Mystery car pix

andys120

lemko

Appears to be a 1963 or 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS. I believe they used the same dashboard both years.

magnette

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texases

Tatra T603, 1963 or so?

magnette

Yep, a Tatra 603 - I think the guy who owned it said it was 1965, but I'm not sure. It wasn't actually in the car show at Essen - it was in the car park over the road instead.

lostwrench1

Because of the steering wheel, I'll put two chips on 63.

andys120

Nice eye Lemko, is is a '63 Impala SS/409 I don't think the gauge pack under the dash is OEM.

andys120

kyfdx

I'm going to go with '70 911

Mr_Shiftright

nope, earlier I think. And how are we supposed to tell if it's a 911 or a 912?

stickguy

count the spark plug wires.

that looks like an early car to me. I will guess '65

kyfdx

Hey.... I got the P-thing right!

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, okay....1-2-3-4! It's a 912!

(actually I'm guessing 912 because of the painted steel wheels). We can't see the interior or the other side of the car, which would have given more hints.

andys120

(actually I'm guessing 912 because of the painted steel wheels)

Bingo, Mr. S., it's a 1968 Porsche 912 and the wheels are the best giveaway that it's a 912.

There are two telltales that indicate that it's a 1968 or later car (not a '65!), the side marker lights and the thick chrome surround on the front headlight. Some 911s were delivered on painted wheels but after '66 or so almost all wore the Fuchs five-spoke wheels. That being the case a post-'66 Porsche with steel wheels and hubcaps is most likely going to be a 4-banger.

We can't see the interior or the other side of the car, which would have given more hints.

What feature of the right side of the car would distinguish a 912? :confuse:

yelnats20

Is this a Rambler?

lemko

It was answered by another poster a while back. It appears to be a 1960 Ford Falcon, but it's actually its Canadian sister the Meteor Frontenac. There are even red maple leafs on the hubcaps.

Mr_Shiftright

See if you can spot the tip-off that this is a 911 (presuming you were viewing it at an angle where it wasn't plastered all over the trunk!) :P

You might say the wheels, but my 912 had those; however, there is one feature that no 912 could possibly have.

This car is a 1972 model

kyfdx

Does it have something to do with the placement of the gas cap door?

mac24

That exhaust?

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, close but...it's NOT A GAS CAP DOOR and that's why they only installed the OIL FILLER DOOR for the dry sump oil tank for a few years---because gas station attendants were filling up your Porsche engine's oil tank with gasoline.

That was "not good", in case you wondered.

kyfdx

I wondered about that... because my 911 gas cap was on the front fender..

andys120

jwilliams2

Looks like about a 1990 or so Ford LTD Crown Vic, a couple of 91 Chevy Caprices, and an Infiniti J30.....

mac24

LTD, Caprice, Caprice, Infinity?

ateixeira

I remember that J30 did OK until the Altima that resembled it came out and sales nose-dived.

Seems like that happens a lot, i.e. a luxury division starts a styling trend, then their lesser brands take over.

Same sort of thing happened with the TL/Accord. The last TL had that character line down the side, then the Accord got it.

michaellno

A buddy of mine in California has a J30 in that exact color combo (dark green with tan leather).

Nice car, but very cramped inside. Even in the front seat, there isn't a whole lotta room. My 6' 3" son sat in the back seat once; not sure if he'll ever try it again.

It has something like 160K on it now, but still very tight and runs well.

lemko

ateixeira

The Nose Dive Unlimited?

mac24

It seems Simca's ad agency preferred more tightly packed sand for their promo shots.

andys120

I wondered how a French car came out so American looking sine as Mr. Shiftright always says, "No one copies the French, and the French copy no one."

It turns out that the Simca Esplanada was designed and made by Simca's Brazilian subsidiary.

IMO it looks like a cartoon car; if Homer Simpson drove a 1960s Ford Fairlane it would look just like that.

explorerx4

There is no such thing as a 1972 Porsche 912?

bhill2

No one copies the French, and the French copy no one.

That may be true in general, but those headlights are straight off a '68 Ambassador!

Mr_Shiftright

That's correct, none after 1969, and then the 912E (with VW engine) comes out in 1976.

berri

I believe Simca had a Mopar connection in the 60's. I was thinking perhaps a 67 Plymouth Fury and a 67 Ford Galaxie were overcome in Paris, got drunk on cheap French wine and unfortunately produced an offspring with a recessive genetic defect.

stever

I cut a Simca in half in the 60s. A dealer's spoiled kid owned it (probably was a Dodge dealer but don't remember).

bhill2

OK, I'll go with that.

andys120

I believe Simca had a Mopar connection in the 60's

Simca had strong links to non-French automakers from their beginnings as a subsidiary of Fiat in 1934. In 1954 they became an affiliate of Ford.

Chrysler bought out Ford's interest in 1958 and became majority owner in 1970 forming Chrysler Europe which combined Britain's Rootes Group and Simca but mostly used Talbot as a brand name.

In 1979 it fell into French hands for the first time when PSA (Puegeot/Citroen) bought it out. Ther last car to use the Simca badge was this one>

andys120

fintail

I know that car was sold as the Talbot Solara (just as dull as the later Toyota), maybe the Simca had the same name.

fintail

Some kind of AMC

bhill2

Yeah, that looks right to me. Odd combination of the bench seat with drab upholstery and the 'sport' steering wheel. My best guess is a Gremlin, or possibly a Hornet, with some sport package on it.

fintail

I remember when I was a kid, a friend of the family had a Hornet Sportabout with that same center stack. I remember that car vividly, powder blue.

andys120

I know that car was sold as the Talbot Solara (just as dull as the later Toyota), maybe the Simca had the same name.

Yup it's a 1980 Simca Solara, the last car to wear the Simca badge.

andys120

Yeah, that looks right to me. Odd combination of the bench seat with drab upholstery and the 'sport' steering wheel. My best guess is a Gremlin, or possibly a Hornet, with some sport package on it.

Close enough it's a '73 AMC Gremlin X>



If that was AMC's idea of a sporty rig it's no wonder they went south.

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

I know! I know! Pick me andy! :P

Question is: Is it a real one?

jwilliams2

Mid 50's Austin-Healey 100....

Mr_Shiftright

Brings Back MEMORIES OF LE MANS :P

mac24

I know! I know! Pick me andy! :P

There's always one in every class!

andys120

Yup, it's a 1956 Austin-Healey 100-4/BN2. I'm not a big fan of Silver for sports cars but it seems to work pretty well on that car with the red leather interior.

Shifty, you would know better than me if it's a real one but if it isn't it's a
pretty impressive fake.

You tell us.