Mystery car pix

sda

fintail said:

I think it was a prestige thing - the automatic was usually an expensive option, and those who'd be into it might not be luddite types who only want a manual. Show it off.

Like the stickers boasting Air Conditioning typically displayed on the back glass of cars in the late 50s-60s.

kyfdx

I remember when GM cars had "ABS" on the back in the late '80s, early '90s

My '82 Accord had a "5-Speed" emblem

stickguy

In our younger days 5 speed was definitely the “you be rich” made it badge.

kyfdx

Yup... no crappy 4-speed, like in the domestics...

stickguy

Out of college in 1981 my sister needed a car for her new job (down by philly) and had little money. Ended up buying a Datsun 310 (I think, little FWD hatch). 4 speed, vinyl interior, no AC. whined like it had square cut gears or was a 1950s farm truck. Couple years later she moved to Virginia right outside DC. terrible car for that area but she kept it a few years before upgrading to a 5 speed Mazda 323 cloth sedan AC

kyfdx

I had a friend with a 310. The progenitor was the F-10. Crappy, but still an upgrade in space over the tiny, zero-power RWD B-210

ab348

sda said:

fintail said:

I think it was a prestige thing - the automatic was usually an expensive option, and those who'd be into it might not be luddite types who only want a manual. Show it off.

Like the stickers boasting Air Conditioning typically displayed on the back glass of cars in the late 50s-60s.

Chrysler products kept the "Airtemp" stickers well into the 1960s, maybe even later.

Edit: Google tells me that Chrysler Corporation vehicles with A/C had the sticker in the lower corner of the rear or rear side window through 1973.

texases

I remember that sticker on my dad's '63 Polara, you could hang meat in that thing in the middle of summer.

fintail

sda said:

fintail said:

I think it was a prestige thing - the automatic was usually an expensive option, and those who'd be into it might not be luddite types who only want a manual. Show it off.

Like the stickers boasting Air Conditioning typically displayed on the back glass of cars in the late 50s-60s.

MB took it a step further. No factory AC on mainstream models until around 1970, and they placed a "snowflake" windshield sticker like this on AC cars until maybe just after 1980:



The "Automatic" badge was a big deal too, starting around 1965 and in use into the very early 70s, even appearing on sportier models:

bhill2

My 72 Volvo had an 'Overdrive' badge on it. Not quite sure why (although it was true, and very nice at freeway speeds).

fintail

You have to zoom a bit - zooms ok, a few obscure diverse sightings here in Vancouver, I'd guess maybe right around 1970:

stickguy

FIAT 850 spider behind the garbage pail (almost hides it!). Gen 1 Mustang coupe on the road at the far side.

ab348

Vauxhall Viva or Envoy Epic 2-door by the phone booth.

gsemike

fintail said:

Bringing up the rear in Taylor MI, 1971, should be some goodies to pick out here, zooms fine:

A lot of Fords

stickguy

Lots of everything. First 8 cars include a Buick, Chevy, AMC and Studebaker. Plus FoMoCo products.

andys120

Nothing intersing in that lineup but whaddaya expect from KMart.

tmart

I’ll claim the Country Squire. Andy be nice about Kmat shoppers! Hard to beat a Blue Light Special. Kinda sad they’re gone.

sda

I like the 69 Impala Custom Coupe.

fintail

Beside the Vauxhall (never sold in USDM), I see a Mini, and there's a 64 Chevy approaching at right.

LA, 1961, zooms fine, cool billboard for the new LAX "theme building" :

stickguy

far left a very early Corvair. And behind it a GMC (Flexible?) bus, like the ones I grew up with outside of NYC.

can't quite tell what the little sports car in the intersection is. Doesn't look right for a Triumph.

sda

The 58 Caddy looks so bloated. It wasn’t a good year for GM styling.

roadburner

I never liked the rear view of the '59 Ford; something about it made it look old.

tmart

I’ve always liked the 59 Ford especially the Skyliner.

explorerx4

A dark 53 Mercury waiting to take a left at the light.
3 Corvairs's, one in lower left, one to the left of the Mercury and another to the right of the Mercury at the light.

andys120

stickguy

1st gen corvette. No idea how to distinguish the year so I will guess 1954

sda

A neighbor in Knoxville had a 53 Corvette stored in his garage. It had not been moved for years, thick in dust. This was back in 1985 before I moved to the Charlotte area. I think it was originally his dad’s. He was keeping it because it was a collector’s item. I wonder what happened to it. The neighbor would be easily 90+ today.

fintail

I think the mystery roadster in LA could be a Fiat 1100. Caddy looks like a 57.

explorerx4

fintail

explorerx4 said:

Looks like a GM Futureliner decked out for an 80s sci fi movie.

fintail

Vancouver in the late 50s, zooms well enough, a lot of variety here:

andys120

On the left--black 1949-ish Mercury, English Ford Zephyr, 1959 Plymouth, gold Morris Minor convertible.

texases

The headlights on the Morris look very odd.

explorerx4

It's the Herkimer Battle Jitney from the 1999 movie Mystery Men.
Was restored last year.

ab348

texases said:

The headlights on the Morris look very odd.

The early ones were like that. Amazing what a foothold English cars obtained in Canada back then, even on the west coast.

I was confused when I saw the "Dominion" sign on the theater. I thought it was a supermarket at first since there was a chain by that name here that was nationwide.

andys120

What's curious to me is the appearance in the late 50s of two late 30s or early 40s cars underway.

tmart

56 Ford at right.

fintail

The Morris Minor caught my attention too - a very early car, referred to as a "low light" car.

I believe the old looking car driving away from the camera is postwar, Austin A40/Devon (also sold in USDM). The old looking car driving towards the camera looks like an Austin and might be a van or pickup variant of the A40, both of which existed and I suspect made it to this side of the pond in small numbers.

texases

The other thing that confused me on the Morris was the fender-mounted spotlight, almost like very old-fashioned headlights; I convinced myself there was a pair. The actual headlights don't look much like headlights.

fintail

I get an impression the "low lights" are serving as parking or driving lights, and maybe the odd spotlight type units are headlights. Maybe even a period regulatory issue? This is the stock look:

andys120

kyfdx

Chrysler Crossfire Coupe

Michaell

SRT-6, to be precise

fintail

And a RHD model on British plates, which must be quite rare.

fintail

Wadsworth OH per the source, zooms fine:

stickguy

Yellow rambler

tmart

59 and 61 Fords

bhill2

I'll grab the 60 Pontiac on the far side of the 61 Ford.

Lostwrench3

1953 Pontiac.
1961 Rambler.

fintail

61 Ford is a Fairlane. I think I spy the unique fin of a 61 Dodge to the left of the Pontiac.