Hmm maybe I am confusing the Chevy badged Holdens (or so they appear to me anyway) that I know they had by the late 60s with the RHD normal Chevys they had since probably the 20s. Anyway...I can say for sure that GMs brand strategies in other markets were somewhat odd. In most western countries you could get the nearest local derivative (Opel, Vauxhall etc) AND have the option of buying an American style car.
Looks like a SAAB 96 to me. Last February SAAB announced suspension of payments: something to be related to the pictured car upside down situation? :sick:
Sorry, I've been away for somedays in Wales, and haven't followed your various posts since about last Tuesdayas a result. I realise that the pre-war posts you have put up are technically off topic, but I don't think anyone seems to have answered the low-slung green tourer with the Australian plates that you oosted at the above.
It's an Invicta, and as it is an 'underslung' car, with reduced height chassis, (simply by putting the spring hangers on the top of the chassis) I assume its a 4-1/2 litre, from about 1932/5. Invicta went bust a couple of times in the thirties, and were also connected with Railton, who were also on shaky ground, but they did revive briefly after WW2 to make a handful of Invicta Black Prince cars, before finally collapsing about 1950.
There have been several attempts to revive the name, indeed I think there is one currently available, but they have no real connection with the real Invicta like this. A lovely car....
I Googled the car, and got the information that it had a 3-liter 6 in it. If that hole in the bottom center of the grille is indeed for inserting a hand crank, using it must have been a fun experience.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Close it's a Saab 850 based on the 96 as rallied by Erik Carlsson and Gunnar Palm in the East Africa Safari (ca.1963?). Carlsson, who celebrates his 80th Birthday this year, is known to Swedes and Saab fans Worldwide as Pa Taket (Swedish for "on the roof")
The 850GT, also known as the Saab Sport, Granturismo 850 (USA) or the 850 Monte Carlo('66-'68).
Bingo! Sorry Urnews, but you see those side marker lights only on 1968 or newer vehicles. Those wheels are aftermarket but period-correct and give the car a menacing look it wouldn't have w stock wheels.
If that hole in the bottom center of the grille is indeed for inserting a hand crank, using it must have been a fun experience.
Most likely the crank hole was more likely just a retro styling touch as on TR-4s of the period. My '66 TR-4A had the hole at the bottom of the grille work but behind that hole was the radiator, inserting a crank there could have resulted in a nasty leak.
I think possibly TR-3s could be crank-started, anybody know?
Just a (not so) wild guess: An Austin, but which one?
Hmmm. The styling cues are Austinish, it's true.
Call me a skeptic, but despite the RHD I don't think it looks British. It seems a bit large, and the Brits were mostly making very small poverty-spec cars in the first decade after The War.
I know there were some postwar Delages and Delahayes that were RHD. Perhaps this is one of their racing specials?
Then again, the wheels and the nose remind me of a '37 Ford.
Honestly I'm not familiar with any Austins that resemble that roadster but you're on the right track, although built on a Standard Chassis the car is not British. OTOH, although it has Hotchkiss Gregoire power, but it is neither French nor a racing special.
Could it be Belgian? Minerva wasn't still around, was it?
You're pretty hot now Stephen, it is Belgian and there was a connection to Minerva.
After Minerva failed in 1935 it was absorbed into Imperia Automobiles of Liege, then owned by a Belgian textile maker. After WW II Imperia assembled Standard-Triumph cars under license and in 1948 used the Standard-Triumph chassis to produce the Imperia TA-8 shown, replacing the pre-war Adler drivetrains used with a Gregoire designed 4-cyl powerplant licensed by Hotchkiss.
Concluding that they could not make any profit from the design, Imperia's owners returned to the manufacture of Standard-Triumph designs after '49 until S-T opened it's own assembly plant in Belgium in 1958.
There's something about cars and cloth. Toyota and Suzuki both started out as weaving loom companies. Probably some others. A branch of Toyota still makes high tech automated looms and auto fabric.
Magnette, you are correct. the one available is probably this car. It was owned by a guy here in Aus who started the first local insurance co, specialising in classic cars. he died recently and it has been passed around the dealers a lot.
Really nice car, went like a cut cat, and handled pretty well at the same time.
As for the pre war stuff, was in response to the guy asking for more of a challenge..
I thought that too, but the Sonnett v4 was a 4-stroke, doesn't look like this. This looks like it must be a 2-stroke, doesn't it? Maybe not - has valve covers, but where's the intake manifold and carb?
Yes, this got me curious, I didn't know that engine had a single OHC for both banks of cylinders, must have been the inspiration for VW's VR6! There was also a DOHC version (one cam intake, one cam exhaust). This pic helped me understand the setup (SOHC left, DOHC right):
When I was a kid, some old crone my mom knew had a baby blue Hornet Sportabout. I remember it was in pristine condition, but was not an appealing car to my eyes.
She also knew someone who had a Pacer wagon with a plaid interior...I remember I rode in it once when I was maybe 8...even then it was very bizarre.
That Imperia you showed the other day - was it from the Brussels car museum ? I went there once, and I think I saw this car - the building looks similar, although it could possibly be the Schlumff (?) collection, I suppose - I've never seen that - yet...
Comments
I couldn't find pictures of South African Holden/Chevies from the 50s but I found more
RHD Opels...>
And LHD US Chevies from SA....>
...Moving forward to the 60s we find Holdens that look like Chevies but are badged as Holdens in the U of SA>
<img src="http://www.dyna.co.za/cars/Holden_61_Special_Grey_sf1.jpg
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Regards,
Jose
It's an Invicta, and as it is an 'underslung' car, with reduced height chassis, (simply by putting the spring hangers on the top of the chassis) I assume its a 4-1/2 litre, from about 1932/5. Invicta went bust a couple of times in the thirties, and were also connected with Railton, who were also on shaky ground, but they did revive briefly after WW2 to make a handful of Invicta Black Prince cars, before finally collapsing about 1950.
There have been several attempts to revive the name, indeed I think there is one currently available, but they have no real connection with the real Invicta like this. A lovely car....
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
The 850GT, also known as the Saab Sport, Granturismo 850 (USA) or the 850 Monte Carlo('66-'68).
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Bingo! Sorry Urnews, but you see those side marker lights only on 1968 or newer vehicles. Those wheels are aftermarket but period-correct and give the car a menacing look it wouldn't have w stock wheels.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Most likely the crank hole was more likely just a retro styling touch as on TR-4s of the period. My '66 TR-4A had the hole at the bottom of the grille work but behind that hole was the radiator, inserting a crank there could have resulted in a nasty leak.
I think possibly TR-3s could be crank-started, anybody know?
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
This red roadster is even more rare than the Cord 812 behind it but unlike the Cord, it is postwar.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Regrds,
Jose
Hmmm. The styling cues are Austinish, it's true.
Call me a skeptic, but despite the RHD I don't think it looks British. It seems a bit large, and the Brits were mostly making very small poverty-spec cars in the first decade after The War.
I know there were some postwar Delages and Delahayes that were RHD. Perhaps this is one of their racing specials?
Then again, the wheels and the nose remind me of a '37 Ford.
BTW it isn't a one-off, about 1000 were made.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Weird.
Could it be Belgian? Minerva wasn't still around, was it?
You're pretty hot now Stephen, it is Belgian and there was a connection to Minerva.
After Minerva failed in 1935 it was absorbed into Imperia Automobiles of Liege, then owned by a Belgian textile maker. After WW II Imperia assembled Standard-Triumph cars under license and in 1948 used the Standard-Triumph chassis to produce the Imperia TA-8 shown, replacing the pre-war Adler drivetrains used with a Gregoire designed 4-cyl powerplant licensed by Hotchkiss.
Concluding that they could not make any profit from the design, Imperia's owners returned to the manufacture of Standard-Triumph designs after '49 until S-T opened it's own assembly plant in Belgium in 1958.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Really nice car, went like a cut cat, and handled pretty well at the same time.
As for the pre war stuff, was in response to the guy asking for more of a challenge..
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
If so, I'm guessing some sort of early '70s Saab (Sonnett?).
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Here's a pic of the v4 in the Sonnett III
It sure looks like the Ford motor to me. But I'd say it's in a Saab 96 rather than a Sonett.
The other possibility (sure wish I had a better angle on the exhaust manifold) is that it's a itsy bitsy teeny weeny V6. Lancia Aurelia, anyone?
Fiat Doblo.
You're getting warm, here's another angle>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Yes, this got me curious, I didn't know that engine had a single OHC for both banks of cylinders, must have been the inspiration for VW's VR6! There was also a DOHC version (one cam intake, one cam exhaust). This pic helped me understand the setup (SOHC left, DOHC right):
Yup, from a 1956 Lancia Appia C10 Camionetta.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Wasn't bad for the time, but in 1987 when it was still in production, it was a new vintage car.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
She also knew someone who had a Pacer wagon with a plaid interior...I remember I rode in it once when I was maybe 8...even then it was very bizarre.