Mystery car pix

ateixeira

Brand new S2000 CR, I think it's called.

All functional aero tricks and meant for track use.

ateixeira

The Alfa SUV reminded me of this one:



Don't look at the name of the file, that's too easy.

british_rover

Oh that is hideous.

andys120

Sorry Fin, it's a 1948 Mercury 89M.

andys120

The Alfa SUV reminded me of this one:

Isn't that the upcpoming Maserati CUV? Can't recall the name but I think it starts with a K. It looks like the Alfa cuz they're closely related IIRC.

hudsonthedog

Isn't that the upcpoming Maserati CUV? Can't recall the name but I think it starts with a K. It looks like the Alfa cuz they're closely related IIRC.
I don't believe the Maserati Kubang and the Alfa Romeo Kamal are related. The Kubang concept was 600mm longer and 80mm wider than the Kamal. I also believe the Kubang was a longitudinally-engined vehicle while the Kamal had a transverse engine.

Both projects have been on-again/off-again for years.

andys120

Both projects have been on-again/off-again for years.

Let's hope they are strangled in their cribs.

imidazol97

tmart

Looks kinda like an AC Cobra from that angle.

stever

I didn't know primer came in green now. I hope they get some nice paint on it soon. :shades:

That'd be a nice base for some BRG.

andys120

Allard K-3, ca. early 1950s probably has a Caddy OHV or a Hemi V8 under the hood.

imidazol97

So far I've not seen an answer that's close.

andre1969

Well the paint sort of looks like ultra-faded Limefire metallic off a '76 Pontiac, but I don't remember any '76 Pontiacs looking like that! :P

imidazol97

That paint color looks like the green used on 53,54 Chevies, Hudsons, from that era. It's a transparent-looking color.

andys120

So far I've not seen an answer that's close.

Okay it's not an Allard. Looks a bit like the early Nash-Healeys but I don't think that's it.

Frazer-Nash? Kurtis Kraft?

andys120

It could be a Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport with bodywork other than Pini Farina as it lacks the "kick-up at the start of the rear fender. That might be an Italian plate on the back and it's LHD which means it's prolly not a Frazer-Nash or other obscure Brit car.

How 'bout a clue?

imidazol97

For Andy120: does this help?

andys120

Not really, it looks a bit like a Cunningham but those wore egg-crate grilles. It looks awfully familiar but I just cant place it. That's not an Italan plate, is it French?

imidazol97

Plate's not germane.

fintail

Plate is French to match the signs on the wall

But I have no clue about the car

sbull

Looks like an Aston MArtin that made a wrong turn at the Soccer field.

magnette

It looks like a Nash Healey to me, but I've hardly ever seen one of those and the screen looks odd - if it is a Nash Healey I'm guessing about 1953.

imidazol97

Magnette hit it with the edge of the hammer. It is a Nash Healey. It's a 1951. They were built 51-54. About 700 total if I read correctly. Nash running gear from US and body in Britain by Healey. Then sold in US?

The the next years had an Italian-designed body with a grill only a mother could love IMHO. The 1951 was a one year style.

Stumbled onto this looking at Nashes.

1952 - 1954

guss

That grille reminds me of this guy.... :surprise:

andys120

For the record, I hit it with the edge of the hammer back in post #13124:


Okay it's not an Allard. Looks a bit like the early Nash-Healeys but I don't think that's it.

Frazer-Nash? Kurtis Kraft?

I know what made me think it wasn't a N-H, I thought
the early ones had little fins as well. I wish I had seen this press photo>

imidazol97

>but I don't think that's it.

I took that to be that you weren't thinking NH could be it. We'll split the prize.

I am amazed by how many cars I know next to nothing about from that era. The Nash grill startled me when I saw the first green picture.

I gave a hint with the Hudson and Chevy using a similar color that it was a US car for the 1951. I wonder if that's how the light green got used. It's not a color I'd consider European. Or is it?

Wikipedia:
"The Nash-Healey debuted at the 1951 Chicago Auto Show. It had luxurious appointments including leather upholstery with foam rubber cushions, an adjustable steering wheel, chrome full wheel covers, and five 4-ply whitewall tires. The only colors available were "Champagne Ivory" and "Sunset Maroon".
"The new car's suggested retail price (MSRP) Free On Board (F.O.B.) New York City was set at US$3767."

The 52s-54s had the kickup on the rear fender. They were designed by an Italian group.

andre1969

I was thinking that it looked like a Nash grille up front, but still didn't get it. I think it's because I only remembered the later style, with the headlights moved inboard and set in the grille.

andys120

The only colors available were "Champagne Ivory" and "Sunset Maroon".

So where did the Hudson Seafoam Green come from?

The 52s-54s had the kickup on the rear fender. They were designed by an Italian group.

Pinin Farina did the styling IIRC, not exactly an anonymous "Italian group".

andys120

michaellno

Datsun 2000 Roadster.

My uncle had one (or was it a 1600? I can't remember now). Really wanted to drive it, but the opportunity never presented itself.

stever

I think Martha Steward's first husband must have had one of those Nash Healys. Or maybe it was just the elementary school wall color she fell in love with. Or maybe she had one of these:

andys120

Datsun 2000 Roadster.


Yep, it was known in the JDM as the Datsun Fairlady but the importer was smart enough to know "Fairlady" wouldn't fly in the USA. That particular example has Minilite style mags and bigger-than-stock tires. I'm not sure if the hood scoop is stock.

andys120

Those wheels and hubcaps are from a Mk.l Healey Sprite. I'm guessing it's a Sprite with a (very ugly) lightweight fiberglass body.

Unless there's some significance to the fact that the plate
starts with "NSU". :confuse:

stever

It's a one-off ... well, the last remaining prototype left. That's a sheet aluminum shell. Possibly the first monocoque sports car ... rare and British.

(Bob put it up on Straightline this morning).

andys120

Who the heck is Bob, where is it on Straightline?

stever

Bob, aka Helmet Head, does most of the posting on the Straightline blog.

Straightline

That links to the mystery car, so don't go there if you don't want to see the spoiler. :shades:

Bob got the Helmet Head moniker here a few years ago after posting a shot of himself rallying or racing some Subaru somewhere - think Dukakis in that tank.

british_rover

Monocoque was around well before 1951.

stever

This is supposedly the first monocoque sports car.

andys120

imidazol97

It's that seafoam green, again!

magnette

Well, I have resisted the chance to go to the spoiler, because I wanted to have a stab at this, but I must admit I am really guessing here. My first thought was that it was a Cooper, but I doubt that, so maybe it is a Duncan of some sort... Obviously it is a serious car as it is quite high tec for it's day, but don't be misled by the registration, which is MSU, I think, as that merely means it has been reregistered at some stage.
The SU bit is a former code for somewhere in Scotland, and as rural Scotland didn't issue such large amounts of plates there are a number of issues which were never used at the time and are now used by the licencing authorities to plate historic cars which have come along to be re-registered, for example if they have been imported or found in a barn with no current reg...

magnette

Well, now I have looked at the spoiler, and I must admit I hadn't heard of that maker at all....
I was interested in one of the other cars mentioned in the article, although it is way out of our period here, as there is apparently a Trojan RE at this museum in Nashville - a very rare beast in the UK, even in the 30's when it was new, so I've never seen one of those either
( Memo to self - what airline flies London- Nashville ?)

imidazol97

Nashville: Lane Motor Museum



It's very near the airport. Need a good map for driving but easy and close.

BA, KLM, AA, Northwest, Delta, and others offer 1-stop service. No through flights.

andre1969

1956 GMC Suburban? Or did GMC call their version of the 'Burb something different back then?

magnette

Thanks for the link.... it really looks a fascinating museum. I will get there at some time. Another destinaton on the long list of places we haven't got to yet... The more we travel, the more we realise where we still haven't been ( quite philisophical that...)

british_rover

As long as we are talking about museums...

I have to plug my wife's aunt's museum.

Golden Age of Trucking in Middlebury, CT

stever

A couple of hours south of Nashville is the International Towing and Recovery Museum, aka the tow truck museum. I have family there in Chattanooga and have walked by the museum a dozen times.

While you are in Chattanooga, you can head over to Coker Tire and get some new 650/700-20 Michelin Double Rivet tires for your 1929 Cunningham.

andys120

956 GMC Suburban? Or did GMC call their version of the 'Burb something different back then?

Yep it's a '56 Suburban, GMC and Chevy both used the name back then as did Plymouth and DeSoto. I guess there weren't so many trademark lawyers in the '50s.

andys120

kyfdx

1979 Honda Prelude