Gramcar Car Brands

Gramcar Car Brands

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

On Spotlight: Vintage Motors and their Gallery of Nostalgia

Instagram Account: Vintage Motors@vintagemotors
Follower Count: 8,101 followers

Sometimes, a little dose of nostalgia goes a long way. This is why we like listening to old songs we used to listen to when we were younger. This is also why our eyes light up whenever we see a car that looks like the one your old man used to drive, or that old ice cream truck that used to pass by your old home every Saturday morning. Everybody wants a hit of nostalgia every now and then. This is the driving force behind the people who run Vintage Motors.

ICE CREAM! ICE CREAM! Photo from @vintagemotors
If you go and check out Vintage Motors, you will be taken into the world of yore. No, they don't have that stiff museum feel that other Instagram accounts with old cars have. Instead, it turns you into a little child that is taking his/her sweet time in the toy store looking for the perfect miniature car to take home. Maybe it's the way the photos are presented. Pictures are taken side-profile while the cars are idled or parked. To some extent, they look like the covers of some toy car box.

Browsing the uploads from @vintagemotors feels like taking a trip down memory lane. The side-profile images of cars ranging from a 1982 Porsche 911 to a 1954 Morris Commercial Ice Cream Van really makes you remember the olden days. And there's no "you can look but you can't touch" feel that you get from museums. These are old, eccentric cars, but cars you feel like still get used on the street.


Got Coal? Photo from @vintagemotors

Who can ID this one? Photo from @vintagemotors

The wheels of the cool vintage bus go round and round... Photo from @vintagemotors
If you want to see a picture of your dad's old Mercedes Benz 220S or that old Ford MkII Transit Camper Van your weird uncle used to have then go and check out @vintagemotors.

The Up and Coming: Gerard Santinelli

Instagram Account: Gerard Santinelli, @g.santinelli
Follower Count: 29

Now, you might be wondering why we went from an account like @superstreet which had 1.7 million followers and now we have an account who just barely broke the 20 follower barrier. Well, like any good enthusiast out there, we know that numbers can't tell the whole story.

Now who is @g.santinelli? Well, he is Gerard Santinelli, the CEO of Santinelli International and an avid car lover. If you doubt this, just take a look at his Porsche 911 Targa.
This is one really sexy car. Photo from @g.santinelli
Now, it's not everyday that a CEO of a certain company decides to start and Instagram account for his own personal hobby. Our attention was piqued when we saw pictures of his Porsche 911 Targa on a number of car-centric accounts on Instagram. When we checked out the account, it's less than a month old but already had a number of uploads both from his own collection and some street finds. When you look at the upload, it does not have that "car magazine" feel with it. Instead, it's just like a personal Instagram account of somebody who likes cars... a lot.

So we asked ourselves... Why hasn't this account blown up yet? The account is your best example of how an up-and-coming account should be. Unique, unassuming, and focused. It's almost as if Gerard Santinelli just uses this account whenever something catches his attention in the street. 


For G.Santinelli, sexy is not all about the sleek and new. Photo from @g.santinelli

Black is really beautiful, right? Photo from @g.santinelli
Like what I mentioned above, @g.santinelli is not all about the best and most beautiful car. I think every car enthusiast will agree with me when I say that it's not really about that. Of course we can upload photos of the sleekest, fastest, and newest cars but it doesn't hurt to show some love for cars such as the Mercedes Benz Sprinter.

So if you like an up-and-coming account that does not necessarily post the best but have something new for you everyday, @g.santinelli is one of the best out there. Find out what he spots on the streets today!

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

On Spotlight: Petersen Automotive Museum

Instagram Account: @petersenmuseum
Follower count: 20.9k

Now, here in Gram Cars, we don't just go and look for the automotive blogs with the most followers. Setting up that list is pretty easy. What we are looking for are Instagram accounts that really showcase a car lover's enthusiasm for cars. We are looking for accounts that are a car connoisseur's dream. And we all know it's not all about the number of followers and likes but the content itself. One good example of such accounts is the Petersen Automotive Museum Instagram account. Now, it only has 20.9k followers but don't let the follower count fool you. It is one of the best automotive museum accounts out there. So if you are a fan of older but definitely sexier cars, @petersenmuseum will definitely be a treat for you.

A real beauty seen on its rare flying position. From @petersonmuseum

Petersen Automotive Museum is unlike other automotive blogs that are prolific in Instagram these days. You won't see the latest cars or the sexiest models in their account. Instead, you are given a slew of the industry's rarest and most exotic cars. It doesn't matter if it is hanging from a crane, in the garage while being restored, or in the showroom, these cars just go to show that the best cars are not necessarily the new ones.

Oh and one other thing about @petersonmuseum is that they like making jokes. No, I am not talking about your a priest and a rabbi walks into a bar kind of jokes. Just go and check out their uploads and read their captions and you will know what I am talking about.

Talk about a wonderful behind! From @petersenmuseum
Oh yes. You can stare back at me all night! From @petersenmuseum
A real beauty through and through. From @petersenmuseum
So if you are the car lover who is into the oldies but definitely goodies, head over to @petersenmuseum.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

On Spotlight: Super Street

Instagram Account: Super Street, @superstreet
Followers: 1.7 million

So you like cars? Not just your everyday ordinary cars but the exotic ones you see on the street once in a blue moon and wonder what the hell that was? Well, if you're on Instagram, @superstreet is an essential follow.

With over 1.7 million Instagram followers, it is no wonder @superstreet is one of the best automotive-centric accounts on Instagram. It's not just a #carporn Instagram account but also considered to be one of the best tuner magazines out there, providing gear heads with knowledge and cool car hacks. The DIY spirit carries over to the community of Instagram users orbiting @superstreet, who offer advice for newbs asking what to do next.

Issue of Super Street Tuner Magazine

Super Street seems to have it all figured out with posts garnering over 50k likes and hundreds of comments from like-minded individuals. You can see pictures of a range of cars from the classics to the more modern types. They may come from different eras bit you can bet they are all tuned up to perfection. Super Street also posts quite often on a daily basis so you never run out of new things to ogle on.


A Toyota Supra warming up


Bringing sexy back


A real beauty in black and white


Oh, and let's not forget the beautiful babes. So, to review: great cars + advice from gear heads + bikini babes = @superstreet, a mandatory follow.