Mystery car pix

imidazol97

Great smooth appearance. I recall some current cars with similar shaping to their rear, but with in-your-face taillights. This is just beautiful.

All it needs is Kathryn Hepburn with a long, flowing scarf in the breeze driving on a country lane.

andys120

That's correct, brochure art of the time often stretched the cars to maker them look "longer, lower, wider".

As you can see from Imizadol's shot, it wasn't that much of an exaggeration. The rose-colored '59 lacks the lower chrome cuz it is not an Electra.

andys120

You must've gotten it in the mid-'70s, that's a Toyota Corona, ca. mid-60's. 4doors were a lot more common.

andre1969

As you can see from Imizadol's shot, it wasn't that much of an exaggeration. The rose-colored '59 lacks the lower chrome cuz it is not an Electra.

IIRC, the "225" in the Electra's name originally stood for its length...225 inches. I think the Electras actually shrunk up a bit in the early part of the 60's, and even by 1970 weren't much longer than 225". I think the crash-bumpered renditions of the mammoth '71-76 models topped 230", though.

In addition to the trick photography, those '59 models were low-slung, which probably contributed to making them look even longer.

andys120

'48 or '49 Buick Roadmaster (4 Portholes). Silver wasn't common for cars of that era but it looks great on that one.

It's a mystery to me why Buick, which owns great names like Roadmaster, Electra and Invicta, keeps coming up with lame new ones like Enclave, Lacrosse and Rendevous. :lemon:

guss

That's it, 1969 Toyota Corona 2 door. It was one of those cars that 2 doors did not help the look at all.

imidazol97

Right, 49.

>like Roadmaster, Electra and Invicta, keeps coming up with lame new ones like Enclave, Lacrosse and Rendevous.

Agreed. Maybe it's generation gap in that I like "Electra, Invicta, Special," and so on. "Rendevous, LaCrosse, and Enclave" must have passed the polling test on car names with some test group. "Rendevous" sounds like something from "Cheaters." "Enclave" sounds okay to me. But "Imapala, Chieftain, Caprice" still sound great to me.

Doesn't the rear look like Toyo's Solara model convertible
used the lines?

lemko

If I haven't been saying that all along! This is the way I see Buick's lineup:

LaCrosse CX = Special
LaCrosse CXL = Special Deluxe
LaCrosse CXS/Super = Century
Lucerne CX = LeSabre
Lucerne CXL = Super
Lucerne CXS = Roadmaster
Possible RWD Zeta platform? = Limited

andre1969

"Rendevous, LaCrosse, and Enclave" must have passed the polling test on car names with some test group.

At least you can use those three in one sentence. "Let's have a rendezvous in our enclave and play a little lacrosse." :surprise:

imidazol97

"Let's have a rendezvous in our enclave and play a little lacrosse... it will be Special and we'll have something Super to last us into the next Century."

andys120

I forgot to mention that, AFAIK, 1959 was the first year they used the name "Electra"

andre1969

"Let's have a rendezvous in our enclave and play a little lacrosse... it will be Special and we'll have something Super to last us into the next Century. Ooh Baby that was Electra-fying! You're a real Wildcat! But I'm worried about the cops seeing us, so next time let's Park up the Avenue, and have an Ultra wild time! "

Nice to see I'm not the only depraved on here :shades:

british_rover

imidazol97

Great! I'm trying to figure out how to work in "Roadmaster" and "225" as in Electra 225.

imidazol97

And work in "Estate Wagon." Have we missed any Buick names?

guss

Was it a Lotus Exige?

lemko

Let's see...

Regal, Centurion, Apollo, LeSabre, Skyhawk, Skylark, Terrazza, Ranier...

andys120

The Regal Centurion Apollo was Invicta in the battle of Terraza and then arranged a Rendevous with Electra and afterward vowed to win her from Roadmaster Rainier even if it took a Century.

ateixeira

Tragic pic, I want to cry.

I see 4 Coopers and 2 Lotus. Lotuses. Lotii?

texases

Not so fast, Lotus-breath :P That's a Ford GT!

fintail

I have to wonder how much that image is really stretched. I know rolling the windows down on a 4 door HT makes a world of difference.

british_rover

But not just any Ford GT...

#3 of 10 Roush 600RE

texases

OUCH! What do they go for, $300k? At least you can bid on the parts:
Ebay for parts, no chassis

andre1969

I have to wonder how much that image is really stretched. I know rolling the windows down on a 4 door HT makes a world of difference.

Just for kicks, I put that image into Photoshop and shrunk the width by about 5%. Here are the two images, to compare...





Depending on the angle that the pic is taken, they can probably stretch or compress an image 5% or so, without it looking really abnormal. Now if it was taken straight-on at the side, you'd start to notice the tires starting to lose their roundness.

FWIW, stretching out an image of a 225" long car by 5% will make it look about 236" long, but if the car's at an angle, I imagine it makes it look even longer. So it doesn't take TOO much of a stretch to make a car look a lot longer and sleeker than it really is.

andys120

Only a day late for Halloween:

hudsonthedog

Panhard et Levassor...PL17

texases

Somehow that Buick just doesn't look right, like it was superimposed on that picture. The perspective seems a little off (I'd think we'd see more of the roof), it seems a little small compared to the people on the right, and the shadows around the front right tire don't look right. hmmmm

magnette

Actually this is a rather elegant little car, in my opinion - Panhard PL17 Grand Standing. ( I think the Grand Standing bit is all the extra chrome like the swatch over the headlights and the perforated strip across the bonnet. The 32 on the registration indicates it is registered in Gers Department of France.

andre1969

Yeah, I noticed that too. I think the car is superimposed onto that pic. Angle defintely looks off. Also, there's a shadow and a base of a statue to the right of the pic, aft of the car, that to me looks like it was airbrushed in.

Still, a nice picture....before we psychoanalyze it to death, at least! :P

andys120

The 32 on the registration indicates it is registered in Gers Department of France.

Naturalment!(asif any of us had an idea where that is). :sick:

fintail

I can't even really tell the difference, unless I know what to look for. As others mention, the car doesn't seem to sit right in that pic too. Always had to make them look big.

It's better than earlier days, when cars were shown by detailed drawings rather than photos, and the people they drew into them all looked to be 5 feet tall max.

magnette

I must admit I had no idea where in France Gers is ! I've just looked on the map and it's in the South, to the West of Toulouse. Anyway, apparently new French registrations won't show the Department number in future, so they will become anonymous....

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

Gers is nice country. Americans don't go there. It's kind of rolling hills, lots of horse farms as I recall. Also great names for the towns, very Arabic sounding (I guess the Moors were there for a while).

Panhards ARE neat little cars but the styling is not to everyone's taste.

karsick

It's the new Toyota Matrix.

A decent idea for a car (a tallish wagon), but what's with all the embarrassing "Fast & Furious" OEM bodykits nowadays???

When I see a car like that, I know it will look REAL silly after about 5 years. Give us honest, boxy utilitarian looks (like an old VW Bus or old Land Rover), and its relaxed coolness factor will reveal itself in time.

stickguy

athat the new Toyota Matrix? I like it.

Might be a consideration if they fixes the strange seats and driving position of the old one.

Especially if it still comes with the 1.8L and 5 speed. SHould get good MPG.

andys120

Yup, it's the new Matrix, is that Neo driving? :P

Thgis time they are billing it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix. I wonder if there'll be a new Vibe out of the NUMMI alliance?

andys120

magnette

Delahaye - I think this is one of the last derived from the per-war 135, but I can't remember the model number

guss

This time they are billing it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix. I wonder if there'll be a new Vibe out of the NUMMI alliance?

Yup, for 2009 it should look like this.



I think I like the Vibe a little better.

hudsonthedog

Thgis time they are billing it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix.

It's always been the Corolla Matrix, atleast legally.

andys120

Yep, it's a 1946 Delahaye 135MS, body by Chapron. Goes back to the days when France made the best looking cars in the world.

andys120

tmart

Is a Stupidbaker with the front wrap around windshield in the back!!

british_rover

That is much better then the Matrix version. I still think the windows are too small and rear visibility is probably poor but that front end looks ten times better.

oregonboy

"what's with all the embarrassing "Fast & Furious" OEM bodykits nowadays???"

I have often wondered the same thing. There may be some small fuel economy gains during sustained highway travel, due to reduced underbody airflow. But I would expect that would be offset by the increased weight.

The front air-dam looks susceptible to damage from steep driveway entrances and curbs. It certainly reduces ground clearance and would be a problem after a heavy snowfall. But, boy-howdy, it sure do look swell !!! :P

james

british_rover

I wonder if the AWD models will have the stupid body kit and front air dam.

lemko

1955 Studebaker President hardtop coupe

Mr_Shiftright

Probably a Studebaker 1955 President Speedster. I had a President two-door hardtop but it wasn't a Speedster. Same underpinnings though. A 289 V8 with 3-speed overdrive. I used to race shoe box Chevies with the 265 or 283 and do very well against them until the 327 blocks came out and then it was all over.

urnews

Looks like a 1954 Studebaker Commander or President.