Mystery car pix

omarman

sda said:

When whitewalls were whitewalls.

When people dressed like people.

1960 Corvair

fintail

I think the oldie (looks like a 30-31 Chevy) is just there for show. I notice next to the Corvair there's a Beetle and another small likely import.

Lostwrench3

I'll grab the 1959 Dodge Custom Royal.

imidazol97

In the OK pic: the white with gold 1955 Ford sticking out of the garage in background is a really rare color combo. I see there are two yellows on Ford's color chart for that year, sunburst yellow and goldenrod yellow.

tmart

Based on the parking lights, believe the yellow/white Ford is a 56 and not a 55. I’ll grab the 59 Ford Sunliner.

bhill2

I'm putting my chips on '55 for the Ford. I'll also bet on '59 Mercury for the car to the left of the Dodge.

fintail

In the OK pic, I can guess what's going on. For the young couple (let's call them Frankie and Annette) in the foreground, she wants that 58 Impala bad, he isn't so sure, but the salesman knows he has her hooked. The older couple in the second row (let's call them Fred and Ethel), he's a little put off by the styling of the Dodge, and will likely go for the Olds beside it. Ethel wants the Corvette but Fred put his foot down.

fintail

Here's an incredibly diverse assortment - I think we've seen this lot before, maybe not in the snow:

tmart

Karman Ghia up front with the Beetle. 57 Ford wagon, 59 Ford. Amazing how the bat wing Chevys stand out even when far away.

omarman

Orange '69 VW Beetle convertible between a light blue VW Squareback on the right and a white 911 on the left in the 4th row from the top near center of pic.

ab348

Newest car I see is a '70 Maverick, introduced in April of '69, but no other 1970 models, so I wonder if this is a late spring 1969 snow event. The little Datsun (?) roadster with the porthole window in the convertible top is interesting.

stickguy

Volvo 142 next to the blue with white top Mustang. I like the Fairlane with the mags driving up the aisle.

2 cars past the red ford convertible with white top is what appears to be a 4 door 70ish Matador.

thebean

I believe the Datsun roadster is likely a 1600 model, but ab is right - the porthole roof is interesting and definitely not OEM.

andys120

thebean said:

I believe the Datsun roadster is likely a 1600 model, but ab is right - the porthole roof is interesting and definitely not OEM.

Those portholes were a common feature of aftermarket hardtops back then.

andys120

Joe College and friends>



Don't know where this was taken, there's a PA plate on the black Ford and what looks like the corner of a MA. plate on the sports car.

tmart

Thé sports car is a MG. Mid 50s Mercury in the background.

imidazol97

That's a 55 Mercury Montclair 2-door hardtop.

The Ford next to it looks like a 57 Custom 2-door sedan. The trunk doesn't look long
enough for the upline Fairlane 500.

stickguy

not sure if it is a TD or TF MG.

texases

It's a TD. The TF had different headlights.

fintail

I notice the MG has a 57 plate, supporting the 57 Ford in the background. I think the shoebox Ford next to it is a 51. I think the car to the left of the MG might be a just-postwar Nash.

fintail

More fun parking:

ab348

Initially I thought the red car peeking out from behind the Corvair was a VW Type 3 but as I look closer I'm pretty sure it's something else, which I can't ID. So I'll take the 1960 Ford wagon next to it.

It's probably a generational thing, but I like malls like that one, with the arcade design of outside entrances and store windows under an overhang protecting you from rain.

stickguy

Looks like a red rare VW type 2(?) three box in 2nd row. Behind the early corvair. Man the 65 redesign was much better looking.

Is that a 59 Buick on the end of the row 2 down from red car?

fintail

Yep 60 Ford wagon, be still my heart. I think the pic predates the VW Type 3 by a couple years. Right country for the red car, though.

These kind of malls were gone by the time I was a kid. Now, the malls of my childhood are dinosaurs or unicorns, depending on if anyone shops there.

stickguy

Darn. I thought the nose was a little off but blamed it on my tiny screen and old eyes.

andys120

texases said:

It's a TD. The TF had different headlights.

Itis an MG-TD, the TC had 19" wire wheels, almost all MG-TDs exported to the USA had stamped steel wheels

andys120

The red import car in the mall photo appears to be the "notchback" version of the Type 3/ AKA Volkswagen 1500

ab348

andys120 said:

The red import car in the mall photo appears to be the "notchback" version of the Type 3/ AKA Volkswagen 1500

I think it is actually one of these:

stickguy

Agreed. Pretty close from the front though. Rear is different though

texases

Wow, how many of those ever made it here?

andys120

ab348 said:

andys120 said:

The red import car in the mall photo appears to be the "notchback" version of the Type 3/ AKA Volkswagen 1500

I think it is actually one of these:

I think you're right. Dozens of rear engined designs were sold in Europe in the late 50s/early 60s; we forget that some of them were BMW 700s. Very few of them came to the US, any that did were likely owned by GIs transferring back to the States.

texases

The car that saved BMW

fintail

I too suspect the 700 is a private import, much easier then before corporations who are people too legislated private imports to our current moronic standard.

I don't see anything in the pic newer than 1961/2, that kind of awkward metamorphosis Camelot era when new designs were changing from 50s flair to 60s modern.

texases

Quite the contrast between the '58 Pontiac and the newest cars on the lot. Don't see that kind of change in 3 years any more.

tmart

fintail said:

More fun parking:

59 Ford Custom 300 at right.

andys120

The car next to the '61 Ford wagon is a 1959 Buick.

imidazol97

I thought the Ford is a 1960 because of the knife edge waist line to the fins at the rear?
I'm confused.

The Chevy below the camera is a 1961 in the same pea soup green I had. When my Mustang was wrecked, a friend had a Chevy they were selling from their collection on the farm. It had been garaged in the cattle barn. It rusted out really quickly because of the humidity in there from the animals.

fintail

It's a 60 Ford wagon, if there's one car I know lol. Imidazol is right, the knife edge line gives it away. Also a one year rear quarter area, 61 had the first of the wraparound glass.

fintail

A different era:

stickguy

finally, my generation!

Orange Chevy LUV PU and white gremlin strike my fancy. actually 2 of them, another Gremlin on the far outer loop. and on the lower level with the 2 door LTD pointing at it, a baby blue IH I think based on the shape of the white roof.

andys120

Ugly cars ugly clothing, I hate the 70s!

Cars were a lot more colorful though.
Those three are leaning against a Chevy Caprice which for some reason was styled to resemble a Ford T-Bird.

fintail

I notice a yellow Beetle in the back row with some weird black custom half vinyl-looking top treatment. Aah, the 70s. Blue and white car at bottom left appears to be a Continental Mark IV or T-Bird.

omarman

Oh I am digging the '71 Ford LTD Brougham and the bell bottom thing.
Dark tint on the red Mercedes at lower right. Or Granada.

Next to the easy-to-LUV pickup is a green '72 Torino 4 door.
2nd car to the left of the other white Gremlin on the outer loop I see a light blue '72 Torino GT with the laser stripe. Good times.

andys120

It's not wat you think>

Lostwrench3

fintail said:

A different era:

I don't see the Big Doublya.

fintail

funny! I had that same thought.

Trying to find the least bad thing in the parking lot. I think I see a white ~70 Mustang next to the white Gremlin in the middle. Pic is from 1976, that year my dad was driving a blue 70 Mustang. The custom van is also kind of cool. I notice 2 to the right of the van is an early Chevette. No MBs (more special then, I think), but I see 2 Granadas, so close.

Lostwrench3 said:

I don't see the Big Doublya.

fintail

I think it's an Alfa based on the badge and plate

andys120 said:

It's not wat you think>

texases

Those are some huuuuuge parking places!

ab348

texases said:

Those are some huuuuuge parking places!

Appropriate and necessary for the vehicles of the day. Look at the size of the doors on those full-size 2-doors.

fintail

Surfin' Safari: