Mystery car pix

ab348

From The Old Motor this morning, via Americar:

andys120

Interesting mix, the red car is a Mercedes 190SL w optional removable h/t. I think the 'vert is a '56 Ford. On the other side of the SL is a white '57-ish Plymouth or Dodge wagon. We all know what the partially visible white four -poster is (hint:1960 MY the newest car visible.)

tjc78

kyfdx said:

I really like those Lincolns.

Really a timeless design IMO. IIRC they were very expensive, hand built and Ford lost money on each one they sold.

tmart

The tu-tone Ford Sunliner is a 55, not a 56. The fender skirts look good.

ab348

Now I'm really wondering what percentage of '60 Ford production was painted white. I used to think that about 70% of early '70s Chrysler products were metallic green but I think I see more white '60 Fords in pics now.

fintail

Almost all of the period promo shots I see for 60 Fords feature white cars.

andys120

Michaell

andys120 said:

Universal Studios?

andys120

Michaell said:

andys120 said:

Universal Studios?

Yup, have we done this before?

tmart

I’ll take the 57 Ford Fairlane.

Michaell

andys120 said:

Michaell said:

andys120 said:

Universal Studios?

Yup, have we done this before?

I don't think so; I just recognized the trams in the background.

andys120

The model year of the black ElCamino is the same as the calendar year the photo was taken @ Universal.

Iforgot to mention pic can be enlarged in the usual way.

magnette

Some interesting stuff in the distance including a number of Citroens.

Directly above the red pick-up is a grey H series Citroen van and the sloping faced truck to the right of it looks like a Renault truck of about 1950 I think. There are also 2CV vans and one Dyane I think as well to the left beyond the black Buick on the edge of the photo
There is also a weird looking smaller van almost like a half size Citroen H - its the nearest vehicle to the buildings in the back row - it might be a model they blew up for a special effect or it may be further away but it looks very different in scale from the full sized one facing away from us which is next to it

ab348

magnette said:

Some interesting stuff in the distance including a number of Citroens.

Directly above the red pick-up is a grey H series Citroen van and the sloping faced truck to the right of it looks like a Renault truck of about 1950 I think. There are also 2CV vans and one Dyane I think as well to the left beyond the black Buick on the edge of the photo
There is also a weird looking smaller van almost like a half size Citroen H - its the nearest vehicle to the buildings in the back row - it might be a model they blew up for a special effect or it may be further away but it looks very different in scale from the full sized one facing away from us which is next to it

All of the foreign cars in the background appear to be hulks missing headlights, etc. I'm trying to figure out what they would have been used for. They are too new to be background items in WWII movies. Perhaps used in some Universal horror/sci-fi flick.

fintail

Some of the foreign car hulks also don't appear to be 1:1 scale, no doubt movie props.

I think I see the roof of a white 6 cyl MB Ponton kind of behind the 57 Ford, left.

Lostwrench3

1963 Chrysler New Yorker.

ab348

Here's another one from the Halifax Municipal Archives, circa late 1960s. My father had his real estate office just down the street from here in what was always a rather odd part of town - part of the unincorporated county at the time and thus not subject to much in the way of planning rules and not benefitting from much in the way of infrastructure. It has now evolved and is somewhat better in that regard but still a bit scruffy.

andys120

Parked on left end a Peugeot 404 and to it's right what would be a Dodge Dart in the US.

magnette

car on the sideline is a Mk II Cortina, and nearest in front of the building is an Austin Cambridge A55 Mk II

andys120

stickguy

Defintiely a Pontiac! Is it a Chieftan? around 1956.

andys120

stickguy said:

Defintiely a Pontiac! Is it a Chieftan? around 1956.

Caption didn't give model name but it has three chrome stars on side so perhaps a '56 Star Chieftain(?).

Never heard of Champlin Gas and where's the front plate?

texases

Champlin was an Oklahoma based company, started in 1916, eventually sold to Fina in 1984 and became Fina stations.

Lostwrench3

That's one of those 1955 Star Chief Custom Catalinas.
Ok, Pop Quiz, In 1955 Pontiac switched to a (X) system.

Lostwrench3

Lostwrench3 said:

That's one of those 1955 Star Chief Custom Catalinas.
Ok, Pop Quiz, In 1955 Pontiac switched to a (X) system.

Answer - In 1955, Pontiac switched to a 12 volt system from a 6 volt.

ab348

From the Ruscha collection at the Getty Museum, a car waxing operation on Sunset Blvd in 1965. Expands some.

fintail

That 46 Ford sedan delivery at right would be sought-after today.

tmart

57 Ford next to the building.

Lostwrench3

Also on the front line, a 1955 Mercury Montclair.

andys120

The little sedan in front row towards left is a Fiat 1100 and the panel truck behind is a '49-'52 Chevy and a white '57 Ford convert.

bhill2

Rats! I should know that estate job next to the Fiat, but it's not clicking. Whatever it is, it's an unusual sight on Sunset Blvd.

fintail

I believe the car next to the Fiat is Ford Taunus.

magnette

That Fiat 1100 has three little chrome strips across the grille which I think meant an 1100D and it's about 1958 or so

andys120

stickguy

Alfa Montreal?

ab348

stickguy said:

Alfa Montreal?

Always liked the design of those.

andys120

Yup that is a 1971 Alfa-Romeo Montreal named for the Expo 67 world's fair held in Montreal Que. I saw it there but haven't seen one since.

ab348

Another one from the Ruscha collection at the Getty, this time of a parking lot in downtown L.A. in late 1965. Some interesting things to see. Expands some.

stickguy

a pair of dark MGs at front. I think the newer one is a Midget (but could be a B with an odd hardtop throwing off proportions). Looks like a TD or TF 2 back, behind what looks like a Sunbeam Alpine.

Falcon wagon far back right.

magnette

That MG beyond the Alpine may be a TC I think

Further away the penultimate car parked alongside the sidewalk is a 1960 Dodge with that fan shaped lower section on it's grille.
The van in the distance is a Chevy and with more windows I would have said a Sportvan but I suppose its just a panel van

tmart

Mustang behind the pole, next to a full size Ford, Corvair in the background.

imidazol97

1958 Ford next to the Pontiac on the end at far left in front row.

sda

62 Galaxie parked next to the Mustang

tmart

I could definitely be wrong, but don’t think that’s a 58 Ford. Also, I don’t know what it is.

Lostwrench3

tmart said:

I could definitely be wrong, but don’t think that’s a 58 Ford. Also, I don’t know what it is.

I'll go with Magnette's call of its being a 1960 Dodge. (Matador?)

magnette

I don't know how to distinguish the (many) different Dodge models and was only saying 1960 because of that odd grille detail

texases

Those Hondas look like a Sport 90 in front (had one growing up) and maybe a CB160 behind.

omarman

2 cars away from the VW on the front row looks like a '65 Chevy.

andys120

stickguy

I love that design.