I love driving around spotting old cars in yards, so I packed my girlfriend and my mom into her truck and went on a drive. Several, actually. We headed for places where we knew we might find cars, areas in Des Moines, Ankeny, Saydel and Johnston. When one was found, I would knock on the door of the nearest house hoping someone inside would actually answer and that they would tell the story of the abandoned car. It was a little nerve-wracking. Although these potential dream cars are in rough shape, they are not unfixable if the owner puts in the time, effort and a lot of money. Only cars before the mid-80s were considered.

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Photo by Tate Larsen

This unloved car was parked in the yard of an abandoned house. I had no idea what it was. Even my mom did not know. I could see the partial logo on the car – Stude-aker. When I looked it up on my phone, I realized it was a Studebaker, a brand that has not been around since the early 60s. No one answered the door, so how it got there is a mystery. It seems to be either a 1956 Commander or President Classic.