Cars mentioned in Inherent Vice
There are so many, very specific, references to cars in Inherent Vice, so I think there's a strong case for collecting them here (not that I mean to replace the very good work already being done on the page-by-page annotations). Particularly for non-American readers, it's often very hard to know what a 1964 Dodge Dart or a 1949 Mercury Woodie looks like, etc. So this page is intended as a handy all-in-one reference. And I am of course hoping that someone else is going to do the spade work...
Contents
64 Dodge Dart
1949 Mercury Woodie
1949 Mercury Woodie © Ken Leonardused with permission
Morgan
"Morgans from the showroom up in Westwood with hoods held down by leather straps" (p. 298). This one is a '63.
289 Mustang
Sauncho's classic beach-town ride (page 117).
SS396
Luz drives it at page 143, though it belongs to her brother (or is it a boyfriend?). The reference isn't specific, as the "SS 396" label was applied to various models of Chevrolet that had the "Super Sport" option package and a 396 cubic-inch engine. The Camaro or Chevelle is the most likely, though I believe the Chevelle was the only instance where the SS396 was marketed (at least some years) as if it were a separate model.
'59 Cadillac Hearse
Photo courtesy Mark & Debbie Teague
Mercedes-Benz Sedan
1960 Mercedes-Benz W128 Sedan, image from Wikipedia
ten-year-old Mercedes sedan with a roof panel
