This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out interesting street-parked cars located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. It's been a while since we've seen one of Denver's many cool street-parked cars, and what better place to look for one than right in the heart of the Democratic National Convention madness downtown? That's what Kitt thought, so she braved the protesters and riot-ready cops to shoot this '61 Lancer. Now, we can't say for sure, but speculation (well, my speculation, anyway) has it that Barack Obama plans to drive this car for the rest of the campaign, to show that he's a man of the people! Make the jump for more of my crackbrained theory political insight (and the rest of the photos of this fine automobile).

See, the Lancer was Dodge's innovative compact car for '61, based on the new Valiant and priced at just $2,007 for the base 170 model. It's from Detroit's Golden Age, with relatively happy unions, high pay, and no threat from them damn Toyopets, so it will help convince the all-important hardhat vote that Obama is on their side when they hear that good ol' Slant Six go by. But, see, Obama would look too stolid driving the base 170, so that's why this car is the slightly pricier 770 coupe, which had enough chrome to look stylishly youthful without implying a sense of elitism. The Rat Fink sticker just adds to the efffect. Oh, just wait and see, folks!
Meanwhile, John McCain is going to be put on the defensive if he's seen cruising around in a new SUV or limo after the bombshell of the Obama Lancer is dropped, so we'll see him behind the wheel of a Falcon or Chevy II within a matter of hours. Yes, we're looking at an early-60s Detroit compact war for Campaign '08! You heard it here first!

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