1986 Plymouth Reliant Wagon

Note the Chrysler pentagon but Plymouth labelling (held on by metal fasteners), with all other badges completely missing, the wipers wrapped in newspaper.

Also the banal hubcaps, egg crate grille, the vast glass area / narrow pillars. I took a shot of the "Buckle Up For Safety" sticker in the window, but exactly this shot appears on "The Street Peep".

1989 Jeep Comanche

1988 Toyota 4Runner SR5

What makes this truck particularly interesting is the removable roof. With the roof off (which I have almost never seen)  the entire area behind the front seats is uncovered, which is probably a blast for anyone in the back seat.

Also turns it into a sort of pickup if the rear seats are removed. However one might be concerned that the load could crash into the people in the front seats on a sudden stop.

Toyotas were the among prototypical modern SUVs. A sleek appearance blended with those (unnecessarily) large & aggressive fenders. This truck has few luxuries, maximum utility and reliability.

1984 Ford EXP

Another "sporty" car that never was. Lots of sharp angles, smooth looking surfaces, but the taillights look like they were stolen from a Chrysler Laser. Somehow the stylist couldn't see how ugly the headlight treatment was. Which makes it all the more delightful. Ah the foibles of car company executives.

Still, they did a nice job of integrating the front side marker into the dent strip. The shape of the light blue paint on the front fenders suggests a sleek aerodynamic profile buried under the clunky design.

1993 Subaru Sambar

Since I first became aware of "kei" trucks, I've found them fascinating. And four wheel drive? Almost more than you need!

So small, but remarkably robust looking. You get a sense of how small it is when you see how high the curb comes up on the wheels in #4. Silver seems an unusual colour for these. Much like the Mazda Bongo, the sides of the load bed fold down.

Love the "big truck" style windows, the little latch handle on the gas door, the wire & metal clips that locks the sides and tailgate in place, and the single reverse light. So much functionality in such a small package. Sooner or later I'll post an even smaller truck.

1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula

Thanks to Pat, who told me about this car, and about how he autocrosses it. It was apparently found buried under pine needles and other forest debris down in Washington State, and after much work we can see the results. As you might guess, the wheels are from a larger but contemporary Pontiac, and they look great. Rear spoiler is from a Lumina (which certainly never needed it). Pontiac didn't build the Fiero for very long, and it wasn't until this, it's final year, that the car started living up to it's sporty looks.

I seriously thought about buying a Fiero in 1985. At the time it seemed impractical, but the boy racer in me was severely tempted. Examining this car, I love the oversized looking wheels, which fit the wheel wells perfectly. Almost every surface and shape slopes forward. The nose makes me think of a marine predator. A remarkable design for GM, better than expected. Too bad they didn't have the chops (or perhaps the management) to make the car under the skin as good as it's surface.

1990 Mazda Bongo truck

What's great about these little Japanese trucks is their absolute minimalism. Small cab on the front, drive train and load bed behind. No ornamentation, little in the way of styling. Fold the sides of the load bed down and you have a flatbed. A hard working truck perfect for it's hard working operator.

1984 Chevrolet S-10 Extended Cab

Don't understand how the tires are so clean (looking).

1990 Toyota HiAce Super Custom

JDM vans are somewhat common in Vancouver, however I've only seen few of these Toyotas.

Love the sloping, aerodynamic shape of the front door windows, and the interesting shut lines. Plus the extended step in front of the front wheel, and all those seemingly random sunroofs.