MERGING IDENTITIES

What is this thing?

I ask myself this as I deliberately drive the speed limit in an immaculately restored 1969 Toyota Corolla up Interstate 15 toward Victorville, California. From the outside, this looks to be a pristine vintage Corolla. But a closer look reveals so much more.

The first clue are the wide fender flares that give it a more muscular look. Toyota connoisseurs with eagle eyes will then notice that this Corolla is a bit wider and longer than when it rolled out of the factory. Peering inside, its push-start button, Lexus infotainment system, and sporty seats are by no means from the year of Woodstock.

Then, from under the vintage sheetmetal, comes the deep, throaty note of a V-8 engine and the swift shifting of a modern