Mystery car pix

andys120

This brings back memories, my first sports car looked like this right down to the silver painted wheels which were originally white. My avatar photo shows me behind the wheel of it.

Posted via Firefox 8/12 @ 8:57AM EDT.

ab348

I'll leave the ID to someone else but the pic raises a question: is that a crank hole at the bottom center of the grille?

fintail

Given the origin of that car, there's a good possibility it at least has crank potential.

stickguy

Maybe a PTO from the engines days In a tractor?

It’s a TR4. Love those. Not sure if a sub model though (an A?)

andys120

fintail said:

Given the origin of that car, there's a good possibility it at least has crank potential.

stickguy said:

Maybe a PTO from the engines days In a tractor?

It’s a TR4. Love those. Not sure if a sub model though (an A?)

The crank hole in the grille was not functional. It was a carry over from the TR-2/-3
which did come with a crank in case Lucas went on strike. TR-4s and 4As still had the hole
but the TR-250/TR-5PI dropped it.

Sports car legend has it that the 4-banger used in the TRs was originally a tractor motor.
I think it's entirely possible since it had quite a bit of low-end torque, it redlined @ 5000 but there was little extra power beyond 4200 .

The pictured car was a 1962 TR4 from the second year of production. The TR-4A with a revised chassis and optional IRS came along in 1965.

Mine was a 1966 TR-4A with the leaf-sprung solid axle rear suspension.

omarman

The VW Thing in the 70's could be started with a hand crank. And didn't need a crank hole in the radiator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFEVNL9Je7w

andys120

tmart

Nice looking 56 Plymouth.

berri

Looks like a Fury from the pix. Didn't know it came out before the 57's.

lostwrench1

And, there is a 1959 Fury in there too.

bhill2

Of course, by then the Fury was just the posh trim level. If you wanted the 'special' model you had to get a Sport Fury.

ab348

Firefox surprisingly back on the job this morning.

Mostly interested in the vehicle front and center but there are a couple of others here too. Cool pic, regardless.

andys120

The grey one is a Nash ca.1949-50, probably an Ambassador.

fintail

Woody appears to be a 41-48 Ford, maybe impossible to narrow further with this angle.

andys120

Tu-tone Chevy coming from behind the sign could be a '55 or '56.

andys120

stickguy

72 escort RS?

ab348

Is that the Mexico model Escort?

magnette

On that Australian picture there was a Ford Cortina - to the far side of the Holden FC wagon - and the grille on the Cortina looked like the one we had on the lowest spec early Consul Cortina for 1962/3 with wide slats, whereas the ;rest here had a more detailed grille. That may be due to the need for better ventilation in Australia.

However the chrome lettering across the lip of the bonnet appears different from anything we had too.

I think the Cortina was assembled locally there by Ford presumably at the same plant where the locally produced Falcons and other US models were assembled.

andys120

stickguy said:

72 escort RS?

ab348 said:

Is that the Mexico model Escort?

Pretty close, it's a 1973 Escort Mk1 modified as a replica WRC car, so close to a Mexico or RS version.

andys120

texases

Vector M12?

andys120

texases said:

Vector M12?

Close enough for g'ment work, it's a 1993 Vector W8.

andys120

Let's see if I can load via Firefox>



Eureka!

lostwrench1

1961 Ford Falcon.

ab348

That must be fun to drive in today's traffic.

texases

That era Falcon seems to have a surprising survival rate, given their rustability.

andys120

lostwrench1 said:

1961 Ford Falcon.

Exactly, what gave away model yr.?

lostwrench1

andys120 said:

lostwrench1 said:

1961 Ford Falcon.

Exactly, what gave away model yr.?

No wide "hood scoop", side strip did not widen at its front end, and it has a convex grille.

andys120

tmart

Looks like a Corvair gathering with the coupe, convertible, and wagons.

lostwrench1

A red 1962 Corvair and behind it, a 1961 Corvair Lakewood wagon.

andys120

Yup, the red car is captioned as a 1962 Corvair Spyder but IIRC ought to be titled a Corvair Monza Spyder.

Once again I have to ask how you knew it was MY '62? Was it the spiffy faux wire wheels?

bhill2

You can see enough of the front end to identify the year. A black and chrome bar on either side of the center of the front is the giveaway.

lostwrench1

Yes, there is not a single horizontal bar across the front but rather two horizontals with a space between them containing a badge.
Ok, and why is the Corvair Lakewood wagon behind it a '61?

omarman

Because Corvair stopped using "Lakewood" after 1961?

andys120

ab348

Some unreliable piece of junk according to Scotty Kilmer. :laughing:

lostwrench1

omarman said:

Because Corvair stopped using "Lakewood" after 1961?

The last year of the Corvair Lakewood wagon was 1962.
Two easy ways to see that one is a 1961 is that there is no red plastic surround in the backup lights and the top badge of the hatch has a point on its bottom.

I remember the TV show "Bonanza" having Chevrolet as one of its major sponsors. One of its commercials had "Little Joe" Cartwright driving a coupe or 4 door Corvair through a swampy area and the Corvair "with its engine over the drive wheels" did not get stuck. I thought, wow, that's the car I want when I get a driver's license. Never did own one but drove my cousin's Corvair Coupe and it was a fun drive, not safe with its gasoline tank up front, but fun.

Anyone remember the other Bonanza Chevy TV commercial which showed a line of various Chevrolet vehicles, in line, crossing the desert with the song "Chevrolet, Ole. We made the Baja Run. Toughest run, under the sun. Chevrolet, Ole." That's Ok, you don't have to answer and show your age as I just did.

omarman

In '62 the Corvair offered the Monza and 700 station wagons.


Lakewood seems to be a 1 year only Corvair wagon in 1961.

lostwrench1

You are correct. Although the wagon was made in 1962, the name "Lakewood" was not used. I based the Lakewoods' existence on numbers made, which listed 1961 Lakewood - 20,451 and 1962 Lakewood - 3716. They should not have listed the '62 wagon as Lakewood.

magnette

I always liked the Corvair - it would probably have had an unblemished reputation if sold just in mainland Europe with the wide range of rear engine cars - not just VW but Fiat, NSU, Tatra, Renault, Simca even Hillman.

Wasn't it mainly dangerous only if the tyre pressures were neglected - which applies to all the above as well I think.

texases

magnette said:

I always liked the Corvair - it would probably have had an unblemished reputation if sold just in mainland Europe with the wide range of rear engine cars - not just VW but Fiat, NSU, Tatra, Renault, Simca even Hillman.

Wasn't it mainly dangerous only if the tyre pressures were neglected - which applies to all the above as well I think.

Well, the problem was the recommended pressures (15/28 front/rear cold, 18/33 hot) were WAY different than any car most Americans (or gas station folks) had ever dealt with. They'd fill them up to 'normal' pressures, say 28/28, and the bad handling would occur.

Beetles weren't as extreme, 18/27 or so, but I wonder how they handled if the specs were ignored.

ab348

Here's a cool pic, circa 1972 or '73 I think, of what seems to be the intersection of La Cienega Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. Can't imagine there would be so little traffic there today.



Firefox still on strike against images, Chrome to the rescue!

ETA: That motel sign you see belonged to the Alta Cienega Motel (still there) which is where Jim Morrison of the Doors lived in the '60s. He was friendly (ahem) with several of the dancers/strippers working at The Phone Booth, apparently.

texases

i wonder if that Petersen building is related to the Petersen Car Museum.

andys120

stickguy

2 past the chevy wagon with roof bag, is that a ramble, or a late run Stude? 62ish Corvair other side of wagon. Can't tell what that is right next to the wagon. Square. Looks like a Rebel?

imidazol97

Ford near the far end under the saloon sign: 1957 Fairlane 500 two-door sedan. in Neptune Green with white.

andys120

stickguy said:

2 past the chevy wagon with roof bag, is that a ramble, or a late run Stude? 62ish Corvair other side of wagon. Can't tell what that is right next to the wagon. Square. Looks like a Rebel?

The car past the 67/68 Chevy wagon looks like a Rambler to be circa 1965-67.
The pair of taillights next to the Chevy, belongs to something small, perhaps a Triumph Herald or a Hillman Minx.

imidazol97 said:

Ford near the far end under the saloon sign: 1957 Fairlane 500 two-door sedan. in Neptune Green with white.

Definitely a '57 Ford and the oldest car in the picture (the only 1950s iron.)

imidazol97

andys120 said:

imidazol97 said:

Ford near the far end under the saloon sign: 1957 Fairlane 500 two-door sedan. in Neptune Green with white.

.

The hardtop had a narrower combination of chrome than the faux hardtop with chrome covering the door frame on the front. The wider chrome is why I said it's a two-door sedan. . I had one back in the day.