Mystery car pix

fintail

Maybe a 64 Galaxie.

imidazol97 said:

But what's the 11th car in the third row? It's a dark convertible.

magnette

That Nash Rambler wagon in the last picture is basically the same model as the Dinky Toy one I had as a kid I think although mine was a sort of turquoise green with a pink flash on it - I recall I also had a red Fire Chief car version too....

We never had any real fire chief cars anywhere as far as I can recall so although those were a regular offering for toy cars they weren't too authentic to us here...

andys120

Folks complained about the lack of trunk space in the 55 so for 56 the spare was moved outside for more room. GM did the same with the GTO.

Huh!, A GTO w an outside spare? I don't think so. Must be a mis-type, did you mean a K10
perhaps?

tmart

Andy, I wasn’t talking about the spare on the GTO. Sorry I wasn’t clearer. Was taking about marketing and responding to public complaints. For the Tbird, moving the spare made for more trunk space without enlarging the trunk. For the GTO, enlarging the gas tank meant less fillups without improving the MPG. Marketers are sneaky folks.

magnette

I think the risk of corrosion in respect of the spare wheel arch on a Bristol may be reduced in part as I think the main panels were aluminium, although I'm not too sure about that - I'm sure the underlying frame might still hold potential rust areas if steel, however...

andys120

tmart

59 Ford

omarman

Looks like the 1959 Ford Custom used by Ohio State Highway Patrol 2 door with spot light and same hub caps. Mystery car may not be a cop car though because the door trim is in place. Or maybe replaced when restored/repainted?

Lostwrench3

It is a 1959 Ford Custom 300 with standard hub caps for that model.

tmart

That was my first call but it doesn’t have the 4 chrome things behind the rear wheels! Guess they were removed, since the Custom 300 was the lowest model line.

andys120

Lostwrench3 said:

It is a 1959 Ford Custom 300 with standard hub caps for that model.

They couldn't look cheaper if they were made of cardboard!

andys120

Lostwrench3

Ahaa, a 1959 Ford Custom 300 Business Coupe.
There was no back seat and the "Darts" on the rear side were an option.

stickguy

Triumph stag with a hardtop? no clue what year. so will guess 1970.

ab348

An acquaintance who did a restoration of a Triumph TR6 that went very smoothly decided to restore a Stag shortly thereafter. That one did not go so smoothly. He had to get that Triumph V-8 rebuilt 3 times before it was good. The thrill was gone after that.

stickguy

wonder how hard it is to swap that dog of an engine for a better V8.

andys120

stickguy said:

Triumph stag with a hardtop? no clue what year. so will guess 1970.

Yup, it's a '71 (not that there's any way to tell).

ab348

stickguy said:

wonder how hard it is to swap that dog of an engine for a better V8.

I think it was commonly done. I expect the Rover/Buick V-8 would be a popular choice.

andys120

bhill2

Hmmm. I'm not sure what it is, but it certainly is boxy.

omarman

I just saw this same pic in a COAL post by @Michaell.

edit to add that there's a reference in his article about the Gulf War time frame when gas in CA was creeping upwards to $1.50 per gallon! Good read.

stickguy

late 80's Isuzu trooper II. My BIL had one, and I drove it once to go pick up a recliner. Not a bad little buggy. Not fast with the 4 cyl 5 speed, but unstoppable in bad weather. Great visibility and god seats.

Michaell

Thanks for the shout out and the links!

I'm having fun writing these.

andys120

stickguy said:

late 80's Isuzu trooper II. My BIL had one, and I drove it once to go pick up a recliner. Not a bad little buggy. Not fast with the 4 cyl 5 speed, but unstoppable in bad weather. Great visibility and god seats.

Yup, there was a time when those were everywhere.

andys120

Michaell

Z8

andys120

stickguy

Honda beat. I love it. My wife would hate it.

tjc78

I'd need two of those!

ab348

San Francisco, 1966.



(Right-click & "view image" to enlarge.)

fintail

Looks like Fordville. Ooh, a 60 Ford wagon, either Country Sedan or (possibly due to monotone color) Ranch Wagon. And a 66 Galaxie behind it.

thebean

I see a dark tan ‘65 Chevy wagon parked on the right side of the street, then in front of that a light turquoise ‘62 to ‘65 Dodge (Polara?). Loved those Dodges, even though they were a bit unloved due to the downsizing.

stickguy

Ford cars but Chevy PUs.

Lostwrench3

stickguy said:

Ford cars but Chevy PUs.

PUs with the gasoline tank behind the seat.

uplanderguy

Earlier photo of Arcure Motors, Ann Arbor, MI, than the '60 photo posted here recently. Tiny showroom for sure but the building was deep and two stories behind. 1954 Studebaker in the showroom. UPDATE: Looks like they also owned the building next door. I bet that building is what is shown in the earlier 1960 photo posted here. What an odd set-up!

They survived at least through the '64 model year as I've seen later pics too. Added M-B.

I used to think you had to be a strong Stude dealer to get M-B, but if this dealer got them, and my hometown dealer got them (although many locals tell me they were a great place to do business), I'm thinking if you were willing to buy the tools and signage, you probably got the franchise.

ab348

I'll take the Merc!

Lostwrench3

ab348 said:

I'll take the Merc!

With its gold tooth.

andys120

That's a nice Willys Jeepster between the pickup and the Loewy (Starliner?)coupe

fintail

Mercury appears to be a Sun Valley. That Stude convertible looks like a bargain price.

andys120

andys120

andys120 said:

No one knows what this is?

stickguy

It’s Italian!

texases

An Alfa Montreal. Sharp!

andys120

texases said:

An Alfa Montreal. Sharp!

Yes it's a 1973 Alfa-Romeo Montreal, a pretty rare bird, 3925 made
between 1970-77. I saw the concept car at the Expo 67 world's fair held in Montreal.
The production version was almost identical to the concept in styling. Bertone was the designer and the styling shows many of the same features seen on the Lamborghini Miura which was designed at almost the same time.

I have never seen the road version which was based on the chassis of the contemporary GTV as was the 2.0 liter V6 but I'll bet it is striking and the styling has held up well over time.

andys120

In this photo cars are lined up in Nancy, France for the start of the 1965 Rallye de Lorraine.
The Euro-classics of the era are well represented (right click to enlarge)>



Two of the 39 Ferrari 250 GTOs made are present on the front row (2nd and 4th) from bottom.

fintail

Wow, talk about a diverse assortment. Is that Porsche 904 (or two?) I spy to the left of the lighter colored GTO? Another Ferrari at the far end of that row, likely a 250GTE or equivalent.

3rd row from right, center, I see a Volvo Amazon/122 and to the left of it, an unusual Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato.

I am surprised there are no competition spec big fintails, but by 65 those were quickly being phased out, I suspect. I do see a Ponton sedan in the background, left.

tmart

The Mustang, #72

stickguy

Lotus Elan in front of the Mustang. and a whole row of Renault sedans to the left.

andys120

Next to the Lotus Elan #, a Triumph TR4 or 4A, and next to that another Elan w lights raised.
An Alfa Giulia GTZ is on the outside of front row #19, another is buried in the middle or row three. A Mini #55 is directly behind it. Minis were the holy terrors of Rallying in this era.

ab348

andys120 said:

Two of the 39 Ferrari 250 GTOs made are present on the front row (2nd and 4th) from bottom.

Interesting story here about a wrangle over the sale of one of those:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/classic-car-ferrari-high-court-a4309506.html