I was pondering the impact of bumpers and trims on ability to identify cars a day or two ago. We have friends with a specialist workshop for very expensive cars. I wss in there recently and noticed an Alfa Montreal, which I think is one of the most beautiful cars ever made.. However, stripped of trim, I was hard placed to pick whether it was a an Alfa, Lancia or Fiat.
oh, the MG rubber snouts have to be the worst of them all. especially since they had to compound the hideousness by jacking the whole car up a few inches to make them high enough.
Nobody will ever accuse the DOT and friends of being smart or progressive. For a long time, the US was way behind the curve in lighting technology. Funny thing, some in Europe will convert their proper looking cars to US style lights, because it is different (and on W108/109, quad lights = V8, a status symbol).
@bhill2 said:
Forget the bumpers, the real crime on these was requiring the replacement of the European headlights with those ridiculous round ones.
Those bumpers sure messed up everything but the bigger cars like your Mercs wore them better than the little sports cars of the day like the X-1/9, the MG-B and the TR6. The new safety and emiissions regs spelled the doom of some great cars like the Healey 3000,
the Alfa Sprint GTV and others.
I like the look too, lots of people prefer the two light look of the later models but I think the 1965 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 looks more aggressive and more unique with the four headlights.
Here's a 1967 version>
The nomenclature on these is a bit confusing. I was a big fan of the 250GT2+2 and 330GT 2+2 back in the day and never saw them referred to as "GTE"s. I think that term came into use sometime recently. I've read that the E is for estendo (It. for "extended".)
Pontiac borrowed the 2+2 name, as it did GTO, from Ferrari and used it to name a variant of the Catalina two-door in '66-'67.
Yes, a 1962 DKW Junior. Not many of these came to the US but a few did. I recall the early 1960s as a kind of golden age of oddball European cars. Spurred on by the success of Volkswagen, Renault and MG Lancia, DKW, Saab, Skoda, DAF, Abarth, Humber, Daimler, Fiat, Citroen, NSU and many others jumped in. Most were gone in a few short years.
re: 60s, definitely the golden age of the automobile. Even with the insane competency of modern cars, the style and variety of that era was unmatchable.
Fiat 127 from the era where bright colours were popular. I think this is a late 70's model as early ones had the bonnet dip down more into the grille area.
A friend at University had one in green, but I can't remember it being that vivid, Mind you, I had a Mitsubishi Galant in approximately the yellow/green now used for fluorescent safety vests. I loved it but my now-wife thought it hideous. She regularly tells my children how dire the colour was. However, it had four wheels and ran reliably, a major plus.
Yup, that's right Graham. We didn't get the Fiat 127 in the USA, but for those who don't know it was based on the same mechanicals and chassis as the Fiat 850, a descendant of the redoubtable 500/600 series.
No takers on my Sebring race car? Admittedly race cars are bit off-topic here but this particular racers uses the tubular space frame of a well-known production sports car and a motor based on a well-known street motor.
Yep it's Pete Brock's redesign of the Shelby Cobra Roadster. Building the** Cobra Daytona coupe** was undertaken when Shelby decided to contest the Grand Touring title in the World Manufacturer's Championship. The light powerful Cobra roadsters had little trouble beating the Corvettes and Jags in production sports car racing but got pretty squirrelly when they tried to stay with Ferrari's potent new 250 GTO on high speed circuits like Sebring and LeMans.
Brock's coupe bodywork used many of the techniques employed by the GTO to improve aerodynamics and stability at speed. The early example seen above lacks a tail spoiler but was driven by Cobra ace Dave McDonald and Dr. Dick Thompson to a GT Class win at Sebring in 1964. The following year improved versions took the WMC from Ferrari.
1954 Buick Special.
The roof position reminds me of the "Slow Drags" segment of a car event I attended a few times in Mass. The car with the slowest time down the short strip was the winner. No braking allowed, no stopping allowed, the car had to be in constant motion. Stop and you were out of the competition. Plus there were a few 2x4s across the strip to make things more interesting. If there was a head wind, convertibles would go down the strip with the roof position as shown.
Lostwrench is right, it's a **1954 Buick Century **. I was hoping someone would see the Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels and mistake it for a Skylark but there's no fooling you guys. Skylarks alone among '53--'54 Buicks had no portholes, '54s also sported small chromed finlets and to my knowledge did not wear two tones. At $29.5K this Century could make a nice alternative to the very expensive Skylarks (typicall six figures).
The Century was the Buick to have in those days. They used the small "Special" body and had the Roadmaster engines. Very fast cars in their day.
It was amazing how many different models they made. You could buy a two door sedan, two door hardtop, four door sedan or hardtop, station wagons or convertibles in every one of those models and the color combinations were endless! Dealers must have gone nuts trying to balance their inventories.
Bingo for robr2! It's called the Corsa Utility in Africe and the Chevy Tornado in Mexico. Apparently GM thought about bringing it over here during the 2008 recession but, alas, never did. Maybe the SSR spooked them?
Probably, in that ever-insightful bean-counter way. "well, y'all didn't like the overpriced overweight gas-sucking sportscar that looked like a truck, so y'all obviously ain't gonna like the economical useful version."
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well not bringing the Montana was more the result of that bankruptcy thing. I doubt anyone was interested in proposing the investment it would take to build it in North America to avoid the chicken tax....
GM already makes the vehicle in Mexico, and with the demise of the compact pickup truck in America, it might fill a nice slot for people who do not want elephantine trucks with 400 HP that go 140 mph to haul a sack of potting soil and a new rake home in a 2 mile trip.
@stickguy said:
Looks like a mutant child of an IH travelall and a rambler wagon. With wheels that make me think jeep and a hood line that looks like an Opel kadette
Comments
Yep, as I call them, "park benches"
G'day
I was pondering the impact of bumpers and trims on ability to identify cars a day or two ago. We have friends with a specialist workshop for very expensive cars. I wss in there recently and noticed an Alfa Montreal, which I think is one of the most beautiful cars ever made.. However, stripped of trim, I was hard placed to pick whether it was a an Alfa, Lancia or Fiat.
Cheers
Graham
oh, the MG rubber snouts have to be the worst of them all. especially since they had to compound the hideousness by jacking the whole car up a few inches to make them high enough.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Forget the bumpers, the real crime on these was requiring the replacement of the European headlights with those ridiculous round ones.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Nobody will ever accuse the DOT and friends of being smart or progressive. For a long time, the US was way behind the curve in lighting technology. Funny thing, some in Europe will convert their proper looking cars to US style lights, because it is different (and on W108/109, quad lights = V8, a status symbol).
Those bumpers sure messed up everything but the bigger cars like your Mercs wore them better than the little sports cars of the day like the X-1/9, the MG-B and the TR6. The new safety and emiissions regs spelled the doom of some great cars like the Healey 3000,
the Alfa Sprint GTV and others.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Four lights>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
330GTE?
I don't mind that look, very 60s.
I like the look too, lots of people prefer the two light look of the later models but I think the 1965 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 looks more aggressive and more unique with the four headlights.
Here's a 1967 version>
The nomenclature on these is a bit confusing. I was a big fan of the 250GT2+2 and 330GT 2+2 back in the day and never saw them referred to as "GTE"s. I think that term came into use sometime recently. I've read that the E is for estendo (It. for "extended".)
Pontiac borrowed the 2+2 name, as it did GTO, from Ferrari and used it to name a variant of the Catalina two-door in '66-'67.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
DKW Junior
Yes, a 1962 DKW Junior. Not many of these came to the US but a few did. I recall the early 1960s as a kind of golden age of oddball European cars. Spurred on by the success of Volkswagen, Renault and MG Lancia, DKW, Saab, Skoda, DAF, Abarth, Humber, Daimler, Fiat, Citroen, NSU and many others jumped in. Most were gone in a few short years.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Fiat 1-something.
re: 60s, definitely the golden age of the automobile. Even with the insane competency of modern cars, the style and variety of that era was unmatchable.
Fiat 127 from the era where bright colours were popular. I think this is a late 70's model as early ones had the bonnet dip down more into the grille area.
A friend at University had one in green, but I can't remember it being that vivid, Mind you, I had a Mitsubishi Galant in approximately the yellow/green now used for fluorescent safety vests. I loved it but my now-wife thought it hideous. She regularly tells my children how dire the colour was. However, it had four wheels and ran reliably, a major plus.
Cheers
Graham
Yup, that's right Graham. We didn't get the Fiat 127 in the USA, but for those who don't know it was based on the same mechanicals and chassis as the Fiat 850, a descendant of the redoubtable 500/600 series.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
1964 Sebring 12hours>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Studebaker imported the DKW in the late '50's/early '60's.
No takers on my Sebring race car? Admittedly race cars are bit off-topic here but this particular racers uses the tubular space frame of a well-known production sports car and a motor based on a well-known street motor.
Here it is again>
Going..going...
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
That's a Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
Unlike my Shelby Daytona.
Oooohhhh. I had an '87.
Yep it's Pete Brock's redesign of the Shelby Cobra Roadster. Building the** Cobra Daytona coupe** was undertaken when Shelby decided to contest the Grand Touring title in the World Manufacturer's Championship. The light powerful Cobra roadsters had little trouble beating the Corvettes and Jags in production sports car racing but got pretty squirrelly when they tried to stay with Ferrari's potent new 250 GTO on high speed circuits like Sebring and LeMans.
Brock's coupe bodywork used many of the techniques employed by the GTO to improve aerodynamics and stability at speed. The early example seen above lacks a tail spoiler but was driven by Cobra ace Dave McDonald and Dr. Dick Thompson to a GT Class win at Sebring in 1964. The following year improved versions took the WMC from Ferrari.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Tu-tones>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Buick. 1955 century or special?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
1954 Buick Special.
The roof position reminds me of the "Slow Drags" segment of a car event I attended a few times in Mass. The car with the slowest time down the short strip was the winner. No braking allowed, no stopping allowed, the car had to be in constant motion. Stop and you were out of the competition. Plus there were a few 2x4s across the strip to make things more interesting. If there was a head wind, convertibles would go down the strip with the roof position as shown.
Lostwrench is right, it's a **1954 Buick Century **. I was hoping someone would see the Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels and mistake it for a Skylark but there's no fooling you guys. Skylarks alone among '53--'54 Buicks had no portholes, '54s also sported small chromed finlets and to my knowledge did not wear two tones. At $29.5K this Century could make a nice alternative to the very expensive Skylarks (typicall six figures).
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
The Century was the Buick to have in those days. They used the small "Special" body and had the Roadmaster engines. Very fast cars in their day.
It was amazing how many different models they made. You could buy a two door sedan, two door hardtop, four door sedan or hardtop, station wagons or convertibles in every one of those models and the color combinations were endless! Dealers must have gone nuts trying to balance their inventories.
Beige>
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Pristine looking 81-83 Toyota 4x4, wheels maybe from an 85-88 4-Runner.
My brother has a 1983 Toyota with similar new wave graphics, not as nice, but it was $800 - he loves the old thing:
If it is a Century, WHY does it have "Special" on the side?
Because I messed up, it is in fact a '54 Buick Special, not a Century, my bad
Good eye Tmart.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Yup it's an '82 Toyota SR-5 4x4 pickup.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Big Red - I wonder if that is the original color. Looks like it has flag mounts.
W100 600 SWB - impossible to tell the year, but I see it has side marker lights, so I will make a random guess of 1969.
Pretty darn good guess Fin, especially considering the 600 was made from 1963-81. You're only a year off, the SWB shown is a 1970 model.
I was struck by the color too, unusual for a big limo but nice IMO. I don't know if I've ever actually seen a SWB W100.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Hmmm... Chevy-badged Aussie styled mini-Ute, probably Daewoo-built on an Opel platform for
Latin American and/or Asian markets.
No idea what it's called but how'm I doing?
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I want one
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Chevy Montana - Corsa based ute sold around the world. Built in Brazil and South Africa.
Bingo for robr2! It's called the Corsa Utility in Africe and the Chevy Tornado in Mexico. Apparently GM thought about bringing it over here during the 2008 recession but, alas, never did. Maybe the SSR spooked them?
Looks like a mutant child of an IH travelall and a rambler wagon. With wheels that make me think jeep and a hood line that looks like an Opel kadette
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Probably, in that ever-insightful bean-counter way. "well, y'all didn't like the overpriced overweight gas-sucking sportscar that looked like a truck, so y'all obviously ain't gonna like the economical useful version."
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well not bringing the Montana was more the result of that bankruptcy thing. I doubt anyone was interested in proposing the investment it would take to build it in North America to avoid the chicken tax....
GM already makes the vehicle in Mexico, and with the demise of the compact pickup truck in America, it might fill a nice slot for people who do not want elephantine trucks with 400 HP that go 140 mph to haul a sack of potting soil and a new rake home in a 2 mile trip.
Nope, not Germanic.