Mystery car pix

Mr_Shiftright

Here's a better shot of one, but not the same car:

omarman

I have a pretty good monitor which is currently puking out a zoomed image of a unicorn on the radiator of that uh...station wagon with RHD.

So that's my guess. A RHD station wagon, barely post-war tech, with a unicorn on the radiator. Puking.

edit to add: just delete my post. i can't even guess the origin of that car.

Mr_Shiftright

If you could really zoom, you'd see the car's initials on that badge as well.

lostwrench1

Mr_Shiftright said:

If you could really zoom, you'd see the car's initials on that badge as well.

"LF"
It's a Lamborghini Ferrari!

ab348

It took some heavy digging, but that is a Lea-Francis 14. It also was built in a sedan (perhaps short for "sedative"?) style like this:

ab348

Mr_Shiftright

@ab348---that's correct. The first one I posted was a '51 Model, the second was a '53. Lea-Francis was a pioneering company, going way back to dawn of the automobile. Last model built was around 1960.

texases

What a crazy logo-a unicorn-merman/maid/creature. 

Mr_Shiftright

I tried to find out about the history of the logo but no luck yet. I may write to the LF club in the UK.

andys120

Mr_Shiftright said:

I tried to find out about the history of the logo but no luck yet. I may write to the LF club in the UK.

If there's one thing we know about Brits, there will surely be a Lea-Francis Club.

Mr_Shiftright

There is! I guess LF did have a moment or two of glory.

andys120

Mr_Shiftright said:

There is! I guess LF did have a moment or two of glory.

I'm not sure about glory but according to Wikipedia L-F built around 10,000 cars between 1895 and 1990. The last had the odd name of "Ace of Spades" and styling that was just trying way too hard>






The Lea-Francis Club has 340 members who own 420 vehicles (some have more than one!!)

Mr_Shiftright

That's because they need more than one!

LF started out making bicycles. I still haven't figured out the Seahorse symbology.

andys120

stickguy

dodge dynasty? I front of a Nissan PU.

ab348

Dodge Dynasty was my Dad's last car. I drove it a few times after he passed away. What awful driving dynamics.

fintail

Dynasty is in front of an 84-88 Toyota PU, a 2WD version of the Marty McFly truck.

texases

AKA Die-Nasty...

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy

Ford Torino cobra jet (or super cobra jet?) 1970? Is that one of the 427 cars?

omarman

Looks like '71 Torino sportsroof with GT trim. But some details are wrong. GT hood has been "modified." Stock GT hood was not ram air. Scoop was non functional. Other things. Hood tach? Is that a cobra emblem on the fender? GT grill looks damaged/missing pieces in the headlight surround. Pass...

ab348

1971 Ford Torino GT I believe. I liked the styling of those except perhaps the somewhat heavy-looking area below the rear quarter window and the wheel opening. But I always felt the interiors let them down. IIRC it did not matter what color interior you ordered, you always got a black dash and steering wheel with your red, blue or green upholstery. The instrument cluster was rather plain and cramped-looking as well, unless you ordered the optional gauge package which then looked rather bizarre:



Back when they were new our next-door neighbor had the regular cooking version of this bodystyle. He seemed elderly to me then as a 14 yer-old kid, a widower, who was a friend of my parents and sold furniture in a local store. I always found it odd that this bent-over, seemingly old fellow had such a sporty-looking car.

fintail

I think the top dog engine then was the 429, the 427 being retired a few years prior.

tmart

ab348 said:

Dodge Dynasty was my Dad's last car. I drove it a few times after he passed away. What awful driving dynamics.

I know the Dynasty gets a bad rap, but I have nothing but praise for my 82, in Dusty Rose. Drove her for over 100k miles with no problems. Very comfortable for a family of five, plus a dog! Maybe I got the exception. Really hated to sell it.

Mr_Shiftright

1971---close enough. No, this one had a 428FE bored to 460. Originallyit was a 351, going by the VIN. It was an ok car, a mixture of things restored and things not restored.....a "driver".

omarman

My wife bought a new 1992 Dynasty and it was white with red interior. Needed a new trans when it was maybe 5 or 6 years old. Can't remember the details now. Never made it to 100k miles because the paint began to peel and she was done with it. Not a bad car but when the paint let go my wife wanted it gone.

tmart

I agree, when the paint lets go, it's time for the car to go. I used Zaino back then and there was never a problem with the paint. Was just as shiney as the day I bought it.

andys120

I saw one of these today from this angle:



I'm pretty sure it was one of the original Studebakers made before others took over production after Studebaker's demise in 1963.

How could I tell without seeing the nose?

bhill2

ab348 said:

Did anyone venture a guess on this little wart? (maybe it’s a Wartburg?). My WAG is that it is a Lloyd, but it has the look of an Eastern European something.

fintail

I think that's a Hillman Minx estate (predating the "Husky" name) from maybe 1954-55 or so.

Britain didn't embrace eastern European material, build, and design quality until the BL days

bhill2 said:

Did anyone venture a guess on this little wart? (maybe it’s a Wartburg?). My WAG is that it is a Lloyd, but it has the look of an Eastern European something.

ab348

The source I obtained it from IDed it as a 1956 Hillman Husky. Fin gets the trophy, slightly dented.

tmart

I always liked the Avanti. At one time it was advertised as the fastest production car. My WAG is the rear fender mounted antenna and maybe the antique license plate.

Mr_Shiftright

Avantis are one of those "love/hate" cars with people. If I didn't have to look at the front of it, say when I was driving it, I might like it.

andys120

tmart said:

I always liked the Avanti. At one time it was advertised as the fastest production car. My WAG is the rear fender mounted antenna and maybe the antique license plate.

I don't think post 1963 Avantis had Studebaker in script on the rear
I got a look at the wheel covers on the one I saw and they were the kind used by Studebaker but not IIRC by subsequent Avanti makers.

I was nuts about the Avanti back in the day, my school notebooks were covered w sketches of it but looking at it now it seems as if the windshield is way too upright.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, it tends to look more and more dated as time goes on.

qbrozen

oddly enough, I think the square headlight version looked slightly better than the round headlights.

Mr_Shiftright

Well they fit better with the chunky shovel-nose, that's true.

fintail

I prefer round lights on these. Uplanderguy can dissect the details for us.

Mr_Shiftright

Purely subjective. No right answer here. I figured "square nose, square lights" If our skulls were square, we'd probably look more attractive with square eyeballs.

We'll let the world decide:

qbrozen

That is of course my thinking. Round ones in such a square mug looks odd to me.

ab348

I like the first one you showed with a round sealed beam in a square bezel.

qbrozen

ab348 said:

I like the first one you showed with a round sealed beam in a square bezel.

And the chrome bumpers.

ab348

Well, yes.

fintail

The round lights are more 60s to me. Square lights make me think 70s malaise. At least it never got stacked square lights

andys120

ab348 said:

I like the first one you showed with a round sealed beam in a square bezel.

IIRC that was the original config for the '62-'63 Studebaker cars. I think the idea was to give the Avanti a modern Euro look. Compound headlights were just coming into use on Benzes Citroens and Peugeots giving a look distinctly different from all the cars with 7" round lights.

texases

qbrozen said:

oddly enough, I think the square headlight version looked slightly better than the round headlights.

Those wheels don’t look right to me

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

Once you've seen one of these (not easy to find!) you won't ever forget that hood and grille.

andys120

Shifty knows what it is, anyone else? The blue coupe w the silver roof and the wire wheels is going...going...

stickguy

only because I cheated. I would have had no clue otherwise.