YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’RE ROLLING INTO ESPAÑOLA on 285, that fenced field on the right full of vintage cars and trucks with a row of old fire engines lining the front? If you’ve driven by, you do. It’s hard not to notice the incredible collection of Orlando Rodriguez. He’s been doing it for over 30 years.
Why did you start collecting these?
I love them. I don’t have many bad habits, but this sure is one.
How many are there?
I don’t know. A lot. I just sold ten. Some guy came here from Angel Fire and he’s going to make Airbnbs on them. On the trucks! I guess people pay to go stay in an old truck.
What’s it like owning all of these vehicles?
A lot of photographers from Europe come and take pictures. And people try to climb the fence to steal I don’t know what. Actually, a guy came in a few weeks ago and just wanted the windshield of a Fairlane. I told him no, that I needed to sell the whole car together. A few days later, I came home and the windshield was gone.
I keep the yard clean with sheep. They eat everything. Goats eat everything too. I had miniature goats, but those suckers jump on top of the cars, on the roofs. Then all the cars had these little goat hoof marks on them.
Last week, some guy came from Albuquerque and stopped in. He was in a rough way; said he needed money. He had an old truck on his flatbed. I couldn’t resist. I bought it.
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Photo Andy Johnson
