Mystery car pix

stephen987

Ford Custom 500, Ford Custom 500, and Ford Custom 500, in that order. :-) I'll guess 1961. Curiously they are the squared-off two-door sedan model rather than the smoother-looking Galaxie hardtops. I guess they figured weight mattered more than aerodynamics, even at Bonneville.

andys120

Yep, they are '61 Fords, and I don't know if they used Tudors because of the weight or some stock classification rule that they needed to satisfy. I would think that aerodynamics count for quite a bit on the salt flats for certain classes (hence the belly tank laketers of the 50's)>


<img src="http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/images/your_garage/cars/10275_1663130426494e916948bc8.jpg

stephen987

I would think that aerodynamics count for quite a bit on the salt flats for certain classes (hence the belly tank laketers of the 50's)>

As would I. My comment was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn't always come out that way on the screen. .

andys120

My comment was intended to be tongue-in-cheek

Mine didn't come out right either but you raised a good point because the slope-back Galaxie hardtops would seem to be preferable at Bonneville but then I'm not sure that picture wasn't mislabeled, it doesn't look like it was taken at a salt flat.

karsick

I'd wager that those Fords are staging to run up Pike's Peak in Colorado (judging by the high-altitude, alpine, asthmatic-looking conifer trees in the pic)

imidazol97

That picture looks like something out of Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, or Mechanics Illustrated from the early 60s where they had stories about runs up Pike's Peak. I'm not sure what the runs proved other than endurance and not overheating? Someone with an old collection of issues probably could find the picture.

stever

Google has a collection. PopSci and Popular Mechanics anyway.

Good source for old car photos too.

andys120

qbrozen

Looks like one of those horrible Fiero body kit jobs.

andys120

Nope, it's a production model, not a kit car.

fintail

Matra Murena, early 80s. IIRC some of these shared engines with the Simca/Talbot Horizon, which of course we got as the Mopar Omnirizons....just a few degrees of separation.

boomchek

In the background:

White car is an Opel Kadett mid to late 80s. Also known as Pontiac Lemans here.

Orange coupe beside it is a mid 90s Opel Calibra

Silver car on the side is a euro Ford Escort (RS?) from mid 90s.

andys120

Matra Murena, early 80s.

Yep, believe it was branded as a Talbot-Matra Murena, like the Matra -Simca Bagheera which it replaced the Talbot Murena featured three across seating.

Boomer has correctly identified the others in the photo AFAIK.

andys120

The Streets of San Francisco, TV Series, 1972-1977

fezo

You don't suppose that Ford had a deal with the series do you?

bumpy

...for a West Coast city. From a bygone era.

karsick

You're right....absolutely amazing to not spot even ONE foreign make in this photo. Today you'd have to drive a block or more to see domestic iron in SF (and it would likely be a Crown Vic taxi or cop car).

tmart

The music is good too.

lemko

Could be the "Streets of Dearborn" by the looks of the picture.

Anyway, the brown car descending the hill looks like a 1971 Ford Custom 500. The green wagon is either a 1972 Ford Country Squire or Country Sedan - can't see the sides. Way in the background at the top of the hill is another 1972 Ford full-size wagon. The cars facing uphill - tan car might be a 1966 Ford Galaxie followed by a blue 1967-68 Mustang, green Ford F-150 truck, might be a fuselage 1972 Chrysler, 1963 Ford Galaxie or variant, Ford Econoline. Parked cars look to be a blue 1961 Chevrolet wagon and a 1970 Pontiac Catalina or Bonneville.

fintail

I agree with most of that. The tan car going uphill is certainly a 66 Galaxie. I don't know if the white car inbetween the Ford pickup and the 63 Ford is a fuselage car though, maybe a smaller Mopar variant.

Parked at very far right I also see a mid-50s Ford pickup, an unknown blue car in front of it, and in front of that maybe a ca. 70 Chevelle wagon?

berri

It's hard to make out the white cars by the green Ford pickup. You are probably right that the car on the side is a Pontiac, although it may also be a B body Buick LeSabre of that vintage? I'm thinking the car in front of the truck may be a late 60's C Body Olds 98 coupe?

andys120

karsick

It's the new Chinese market Buick Excelle.

We knew it here as the Suzuki Forenza (not to be confused with the Hyundai Excel, nor the Vauxhall Forenza, a rebadged Isuzu SUV for the UK........ nor to be confused with the forgotten Oldsmobile Firenza) :sick: .

It's in GM's tradition of the old 80's Pontiac LeMans (an American-Indian branded, French-named, Korean-bodied, Brazilian-engined, German-designed compact).

andys120

Yep it's the '009 Buick Excelle from Shanghai Motors/GM.

andys120

andre1969

I could be wrong on this, but I don't think the sloped-back Galaxie hardtop was initially available in 1961. I believe it was added at some point mid-year, so it may not have been available when that picture was taken.

There was still a 2-door hardtop available for the whole year, but it had a squared-off roofline, essentially looking just like those 2-door sedans, but with no window frames or B-pillar.

The fastback roof certainly looked more aerodynamic, but it may not have really made much difference. I recall some automotive engineer saying that the only way a sloped-off rear is going to help much with air flow would be for it to extend so far back that it wouldn't be practical. In the case of those Fords, it would probably result in the base of the rear window being about where the end of the car currently is, and then the trunk tapering to a point about 6-7 feet beyond that!

However, he might have meant that the difference was insignificant for everyday transportation cars. When you're going for top speed, every little bit will make a difference.

andre1969

I'm guessing a 1952 Willys Aero?

fintail

There was the Galaxie Starliner, a fastback, available in 60-61, then the fastback wasn't available again until the middle of MY 63.

andre1969

Thanks, Fintail. Guess I got the details mixed up. All I could really remember is that there was a mid-year in there, somewhere!

wgrafer

As I recall, the mid-year Galaxie 500 fastback was marketed as a "63 1/2" to distinguish it from the regular squared-off '63 hardtop. And yes, I WAS there....

wgrafer

I agree with 1952 Willys - I think they were called "Aero Eagle" and were indistinguishable from 1952-1954. Most had 4 cylinder engines, but after Kaiser bought Willys there were some in 1954 with 6's.

berri

As I recall, the mid-year Galaxie 500 fastback was marketed as a "63 1/2" to distinguish it from the regular squared-off '63 hardtop. And yes, I WAS there....

I believe it was in conjunction with the 500XL and also had to do with improving the drag aerodynamics over the notchback in stock car racing. I always liked the full sized 63 Ford because it was a clean and simple design, yet looked modern at the time.

lostwrench1

The only 52 Willys hardtop was the Aero-Eagle.
The Lark, Wing, and Ace were sedans.

andys120

tmart

66 Mercury Comet.

andys120

66 Mercury Comet.

The hood scoops indicate that it's a '66 Comet Caliente.

andys120

The car in front is a purpose-built flats racer, the ccar push-starting it is not.

andre1969

1957 Mercury hardtop, but don't know 'em well enough to tell which model. Probably one of the cheaper models, since it doesn't have that roll-down rear window. Maybe a Monterrey?

andys120

I couldn't tell you which model either but that car does appear to have all four windows down, what would be the point of a pillarless H/T w a fixed rear window? :confuse:

stephen987

Andy, I think Andre was referring to the Turnpike Cruiser, whose rear window (not just the rear side windows) could be lowered electrically.

andys120

Doh! No it is definitely not a Turnpike Cruiser, those had a reverse slanted rear window to afacilatate the roll-down feature.

imidazol97

Monterrey Phaeton, 1957

I see a name behind the front wheel well. Is this a Canadian model?

andys120

texases

Maserati Ghibli, about 1970?

andre1969

You've got some damned good eyesight if you can read where it says "Monterrey" and "Phaeton" on that car! As far as I know, that's a US model. "Phaeton" was just an extra adjective stuck on to denote the hardtop. DeSoto did the same thing, using "Sportsman" for their hardtops. Dodge used "Lancer". Buick used "Riviera", and Olds used "Holiday".

IIRC, in Canada, there were some Ford cars badged as Mercuries, and some Mercury cars badged as Fords. This was to allow for more coverage in smaller towns where you might only have a Ford or Mercury dealership, but not both. That way one dealership, no matter which it was, could sell both Ford- and Mercury-priced vehicles.

imidazol97

Phaeton was on the hardtop sedan. It was just a name. I'm still working to figure out what it says behind the wheel.

I can't tell a difference between a Montclair and Monterey. But the name on the side is normally is above and in front of the wheel on the trim strip but here it's behind the wheel well...?

andre1969

what would be the point of a pillarless H/T w a fixed rear window?

There might not be a point to it, but once the 70's rolled around, a/c became more common, and cost-cutting more rampant, leave it to the Big Three to do it:

imidazol97

Lincoln Continental Mark V, 1978

andys120

Maserati Ghibli, about 1970?

Yep, it's a '71 Ghibli 4.9 SS.

lostwrench1

The 66 Comet Caliente had no hood scoops.
The 66 Comet Cyclone did.
The pictured Comet displays the Cyclone side emblem.