Mystery car pix

berri

The 58 Ford had a lot of 58 Thunderbird Squarebird design touches, although that roof line had to wait for the 59 Galaxie. As a kid it seemed like everyone pretty much liked the 58 over the simpler styled 57, but then I seem to recall the 58 got a bad quality reputation for some reason. They both had the tin worm that persisted through the 1960 model. I think the 58 had a dip in sales (not positive though), but that was probably more attributable to the recession taking place that year.

magnette

The mystery van is so ubiquitous in our old photos I didn't even notice it at first - although of course it would be a rarity now other than perhaps as motor caravan (like a UK cottage version of a Motor Home).

magnette

We had thousands of them as panel vans because our then state owned Telephone Service (part of the General Post Office) used then as engineers vans for the whole of the 60's and onwards into the late 70's. (Obviously they used even more Morris Minor vans), but the van depicted is pretty much what we had as TV signal detector vans in the 60's as well (you need a licence from what was then the Post Office for a TV - and even a radio back in the 50's.) Still need a TV licence here now....

Doesn't look like anybody else picked up on the van though.

ab348

magnette said:

The mystery van is so ubiquitous in our old photos I didn't even notice it at first - although of course it would be a rarity now other than perhaps as motor caravan (like a UK cottage version of a Motor Home).

Is it a Commer?

magnette

Yes - a Commer - I think they knew this as a Commer 1500 but am no expert on vans. It probably relates to engine capacity

I have a photo of a British TV detector van used on the same vehicle but I'm on Safari so can't post it here.

magnette

I guess they sold these in US or maybe just Canada - I can see it is LHD.They did sell them in quite a few places in Europe and I think places like the Danish Post office had fleets of them.

In those days it was allowed to talk about trade in Europe here - before the world went mad.

magnette

no idea how to post a photo now.

stickguy

fintail

Spotted today, should be easy:

ab348

stickguy said:

I'm reminded of the old Monty Python sketch mentioning the cat-detector van for unlicensed cats.

Clerk: You don't need a license for your cat.

Praline: I bleedin' well do and I've got one! Can't be caught out there!

Clerk: There is no such thing as a bloody Cat license.

Praline: Yes there is.

Clerk: No there isn't.

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: Is!

Clerk: Isn't!

Praline: What's that then?

Clerk: This is a dog license with the word 'dog' crossed out and 'cat' written in in crayon.

Praline: Man didn't have the right form.

Clerk: What man?

Praline: The man from the cat detector van.

Clerk: The loony detector van, you mean.

Praline: Look, it's people like you what cause unrest.

Clerk: What cat detector van?

Praline: The cat detector van from the Ministry of Housinge.

Clerk: Housinge?

Praline: It was spelt like that on the van. I'm very observant. I never seen so many bleedin' aerials. The man said their equipment could pinpoint a purr at four hundred yards, and Eric being such a happy cat was a piece of cake.

tjc78

First guess on the covered car is a 63-64 T-Bird but the front doesn’t slope enough.

andys120

Generally speaking I'm not a big fan of the huge Yank tanks of the 1950s-70s. There are some exceptions, most are convertibles or wagons like this beauty>

lostwrench1

Chrysler Town and Country - 1960.

ab348

Speaking of wagons, this shot from Innsbruck, Austria circa 1964 offers some interesting vintage Euro-car wagons to ID (I don't know what they actually are):

andys120

I can't place the gray kombi between the VW Bus and the Beetles but the one on the end of the row is a Citroen ID/DS Break. Tan unit behind it is likely an Opel (Rekord?).

andys120

lostwrench1 said:

Chrysler Town and Country - 1960.

The pillarless wagon is indeed a 1960 Chrysler but not a T&C. Seller says it's a New Yorker (could it be both?). The ask is $97K! I think it's cool but not that cool.

imidazol97

It's both from what I read. New Yorker is the group luxury name, and Town and Country is the
station wagon sophisticated name. Beautiful car and styling. I have seen other large Chrysler Corp
wagons, but never one of those at a car show in this area.

fintail

Car under the cover is a first gen Corvair convertible, I didn't look close though to determine a year.

fintail

Interesting to see tourist/Euro delivery plates on the VWs.

There's a Citroen ID/DS wagon ("break") parked at right.

ab348 said:

Speaking of wagons, this shot from Innsbruck, Austria circa 1964 offers some interesting vintage Euro-car wagons to ID (I don't know what they actually are):

andys120

kyfdx

andys120 said:

Toyota Hi-Lux?

stickguy

I would not mind having one. But looks like bed should be taller though.

andys120

Yup, that's the favorite ride of armed revolutionaries and terrorists, the Toyota Hi-Lux which is sold everywhere but here (too small?) a 2007 Toyota Hi-Lux 4x4

kyfdx

We were in Nicaragua in 2016, and they were everywhere. Mostly diesels, of course.

andys120

Mixed bag>

stickguy

Rambler next to a Sunbeam. Probably an Alpine. and is that a TR3 next to it?

Pair of MB SLs (assume 190s) and a 58 Chebby

andys120

stickguy said:

Rambler next to a Sunbeam. Probably an Alpine. and is that a TR3 next to it?

Pair of MB SLs (assume 190s) and a 58 Chebby

Yup, you're correct on the Rambler (mid-60s), the Sunbeam Alpine and it's next to a white TR-3A. The red Benzes are 190SLs. The Chevy in the back is a '58. There's a newer one on front which hasn't been IDed. Anyone?

bhill2

The Rambler is a '64, and if you painted the roof the same color as the body it would be a dead ringer for the car I took my driving test in (and one of the ones I learned to drive on: the other was a '60 Falcon that taught me how to drive in the absence of any noticeable accelerative ability). The Rumblecar was a V-8, so it accelerated a lot better, and was great fun to drive.

andys120

Two autos have not yet been called so I'ma do that. The tan Chevy in front is a 1962 Impala
coupe sporting GM's newly introduced faux convertible roof line. "4 speed" sign in window and engine badge hint at performance upgrades. It probably has a hot 327 motor but it could be a 409 (she's real fine )

Way in back is a black roadster w two fellas standing. i'm pretty sure that's another TR-3 or 3A

andys120

kyfdx

andys120 said:

'66 Buick.... Wildcat?

ab348

A 1965 Buick Wildcat convertible. It had the big-car chrome Buick wheels which are perfect on that car and I note it has cornering lights which I always liked (and which were useful things that need to return). The red and black upholstery is a 2-tone that wasn't available from the factory but seems to be in the correct pattern at least. These big C-bodies still used the opposing "clap hands" windshield wiper pattern which GM was moving away from by then. Note the W-profile front (and rear) end styling which was a Dave Holls design. The '65 Buick was a really nicely styled car inside and out.

imidazol97

What are the other two cars in the picture? Especially interested in the convertible.

andys120

ab348 said:

A 1965 Buick Wildcat convertible. It had the big-car chrome Buick wheels which are perfect on that car and I note it has cornering lights which I always liked (and which were useful things that need to return). The red and black upholstery is a 2-tone that wasn't available from the factory but seems to be in the correct pattern at least. These big C-bodies still used the opposing "clap hands" windshield wiper pattern which GM was moving away from by then. Note the W-profile front (and rear) end styling which was a Dave Holls design. The '65 Buick was a really nicely styled car inside and out.

Yup, it's a '65 Buick Wildcat Custom/425 in black over red. The wheels are Magnum 500 stamped steel. Cleverly styled to resemble alloys, they were optional on a wide variety of cars.

ab348

They look like Magnum 500s but they aren't. Magnums have slightly arched spokes running from the center to the rim while the Buick road wheels have a noticeably concave spoke.

omarman

Vintage Motor Trend test car pic:

andys120

omarman said:

Vintage Motor Trend test car pic:

That's a '59 Pontiac, I think a Catalina. It nicely illustrates the floppy handling endemic to the tanks of that era. Were tires really that skinny? Wheels that small? (13")

Tom McCahill of MT is probably behind the wheel.

ab348

Uncle Tom McCahill worked for Mechanix Illustrated, not MT. Might have been Walt Woron though.

omarman

Mystery car above is an unpublished pic of a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville convertible from MT's car of the year issue. Hot Rod network posted more vintage MT test car pics here.



The only standard tire size that I could find was listed: 8.50 - 14.

transamsd73

68 Firebird! Had a 67 convertible with the Sprint 6 and a 3 speed. What a blast to drive, that car handled tremendously well and was very quick for a six! Lots of fun in that one!

ab348

"She corners like she's on rails!"

andys120

andys120

ab348 said:

"She corners like she's on rails!"

1958 Pontiac Chieftain Safari.. Could be a '57, there's little differences in side trim.

stickguy

Red one is a Porsche 928. Looks to me like an earlier one, but I have no idea how to distinguish different years on those. Interesting that it is a slick top!

nice white 1st gen Miata in background.

andys120

Earlier 928s had different wheels with round slots.



The 928 was in production for a long time, 1977-95 with only minor changes.

ab348

andys120 said:

ab348 said:

"She corners like she's on rails!"

1958 Pontiac Chieftain Safari.. Could be a '57, there's little differences in side trim.

Big differences btw the '57 and '58 including quad headlights on the latter. This is a '57.

stickguy

wheels can be tricky though if an owner swapped those out.

andys120

andys120

ab348 said:

Big differences btw the '57 and '58 including quad headlights on the latter. This is a '57.

Doh!

imidazol97

andys120 said:

Pretty.