Mystery car pix

ateixeira

I was so focused on the grille that I ignored the obvious.

From that angle you don't really see the forward leaning angle on the grille of the 6 series, either. Strange.

I remember Bruce Willis wrecking one in what was probably the best episode of Moonlighting. I was in college and there was a "quad yell" in the dorms when that happened.

mac24

It's the AC Ace Bristol, an early one but I'm not sure of the year.

andys120

Actually, the gear lever didn't give it away but I have built several scale models of the Shelby AC Cobra which has almost the same dash (naturally).

The lack of a glove box lid told me it couldn't be a Snake ergo it must me an AC.

They had shifters like that in early Healeys.

mac24

One British, the other American, both powered by Ford.

tmart

#45 is a 55 TBird, or could possibly be a 56 without the Continental kit. Don't know #9, but it looks good.

andys120

The #9 looked familiar so I typed Sunbeam Harrington LeMans into Google Images and came up with this article which says it's a one-off Sunbeam Tiger witrhe the Harrington coupe body.

I believe Chuck Daigh, who raced Scarabs with Lance Reventlow and helped develop the Scarab Sports racer and F1 cars was involved in racing those aluminum T-Birds.

mac24

Yup, points to both tsmart and andy.

andys120

robr2

That's the 2012 Trophywife Special Edition.

AKA MB SLK.

fintail

I've seen a number of these on the road in my area already. Kills me that these weigh a few hundred pounds more than my fintail, and seem to be encroaching on the size of a R129 SL.

andys120

Yup, 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 .

ateixeira

2012 Trophywife Special Edition

Men are allowed to buy them now that the 350 models have over 300 ponies.

Let's see how much lighter the smaller-engined models are. I'd like to see some competition for the Miata in the light roadster segment (though I doubt it'll come from M-B).

fintail

I wonder if the SLK is bloating up in anticipation of a new smaller model to be placed below it, now that MB really wants to be everything for everyone from cradle to grave.

ateixeira

That's possible, I suppose.

I actually drove the SLK320, previous generation, 6 speed manual, and liked it, in a different way. I can see how it was evolving in to more of a GT-type car, a comfortable cruiser. For the Miata guy, 20 years later.

Reviews are calling the new one a baby SL, and to that buyer that's probably not a bad thing. Watch sales go way up...

andys120

It's worth noting that the AMG versions of the SLKs are considered good performers. Undoubtedly there'll be an AMG SLK350 or SLK550.

The ultra-opinionated Jeremy Clarkson owns a current model AMG SLK 350.

mac24

I'm not sure that it makes it great pick, given that he also owns a Mercedes 600 Grosser, a great heavy lumbering tank of a car, also the car of choice for despots, dictators, totalitarians and other less well-regarded folks: Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, Idi Amin, Nicolae Ceausescu, Pol Pot all have been (or are) happy 600 owners.

texases

It's the SLK 55 'black' edition that he owns, I believe.

I think the Germans deserve some of the blame for the HP wars we're now in - MB, BMW, and Audi have been sticking huge V8s in small cars for the last 10 years, looks like that'll die down a bit now.

ateixeira

I'd go in the other direction and get something like an Elise.

Better yet, an Ariel Atom.

jwilliams2

the car of choice for despots, dictators, totalitarians and other less well-regarded folks...

To be fair, you should have included the Pope, Coco Chanel, Hugh Hefner, Elizabeth Taylor, John Lennon, George Harrison, Jay Kay, Aristotle Onassis, Jack Nicholson, Simon Spies, Ronnie Wood, Bob Jane, Frank Packer, Elvis Presley, Rowan Atkinson, etc. In other words, anyone who wanted the best regardless of price. :shades:

andys120

Yes the Grosser Merc was the choice of dictators (you forgot Papa Doc Duvalier of Haiti) and a big lumbering tank but it was also far ahead of it's time technically and interesting in that way. He probably keeps it for going to award shows and other places where he wants to make a grand entrance

I don't always agree with Jezza's opinions on cars (or anything else) but he makes his points in interesting ways. I'm sure he has lots of interesting cars some of which you'd probably like.

Mr_Shiftright

Also Mao Tse Tung, Hugh Hefner, Mr. Mosler (Mosler Safe Co.), the Dupont Family.

andys120

robr2

Got a little FoMoCo product placement there.

Dodge Van on the curb to the left, Ford Granada followed by a Ford Fairmont and a Lincoln Town Car/Coupe. GMC van hiding behind the Fairmont and I think a gen 1 Firebird hanging a left.

andys120

Pretty good Robr2. The left turner is a '69 Camaro but there's no way to tell from the little that is visible. The car ahead of the Fairmont is a Mercury Monarch, another badge-engineered near twin.

andys120

robr2

Ooooh - how many internets do I win??

mac24

French cars do have a certain style to them that appeals to me. But this 24 TC definitely looks better from the rear quarter than it does from the front.

Pronounced 'Pan- ahhhh' I believe.

I'd never want to work on one though! :sick:

Mr_Shiftright

More like "pan-ARE" I think. If you point to a Panhard, hold up a Panhard brochure, and say "Pan-AH", the Frenchman will look at you like "what are you saying? What language is this? What are you talking about?" but if you say Pan-ARE he will feign puzzlement and then his face will light up and he's say "Oh, you mean Pan-ARE". :P

(been through this many times).

andys120

Yup it's a Panhard 24CT, one of many Euro designs heavily influenced by the Chevy Corvair>

ateixeira

The rear 3/4ths view is attractive, like a BMW 2002 coupe or something.

Then you see the front...unfortunate.

mac24

And while it looks really rather nice in the Aubergine/Silver of the brochure, I don't think Red does much for it at all.

mac24

andys120

I'm thinking some sort of Simca Vedette.

mac24

I'm thinking some sort of Simca Vedette.

Very close. The clue that it's not called that is in the bottom pic.

Do you want a second go?

mac24

Do you want a second go?

Ok, I'll spill the beans.

It's actually a 1960 Simca Ariane 4, which was basically a French Ford Vedette with the V8 replaced by an inline four.
Simca took over the Ford works in 1954 but the Vedette was sold as a Ford for some time after the take-over.

andys120

I know there were lots of variants on the Vedette in including those made and sold in Latin America as the Simca Esplanada but I didn't know they were still selling them under the Ford name six years fter Ford sold out to Simca.

lemko

mac24

I was reading about this going to auction last month.
Truly an amazing demonstration of craftsmanship and a work of art, it's the '1939 Pontiac Plexiglas Deluxe Six Ghost'.

Apparently the only survivor of the two that were built, more pics of it can be seen here: Ghost Car

lemko

It just goes to show the durability of Plexiglas, Aside from a few chips here and there, the Plexiglas Pontiac hasn't yellowed, is still transparent, and hasn't become brittle.

ateixeira

Of course in crash tests I think the panels would pretty much explode.

I used some on a sky light in my shed. Not an easy material to work with.

andys120

lots of interesting cars in this shot from the Toronto area>

berri

I'm not very familiar with Canadian model names, so I'll guess the ones I can make out with US names: Early 60's Ford falcon, 59 Olds, 53 Plymouth convertible, 59 Edsel, maybe a 59 Plymouth wagon, 56 Mopar, probably DeSoto or Dodge, maybe a 60 Pontiac and 60 Olds.

andys120

I know the Falcon was sold in Canada as the Frontenac. Pontiacs were Parsiennes=Bonnevilles or Laurentians=Catalinas and had Chevy wheelbases and engines.

You missed one very familiar car that is (barely) visible in the photo. Hint-it's black.

mac24

You missed one very familiar car that is (barely) visible in the photo. Hint-it's black.

This one in the background? I can't see enough of it but I've blown it up a bit in case it registers with someone else.

andys120

Not that one, what's parked nose to nose with the Plymouth and next to the Edsel?

texases

Ach, du lieber! Eine Kaefer?

imidazol97

> Eine Kaefer?

Was ist ein Käfer?

mac24

Not that one, what's parked nose to nose with the Plymouth and next to the Edsel?

Ah, you mean the Beetle. I thought someone got that already, my bad.
Actually, come to look at it more closely, the black roof just visible in the background could also be a Beetle.

texases

Kaefer (can't figure out how to do the double dots on the 'a') is German for Beetle...

mac24

Kaefer (can't figure out how to do the double dots on the 'a') is German for Beetle...

Käefer.....like that!