Mystery car pix

andys120

has been replaced, by something a lot more prosaic. This is the

2005 Multipla=>

There's a part of me that'd rather have the geeky looking one, even if it makes an Aztek look good. (tho nothing looks as bad as a 'Tek from behind!)

michaellno

The other thing that is cool/odd/interesting (take your pick) is that the seating is 3 across in front, and 3 across in the rear. No 3rd row of seats.

This translates into a very wide vehicle; but, one that is quite flexible, as all but the drivers seat folds flat, reclines, slides or does something.

Here's an oldie but a goodie (maybe):

davem2001

That front end is so generic! (post 1387) It could be just about any car on the market if you just changed the badge. Compared to the older version, which was really unique.

ateixeira

Ford Maverick?

davem2001

Old Ford Capri - early 70s - made in Germany

fintail

I prefer the freakshow Multipla too

When I was little, I really liked those Capris. I don't know why. I liked MG Midgets too.

ateixeira

That is odd, I guess it still looks weird and the old look was more consistent and weird all around. The new one tries to put a conventional face on a weird body and it didn't come out right.

-juice

michaellno

Yep, the picture says that it's a '74 Capri. Built in Germany but offered here in the states from '71 to '78, was replaced by the badge-engineered Capri that was the twin to the (then) new Mustang.

Now, does anybody remember what engines were available with the Capri?

andys120

Old Ford Capri - early 70s - made in Germany

IIRC correctly the early 1600cc Capris were sourced from Dagenham England whilst the later 2.3 V6s were from Koln, Germany.

I think there may have been a 2-liter in there also but I dunno where it was made.

andys120

gsemike

Weren't Capris sold as Mercurys? My Dad had one for a few years when I was little. Since he was a died in the wool Torino man, it seems pretty sporty at the time.

andys120

Yep, they were sold in the US as Mercs but elsewhere they were Fords.
Ford of Europe figured correctly that there was a market for a euro-Mustang.

michaellno

Lotus 7....

...or one of the dozens of reproductions that have been manufactured over the past 40 years.

gesmike: yep, the Capri was sold in the Mercury showrooms during the 70's. A friend's older brother had a '76 Capri with the 2.8L V6. Silver w/ black interior. Was a very cool car for its time.

davem2001

The last Capri's (mid 70s) used a 2.8L V6. I might be wrong, but I think that the 4.0L V6 in the Ranger is a descendant of the 2.8L V6 from the Capri

ateixeira

Sweet car, saw a couple of similar ones at Summit Point Raceway schooling newer more expensive cars.

-juice

navigator89

Caterham 7 Classic, right?

I remember C&D did a comparison test with the Caterham in their July 2004 issue.

stickguy

I love these, and wich I hadn't gotten one when I was young (and they were newer).

That one isn't a '74 though. Bumpers aren't right I don't think.

they did have a 1,600 and 2,000 4, and the 2.8L V6 (cologne I think?) I used to remmeber more details on which engine was which, but I'ts been a while. I don't think the 2.0 was the same as the Pinto however.

This model went away before '78. They came out with a Capri II (i'll guess around '76) that I think was on the same, or at least still an English platform. The mercury Mustang eventually replaced that model.

negative

Those of us who fondly remember the '60's cult TV series "The Prisoner" know that Patrick McGoohan drove one.

<img src="http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/seven/description/history/prisoner/kar.jpg"

Mr_Shiftright

WAYYYY fun car. Maybe the only real "sports car" left in the world, if you wanna get down to basics.

andys120

Those of us who fondly remember the '60's cult TV series "The Prisoner" know that Patrick McGoohan drove one.

Indeed, and the red car pictured is, like McGoohan's, an original Lotus Seven, not a Caterham or other copy. Let's not be sneering at kit cars because at least in the USA all the original Lotus 7s were kit cars, shipped over in pieces, less engine.

davem2001

Yeah, that particular Capri would have been pre-1973 or 74 based on the size of the bumpers. (I forget which year the big bumpers were required).... From what I remember, they sold that style Capri thru 1978 Model Year. The 1979 Capri was a 'badge-engineered' Mustang (based off the Fairmont "Fox" platform)

andys120

about as different from the Seven as you can get and still have four wheels and two seats.

lemmer

allante

davem2001

That's an easy one

michaellno

Can't remember who the Italian coachbuilder was, but I do remember that they flew chassis over via Alitalia 747, added the body, then flew them back to the US!

So, not only did you get GM's questionable chassis development, but you add to that Italian bodywork and a bunch of money sunk into transportation costs, and it really is no wonder why this thing didn't sell!

davem2001

I think it was Bertone but I'm not positive.... But, yeah, they flew them back and forth to Italy.... no wonder the thing was overpriced! Didn't help that it was FWD and didn't get the Northstar engine until it's last year of production. I always thought it was a decent looking car, anyway.

stickguy

Well, I can't remember the years, but I am positive there was a Capri II (different body, and a hatch IIRC) after the original Capri, and before the Mercstang.

davem2001

Yeah, now that I think about it, you're right. It looked almost the same but it was a little bigger. If I had to guess, I'd say maybe 74,75 was the first year, then it was replaced by the Fox platform car for 79.

fintail

Allante was Pininfarina. Aaah the 80s. They sure want that SL image/market. Have yet to arrive...

michaellno

A comprehensive history can be found here

davem2001

Ok, thanks! I knew it was a pretty subtle, "evolutionary" re-style, as you can see from the picture in post 1388 compared to the one in 1416.

p.s. - it looks vaguely like an old Chevette from that angle! The taillights are almost identical

gsemike

Even they badge engineered 79 and later Capris were cool except for the bulbous rear hatch. The fenders and quarters lost the flares over the wheel wells but actualy had a little more arc to them. They looked very good with beefy rubber. My brother had one that had the rear hatch and tail lights off a Mustang and from the back, it looked very agressive.

andys120

fintail

The first production Lamborghini...I forget the model...numeric something

Mr_Shiftright

1964 Lambo 350GT.....3.5 liter V-12, 270 HP, 156 mph. Terrible cars but very nice looking.

bumpy

Someone pulled an old wreck out of the woods up the road. Some early-1950s domestic-looking thing with a maybe 9" wide fluted stainless steel stripe running up the center of the hood and trunklid. Any guesses?

andys120

Someone pulled an old wreck out of the woods up the road. Some early-1950s domestic-looking thing with a maybe 9" wide fluted stainless steel stripe running up the center of the hood and trunklid. Any guesses?

If it looked anything like this=>



It's a Pontiac from the early 50s (note stripe on hood).

Shifty, you've ID'd the 350GT correctly but "nice looking"?? :confuse:

Compared to what? IMO it was butt ugly compared to contemporary Ferraris and Masers and one of the worst looking Lambos ever made .

bumpy

Our beastie is a '54 Pontiac, probably just a regular old Chieftain.

Mr_Shiftright

LAMBO: Well okay, nice looking for 1954, when tires were skinny and race drivers were fat. Lots of ugly cars in 1954, so it's all relative isn't it?

navigator89

andys120

LAMBO: Well okay, nice looking for 1954, when tires were skinny and race drivers were fat. Lots of ugly cars in 1954, so it's all relative isn't it?

Er, Shifty....don't you mean 1964? As far as it being all relative, wasn't 1964 the 2nd year for the 250GT Lusso?



I rest my case.

Navigator89's white car is a modified Pantera.

andys120

gagrice

Can you guess the country of origin?

bumpy

It's a crew cab Ranger, which isn't sold in the US or Canada; left-hand drive, so it's not from Australia or South Africa; sponsors and the far north of Alaska means they're running some north-south Americas tour; so I'll say either Mexico or Argentina.

I'll wait to see if anyone else wants to take a lick at the panel van.

andys120

gagrice

Pontiac looking trim from late forties or maybe 1950.

fintail

The wagon is a GAZ Chaika (means Seagull...must have some significance I can't see) which was of course the Russian knockoff of a 56 Packard. Apparently commie leaders liked Packards, as the preceeding model was also a Packard knockoff. I bet the wagon is a one off...for Brezhnev to take a picnic in the country or something.

Mr_Shiftright

Oops TYPO-- yes meant 1964. The Lusso is purdy ain't she? Not very fast but purdy...it needed more displacement.

1964 was an interesting year....cars were just coming out of the late 1950s Reign of Design Terror but not yet in the sweet spot of the late 60s, which was kind of a mini Golden Age to my mind in terms of styling.

I think the Lambo did get Enzo's boxer shorts all in a bunch but perhaps when he realized that Lambo wasn't going racing, he relaxed---still I think the Lambo did spur Ferrari to get out of the stone age and make more modern automobiles.

fintail

64 was a good MB year. All the mainstream sedans were fintails, the 230SL was new, and the 600 was new.

gagrice

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