Mystery car pix

boomchek

That's a Jag XJ220 in the background to the right (behind the white coupe), and I think there's a Ferrari F430 in red further behind.

magnette

Yes

magnette

The orange car is Mexican - its a Mastretta MXT, with a 2.3 litre VW engine, I believe, and it's now going on sale in Europe, with RHD available apparently, for us..

The white coupe is now known as the Farbio GTS400, but was called the Farboud GTS from 2004 - 2007, I believe. They must be pretty rare, as this is the first time I've seen one. I think they've changed the name to make it sound Italian, but I'm not sure...

And yes, that is a JAG XJ220, and a Ferrari . Not sure about the other car in the background - the orange one. I thought it was a Zonda, but it isn't, I think...

andys120

IIRC the Mastretta is coming to the US as well, never heard of the other one.

andys120

Datsun Cedric, 1965-'71. You had us going on that one cuz Cedrics were never exported to the USA so most of us have never seen one.

magnette

You've got it andy....

It was never officially sold here either, at least not as a saloon - we did apparently get a few estates of this version. This particular car was made in 1967. The facelifted one after 1967 was sold here, in small numbers, as the Datsun 2000. This one was also badged Datsun 2000 Deluxe Six, and was originally sold in Rhodesia, but the owner had imported it, from Zimbabwe about ten years ago, and reckoned it's the only one in Europe. I think it was known as the Nissan Cedric Special 6 in Japan, but all Nissans sold here were Datsuns until the early 80's - we usually only had the smaller cars really, not so many of the larger ones like this.

magnette

It looked a reasonable car, but whether they will sell any here is another matter..
The Farbio is a car I wouldn't have recognised anywhere - I had to read the badge, to be honest, and it reminded me of the Artega GT which was launched in Frankfurt last year - especially from the rear ( I posted a picture of that months ago).

andys120

magnette

Ferrari 365 GTC4 - 1969/73

andys120

Yep, I was beginning to wonder if this topic had been turned off. :P

andys120

magnette

I feel there are few of us on this topic now, although I'm as much to blame as anyone, because I have been away so much lately for personal reasons that I haven't had time to dedicate to posting on this site or any other...

This is clearly a Hyundai, but not one I am familiar with.

michaellno

Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

The picture was taken on the Mt. Evans road in Colorado ... the highest paved road in the US (14,000+ ft.).

andys120

You're right on both counts Michaell.

andys120

fintail

Falcon Ranchero - 1964?

urnews

Ford Falcon Ranchero 1966, maybe.

andys120

Close but no cigar guys, it's a 1965 Ranchero. :P

magnette

rcinmd

Lamborghini Uracco
Not sure if there was a smaller engine version overseas, but I'll guess SP250

andys120

lemko

andre1969

It looks too stubby to be a "real" 1958 Pontiac, so I'm guessing one of the Chevy-based Canadian models? Looks like a fairly basic model...I want to say Laurentian? Or were they using that name that far back?

lemko

Very close, but it's not a Laurentian. Hint: think Nissan.

fintail

L = Hillman Imp, R = Rolls Silver Dawn (or Bentley R-Type with a new grille)

andys120

Yep, it's a Sunbeam/Hillman/Riley etc. Imp and a '52 Bentley R-Type.

magnette

The Imp is either a Singer Chamois or possibly a Sunbeam Imp - I don't think this one is a Hillman, and Riley never made them. The other is certainly a Bentley R-Type.

lemko

Guess nobody's got the Pontiac, though andre1969 was very close. It's a 1958 Pontiac Pathfinder - a Canadian model.

magnette

Yes, a Lamborghini Urraco - this one was just badged Urraco S, but the small engine P200 wasn't sold here - I think that one was Italy only - so we got the P250 or the P300 - don't know which this one was. 1970-79, I think.

magnette

.

Took this one a couple of months ago..

boomchek

Facel Vega Excellence. they all look alike to me (especailly the HK500, but that one has the smoother rounder rear end).

magnette

Yes, Facel-Vega Excellence - 1958/64, I believe... It is different from all other F-V's though because the Excellence was a 4-door car. It doesn't look it here, because of the angle, but the doors are like on a 60's Lincoln Continental, or a London cab, as the rear doors are hinged backwards.

lemko

Did Virgil Exner have anything to do with the design of the Facel Vega? The roof looks similar to that of a contemporary Imperial.

fintail

Pretty good license plate number too

magnette

I've just looked at the limited information I have on Facel Vega, and can't see any mention of Virgil Exner.

magnette

Yes - its a good registration. I have looked that up, too. Although FV was a code allocated to Blackpool, in Lancashire, they never issued it as a suffix, so 4 FV was probably purchased in more recent times from our Vehicle Licence Centre, who do issue odd and out of sequence plates for a fee.

andys120

I couldn't find any references to Exner either but it's certain that all the Facels were heavily influenced by American styling, many had fins and wraparound windshields.

American influence on upscale European marks during this period has always fascinated me since the American design cues, shorn of excess chrome often came off better than on the chrome-laden, filigreed Stateside cars of the same period.

hudsonthedog

That's the upcoming Hyundai Genesis coupe.

lilelvis

Ummmmm . . .

L= Fench's
R= Grey Poupon

lilelvis

Do they call those "suicide doors" across the pond as well?

Funny how an idea that died in the mid sixties is showing up all over again. Mostly trucks, but even some small cars.

andre1969

I've never ridden in a car that has them, but I've heard that they actually make entry/exit easier than in a car with forward-hinged doors.

Would they really be THAT dangerous, on a modern car? I guess if you don't close your door all the way, it's possible that the wind could suck it open. Or if you had kids or drunks in the car, maybe one of them might try to open it while you're moving? But otherwise, it's not like I've ever found myself in a situation where I needed to be able to jump from a moving car!

lilelvis

When we were in, or maybe just out of high school, some friends bought a '64 Lincoln for $175. Suicide doors, power everything (even power vent windows), and a trunk you could stuff a dozen bodies into. We all drove it for about two weeks (IIRC you got ten days grace to register a car in CA back then). It got towed and nobody bothered to even try to get it.

The terrible thing is - it was a REAL clean car. I'm sure we would have killed it in a month or two, but while we had it, we were quite the hit when out cruising for the ladies. Well, we were a hit but not too successful.

magnette

I've travelled in a number of cars with suicide doors - yes,we call them that here, as well. They were fitted to the rear of the Rover P4, and I've travelled in one of those a few times, but most people here will have had experience from the traditional London taxi, as that also has rear hinged rear doors...
However, since about the mid-nineties those have an electronic lock to stop the reardoors being opened from the inside which is supposed to be a safety feature but I think it relates in part to the desire to stop people running off when a cab stops, without paying...

andys120

lemko

Wow! I love those classic '60s Lincolns and you got it for only $175? Geeze, when was this and who would sell such a lovely beast for so little? When I was a kid in the late '60s/early '70s, a doctor down the street had a BEAUTIFUL red 1964 Lincoln Continental. He suddenly died in 1973. I wonder whatever became of his beautiful ride?

stephen987

Hmmm. Too homemade to be something Aston-level. Size and roofline suggest Bristol (406?) but it just looks more like something built in someone's garage in Wales. Gilbern Invader?

magnette

This is either a Peerless or a Warwick - I can never tell them apart, and they used the same basic bodyshell. Late 50's/early 60's. ( Speaking as someone with a car which is in bits in a garage in Wales...)

andys120

Yep, it's a 1962 Peerless GT, essentially a rebodied TR-3A.

andys120

Poisson d'Avril (1954)

magnette

Nice picture.
Chevrolet (Fleetline?) circa 1951
Simca 8 (licence built copy of Fiat Topolino 500) - anything from 1939 to 1950

I think the van is possibly a Simca too, but it may be a Peugeot 202

There is a very interesting streamlined thing beyond the Chevrolet - I thought Tatra at first, but not likely in Paris, I suppose, - do you think it might be a Ford Vedette ?