Mystery car pix

Michaell

MB 600

andys120

Michaell said:

MB 600

Yup, that is the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman limousine. It looks like a a stretched S Class but there has never been anything quite like it before or since. It was packed with advanced tech and the favored ride of movie stars, autocrats and plutocrats (this one was originally built for King Idris of Libya in 1970). Production lasted from 1963 to 1981. This tupe of vehicle has been replaced by SUV-based Limos which offer more headroom but tend to look like airport shuttles.

fintail

Nothing says "tin pot dictator" like a 600 landaulet:



IIRC, USDM 600 official imports stopped after 1973-75 or so due to emissions and safety/bumper regs,

I think the mid 00s Maybach tried to enter that same realm, but screamed "new money" too loudly (current Maybach does that even more) and didn't have the stately looks.

magnette

Yes the MB 600 Landaulet - parade car of choice for the despotic...

My picture of the Lincoln limos a Lehmann-Petersen Continental (I think Corgi Toys did a version of that in gold and black but never saw one) The Canadian link was of course that it was the Canadian High Comissioners ride in London in 1968 - hence the plate CAN 1 (they still have that plate as one of their cars today I gather though most of their cars would be general diplomatic ones of course.)

ab348

Sorry, @magnette, I meant to ID that CAN 1 Lincoln when I saw it but got distracted and it slipped my mind.
Didn't Idi Amin Dada have a 600 Landaulet like the one pictured?

Here's a shot of Tobin Bridge in Boston, under repair (as often seems to be the case), circa 1969. A pretty unremarkable bridge for such a high-volume and important link. Expands well:

Lostwrench3

There's a 1964 Dodge in there.

magnette

Yes Idi Amin and also President (later Emperor ) Bokasa of the Central African Republic / Empire

imidazol97

I can't find a single 1960 Ford in there.

stickguy

Rare old Saab sighting. That a 96? And in the other lane, a country mate Volvo 120.

fintail

Kim Jong Il, too:



Ceaucescu:



And for laughs, Nixon rode in one at least once:

magnette said:

Yes Idi Amin and also President (later Emperor ) Bokasa of the Central African Republic / Empire

fintail

Looks like a 67 Fairlane convertible out front at right. I think that was a prime market for Saab and Volvo.

I suspect many 60 Fords had already dissolved in that climate.

ab348 said:

Here's a shot of Tobin Bridge in Boston, under repair (as often seems to be the case), circa 1969. A pretty unremarkable bridge for such a high-volume and important link. Expands well:

andys120

I see a '65-ish Caddy convertible in mid pic w top down on the Tobin Bridge.. Looks like a bad place for topless motoring, you want to do what the Ford in lower right is doing, zip it up an set the A/C on recirc.
Been there, done that...hated it.

imidazol97

Those Caddys had heated seats IIRC. I don't know that they had electric wires heating the seats but rather air holes in the leather and air from the HVAC forced into them. I'm not sure what year my buddy's mother's Caddy was, but that was the case for her convertible.

ab348

imidazol97 said:

I can't find a single 1960 Ford in there.

Well, here you go, then. Peterborough, Ontario, circa 1963.

Lostwrench3

1962 Pontiac. With its being in Canada, probably a Parisienne.

sda

That looks cold and damp. Nice new 63 LeSabre the cab driver drove.

andys120

Lostwrench3 said:

1962 Pontiac. With its being in Canada, probably a Parisienne.

Or a Laurentian (Catalina equivalent?)

magnette

Nixon's ride was with Tito in fairness

Lostwrench3

andys120 said:

Lostwrench3 said:

1962 Pontiac. With its being in Canada, probably a Parisienne.

Or a Laurentian (Catalina equivalent?)

Yes, it could be a Laurentian.

fintail

Nice taxi, different from the usual Biscayne or Ford Custom/Fairlane.

60 Ford appears to have the rear fender decoration, making it a Fairlane 500.

tmart

54 Ford and a 57 Ford Country Sedan.

andys120

You can find a '60 Ford if you look but what's the story on that locomotive is it jet-powered??

tmart

60 Ford Starliner, 62 Ford Galaxy, 59 Chevy Impala , 60 Chevy Impala
Rock Island’s Talgo Jet Rocket train that ran between Peoria and Chicago starting in February 1956 but was taken out of service on this route sometime in 1957 because of its very rough ride.

omarman

I'd guess the GM Aerotrain. Here's a pic I found for Rock Island #3 dated December 31, 1964.

Lostwrench3

Allow this train fan to join in.
Yes, it is a General Motors LWT12 Aerotrain, powered by the common diesel electric engine. Found to be underpowered, only 3 were built.

andys120

Interesting that it has a wraparound windshield!

andys120

Lostwrench3

Yo!
A 1958 Chevy Yeoman.

sda

60 Valiant, a clanged back bumper on the 59 Ford.

andys120

magnette

The Oldsmobile Toronado - not too sure about the year though.

stickguy

68?

andys120

MYs are hard to tell on those. '68-'70 all look alike; that one's a '70 Toronado GT w 455cid motor. Major restyle in '71 lasted some yrs as well.

sda

The 70 Toro GT was neat. Too bad for 70 the Toro lost the hidden headlamps.

magnette

First here but rare now

Apparently the only one registered in the UK now

ab348

Aside from the front end, that looks like a Hyundai Pony.

The local Hyundai dealer here had a fully restored one in their showroom for a while a year or two ago.

fintail

Exactly what it is, a first gen Pony, never sold in NA. Canada got the 2nd gen, like the red one ab348 posted (I suspect those wheelcovers are from an early 90s Excel)

magnette

Yes, this was a first generation Hyundai Pony, but not quite the first really - it started to appear in 1975 and was on sale in various European markets by 1979 but not to UK until 1982.
There had already been a mild facelift by then, and this car, a Pony GLS from 1982, is one of those, but it is apparently the only remaining first generation Pony in Britain that is still intact, albeit off the road without an MOT currently.
We got the second generation, like the red car from 1983 and there are still a few of those about but it is another one of those cars which were once unremarkable and yet have become at the same time scarce.

magnette

On a similar theme, these two from a London street were actually imported new as grey imports ...

xwesx

magnette said:

On a similar theme, these two from a London street were actually imported new as grey imports ...

Huh. Someone must have repainted them.

fintail

I'll guess the street parked cars are Hindustan Ambassador, based on Morris Oxford.

ab348

I did a search here and didn't find this so I'll guess we haven't seen this one before (though the search function seems broken as it only delivers one page of actual results while showing numerous pages available, so who knows). Supposedly Portland OR, around 1962.

andys120

A 1960 Ford under "Seattle Harbor Drive" sign. Out numbered by '60 Chevys.
Oldest car is a '46-'48 Mopar under "US 26" shield

Lostwrench3

There's a 1956 Lincoln in there.
Yes, Portland. Radio station KPOJ.

stickguy

Batwing El Camino in front of the big truck.

Michaell

Renault front and center.

magnette

@fintail
Yes those two are Hindustan Ambassadors - they were importing them new in the late 1990s - the cream coloured one has a valid X prefix registration from September 1999.... The pink one - in another picture - is also same age although presumably repainted.

Both are used for weddings by the Indian community in Britain - I've also seen a traditional Indian taxi colour scheme of black with a yellow roof...

fintail

Portland pic - I think I have seen it before, not sure if it was here. That was the scene before I5, which was built shortly after.

I see a squarebird with a continental kit on the ramp, right lane. In the 99W path at right, left lane, I see a 61+ Ford pickup.

fintail

I am surprised people have that sentimentality, but I've also heard of Russian/Soviet bloc expats in NA importing Ladas etc. I worked closely with a couple of Sikh guys in my prior job, one chose the most pedestrian Camry type cars, the other had a thing for high maintenance BMWs.

magnette said:

@fintail
Yes those two are Hindustan Ambassadors - they were importing them new in the late 1990s - the cream coloured one has a valid X prefix registration from September 1999.... The pink one - in another picture - is also same age although presumably repainted.

Both are used for weddings by the Indian community in Britain - I've also seen a traditional Indian taxi colour scheme of black with a yellow roof...

stickguy

I still have a soft spot for Gremlins and Hornets. Which might go away if I ever sat in one or drove one again!