Mystery car pix

odie6l

See if this one works out better to get the front of the red in the frame.



Odie

odie6l

This has been running around near me and I've gotten a couple of shots, but this is by far the best shot. No, no throwing up over the picture please.



Odie

andys120

That's a one-off conversion of a current model BMW 3 Series (E90), presumably it got hit from behind, was totaled and some one decided to make a pickup out of it.

lemko

All are Crosleys. The yellow car is around a 1946-48 Crosley convertible with manually-operated roll-back top. The center car is around a 1950 Crosley Hotshot sports roadster, and the red vehicle is around a 1946-48 Crosley pickup. Looks like this picture was taken somewhere in south central Pennsylvania due to the 717 area code on the sign.

ateixeira

French cars are bizarre but I respect their uniqueness. This car does nothing to change both of those feelings.

lemko

The French copy noone and noone copies the French!

odie6l

Yup... picture taken in Palmyra,Pa (just outside Hershey.) and yes they are all Crosley's.

Odie

odie6l

It is based off a M3. The owner purchased the vehicle at a local public auction and converted it himself. The back is actually the bed of an S-10 Pick-up. After all was said and done he sent copies of all his work to BMW.

BMW M3 V8 Ute Now BMW is going to be producing the truck for European and Australian markets. I'm surprised they are not trying it out here too.

Odie

boomchek

Haha, that was a well done April fool's joke.

Mr_Shiftright

Good catch. I was reading it and thinking "What, has BMW gone completely nuts?"

odie6l

Actually no it was not an April Fools Joke. Top Gear also did a piece on it. At present time it is still in concept form from BMW for the Australia market.
They have been doing testing in and around "The Ring" with it.

Top Gear BMW M3

The one I took the picture of is an actual street legal driver here in Lebanon, PA.

Odie

texases

As the last picture caption says:
"Says here in the specs it'll be available from April 1. Hey, waaaaait a minute..."

It's a prank.

Mr_Shiftright

I think it's a huge mistake if it's for real. The thing is hideous. Maybe in Australia, where utes are pretty common, this might fly, but in the USA and Europe, BMW's image is very important. BMW has trouble sellling large coupes, much less utes.

I mean, could you think of anything more useless than this?

grahampeters

G'day

It is a prank, but some BMW's have been converted, where there has been front end damage. I recall seeing a converted M5 used by some BMW specialist factory as their workshop runaround.

Given the propensity of BMWs to end up backward into snowdrifts and the famously dodgy rear end stability of utilities (many need to carry weight to be stable) it seems like a good idea for killing off BMW drivers. You can make your own judgement if that would be a public benefit.

Cheers

Graham

boomchek

Probably built by some BMW engineers with some extra M3 parts and spare time on their hands. I can't see BMW even considering putting it out on to any market.

kyfdx

...the one picture that I've seen the most is of an E46 (that one is, too... not an E90).. And, it's a performance package car (as is that one), not an M3...

andys120

kyfdx

I'm going to go with '74 Plymouth Volare..

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, yes, 1974, when Chrysler had not yet gotten the message that the world was changing.

wgrafer

I'll agree with our host that it's a Plymouth Volare, BUT I think it's more like a 1976.

Back in the day I worked for a food company that provided company cars, and while I chose a pedestrian '76 Nova, many others jumped at the chance for the more luxurious Volare. HA! I can still remember my feet getting soaked as a co-worker's Volare spit out the radiator contents on the passenger floor!

kyfdx

You are probably correct... that was the year it was COTY..

ateixeira

Now I can't get that Gypsy Kings song out of my head...

Volare, Oh, Oh.
Cantare, Oh-oh-oh-oh!

andys120

Yup, that is the ever-lovin' 1976 Motor Trend COTY, the Plymouth Volare.

ateixeira

They can really pick 'em, eh?

andys120

Plenty of iron in this traffic shot, have at 'em!>

robr2

Up the left traffic line:

Chevelle
BMW 2002?
Some sort of Dodge

Up the right traffice line
Beetle
Chevy Wagon
Plymouth Duster

Parked on right
Buick or Pontiac
For Mustang

andys120

Sorry Robr2, you're only batting about .500

Chevelle... correct but what year/model?
BMW 2002... not even close
Dodge... yep but how about a stab at model?
Beetle...yep can't miss those
Chevy wagon...Model? yr?
Plymouth Duster...Bingo (could be a Dodge Scamp?)
Buick or Pontiac...could be any big GM circa 1969, looks like an Impala to me but could be Buick, Pontiac, Olds
Ford Mustang...yep another easy one, how about year?

Anyone else?

andre1969

I think the Chevelle's a '69, but can't tell the trim level. If it was an SS, it would've said that on the front, right?

The Dodge is an intermediate, I'm thinking '68 Coronet, but can't tell the trim level either.

The Chevy wagon, I'm guessing, is a '68 Impala, or whatever they called the wagon equivalent? Kingswood?

I think that Duster IS a Duster, around a '71-72? The Demon, IIRC, had taillights with vertical slots, and later models were different still.

And the GM 4-door hardtop looks like a '71-74 Buick B-body to me. Either a LeSabre or Centurion.

robr2

Sorry Robr2, you're only batting about .500

If I were in the MLB, that would get me about $25M a year!!

boomchek

The car behind the Chevelle, mistaken as a BMW 2002 is a Fiat 128

robr2

See - I was close. Little, squared off European sub compact.

ateixeira

Pshh, same thing, almost.

andys120

I think the Chevelle's a '69, but can't tell the trim level. If it was an SS, it would've said that on the front, right?

Yup, it's a '68 or '69 Chevelle, not an SS but most likely a Malibu, judging by the grille.

The Dodge is an intermediate, I'm thinking '68 Coronet, but can't tell the trim level either.

That's what I think, a lot of those did taxi duty but not that one.


The Chevy wagon, I'm guessing, is a '68 Impala, or whatever they called the wagon equivalent? Kingswood?

I thought it might be a Chevelle but I can't place that wagon. It's definitely a late 60s/early 70s Chevy but I cant place it. The '68-'69 Chevy wagons didn't have round t/ls IIRC. :confuse:

I think that Duster IS a Duster, around a '71-72? The Demon, IIRC, had taillights with vertical slots, and later models were different still.

I'm not good on MoPars but that works for me.

And the GM 4-door hardtop looks like a '71-74 Buick B-body to me. Either a LeSabre or Centurion.

It's definitely a B-Body but from that angle it looks like a Chevrolet to me, hard to say though.

andys120

The car behind the Chevelle, mistaken as a BMW 2002 is a Fiat 128

Yup, the little 128 was a pioneer, being the first FWD Euro to come to the USA in significant numbers. It helps us date this the photo being one of the newest cars in it. IIRC they started coming here ca. 1971.

Anybody wanna guess year/model of that Mustang?

Anyone recognize where this was taken? It looks a bit like Houston or Delancey street in downtown Manhattan but there isn't a single taxi in all that traffic so it can't be. :confuse:

Mr_Shiftright

Neat little car the 128. My friend had a 128 wagon and I really liked driving it.

andre1969

I thought it might be a Chevelle but I can't place that wagon. It's definitely a late 60s/early 70s Chevy but I cant place it. The '68-'69 Chevy wagons didn't have round t/ls IIRC.

The '68 Chevy had somewhat round-ish taillights, but the '69-70 had more vertical, rectangular lights. It just hit me though...that '68 would be a Bel Air or equivalent wagon model, as the Impala should have three taillights across! I think the Chevelle wagons just had a simple, fairly generic, vertical taillight at the end of the quarter panel.

t's definitely a B-Body but from that angle it looks like a Chevrolet to me, hard to say though.

One telltale feature is the front fenders. Chevys had taller fenders that ended in a bit of a blade at the top. Buicks (and Cadillacs) had low fenders, as well as the outer edge of the hood, and that made the center part of the hood appear taller.

au1994

I think the Mustang is a 69.

kyfdx

It looks a bit like Houston or Delancey street in downtown Manhattan

Hey... I saw that movie!

andys120

I think the Mustang is a 69.

Me too, the notchback body and vinyl roof suggest it's probably a '69 Ford Mustang Grande.

explorerx4

I tried to find Screaming Zonka's Off Price Store, but no luck.

texases

Pretty sure it's a '70-'71 Duster, '72 taillights were wider (that's the year I had).

imidazol97

I think that Mustang has a full roof. I had a 70 Grandé and I think the vinyl was much shorter.

kyfdx

LOL... me, too....

stever

I'm guessing that's Church Street in NYC that you can see on the sign just down the block . Where's Shifty? - he probably shopped at Zonkers a few times.

Mr_Shiftright

If they had anything out on the sidewalk, I probably stole something there. I used to like to prowl around Canal St as a kid. That was really fun.

stever

I'm guessing Zonkers is now the American Barber Institute at 113 Chambers Street. :-)

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, yeah, NYC is all changed. It's a theme park now. It's not even dangerous . What a drag. But I still like to visit, even if poor people don't live there anymore. But after 4-5 days all those people get to me. I feel like they're crawling on me like insects.... :P

andys120

magnette

Ferrari 212 Inter "Berlinetta Aerlux"- Coachwork by Touring - about 1951/2 I would think

andys120

That's exactly right Magnette.