Drive-by Snapshots

Nissan Bakkie 1400 Pick-up South Africa Midrand Bosch Diesel Center | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2008)

South African Nissan Bakkie 1200 & 1400

Flag South AfricaSouth African Nissan Bakkie 1200 & 1400

Reading the Speedhunters story about a properly built South African Nissan Bakkie 1400 reminded me of the time when I lived in South Africa. Digging through the pictures on my hard drive revealed quite a few pictures of these lovely little, but sturdy and tough, trucklets.

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TukTuk Happy New Year Bangkok Neon Nightmarket | travel photography by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Happy New Year!

Frohes Neues Jahr an euch alle!

Happy New Year to everybody!

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Drive-by Snapshots Silvester Blues 001 | Lost Places Photography by Sebastian Motsch (2017)

Silvester Blues

Flag GermanySilvester Blues | Erinnerungen an schöne Zeiten

Ein paar Stunden noch bis die Zukunft beginnt

Es ist der letzte Tag des Jahres. Nach dem obligatorischen Weißwurstfrühstück in guter Gesellschaft verbleiben noch ein paar Stunden um das fast vergangene Jahr abzuschließen. Freund Jonas entriegelt mit der Fernbedienung seine leicht patinierte C-Klasse aus den späten Neunziger Jahren und wir steigen ein. Unsere Blicke schweifen über den mit einer rot-weißen Bommelmütze bekleideten Stern. Wohin wird er uns in diesen letzten Stunden des Jahres den Weg weisen?

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Renault R4 Nancy France | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Renault R4 in Nancy, France

Flag FranceErinnerungen an den ersten Neuwagen meiner Eltern

Spontan sind wir dieses Jahr an Ostern über die Grenze nach Nancy gefahren und haben das Auto in einem leicht patinierten Parkhaus abgestellt. Der Weg zum Ausgang führt uns quer über das Parkdeck. Wir unterhalten uns über einen der ersten Besuche meiner Eltern in unserem wunderschönen Nachbarland. Jahrzehnte ist dieser Ausflug her und ich stelle mir vor, wie es in dem damals neuen Parkhaus ausgesehen haben mag. Anstelle von silbernen, schwarzen und weißen Einheitsfahrzeugen parkten hier damals Autos in allen möglichen Formen und Farben ― je bunter desto besser.

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Isuzu D-Max SLX Crew Cab Drag Diesel Thailand | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2016)

Isuzu D-Max SLX Crew Cab | Drag Diesel Thailand

Most people prefer an air-conditioned taxi cab to get around in the sweaty heat of Bangkok. However, for car-spotting purposes a tuk-tuk is the far better alternative. Why? Because of the better all-round visibility. And if you are a lucky chap, something interesting gets stuck in traffic besides the tuk-tuk. In this case, on our way to the airport, I spotted this Isuzu D-Max SLX crew-cab. First I noticed the nice-looking set of Cosmis Racing Wheels (RG-06). The offset works great to accentuate the lines of this vehicle. The front-mounted intercooler and the brake set-up give a hint that there might be a little bit more than stock power under the hood. Oh… and there is that Pro Speed Racing sticker.

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Mazda Familia 1400 pick-up Surat Thani Thailand | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2016)

Snapshot | Mazda Familia 1400 Pick-up

“Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity.”   Thich Nhat Hanh

Every breath taken and every step made during my stay in Thailand eventually led me to taking this picture, which is filled with peace, joy and serenity. Even though I’m a photographer specializing in cars, this photograph is not about the vehicle at all – but rather about the people living a relaxed and happy life. It was very quiet when I took it and made me very emotional just by absorbing the peaceful atmosphere.

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Some are hiding behind a camo net…

Flag Norway… and others are more easy to spot and take pictures of. OK, I admit that the stunning BMW E30 M3 I posted yesterday set the bar very high. Nonetheless, here is a selection of Munichs’ finest for you to enjoy. Let’s start with a pair of unmolested classics we found in Tomter, en route to the Gatebil event location.

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BMW E30 M3 Evo Gatebil Rudskogen 2014 | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

BMW M3 E30 | Following a DTM legend

Flag NorwayA winding back country road in rural Norway on a beautiful summer day. The sun is shining, the bees are flying and the birds are singing. Well, they might be singing but… what actually reaches your eardrums is an entirely different symphony. One featuring sounds emitted from fresh air rushing through the carbon fiber intake system, feeding the engine via individual throttle bodies, exploding ferociously  and being emitted through an exhaust system, finely tuned to trigger daydreams of an era long gone.

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Volkswagen Käfer Cabrio | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Volkswagen Käfer Cabrio | Fasten your seat belts!

Flag GermanyMy friend Gerd and his wife Claudia started the drop-top season rather late this year. After collecting the Volkswagen Beetle convertible from storage and giving it a good wash, we decided to quickly snap a few pictures before officially starting the season.

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Peugeot 504 Golden Brown | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

Sleeping Beauties | Golden Brown

Frequent readers know that most posts here at Drive-by Snapshots feature multiple pictures of a certain subject, most often accompanied by a little story. However, my archives are brimming with those lonely single pictures. Until recently I wasn’t really sure how to post them without boring you. A post containing one picture just isn’t really going to cut it. Last week, a good friend of mine had a great idea and suggested that I could group them for posts. While digging through the archives, I actually found many pictures that have something in common: a matching background, color or theme. Today, Drive-by Snapshots presents: three sleeping beauties – golden brown.

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Honda Accord SJ Beirut Lebanon | Drive-by Snapshots by Hanna (2013)

Honda Accord Mk1 | A true survivor

Flag LebanonAs promised in the last post, Drive-by Snapshots now features a guest blog. My dear friend Hanna currently lives in Beirut / Lebanon and found this Honda Accord Mk1. She likes my idea of blogging about (often overlooked) daily drivers and survivors. A survivor? Yes – if it was imported to the Lebanon when new. Back then in the late 70’s / early 80’s, the civil war was in full swing. When the war ended in 1990, this first generation Accord was already 20 years old! OK, we’ll probably never figure out if the car was actually imported later, but it certainly looks like it has seen a rough day or two in its’ life.

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Austin Six New Zealand | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2004)

Austin Six | A vintage car that has never been fiddled with

Flag New ZealandAustin Six | A vintage car that has never been fiddled with

I stopped to refuel my car at a local petrol station in Alexandra, New Zealand. It was a chilly winter morning, the air smelled like snow. A vintage Austin Six pulled up and the owner also started refueling. It’s always easy to start a conversation with a fellow car enthusiast. He told me that his grandfather bought the car brand new and it got handed down to him eventually. The car has apparently not been fiddled with since new! A couple of accessories, new spare parts now and then – but no major repairs. It has never been repainted and had a wonderful patina inside and out that told all the stories of many years and miles. The gentlemen even asked me if I would like to drive it around the block. Thank you, sir!

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Mercedes-Benz Ponton 190 W120 Beirut Lebanon | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

The sleeping beauty | 1001 more nights in Beirut

Flag LebanonOnce upon a time, there was a beauty called Mercedes. She immigrated from a cold country called Germany decades ago and worked very hard under the relentless Lebanese sun for many years. This eventually made her very tired…

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Winnebago LeSharo | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Winnebago LeSharo | A grey morning in September

RD 6089 near Terrasson-Lavilledieu, on a grey morning. Cruising along with the local traffic… I spotted something based on the Renault Trafic on the side of the road: the Winnebago LeSharo. I have always liked how the French design of the base vehicle integrates well with the American style camper body. If you look at other Winnebago motorhomes of the same period, you can even see a familiar resemblance. Being flanked by a US-spec Peugeot 504 Break was a nice coincidence. The dealer had many other interesting vehicles for sale, some of which you will sooner or later find here at Drive-by Snapshots.

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BMW X5 Maroc | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

BMW X5 | The antagonism

Flag SpainYesterday’s blog post was about French guys traveling to Morocco in a fully kitted-out LandCruiser 4×4. Considering that there are not many paved roads in the desert, it’s probably a wise choice. But what if somebody from Morocco wants to travel to France? There really is no need for a hard-core 4×4 on the roads of mainland Europe. Using something more suitable for long distance traveling on smooth roads is the better choice, isn’t it?

While waiting out a heavy thunderstorm at a service station near Seville, I spotted a BMW X5 sporting a yellow license plate I’ve never seen before. A closer look, after the rain stopped, revealed that it was from Morocco…

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BMW 850i Z850 | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

BMW 850i | Something unusual

Flag GermanySometimes you walk around a corner without expecting anything unusual. And… bam! There it was, sitting in the middle of the Nürburgring paddock at a VLN race weekend. Most people actually walked by without noticing that there was something wrong with it different and unusual about it. The base was clearly identifiable as a BMW 850i. It looked like somebody had a couple of leftover Z8 parts in the workshop and grafted them onto the E31 body. The craftsmanship and execution are excellent, but the style is, as always, a matter of taste… 

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Volkswagen T2b Emotions | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

Volkswagen T2b | Emotions

Flag GermanyThe title says it all. This post is about emotions. The Volkswagen T2b pictured here sparks many of them, quite literally. These vehicles are just so positively sympathetic, you couldn’t force the smile off your face – even if you wanted to. Not smiling isn’t an option due to friendly feelings, friendly people and friendly encounters. Slowly (as they are) but surely, the classic  VW campers creep into your heart. You just want to pet them, as the sign in the opening pictures suggests 🙂

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Ford Mustang 1965 Franshoek | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

1965 Ford Mustang | A bright red pony in Franshoek

Flag South AfricaThe day we visited Franshoek featured rather dull colors, due to low hanging clouds and the odd rain shower. The whole town seemed to be muted. We unsuspectingly walked around a corner – and found  a bright red pony! A rare one, too – being right hand drive. I’m not sure whether or not this 1965 Ford Mustang came from the factory like that. Might as well be a right hand drive (RHD) conversion, possibly from Desert Classic Mustangs.

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Volkswagen Beetle Pick-up | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2011)

Volkswagen Käfer Pickup

Flag GermanyWhile hunting for a project car, I found this excellently crafted Volkswagen Beetle Pickup. The vehicle belongs to the Hagenauer body & paint shop in Würzburg. The split rear windows are a nice touch, but the rear bumper and lights leave something to be desired. They could have created something that suits the overall appearance of the Beetle Pick-up better. But that’s complaining at a high level 😉

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Jeep / Renault 4 Conversion | Drive-by Snapshots by Sebastian Motsch (2010)

Willys MB Jeep with Renault R4 body conversion

Flag FranceIn June 2010 we took the scenic route through the Gorges du Tarn. Climbing out of the canyon and heading towards Le Puy, we drove past a service station somewhere in the rural Département Lozère. As always, I immediately slowed down to take a closer look and was once more rewarded by finding something rather unusual: a leftover WWII Willys MB Jeep that has been cross-bred with a Renault R4. The bodywork of the conversion looked very professional and is actually very clever, because the region sees a lot of snow in winter. Judging by the faded red paint and the rotating light on the roof, it might have once belonged to the local fire department. The markings on the left door indicate that it may have been used by the local garage as well, probably as a service or recovery vehicle?

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