Your neighborhood might be a better car show than you think

If you live in a suburb, perhaps your usual route to and from home follow the same prescribed paths. That leaves lots of streets and driveways unseen, unexplored, and ripe for car spotting.

Now that car shows are on hold and there are fewer and fewer justifiable excuses to leave the house and drive to a destination, I’ve taken to walking down each street in a block to see how many interesting cars I’ve missed during busier times. Not only is the exercise a break from the sameness of sitting at home, but it also allows a much more relaxed car-spotting pace. It’s not always wise to slow and gawk at a cool car when you’re driving by. It’s also not easy to snap a photo, as the opportunities come and go so quickly. When you’re just walking down the sidewalk? Why not?

While technically I live within the city limits of Los Angeles, the truth is I’m miles away from downtown. The San Fernando Valley bloomed into gridded neighborhoods in the post-WWII economy. Tens of thousands of single-family homes sprouted up, lots of them with two-car garages tucked into the backyard. Untold automotive treasures are lurking in those garages, but perhaps just as many interesting cars are parked in driveways and on the street—no street sweeping in my neighborhood, thank goodness—making each block a potential treasure trove of vintage sheet metal.

Apparently lots of my neighbors are also car fanatics, with a wide variety of interests. I’ve seen massive, boxy American luxury cars, early ’80s Japanese coupes, and a relatively rare Italian import to spice up the more-common-than-you’d-think ’60s American classics.

Here’s a sampling of what I’ve discovered within about a mile of my house. Seen any surprises lately in your neighborhood? Share it below in the comments.