Mystery car pix

andys120

but it's such a pretty shot. I love autumn in New England.

fintail

I'm going to guess 66 Fairlane? Could be a 67

andys120

It's a '66 and IMo it's one of the prettier 'verts of the era.

fintail

So many Galaxie styling cues too...Ford had some uniform designs at that time

fiatowner

People often buy new cars abroad here, as there are tax/price advantages elsewhere in Europe, and EU regs mean dealers have to supply even though they specify RHD. When buying a Corsa/Vectra/Zafira etc, they often get the Opel badge anyway, and it makes no difference to the resale value, etc.
Although RHD, most Irish GM cars are badged Opel anyway.

fiatowner

You guys grew up with different cars...I am aware of the Ford Fairlane but I don't think I've ever seen a convertible one - what engine would this have had? It certainly looks good.
(Different time zone too - I'm off home now - goodnight)

fintail

A 66 Fairlane like that would most likely have a 289 (close to 5 litre) V8. Optional would be a 390 V8 IIRC, and a handful of special cars might have had a 427 (7 litre) V8. This was heading for the height of the American muscle car age.. A 200 inline 6 would have been the base engine.

andys120

Yep the '66 Fairlane was definitely a 7/8th Galaxie bit the smaller size and slightly more rounded styling made sportier looking IMO.

Any ways here's one you might recall=>

imidazol97

Fairlane... do the flags and the emblem on the front fender tell the motor?
Was it a 352 with the flags?

fintail

Is the red car a Jensen Interceptor?

I think the emblem on that Fairlane is for a 289. I don't know if the 352 was offered in a Fairlane, although I know it was in the Galaxie through 67 I think.

andys120

Yes the red car is a '75 Jensen Interceptor III convertible.

The blue Fairlane has a 289 under the hood.


The badge is not crossed flags (that's Chevy) but a Black Thunderbird with the engines CID in the center. It was used on all Fords of the era, except Mustangs to indicate uprated engines so it's probably the K-code engine rated @ 271 hp IIRC. The Ford small blocks were all descended from the light, compact 221 CID V8, known as the Fairlane engine as it was designed specifically for the new intermediate.

The compact dimensions of the Ford small block were a key element in it's selection as the power plant for the original Shelby Cobra and Sunbeam Tiger. It looks tiny in the '66 Fairlane which was quite a bit larger than the original ('63?) Fairlane.

nwng

"><img src="http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/auto.china.com/zh_cn/drive/i/11037200/20050921/images/12674338_264327.jpg

can a buick minivan look this good?

jaserb

I bought a very similar set for my '74 Alfa but haven't mounted them yet. I thought they might look a little too modern but they look really good on the Jensen.

-Jason

andys120

Buick Terranza, Terraza, whatwever they call their version of the Minivan.

andys120

nwng

"><img src="http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/auto.china.com/zh_cn/drive/i/11037200/20050921/images/12674338_264327.jpg

imidazol97

Pic is not coming through.

fintail

3033 looks like a cross between a Fiat and a BMC landcrab

The van is a Chinese Buick, I don't know the name

The 62-64 Galaxies used the bird emblem, like this



65-66-67 used the italicized emblem seen on this car, front fender

firemanjack

The small car looks like some sort of 70's-80's Simca...Ugh!
The Ford convertible is , in my opinion, the definition of an American convertible.
I had to look at it for a few minutes to take in the flowing shape, the beautiful proportions..
Are those real wire wheels? That is one beautiful car..Thanks for the memories..
Jack

stickguy

I was going to guess 1970's vintage Austin Marina.

andys120

It's a beautiful car but alas too big and heavy to wear real wires, those are wheel covers, all the rage in the mid-60s.

No the little car is neither a Simca nor an Austim Marina. IMO it's better looking than either which should tell you something about what country it comes from.

fintail

Yeah, the pretty blue Galaxie has wire wheel covers, I believe those were the deluxe wheeltrim at the time, and AFAIK they are stock. My Galaxie had normal full size hubcaps.

The small car...must be Italian. Was there a landcrab derivative built there? That rear end and window line sure looks like it. I know there was an Italian modified Mini.

Mr_Shiftright

Wire wheels look really out of place on American cars. I wish they'd stop doing that. What, are we supposed to think that Ford is a Bentley or a Jaguar?

lemko

...is the same color as my girlfriend's old car.

imidazol97

>Bentley or a Jaguar?

I'm glad I got rid of my LeSabre with those wire wheel covers. Grin.l

navigator89

lemmer

vw fox

imidazol97

Nice two tone paint job there.

stickguy

I test drove a new one when they first came out. Until I drove a new '86ish Hyundai Excel, it was by far the biggest piece of crapola new car I ever drove. Felt like a 10 year old NYC taxi. Shook, rattled, ran like crap, but at least it was cheap.

Mr_Shiftright

Is this the type of review we call "guarded optimism"? :P

lemmer

Did it maybe feel like a 10 year old Audi? Because that is what it came from.

andys120

I think the relationship between the two Foxes was pretty loose although they did share some running gear. In fact the inline four from the Audi 80 (Fox) is the common ancestor of the inline fours in most fwd VWs.

The Fox name came from an NSU motorcycle of the 30s.

oregonboy

The original Fox was the hot ticket for "Showroom Stock" sedan racing back in it's day.

james

andys120

More new posts than any topic except the GM topic.

My little black sedan got lost in the shuffle

It's a 1965 Autobianchi Primula and for a cheap Euro sedan of that era it's rather pretty.

Let's keep it going

imidazol97

1955 Mercury Monterey
1978 Ford Thunderbird

firemanjack

'89 VW Fox...I had an '88 wagon...great little car..Silver too...Jack

fiatowner

I had wires on a few MG's and spent years fixing punctures because they have to have tubed tyres - so a nail means a flat. Also, I had a great morning on the busiest roundabout on my ride to work when one of the back ones collapsed.....

fiatowner

Morning. I actually knew that one - somewhere I have a picture of a Primula S which was 2 door, just as pretty, and yet another car we didn't get 'cos it was LHD only.

lemko

...does anybody remember the Quantum?

stickguy

Yup. Replaced the Dasher IIRC, and was based on some Audi (maybe the 4000).

Came with AWD and as a wagon too.

lemmer

I stand corrected. I thought the relationship was a little closer. Apparently the Audi Fox was the same as a VW Dasher, and they later used the general layout and similar drivetrain to create the Fox.

lemmer

kyfdx

Yup... the Quantum was an Audi 4000...

Stick only, if you wanted AWD...

lemmer

Dasher = Passat
Quantum = Passat

Why do we keep changing the names?

What is the car in 3062, smartguy-host?

kyfdx

LOL... some kind of old VW? I'll guess mid-late '70s....

It looks like a Dasher, only sort of smaller...

andys120

That looks a bit like a VW K70 but has thicker B abd C posts. Pretty bad photo. :mad:

fintail

First gen VW Polo

fiatowner

This is the first generation Polo with a boot, I think it was called the Derby. circa 1977/81?

lemmer

You and fiatowner get the prize - it is a German VW Derby.

andys120

This car was really , really BIG=>