Mystery car pix

magnette

texases said:

Coincidence - we're watching 'Belgravia', set in that neighborhood in the first half of the 1800s.

I guess the buildings in that shot would actually have all been there in the early 1800's though the parking was probably a little easier then than at the time of this photo - it was from an article about parking meters being introduced in central London and I think was a "before" picture and a slightly less frantic situation was in the "after" shot - but I've lost that - I found this one ages ago and had misfiled it...

magnette

HI Andy

The Maxi was a little later than this shot - those cars are the Austin or Morris 1100 ADO16 introduced in 1962/4
The TR 3 is one of the better cars in shot and it is surprising how many different types of car there are in this picture and it includes at least one American in the first row of parked cars facing away from us - the nearest of those cars is a British Ford Zephyr - registration CYY924C and two cars ahead of that a large finned white car is boxed in by a Triumph Herald Estate car
Other than that and a few VWs the only other non British car I can see the white one ahead of the Herald which is a Simca Aronde

The taxi pulling away in front of the nearest van - A Ford Thames - isn't the ubiquitous Austin cab as it is a far rarer Beardsmore - they only made a few hundred cabs year and were never common. I cannot recall seeng a picture from this era in London which doesn't show an Austin cab really so that must be some sort of record!

ps - I forgot we spell kerb where you use curb...

magnette

HI Fin - I hadn't noticed that Fintail either....

That Bedford CA van is more famous as a Dinky toy, probably - they must have made millions of those.

This area has many embassies and probably more likely to have large limos and American cars too. I can only see two big limos and they are both British but the further one looks possible for the oldest car there - an early 50's RR Silver Wraith - The nearer one is the a Daimler DR450

ab348

Magnette picked off a couple of cars I was going to ID. The Vauxhalls sold here that I see there are the small boxy Viva and the larger more rounded Victor, sold here as an Envoy as well. I think I see a Ford Popular at top and a number of later Populars or Prefects. I think I also see a couple of what were sold here as Ford Consuls, along with numerous Minis and Minors. But I have trouble ID'ing many of the others..

andys120

magnette

ab348 said:

Magnette picked off a couple of cars I was going to ID. The Vauxhalls sold here that I see there are the small boxy Viva and the larger more rounded Victor, sold here as an Envoy as well. I think I see a Ford Popular at top and a number of later Populars or Prefects. I think I also see a couple of what were sold here as Ford Consuls, along with numerous Minis and Minors. But I have trouble ID'ing many of the others..

HI - sorry I managed to jump in too soon there

There is an older shape upright Ford Popular on the junction facing outwards above that black Bedford van - they're still building that prewar shape Ford right through to 1959 though so it may not be as ancient as it looks. There are also a number of next generation Ford Popular / Prefect 100E models from the late 50's early 60s including a van version next to the upright Popular.
Also quite a few Ford Consuls and indeed the related Zephyr.
The Vauxhalls include one older curved one predating the Victor or Envoy which was the Velox / Wyvern - there is one of those just above the Hillman pulling right in the distance and is in front of a parked Minor

At this time Minis were very popular in London - the parking sows why - but once parking meters were introduced then in the central area the Mini wasn't at such an advantage in those streets and squares as meter bays were all measured to fit a Jag Mark Ten but away from the middle here the suburban streets were then filled with Minis supplanting most other little cars along the way for a time.

magnette

Hi Andy - Is the Pontiac Wagon a 58?
I can see a Dauphine in the distance and possibly a white Plymouth Suburban wagon or similar

stickguy

Looks like the nose of a studebaker at the top.

texases

That's a '59, Safari?

andys120

magnette said:

Hi Andy - Is the Pontiac Wagon a 58?
I can see a Dauphine in the distance and possibly a white Plymouth Suburban wagon or similar

I'm pretty sure the Poncho is a 1959 Safari. You're right on the Dauphine. These were quite popular here at the turn of the 50s (until people found out how bad they were). IIRC there was a DeSoto version of the Suburban.

stickguy said:

Looks like the nose of a studebaker at the top.

Yup, looks like it could be a Hawk.

That leaves the black coupe crossing traffic. Definitely GM, probably 1957. i think it's an Olds but it could be a Buick.

imidazol97

1955 Oldsmobile

ab348

andys120 said:

That leaves the black coupe crossing traffic. Definitely GM, probably 1957. i think it's an Olds but it could be a Buick.

The side trim proclaims the black coupe to be an Olds.

imidazol97

I was uncertain about its being a 98 or 88. But think from that angle the 98 large rear overhang would look larger than the black one shows. So I guess 88. 1955

magnette

Fixer upper

fintail

I see the emblem, which is a hint. I wonder how that made it here, I don't recall official imports. WA plate is early-mid 80s, after county specific prefixes.

andys120

Yeah it's a Mitsu of unfamiliar design. My have been more of them out west.

ab348

I had to look that Mitsu up. It is a Mitsubishi Debonair from the 1960s. I had never heard of it previous to now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Debonair

magnette

I didn't think the Debonair went abroad although I imagine Japanese embassies or consulates may have had them and I wonder if in addition they may have sold in Australia or NZ
I never saw one here although we have had some odd grey import cars from Japan being RHD and also big Nissans and similar were sold in Commonwealth countries where people may have brought them home - I saw a Nissan Cedric once at a car show that was originally from Zimbabwe
Perhaps this one got to Washington state via the Consulate in Seattle or something

I have actually seen a Debonair - a later one from the nineties - inTokyo when we were there on holiday in 2005 - no picture though

Having read the link which you sent from Wiki I wonder if Mitsubishi had any companies in the PNW - it says a significant number of these cars were for Mitsubishi executives and it could be that might explain how it got there... Unless its from a serviceman coming from Okinawa etc

ab348

Somewhere in 1960s Germany. Right-click for a bigger view.

magnette

Nice range of Euro cars

NSU Prinz I II or III but not sure which on the left and I think the red car two further ahead is a Lloyd Arabella

ab348

Is that a Borgward parked in front of the blue Beetle on the right?

fintail

I suspect the Debonair is a private import, likely ex-military. If the plates are from its first US registration, it had some age then (and grey market imports were much easier then, before MBUSA bought and paid for legislation that created the asinine 25 year rule).

Car in front of the blue Beetle makes me think Peugeot 403.

stickguy

My first thought was Volvo 120. Based on lousy resolution on the little screen. But it was just a little bit off so I assume it is something just reminiscent of the Swede.

magnette

Yes the rear lights and the size of the rear window on the 403 look like a Volvo

andys120

We've seen this place before but not these cars. The white car on left with twin grilles on its rear lid is a Renault 4CV

magnette

The black/white car in front of the Renault - and behind the Lloyd Arabella - is an Opel Kadett A

Lostwrench3

Trier, Germany!

ab348

magnette said:

Yes the rear lights and the size of the rear window on the 403 look like a Volvo

I don't think this car is either of those though. Definitely not the Volvo and most 403s had badging of some sort above the license plate light. Also I never saw 403s with reflectors under the taillights. Volvo 122s did have those but the rear glass shape is different from this car.

texases

Here's a 403 with those reflectors and no badging above the plate:

magnette

Given the 403 was in production from 1955 to about 1966 - though this picture is probably a bit earlier than that- and they had a number of facelifts on the front - different grilles etc - they may have had different lights at the rear - possibly the German market required different reflectors from those in France - this car is German registered - but it is slightly odd.

ab348

Could be then. Bumper guards are in the right place too. I looked at a lot of 403 pictures and never saw one with those reflectors.

andys120

fintail

Later run 2CV Charleston, suitcase seems like a hipster accessory.

A bit of a variety here:

stickguy

the truck behind the red chevrolet is an International Harvester.

andys120

fintail said:

Later run 2CV Charleston, suitcase seems like a hipster accessory.

Yep, it's a 1983 Citroen 2CV, originally this one was not a "Charleston" but was converted to that spec after the fact,

andys120

I think that's a 64 Oldsmobile on the extreme portside of the ferry (right of photo)

ab348

No location given here, but I think it might be Mexico. Right-click, etc.

stickguy

Econoline up the ramp. And is that a ‘66 or ‘67 Mustang with the tire on the roof?

fintail

A pair of 61 Galaxie sedans, I suppose that's close enough to a 60.

andys120

stickguy said:

Econoline up the ramp. And is that a ‘66 or ‘67 Mustang with the tire on the roof?

Definitely not a '66. I/t's a '67 or '68.

stickguy

I was sure it was a gen 2. But seemed way newer than everything else in the picture.

tmart

I think there’s a 59 Ford at right.

andys120

The yellow/red taxicab right is a 1961 Chevy Impala four-poster sedan w flattop roof.

imidazol97

57 or 58 Ranch Wagon Ford in front of the 59 Ford.
I'm guess '58.

tmart

imidazol97 said:

57 or 58 Ranch Wagon Ford in front of the 59 Ford.
I'm guess '58.

I’m guessing a 57 based on the very small amount of taillight visible. Appears to be more circular than the twins on a 58.

imidazol97

tmart said:

imidazol97 said:

57 or 58 Ranch Wagon Ford in front of the 59 Ford.
I'm guess '58.

I’m guessing a 57 based on the very small amount of taillight visible. Appears to be more circular than the twins on a 58.

But the stop lights on a 58 were set on a background that was bright metal that was rounded. I wondered
what others thought. I checked to see if the cumberland green was available both model years, and yes it was. So that didn't eliminate one.



Aha Edit:
The shape of the side trim on 58 has a sharp hook while the 57 has a smooth curve down and up.

https://www.collectorcarads.com/Picture1/IMG_5189.jpg

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/2/1957-ford-2-door-ranch-wagon--1957fordranchwagongray170064-frank-j-benz.jpg

tmart

My old eyes need better resolution!

ab348

I guess in this part of London in the late 1960s it was normal to park partially on the sidewalk. Right-click to expand, apologies for the watermark.

stickguy

The white car at front pointing out, is that a BMC 1100?

And way down the row a woody wagon. Morris traveler?

The white car at left, a Ford I think, noticed it is actually left hand drive.

andys120

Speaking of Fords, the black/white car on the right looks like an Anglia 105E