Mystery car pix

uplanderguy

You're right, that is a '65 Impala and that is a '65 Chevelle 300 or 300 Deluxe series--the '64 300 still had the same bright molding smack down the side as the Malibu did and the '65 (like this one) didn't.

bhill2

Wow, Fin, you and your monitor are good! With regard to the red '65 Impala, I still can't pick it out. Where is it with respect to the red '59 Chevy in that row?

fintail

There's some kind of red semi-fastback looking car in the second to right row, almost directly behind the 59 Chevy in the middle of the far right row. The potential Impala is three cars over from the Chevelle with the box on its roof, next to what appears to be a light blue and white 58 Impala and what looks like a black 56 Ford Victoria.

bhill2

OK, I see the one you are talking about. I never would have picked it out. Thanks, Fin.

tmart

link title

Enjoy

uplanderguy

So much for the old saw that old cars didn't last then. There are a lot of cars that are six, seven, or more years old in the photo, when conventional wisdom was that cars were 'used up' at five years back then.

lemko

Some people STILL think that cars are used up in such a short time. I was talking to my friend's wife and she asked what year is my black Cadillac DTS and I answered "2007." She replies, "Isn't it time for a new car?" They just bought a new Tahoe about a month ago to replace their 2009 model.

michaellno

I was talking to my friend's wife and she asked what year is my black Cadillac DTS and I answered "2007." She replies, "Isn't it time for a new car?" They just bought a new Tahoe about a month ago to replace their 2009 model.

Good thing you didn't show her the '89!

fintail

A lot of the older cars still look nice there too, at least from a distance.

I think the pic is from Nebraska, which helps - less rust.

ateixeira

Up!

I'm waiting for the Supercharged model, which will be called:

'Sup!

I'm here all week, folks.

bhill2

Oh yeah. I have wasted many happy hours there. Actually I used it to verify that when the Maverick was first introduced it offered a semi-automatic transmission; an automatic that didn't shift by itself, you had to move the selector manually. So I guess only 99+% of my time was happily wasted.

andys120

stickguy

I miss the 70s!

a white Datsum B210 in the ungainly 2 door style. next to that, a wagon that I originally thought was a pinto, but the windows don't look quite right.

Snazzy Granada in the middle, dual bugs behind it, and I believe a tiny Fiat (though it looks too small to be a 128) next to it.

andys120

I sure don't miss the 70s, there isn't a car in that picture that can get out of its own way.

I don't know what the wagon is (Pinto? Fairmont?) but I think that's a '69ish Nova at the end of the lot next to a Chevy van.

The Fiat is definitely a 128, they were small outside but roomy inside (FWD transverse engine).

fintail

Red wagon off to the left is definitely a Pinto or maybe a Bobcat,

Big wagon in foreground looks like a late 70s downsized GM B-body

lemko

I think I see a 1969 Mercury Montego next to the Chevy van in the background.

andys120

au1994

Is it just me or can you actually see it sagging in the middle?

ateixeira

How odd to see un-tinted windows in a vehicle with that much glass!

Mr_Shiftright

Hope they put some used rails from a Union Pacific deadhead in that frame.

ateixeira

I think Hoffa's in that trunk to this day.

lemko

The car is an airport limousine using the 1960 Chevrolet Parkwood or Nomad wagon as a platform.

bhill2

It's a Parkwood. The Nomad had way more chrome.

berri

I miss the 70s!

Yeah, those vinyl roofs, fake wire wheel covers and plush velour interiors - wonder if I've still got a leisure suit and fake silk shirt in my closet. Bring on the Disco ball and Bee Gees albums!

berri

You know Andys, that 60 wagon almost looks better extended. The regular version had way too many pieces of glass for its length.

hoosiergrandad

Anybody seen stretched 57's ? I think the army had quite a few of them made, some of which have since been limo-ized. Saw a black one for sale at the Auburn auction a few years back.

explorerx4

I saw one of those Murano convertibles on Sunday. It was white with black top. I didn't look completely awful like the light green one's.
The split rear window was still strange.

berri

Weren't most of those stretched 57's Mopars, like Desoto and Chrysler wagons?

andys120

Weren't most of those stretched 57's Mopars, like Desoto and Chrysler wagons?

That's my recollection but in the NY area we also had a lot of stretched Checkers.

hoosiergrandad

I've ridden in stretch Checkers. I'm not remembering the Chryslers and Desotos, though I don't doubt they exist. I've seen a couple of the 57 Chevies....a Google search turns some up.

andys120

au1994

Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice/Vauxhall ??

The Saturn and Pontiac at least were more good ideas from GM that fell flat in the market for one reason or another...timing, execution, performance.

lemko

Here's two rough examples of 1957 Chrysler limos:



Rough one



REALLY rough one

lemko

andre1969

Kind of a tear-jerker, but those were most likely just tired, old, out-of-style used cars when they were finally retired. I know what they are, but I won't say, give others a chance.

I wonder if they're still around, or if that's an old picture? I like the fact they the junkyard owner was thoughtful enough to put the tin down under the cars and raised them up. That probably helped slow the rusting process.

Also, looks like only one of 'em is a 2-door hardtop, with the rest being 4-door sedans. So they're not exactly high-ticket items.

ateixeira

fell flat in the market for one reason or another...timing, execution, performance.

I'm on my 2nd roadster and looked at one of those.

If the pickup truck transmission didn't scare you off, the fact that it weighed some 400 lbs more than a Miata might have.

And if that didn't, then operation of the top would. You had to get out of the car to do that, and it took up the entire trunk. Perhaps the worst folding top design ever.

Beautiful concept, poor execution. I saw the concept live at NAIAS in 2005 or 2006, even met the designer. He was there with his mom, it was cheeky but cute.

The turbo was a good engine but it didn't make it any lighter, and GM to this day has not figured out how to market DI turbos (see Ford: EcoBoost).

texases

"Beautiful concept, poor execution."

How many GM cars fit that description over the years. I was just amazed that, with all the time and money spent on development, there was not a single compelling aspect compared to a Miata. Only the turbo brought it back in the game, but it should have been light enough not to need one. And just COPY the Miata convertible mechanism, fer chrissake!

ateixeira

It did have more leg room, IIRC.

Here's the trunk with the top down:

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachments/f11/4656d1142519281-golf-clubs-tr- - unk-space-pictures-5613145335.jpg

I think you can squeeze 3 sheets of paper in there. Maybe 4, but not Legal sized.

Miata has 5 cubic feet, top up or down, makes no difference.

ateixeira

Speaking of marketing DI turbos...32mpg highway in a full sizer.

URL if you can't see the image:

http://blog.beachford.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2013-Ford-Taurus-300x167.jp- g

andre1969

It did have more leg room, IIRC.

Not from what I remember. I remember sitting in both a Miata and a Solstice or Sky at one of the auto shows, and thinking that the Miata was more comfortable.

However, it's been awhile now so I can't remember WHY, exactly, the Miata was more comfortable. The published legroom measurement could very well be more generous for the GM roadsters, but I just remember feeling more cramped in them. Could've been the steering wheel placement, a dead pedal, console, door panel, or any number of things though.

ateixeira

For $125k you can get a V8 Solistice clone...

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/26/tauro-puts-spanish-flavor-corvette-engine-int- o-pontiac-solstice/

That was the problem, though. They kept trying to add things. They needed a better basis to begin with, and less (weight) not more.

Mr_Shiftright

"How the chassis is able to handle that much power is another matter...."

Yeah, why would you worry about THAT? :surprise:

ateixeira

Truck transmissions can handle a lotta torque.

andre1969

Truck transmissions can handle a lotta torque.

Let's just hope they didn't use the 4L60E out of the half-tons.

ateixeira

IIRC it was the gear box from the Colorado.

To compete head-to-head with the Miata's silky shifter, *the* benchmark.

Think about that for a minute...

andys120

Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice/Vauxhall ??

Nope not a Saturn Sky, Pontiac Solstice or Opel GT. It's the version sold in some markets as the Daewoo G2X.

explorerx4

That's a picture of an SHO (TWIN turbo and DI), with the performance package, which is not going to get 32 mpg on the highway.
It will get there quicker though.

stever

tjc78

I don't know what it is...... but I want it!

Would be perfect for the idiot drivers here in Jersey!

stickguy

forget the drivers, it might be the only thing that can handle the potholes around here.