Mystery car pix

omarman

'62 Falcon Fordor station wagon filling up.

fintail

I guess I'll pick off the 105E Anglia in front, always liked those - fun contrast between the cars nearest to it, too.

Would have been a good place to buy real estate then, that's a tony area now, I believe.

ab348 said:

Here's a shot of Pacific Palisades, CA in 1962:

sda

ab348 said:

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.

I mentioned this in another thread, I think. A good friend had a 77 Vega hatchback in light baby blue, black interior, base model with 4 sp. It went well over 120k before it had any issues. He replaced the head gasket (with my help) around that mileage and it had just started to use a qt/oil between oil changes. It was running fine when he sold it with + miles on it. No rust issues, good solid car.

This color:

ab348

As was typical of GM back then especially, by the time a vehicle had been in production 5 years or so they finally got it right. I think a '76 or '77 Vega would probably have been an OK car. The GT wagon would have appealed to me, with that white vinyl custom interior.

tmart

Bullet Bird approaching.

magnette

That Anglia (I don't think it's even a 1200) looks like its not going to beat the Chevrolet or the Thunderbird away from the lights - unless it has the Harry Potter option pack....

imidazol97

fintail said:

That would be GM tradition, getting it right just before the model is axed.

That's harsh. But there is a speck of truth to it--well, maybe quite a bit more than a _speck_ of truth. LOL

fintail

I didn't mean it too negatively - GM can definitely do things right, but sometimes has bad timing.

Cars that qualify might be Corvair, Fiero, Vega, I've heard the later run X-cars weren't bad, I've heard the final F-body cars were worlds better than prior models, maybe Allante, just off the top of my head.

imidazol97 said:

That's harsh. But there is a speck of truth to it--well, maybe quite a bit more than a _speck_ of truth. LOL

xwesx

Speaking of Fiero, I saw a silver Fiero sitting out front of the local Barnes & Noble yesterday. Not a common sighting anymore, especially for late winter.

andys120

'61-'63 Thunderbird next to a white Ford Anglia 105E and a '62 Chevy wagon. 1st Gen Falcon wagon in gas station.

magnette

I think this one was the rarer Ford Angler

imidazol97

fintail said:

I didn't mean it too negatively - GM can definitely do things right, but sometimes has bad timing.

Cars that qualify might be Corvair, Fiero, Vega, I've heard the later run X-cars weren't bad, I've heard the final F-body cars were worlds better than prior models, maybe Allante, just off the top of my head.

imidazol97 said:

That's harsh. But there is a speck of truth to it--well, maybe quite a bit more than a _speck_ of truth. LOL

Yup.

andys120

GM made the best engines in the world in the 50s, their V8s were the best. But the Northstar in my Pop's 1990s Deville popped its freeze plugs and ruined it at only 77K miles. This car had never been out of FL No satisfaction from either dealer or GM.
I doubt I'll ever forgive them for that.

andys120

tmart

Is that an AC Cobra before being Shelbyzized ?

stickguy

the back looks like it, but the doors and front fenders look off to me. Definitely a UK version.

texases

Maybe an AC Ace?

andys120

texases said:

Maybe an AC Ace?

Yup, it's an AC Ace-Bristol with the 2.4 litre Bristol six derived from a prewar BMW design. From that angle it's almost impossible to tell from the Shelby Cobra that was was derived from it. The Cobra had different fender edges and relocated the gas cap tp the center.

ab348

This one is from Peterborough, NH, circa 1966. Not exactly the right location but looking at this, I can almost hear the music from "Newhart".

stickguy

That a falcon Ranchero under the esso sign? And I think a black Corvair in the Texaco station.

omarman

texases said:

Maybe an AC Ace?

Looks like the 1959 AC Ace Bristol 2.2 listed for sale here. Seller claims that it is the only example to leave the Thames Ditton factory with the 2.2-litre Type 110 engine. Beautiful car. £350,000

magnette

I'd far rather have that AC Ace than a Cobra - much more manageable in the real world

AC didn't just build sports cars and disabled cars here - this is an AC diesel rail car from around 1960 running on a rural branch near Cirencester in Gloucestershire - but they were more often found in Scotland I gather




They built about six of this model which carried about 40 people but they were not a success due to competition from buses.

Lostwrench3

On the right, a '64 Ford Fairlane.

magnette

In Peterborough NH

59 Rambler sedan at the Texaco sign

fintail

In Newhartville looks like a 65 Galaxie on the road heading towards the camera, with a blue and white 62 Galaxie convertible pulling onto the road behind it. Maybe a 51 Ford behind the Rambler, In the background, facing away from the camera, a red and white VW microbus, maybe a 64 Impala on the road behind it.

My dad was a big fan of "Newhart", when I think of the TV theme, I also think of this:

https://youtu.be/BU8Rk8dcP78

andys120

I'd far rather have that AC Ace than a Cobra - much more manageable in the real world

I get why you might prefer the Ace-Bristol. The big-block (427CID) Cobras could be over-powered front-heavy handful so IMO much less desirable than either it's small-block brethren or an AC-Bristol


OTOH the original Shelby/AC Cobra with the small block V8s (289 or 260CID) had good weight distribution and nimble handling which is why they scored so many race wins.
I'm sure they are quite manageable in real world driving. The editors of Road and Track recently dubbed the small block Cobra the greatest sports car of all time.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a35002019/greatest-sports-car-of-all-time/

https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a35048685/1965-shelby-cobra-289-first-drive-review/

ab348

I believe this is Pittsburgh, PA, circa 1963. If @jmonroe1 sees this he can regale us with stories no doubt. This pic should expand nicely.

stickguy

2 econoline vans. And a really cool JEEP pick up. Looks like 3 beetles are the only furrin cars, but not sure what the dark one coming out of the side street to the right is. Looks smaller.

Lostwrench3

Bottom left - 1953 Chevrolet.
Bottom right - 1951 Chevrolet.

magnette

A 60 Chrysler approaching just below that jeep truck and another Chrysler - this time a 61 - approaching just beyond that cross traffic on the left
Behind the 60 Ford - parked on the right - is a light coloured Rambler
Also Rambler American to right of that Jeep



Its hard to see what this emerging car is at that distance but there is a 61 Dodge parked at the head of that line

magnette

Also a Studebaker - probably a Lark - in the parking structure adjacent to the I N on the sign

fintail

Behind the 51 Chevy at lower right looks like a 62 Chevy, and a 59 Caddy behind it.

The "emerging" car magnette points out looks foreign to me, maybe a Renault 8/10 or a Simca?

Also at left in the background, just past the cross street where a 61/62 Chrysler is waiting for a light, something small behind the Chrysler, maybe MGA.

magnette

Fin, I think you are right, its a Renault R8 - I just couldn't see it ....

Looking at the car behind the Chrysler I think it has a light on, and it looks like a darker and larger vehicle - I had it as a wagon because of the way it obscures the Cadillac following it

texases

Looks like a '62 Dart crossing in front of the Chrysler.

ab348

What appears to be a mid-late '50s Checker A8 cab coming up the hill.

sda

62 Ford in front of the 56 Chevy, 60 Ford next to left curb

tmart

54 Ford, 57 Ford, 58 Ford, 61/63 Thunderbird and previously mentioned 60 Ford.

fintail

Now that I look at it, I think you're right. A few other cars in the pic with lights on also supports that, maybe a day with low light.

magnette said:

Fin, I think you are right, its a Renault R8 - I just couldn't see it ....

Looking at the car behind the Chrysler I think it has a light on, and it looks like a darker and larger vehicle - I had it as a wagon because of the way it obscures the Cadillac following it

magnette

I've been looking again at this picture - is this an E-type?




I'm at the limit of my screen now - anything further we will need the Hubble

fintail

Definitely has that shape, and they were around then.

ab348

1971 offers this parking lot in an undisclosed location (I suspect L.A.). Expands well..

stickguy

Finally. Cars from my era!

Classic blue Volvo 145 wagon, next to a yellow gen 1 Celica.

Next to celica the blue with white roof car looks like a Mazda. And a red pinto nose up to a white Dodge panel van.

kyfdx

Gray first Gen Monte Carlo
White Mustang ('67?)

fintail

I think the blue and white car near the Celica is an early Subaru (Leone), maybe called DL or GL for the USDM. Big white Ford wagon in front of the Celica.

texases

The Mustang is a 65/66.

xwesx

Is that a VW Bus in the center background?

ab348

My favorite in the pic is that yellow '72 Malibu front and center, with the Chevy rally wheels and a non-black (green?) interior. sharp car.

stickguy

VW bus next to the PU camper.

andys120

ab348 said:

My favorite in the pic is that yellow '72 Malibu front and center, with the Chevy rally wheels and a non-black (green?) interior. sharp car.

There's some sort of badge on the flank of that Malibu, could be the SS badge or the emblem for 396 or 454 CID.

ab348

andys120 said:

ab348 said:

My favorite in the pic is that yellow '72 Malibu front and center, with the Chevy rally wheels and a non-black (green?) interior. sharp car.

There's some sort of badge on the flank of that Malibu, could be the SS badge or the emblem for 396 or 454 CID.

I think that is a 350 badge, which Chevy decided to attach to Malibu models with that engine in ‘71 and ‘72.