Oregon is famous for its microbrews, but none has bubbled to success so quickly as Eugene’s Ninkasi Brewery. Starting in 2006 with its trademark Total Domination IPA, Ninkasi started on a street corner in the Whiteaker District, and the expansion has seemingly never ended. Now it’s not-so micro brewery has moved into this new macro facility, and a posh new corporate headquarters is just down the street. So on a recent warm Saturday night when son Ed and his GF were in town, we walked down to the Whit for dinner and a tour of Ninkasi-land. And a few nice Curbside Classics were on hand to make it more scenic.
Let’s start with the ’63 Falcon, a long time hipster favorite. This one has been the beneficiary of wheel upgrades, never a bad idea considering the tiny little 13″ donuts that it came with.
I like the look, but don’t recognize the wheels. That’s because they’re probably new aftermarket steelies, in a pretty big size; 16 inchers (or more), if I had to guess. (Update: they’re 17×7″ Charger wheels. And this car has had a lot of other work done too. The whole build-up is documented at this thread here).
Given the single exhaust and the fact that a hip Falcon has to be a six, I’m going to say this one still has its original 170 incher under the hood; maybe a 200 from a slightly more recent one. And the three-on-the-tree has been converted to a floor shift. My dream Falcon would have a warmed-over 200, with an aftermarket alloy high-flow head, backed by a five speed T-10. These little sixes can be made to rev and go, but they deserve more than three speeds. (Update: it is a 200 six with a T-5)
This Falcon is talking to me, very sweetly at that.
One last shot. In case you’re wondering about those onion domes in the background, that’s St. John the Wonderworker Serbian Orthodox Church. It was once the infamous Icky’s Tea House, an anarchist hangout, but was re-purposed some years ago by some folks we know who converted to Orthodoxy and built this up. It adds a bit of color to the already colorful Whiteaker District.
Across the street, under the Ninkasi sign sits a handsome ’67 Pontiac Catalina coupe. Let’s go check it out.
This one has received a bit of customizing too, with a rather unusual black over burgundy two-tone paint job. The Catalina does show off the sweeping ’67 B-Body fastback roof to best advantage.
The interior is mostly stock, except the original Morrokide (vinyl) has been redone in some suede-ish material.
The setting sun’s light made the long fastback come to life.
There’s no bad angle on this car.
Having finally broken free of the spell of the Catalina’s fastback and walked a few steps further, I see a colorful three-some. We looked at that starry Quest just a little while back. Across the street is an odd pairing.
A study in contrasts, if there ever was one.
Having paid our respects to Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer, we turned around and headed to Tacovore, the hot new taco shop, and ordered some Ninkasi beer to wash them down.