Mystery car pix

ab348

Here's an odd duck:

stickguy

definitely not a Pontiac with that narrow track.

texases

The 'Ursaab', the first one, the 92 prototype.

More info here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Ursaab

andys120

magnette said:

The Morris Minor Traveller was my first car - a Trafalgar Blue 1968 model with a healthy crop of moss and some grasses growing out of the felt channels along the base of the sliding side windows. I actually had to use a trowel when I first got it to uproot them although given the usual Welsh weather it soon grew back.

Previous owner was a builder and it had been used mainly as a work van so it was a bit worn at the rear and it was on "Town & Country " tyres which looked like the tread on a Wellington Boot. Also they squealed like Starsky &Hutch on corners but in fairness it was very good on country lanes and pretty much anywhere without steps was feasible.

It was otherwise totally original although it was a de-luxe which meant the glove box had a lid

I enjoyed that car a lot as it was as tough as anything and pretty much unbreakable - also you could skid at low speed on some bends until the axle tramp cut in which made you slow down..

The one posted has non standard wheels...

Yup, it's a 1960 Morris Minor Traveler with aftermarket foglights and Minilite or (more likely) Alloy
wheels. Normally the "go-fast" add-ons look silly on basic cars but they work nicely on that one IMO.

andys120

stickguy

Weird. But I kinda want one.

explorerx4

Miata and C2 Corvette mashup?

stickguy

Might be. I was wondering what the base car was.

texases

It's the Mazda-based Mitsuoka Rock Star. More info here:
https://jalopnik.com/finally-a-mitsuoka-rock-star-for-me-and-you-1848460474

andys120

Tex is right. Mitsuoka is a small Japanese outfit that makes oddball copies of vatious cars.

The Rock Star is attractive, as Stickguy suggests, they copied my favorite Corvette styling feature, the Duck Tail from the late C1 and the C2.

fintail

I got a "boomer with too much money" vibe from the Rock Star, like these:





Just needs a pair of white New Balance, jorts with a tucked in shirt, and a fanny pack, and you'll be rockin.

ab348

Toluca Lake, 1960. I could sure go for a burger...

Lostwrench3

1959 Chevy.
1955 Mercury.

magnette

We've seen grey import Mitsuokas here - mostly the Viewt which is based on a JDM Nissan March /Micra and styled to resemble a Mk 2 Jag

This one used to live a few streets from here ...

magnette

At Toluca Lake the oldest car would appear to be the circa 1948 blue Mopar sedan

magnette

Obscured by the obligatory white convertible is that a Lincoln to the left of the VW?

stickguy

That thing us actually cute!

explorerx4

I think the car to the left of the light blue Bug is 61 Mercury.

fintail

White car beside the VW makes me think 59 Olds flat top.

ab348

I'm thinking the car beside the VW is a '60 Mercury, sort of like this one:



The '60 Ford Sunliner blocking our view of it is a real 1960 dreamboat!

andys120

Next to the red/white '56/57 Olds a light blue '57/'48 Mopar

fintail

Seattle, 1965 (should zoom well):

texases

Coincidence - there was a 'Thriftway' food chain in Cincinnati in the 60s-80s, but I bet it was a different company.

ab348

Pair of '58 Chevy wagons parked side by side in the middle row with what looks like a MGB to their right. Is that a Volvo 544 parked nose-in at the right-front of the store?

kyfdx

texases said:

Coincidence - there was a 'Thriftway' food chain in Cincinnati in the 60s-80s, but I bet it was a different company.

Definitely a different one. They were local.

Lostwrench3

Low left - 1957 Pontiac.
Pop Quiz - Which model?

fintail

I believe in this region, Thriftway was an Associated Grocers/AG store . They used to be everywhere, still some out there, somewhat smaller neighborhood style supermarkets (my dad worked in the grocery industry, much of his career in the now-defunct Tradewell/Prairie Market chain).

I see the Volvo 544 too.

explorerx4

MGB convertible and a white 57 Fairlane convertible parked at the far left corner of the store.

tmart

57 and 58 Fords, the 57 being a Sunliner.

andys120

tmart

50 Ford over the hood of the Chevy convertible.

explorerx4

Going to say a 53 Mercury trailing the Chevy.

ab348

Oh noes! Chain reaction rear-ender on the freeway. Looks like the vehicle that caused it all drove away…

tmart

Two 60 Ford wagons.

stickguy

corvair in the center.

fintail

Nearest car 62-63 Comet. Man, for as hard to find as 60 Ford wagons are now, they sure appear in plenty of period pics.

Lostwrench3

I'm stumped.

explorerx4

The mystery car, maybe english(?) has the fuel filler over in the corner of the right taillight and bumper.

fintail

I think the mystery car is a late 50s Opel Rekord.

Lostwrench3

fintail said:

I think the mystery car is a late 50s Opel Rekord.

Wow, that is excellent, Fintail.

sda

The 63 Olds 98 looks like it hit hard based on the bent and open hood. The 60 Ford doesn’t look much better. Modern crumple zones make a difference.

andys120

Mystery car could be a Humber Super Snipe


Like the Opel it had a lot of Yank Tank styling touches

ab348

andys120 said:

Mystery car could be a Humber Super Snipe

Lots of similarities for sure, remarkably so in fact, but no fuel filler.

Here is a Rekord, which I think it is:

imidazol97

A '59 Rekford does match with filler cap, rear window shape, and side spear shape and positioning.

We can count of Fintail to come up with the hard one!

magnette

This one has German plates but is from somewhat further away

magnette

This one is probably known over there with you but rare in Europe and unknown in the UK

fintail

Opel clue for me is the side trim, which is very GM, obvious the car wasn't American by its size, so there we go.

Mystery wagon is on Stuttgart plates, but not a German product (and RHD).

Coupe is a Volvo 780 by Bertone, sold here in small numbers 1988-91.

magnette

@fintail

Yes the Coupe is a Volvo 780 bodied by Bertone and I only became aware of this model - which I don't think was ever available here - as we have been watching a Crime Series from Germany / Austria and one of the lead characters is driving one.

The other car is different in that it was not offered in exactly this form at all in Europe - I don't know how it got to Stuttgart but despite its RHD it also wasn't offered here either.

The saloon, though, was widely available throughout Europe including UK....

explorerx4

I thought the Bertone's had a chopped roof.

fintail

That's right, the late 70s 262C by Bertone: