Vintage Cars of the American Southwest
Traveling around Southern Utah and the desert climates of the American Southwest, I happened upon a great old collection of vintage American automobiles at a junkyard. Spread out along the vast property were a few hundred vintage cars and trucks from the golden age of American car manufacturing.
The handmade signs around the property said “PLEASE LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH” which I took as an invitation to explore with my camera. Scrapyards such as these in remote places, especially in the dry region such as the southwestern desert, preserve cars for their parts.
Most of these cars look like they had been in a wreck. While they probably have no chance of restoration, other people restoring similar cars in better condition can contact the junkyard for perhaps that missing headlight or chrome detail part or rear fender. So you can see how, most likely armed with more than just signs, the owners want to keep out those who might damage the merchandise.
Utah is a heavily armed state and junk yards usually have junkyard dogs so proceed with caution if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, drooling with delight in finding such a cool collection of cars to photograph.
I did see someone in front of a nearby house who might have been the owner. I would have gone up and chatted with the fellow except for the German Shepard at his feet. So I decide to proceed with the idea that he is used to getting some browsing traffic in the scrap yard. There was no fence and no “No Trespassing” signs so…
The only incident we encountered was from two attack dachshund dogs. These vicious little buggers came barreling out of a nearby house, down the hill, snarling and yipping at us. They nearly sunk their teeth into my wife’s ankle until she stomped her foot and they took off back home. Cowards at heart I suppose. Of course who wouldn’t be when you are only a few inches off the ground.
The Vintage Cars of the American Southwest collection is a series of square fine art photographs of old cars I found in Utah, Nevada and Arizona, processed with a vintage feeling. They look great framed in groups of three or five or as canvas prints hung together in sets of four or six.
Perfect for car lovers, 1950s themed basements or restaurants looking for a Americana nostalgic theme.
Finding Old Cars To Photograph in the American Southwest
Finding old vintage cars and trucks in the American Southwest isn’t too hard. The old metal cars rust a lot slower than the collapse of the wooden structures of the old ghost towns and abandoned mining communities that are disappearing daily.
The best hunting grounds are the back roads and small towns. Places that never had a local scrap yard. Too far to haul away, the old cars just sat where they died.
Old cars and trucks can often be found around restaurants and gift shops on the tourist trails, used as bait to lure in prey of out of towners with money to spend.
