Interstate 70 through Missouri is, as far as I’m concerned anyways, just as interesting as Interstate 70 through Kansas: boring. I’ve driven that stretch of road at least eight times in the past ten years, and with St. Louis traffic excepted, there is only one thing I consider worth seeing along the way. I’ve seen it every time I’ve driven that Interstate, and a few years ago I stopped in and took a few pictures, but this time I managed to stop in at Lance Auto Investments in Sweet Springs, Missouri during regular business hours and I was determined to do more than just poke around. You can see the building clearly from the highway, especially from the eastbound side, and the cars that are for sale, but the last time I took photos I saw the fenced-off back property and at the time, the tails of a couple of Javelins that hinted towards some really good finds.
Oh, how I underestimated how good it would be, though. I hadn’t been feeling good on this leg of the trip, so Haley was driving. I told her which exit to take, and directed her to the front of the building where we parked. She seemed uncomfortable, while I went nuts for a 1974 Camaro that was for sale out front. But unlike the last time, I decided that I should ask permission before shooting pictures, so I stepped into one of the open garage doors and called out. A man who looked like he’d just as soon knock me out than acknowledge me approached. I just asked straight-up if I could take pictures of the cars out front. He nodded an approval, then quietly said, “There’s others out back, you can go back there.”
I could wax poetic about what I saw back there, but the pictures will inspire your own words. I can’t hide my astonishment for the three nearly-intact and whole Packards, including the two 1955 Clippers, and some of the muscle cars just broke my heart to see, including the Javelin. Pretty much every automotive generation from the Model T onward was represented at this lot, with a very late 1990s Cadillac sedan being one of the newest pieces there. I could’ve stayed and shot photos for hours, but between the risk of ticks and my wife’s uneasiness I cut it short. I hate to think what would’ve happened if she had seen the snake that crawled underneath a Monte Carlo…
CLICK ON THE AWESOME PHOTOS BELOW TO SEE THEM IN FULL SIZE!
The blue Mercury is the bomb! Love that car. What year is it?
’58 Turnpike cruiser ??
That is a 69 Marquis convertible. Lesser trim models like the Monterey did not have the hide-a-way headlights. It likely had a 429 under the hood.
Pure Heaven. Thank you for the the beautiful journey. I’m particularly fond of the fire truck… I think it’s a 56, and the IH Loadstar 1600 flatbed, about a 68, and then, well almost all the others : )
Thanks Bryan