Mystery car pix

andys120

I saw this one today>

fintail

Saw in real life?

Some variety of Ferrari 212 or 340, perhaps.

@andys120 said:
I saw this one today>

andys120

@fintail said:
Saw in real life?

Some variety of Ferrari 212 or 340, perhaps.

Yes, Fin it's a **1952 Ferrari 212 Export ** , body by Touring Superleggera. I saw this car at the Bonham's Auction site in Scottsdale yesterday and was blown away by it. I have seen many photos of this car, one of Ferrari's first street Berlinettas, but no photo captures the beauty of this car, a reminder of the svelte aggressiveness that used to characterize Ferrari automobiles. The 212 Export stood out in a sea of outstanding cars at Bonham's.

Mr_Shiftright

Those are pretty cars but you wouldn't really want to drive one very often.

andys120

@MrShift@Edmunds said:
Those are pretty cars but you wouldn't really want to drive one very often.

I was happy just to see one but what's the problem with driving it?

Mr_Shiftright

Well they're kinda primitive---hot, noisy, temperamental, marginal brakes. As Enzo used to say "We sell you the motor..the rest of the car is free".

andys120

Well it's a 1951 car and hardly any of those were all that nice to drive. I saw a new Pagoni Huar--whatever today and wondered why anyone would pay huge money for such an ugly car with no motor racing heritage whatever.

berri

Always seemed a bit ironic to me that older cars look nicer, but don't drive nearly as well - But go rest-mod and update suspension, drivetrain, etc. and you'll generally get looked down upon. Life's a B.... sometimes

texases

@berri said:
Always seemed a bit ironic to me that older cars look nicer, but don't drive nearly as well - But go rest-mod and update suspension, drivetrain, etc. and you'll generally get looked down upon. Life's a B.... sometimes

Only thing I mind on resto-mods is when they go with modern ultra-low-profile tires on modern rims (like Foose). Just doesn't look right to me:

uplanderguy

I agree...although that is absolutely, positively my favorite year 'Vette--1962. Kingpins are the same as a '49 Chevy per the parts manual, but I don't care. Nothing says "Route 66" to me more than that year 'Vette.

texases

And that '62 isn't too bad. This is more what I was talking about:

berri

Nothing says "Route 66" to me more than that year 'Vette.

I think most people associate RT 66 with something like a Vette. Might have to do with the TV series? Now you know my sometimes unusual vehicle likes (such as 59 Chevy, 62 downsized Mopars, etc.) so I have a different take. Route 66 for me means a nice big V8 like a Chrysler 300 or Olds 98. Big engine for speed, but big chassis and suspension for comfort.

andys120

@texases said:

Only thing I mind on resto-mods is when they go with modern ultra-low-profile tires on modern rims (like Foose). Just doesn't look right to me:

If you think that 'Vette looks odd you should see some of the screwy resto-mods I've seen at the Scottsdale Auctions this week, for example a very nice '61 Continental convertible with chrome "dubs" similar to those in your Corvette photo.

That's just wrong!

andys120

Hemi power>

grahampeters

@andys120 said:
Hemi power>

G'day

Looks Italian but not quite. Wheels scream America taste, but not sure whether they are original.

Clap hand wipers are not ringing any bells.

Cheers

Graham

explorerx4

@grahampeters said:

'Clap Hand' wipers, I like that. My Fusion has them and I still find them a bit unusual after almost a year.

grahampeters

@grahampeters said:

G'day

This has been nagging at me all day.

It looks like a similar hand to the Vignale designed Ferrari 225

http://www.boldride.com/ride/1952/ferrari-225-sport-berlinetta-vignale#gallery/3

Therefore I am guessing Vignale on American chassis

Cheers

Graham

Mr_Shiftright

It's a Cunningham C3, and you're right, Vignale built but....Michelotti designed.

andys120

Mystery motor>

texases

@andys120 said:
Mystery motor>

Some version of the Rover/British Leyland 3.5l V8 (from Buick)?

andys120

@texases said:
Some version of the Rover/British Leyland 3.5l V8 (from Buick)?

Keerect, apparently the Rover/B-L Buick aluminum V8 was lighter than the cast iron four that originally went in these>

Mr_Shiftright

Oh that's an MG engine compartment, so it must be the MGB GT V8, using...yes...the Buick-Rover 3.5. This car never came to the states. They only made maybe 2600 of them, and since most MGBs were efficient iron-oxide mining operations, there are probably very view of these to be seen anymore. No roadsters, only coupes. GM gave up on the aluminum alloy version of this engine due to lots of problems with cooling, leaks, corrosion, rocker arms, etc. but Rover stuck with it and squared the engine away eventually. I think GM used an iron V-6 version of this engine for quite a while.

andys120

Yup, that's a 1974 MGB-GT, obviously non-US spec (note little bumpers).

Mr_Shiftright

That'd be a neat car to own--nice little hatchback V8.

andys120

I can't help but think that if B-L had been smart enough to Federalize it properly and sell it here the 240Z would have been a lot less of a sensation.

grahampeters

@andys120 said:
Mystery motor>

G'day

A remarkably original MGB GT V8 engine bay. The air cleaners and carburettors usually seem to be replaced.

Beats me how they fitted it in - there is not a lot of space in an MGB engine bay. Says something about the compact size of the Buick/Oldsmobile engine. Rover actually found it originally when an executive noticed one lying on the floor at Carl Kiekhaefer' Mercury Marine, during a visit to the USA.

Have just searched this fascinating article that I recall reading a long time ago http://www.britishv8.org/articles/rover-autocar-article.htm

Cheers

Graham

andys120

New>

magnette

@andys120 said:

I always wanted an MGBGT V8 - and we did get those with american bumpers oo as they were sold here during the period when they changed over to those for the regular MGB. If they hade made the car look a little different fro the ordinary MGB they probably would have been able to sell it for more, too.

Mr_Shiftright

Weren't there conversions done by Costello as well in the UK?

lemko

@texases said:
Some version of the Rover/British Leyland 3.5l V8 (from Buick)?

The nearly vertical valve covers and distributor in the front suggest a Buick engine. Is this the 215 V-8 that was used in Rovers?

magnette

@MrShift@Edmunds said:
Weren't there conversions done by Costello as well in the UK?

Yes - Costello did conversions - of the GT and roadster - before BL got roound to it - and they used engines tuned for the Rover 3.5 rather than the slightly detuned Rnage Rover versions MG used.

• It was a great conversion - the only space there is in the engine bay is along the sides of the 1.8 block, so it lends itself to installing a wider engine like the V8 which weighs virtually the same and is so much more powerful.
• For the MGC they had to install a straight six, which was much harder - the 3 litre lump was much heavier and deeper / longer - so the frnot end geometry was all altered too.
  The other mistake Leyland perpetrated (they made many at the time) was developing a 3litre V8 engine for the Triumph Stag - the Rover 3.5 fitted that too, and was developed already - the Triumph engine was a bad choice.

andys120

@lemko said:
The nearly vertical valve covers and distributor in the front suggest a Buick engine. Is this the 215 V-8 that was used in Rovers?

Yup, the engineers at British-Leyland decided that the light and compact Buick 215 would be ideal for various Rovers and Land-Rovers. One of the first applications was in this car>

Eventually the Rover-Buick 3.5 litre V8 was used in Morgans, TVRs and others that I've forgotten.

magnette

@andys120 said:
New>

Alfa Romeo 4C - looks a nice car...

andys120

Yep, it's the new Alfa 4C.

andys120

stickguy

mid-60's Volvo 122 or 123GT (not sure how you tell the difference from the outside).

neat car, but someone needs to put the antennae back on it.

Mr_Shiftright

One of my favorite cars--tough as nails, easy to work on.

andys120

Yup, that's a 1967 Volvo 123GT, apparently one the rarest versions of the Amazon Series.

andys120

A red spot in a sea of yellow>

stickguy

nice moving van. That is a circa 1970 Fiat 850 sport spyder. My sister had one in yellow. what a junker. But at least it was easy to push.

andys120

That's right Stickguy. The 850 Sport Spider was the exception to the usual practice of the era which was to have Pinifarina style the cabrios (Alfa Duetto, Fiat 124) and have Bertone do the coupes. That is a Bertone emblem on the side of the red roadster.

I know a guy who has one.

andys120

Michaell

@andys120 said:

Lamborghini Muira.

andys120

That's right Michaell, it's a ****'72 Lamborghini Miura**** at one of the Scottsdale auctions in 2012.

andys120

robr2

Fiat X-1/9

stickguy

those bumpers are just criminally nasty on that car. Yuck.

grahampeters

@stickguy said:
those bumpers are just criminally nasty on that car. Yuck.

There is a whole generation of cars whose beauty was desecrated by US bumpers (although the underlying laws and consequences of the bumpers were excellent). I think MGs suffered worst although a lot of pretty Fiats lost their charm.

Cheers

Graham

fintail

Did someone say unsightly bumpers?

grahampeters

@fintail said:
Did someone say unsightly bumpers?

Happilly we did not see them down under. However, smaller scale manufacturers sent some American bumper cars our way.

However, you could at least stand on these shockers

Cheers

Graham