(Photos: Albert J. Di Zenzo, via Malaise Motors) How many of you can identify this Oldsmobile Cutlass on sight? The Chicago Cutlass. The kind-of green, some blue, mostly rust early G-body Oldsmobile that has been a staple of “refuse to die” memes and oddly enough, the source point of pride for those who keep a car alive out of sheer will and determination. This Cutlass is known, and you had better believe that the whole neighborhood knows who owns this Cutlass. They know how long they’ve owned it, the stories, the history, details about their family, all of it. This is a rolling landmark. And while the trend is disappearing, “that one car” in the neighborhood is still a thing. 
“That one car”. It’s the one vehicle that kids can identify on sight. It’s the car that is well-known throughout the town, for good or for bad. In Murphysboro it was the 1980s Mercury Grand Marquis two-door that was always driving up and down Walnut, sitting on mags, as if the owner was hoping somebody would challenge them to a race. In Killeen, it was the 1975 Chevrolet Camaro with the basketweave Trans Am wheels painted fluorescent orange. Newport News had the mid-1980s Oldsmobile 442 in blue with just the hint of rust at the rear wheelwells, Prescott had the immaculent early 1970s Mercury Marquis in baby blue, and most anywhere else I’ve lived…well, if I didn’t own “that one car”, chances were good somebody I was related to did.
Whether it stands out for the better or for the worse, what’s “that one car” where you’re from?
Mine
My buddy Mike’s 1971 Buick Regal. So much rust that anything put in the trunk immediately fell out. High performance modifications were limited to a “Mr T” air freshener hanging from the rear view.
At the turn of the century I was working in Anchorage Alaska tearing down the Alaska Native Hospital. There was a 1980’s Dodge 4-wheel drive painted fluorescent orange. You could spot that truck, day or night, from a mile away…ha ha.
The city I live in is a bit too large to have just one one car. But somebody in my neighborhood owns a bright blue rubber bumper ’70s Camaro on Center Line Auto Drags – quite a time capsule, and it’s usually parked on the same spot on the side of the road when I go out for a walk.
In Dubuque Iowa from the 70’s through the early 90’s, there was a real deal ’69 440 6 pack 4 speed Road Runner that always was parked outside in front of the owners house on a very busy street. Watched it develop massive cancer holes all over. And then it disappeared.
My flat white ’78 Malibu wagon was that car in Indy’s Mars Hill neighborhood for a few months in the early 90’s, it had a dual exhaust system with headers and a crossover pipe that rattled windows and set off car alarms, and for the most part the local rednecks loved it.
I’m afraid my ‘88 Mustang coupe will be “that car” soon. Not because of any noticeable visual flaws but more so due to the noise it makes in close proximity to the golf course near the house.
I hate golf.