Wow. The continental kit looks awful, and it's even in a period environment. Good seating there, though, especially for the location: Get yourself some nice, cold ice cream, then go sit on the plateau-like continental bumper.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Continental kit is on a 61 Starliner - don't think I have seen a period pic of one so equipped. Not something I'd choose either. Car backing up (or pulling in) at far left appears to be another fullsize 61 Ford.
1952 Plymouth. Ah, Wall Drug. Been there, done that. Amusing signs along the highway, "200 miles to Wall Drug", "150 miles to Wall Drug", "100 miles to Wall Drug", etc. Fun stuff.
I don't think I've ever seen a '61 Ford w a "Continental" either. I guess it's like those 1980s Caddys with landau irons on their faux convertible roofs and sometimes the outside spare.
I notice that brochure mentions the tire actually stays in the trunk - I thought the tire was in the continental kit. I like a lot of the design of that era, but that one just makes me shake my head.
The trucks peeking from the back are all Dodges including a panel van (under the word "best" but the one with the smaller windshield under the "M" is one of early Power Wagons based on the Dodge WC military trucks in WWII.
I don't think I've ever seen a '61 Ford w a "Continental" either. I guess it's like those 1980s Caddys with landau irons on their faux convertible roofs and sometimes the outside spare.
My irritation is that many of the late 50's and early 60's vehicles get the spare tire continental kits or sport kits or whatever when they didn't have them originally. Typically it's an older guy (of which I am one) sitting in his chair with his car and his buddies at a cruise in feeling very self-fulfilled that his car has all the added options that were in the catalogue but didn't come from the factory that way.
I like to see cars as they originally, typically were when I saw them long, long ago. A 61 Ford with a Continental kit I had never seen either. Same for a 1960 Ford with one. But they're on the classic car cruise in and show circuit here in W Ohio and E Indiana.
@imidazol97 said; ..... I like to see cars as they originally were....
I'm with you on that too - we don't see too many continental kits in Britain other than on imported US cars although the mid fifties Ford Consul / Zephyr / Zodiac ranges actually had them as options when new here and I suspect more have them now at car shows than had them new !
Also parking here is an issue as anyone importing a 50's full size sedan would need a lot of space for it even without another foot or more overhang at the rear.
It also affects cars like the PA Vauxhall Cresta which is of course very American looking and quite large by our standards although I don't recall those being fitted when I was a kid, but external spare wheels tend otherwise only to be on sports cars like Morgans and MG's of the day, or our own miniature American - the Metropolitan - but they were actually designed that way.
I suppose people want to jazz up their restored cars which is fair enough but even whitewalls were not as common here for most cars - it's ok for a finned Sunbeam Rapier perhaps but would look ridiculous on sober looking old fashioned saloons like my Magnette, in my opinion. Imagine a white walled Morris Minor
However I can remember my mum suggesting to my dad that the sort of stripes that they had on "Starsky & Hutch's" Torino would improve the family saloon and make it more noticeable. She would have been right in a way - it was, at the time, a Wolseley...
Nice - I think that script on the front wing would make it a 356 Carrera A from about 1957 but the detailed changes of Porsches defeat me really...
I'm afraid you're just a little off. The script reads "Continental" . The 1955 Porsche 356 Continental was ordered by Porsche's US importer Max Hoffman as a fancied-up version to appeal to US customers. The 356A emerged later that year so the Continental was the last of what was what's now known in Porsche circles as a "356pre-A".
The Continental name disappeared quickly after Ford Motor made a fuss about it. From a different angle you can make out the bent one piece front glass that distinguishes the late 356A Pre-A from the earler (1950-54) cars with two piece divided front glass.
I don't think I've ever seen a '61 Ford w a "Continental" either. I guess it's like those 1980s Caddys with landau irons on their faux convertible roofs and sometimes the outside spare.
My irritation is that many of the late 50's and early 60's vehicles get the spare tire continental kits or sport kits or whatever when they didn't have them originally. Typically it's an older guy (of which I am one) sitting in his chair with his car and his buddies at a cruise in feeling very self-fulfilled that his car has all the added options that were in the catalogue but didn't come from the factory that way.
I like to see cars as they originally, typically were when I saw them long, long ago. A 61 Ford with a Continental kit I had never seen either. Same for a 1960 Ford with one. But they're on the classic car cruise in and show circuit here in W Ohio and E Indiana.
I prefer to see them as they were originally equipped or with minimal additions. I do prefer o.e. correct full wheel covers and period correct whitewalls over blackwalls and dog dish hub caps.
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Fair enough - I had never heard of the Porsche Continental but there must have been similar 'specials' created by other importers in N America too
At least they couldn't confuse the Porsche with the Lincoln Continental I suppose...
Going right back to the Ford Model A we had different Fords which were different, to avoid the tariffs applicable to the original A type - I think they were called an AB or something and had a smaller engine to avoid the extra duty on anything rated over 20hp.
That is a lovely example of a 356. When I looked at the BaT listing earlier today it was already bid to $150K with 12 days still to run. I freely admit I don't understand the culture of these, but to nobody's surprise the comments are already filling up with entries about what's not correct about this one.
Last week a Honda S2000 sold for over $60K on BaT so who knows what this might bring.
Fair enough - I had never heard of the Porsche Continental but there must have been similar 'specials' created by other importers in N America too
For much of the 1950s Austian-born Max Hoffman had a near monopoly on the importation and distribution of imported European autos. He was the original importer for Volkswagen, Mercedes, Alfa-Romeo, Jaguar and others. Hoffman was a fountain of ideas for special versions that he thought would increase their appeal to the US market. The Alfa Giulietta Spider, M-B 300SL Gullwing, BMW 2002, and Porsche Speedster were all based on Hoffman's ideas.
As far as I know 'Kammback' is kind of a general term applied to cars with the rear end cut off nearly vertical. It got its start when a German aerodynamicist found out that was an efficient way to go: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
As far as I know 'Kammback' is kind of a general term applied to cars with the rear end cut off nearly vertical. It got its start when a German aerodynamicist found out that was an efficient way to go: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
jYes it started in the early 60s with endurance racing sportscars. One of the first was the awesome Ferrari 250 GTO.
The '76 brochure talks about the newly branded "Dura-Built" engine, with its iron-coated aluminum pistons, new hydraulic lifters and new oil returns in the engine. They mention the piston treatment should reduce bore scuffing. Also some other changes under the hood. Still the same aluminum block 2300 but now with a 5/50 warranty. By '76 maybe they finally got it right.
Comments
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Ah, Wall Drug. Been there, done that. Amusing signs along the highway, "200 miles to Wall Drug", "150 miles to Wall Drug", "100 miles to Wall Drug", etc. Fun stuff.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
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2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Blows up via view image
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Left of the Frazer is a circa 49 Studebaker
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2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Edit missed magnette's post, then I'll pick off the 46 Ford sedan on the other side of the Jeepster.
I like to see cars as they originally, typically were when I saw them long, long ago. A 61 Ford with a Continental kit I had never seen either. Same for a 1960 Ford with one. But they're on the classic car cruise in and show circuit here in W Ohio and E Indiana.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
..... I like to see cars as they originally were....
I'm with you on that too - we don't see too many continental kits in Britain other than on imported US cars although the mid fifties Ford Consul / Zephyr / Zodiac ranges actually had them as options when new here and I suspect more have them now at car shows than had them new !
Also parking here is an issue as anyone importing a 50's full size sedan would need a lot of space for it even without another foot or more overhang at the rear.
It also affects cars like the PA Vauxhall Cresta which is of course very American looking and quite large by our standards although I don't recall those being fitted when I was a kid, but external spare wheels tend otherwise only to be on sports cars like Morgans and MG's of the day, or our own miniature American - the Metropolitan - but they were actually designed that way.
I suppose people want to jazz up their restored cars which is fair enough but even whitewalls were not as common here for most cars - it's ok for a finned Sunbeam Rapier perhaps but would look ridiculous on sober looking old fashioned saloons like my Magnette, in my opinion. Imagine a white walled Morris Minor
However I can remember my mum suggesting to my dad that the sort of stripes that they had on "Starsky & Hutch's" Torino would improve the family saloon and make it more noticeable. She would have been right in a way - it was, at the time, a Wolseley...
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
. The 1955 Porsche 356 Continental was ordered by Porsche's US importer Max Hoffman as a fancied-up version to appeal to US customers. The 356A emerged later that year so the Continental was the last of what was what's now known in Porsche circles as a "356pre-A".
The Continental name disappeared quickly after Ford Motor made a fuss about it. From a different angle you can make out the bent one piece front glass that distinguishes the late 356A Pre-A from the earler (1950-54) cars with two piece divided front glass.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
At least they couldn't confuse the Porsche with the Lincoln Continental I suppose...
Going right back to the Ford Model A we had different Fords which were different, to avoid the tariffs applicable to the original A type - I think they were called an AB or something and had a smaller engine to avoid the extra duty on anything rated over 20hp.
Last week a Honda S2000 sold for over $60K on BaT so who knows what this might bring.
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Hoffman was a fountain of ideas for special versions that he thought would increase their appeal to the US market. The Alfa Giulietta Spider, M-B 300SL Gullwing, BMW 2002, and Porsche Speedster were all based on Hoffman's ideas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoffman
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I spotted one in the wild many years ago:
https://jalopnik.com/at-5-500-is-this-1976-chevy-vega-nomad-a-deal-so-good-1846473815
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Vega was also marketed as a Kammback:
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Old Ferraris are cool, but even if I had the required 8 figures to play with, I wouldn't do that.
I understand he paid a mere £37,000 for the GTO back in the '70s. A nice appreciation on that.
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