ci (6.2 litre) GM  LS3 lump. The satin trim really looks the part, the interior lees so; it looks to be from the same C6 donor, so looks a little out of place compared to the exterior, but I do like the iPad built into the centre console.
Very restrained by WCC standards, it shows that Ryan Friedlinghaus's company can build some great cars when their clients allow them to.

'A body like yours, Oughta be in jail, Cause it's on the verge of being obscene' 

'I guess I shoulda known, By the way you parked your car sideways, That it wouldn't last'

'I guess I must be dumb, Cause you had a pocket full of horses' 

'Believe it or not, I started to worry, I wondered if I had enough class' 

'But it was Saturday night, I guess that makes it all right, And you say, "Baby, have you got enough gas?" Oh yeah' 

Insert Prince 'Little Red Corvette' lyric here

'Damn, shoulda called rock...'

T.W.O. 1959 Harley Davidson Panhead FLH

To start off, let's have a look at a beautiful custom FLH. Panhead-powered (Harley's own nomenclature for this engine so named bacuse of the shape of the rocker covers) clean, stripped-down, no-nonsense and with a nice crust of Bonnevile salt on its tyres for good measure. No front brake? Pah, who needs it!
More info here.