Mystery car pix

tmart

The chrome detail on the rear fender. Not a Crestline because it's not a hardtop.

lostwrench1

Correct. The middle horizontal on the chrome detail protrudes forward of the other horizontals.

andys120

Boat Tail>

robr2

andys120 said:

Boat Tail>

1971 Buick Riviera boat tail. IMHO, one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

Mr_Shiftright

I just inspected a '71 Riv GS boat tail. They are impressive in real life--they are one of those cars that look better than their photos. Nice cruiser, big honkin' engine. If you want to spend the time and money, you can actually make a pretty good handling car out of them.

The one I looked at was, unfortunately, somewhat neglected.

andys120

You're a little off on the year, but a 1973 Buick Riviera is probably identical to a '71.

andys120

robr2

andys120 said:

You're a little off on the year, but a 1973 Buick Riviera is probably identical to a '71.

Actually it was quite a bit different. In 1973 GM blunted the boat tail and the photo is the more blunted tail. Further, the nose was more vertical than the 71-72.

fintail

Audi Quattro coupe, ca. 1990 - with BC plates, a possible grey market car due to their more free and logical rules.

andys120 said:

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texases

The first year of bumper regs took its toll on that '73. Here's a '71:

Michaell

texases said:

The first year of bumper regs took its toll on that '73. Here's a '71:

Wow ... UK plates. That thing must be a bear to drive on some of the roads there.

stickguy

that, and putting gas in the beast.

I actually prefer the tail on the 73.

andys120

stickguy said:

I actually prefer the tail on the 73.

The beak sticking out back utterly ruins it and wouldn't have been required by new regs.

Mr_Shiftright

I like 'em without the vinyl top because then you can see that crease line in the middle of the roof---the vinyl top completely hides that.

I agree, that new tailbone is not flattering to the overall design.

andys120

tmart

62 Tbird Roadster.

Mr_Shiftright

yes, but is it real or fake?

tmart

Not sure what you mean. The Roadster was a factory available option.

Mr_Shiftright

I mean they are easy to fake. You can buy all the parts. Check with the T-Bird Sports Roadster registry. if you're buying.

andys120

Offically they were called Thunderbird Sport Roadsters but they weren't really very sporty.

Mr_Shiftright

And maybe not even roadsters.

bhill2

Mr_Shiftright said:

I mean they are easy to fake. You can buy all the parts. Check with the T-Bird Sports Roadster registry. if you're buying.

I too am a little confused. My memory is that the "Sports Roadster" was just a convertible with a fiberglass tonneau covering the back area. Did Ford number the tonneaus or make any distinction in serial number between the regular convertible and the Sports Roadster?

Mr_Shiftright

Yes you can identify "real" ones from dealer-installed roadster "packages" but you have to know where to look and what to look for. Not difficult, and some sellers insist that the "original dealer-installed" packages are somehow more authentic than those built by owners later on. I don't see that. The "real" ones have unique identifiers in the VIN and only certain engine options.

andys120

I read recently that a T-bird Sport Roadster went for $40 or $50 Gs at auction. Seems like a lot to me but I've never really liked any post-'57 Bird.

Mr_Shiftright

They can bring that kind of money if they're "real" and very nice.

andys120

Barn finds>

stickguy

well, it's a Ferrari and a Maserati. And, just wrong.

bhill2

Mr_Shiftright said:

Yes you can identify "real" ones from dealer-installed roadster "packages" but you have to know where to look and what to look for. Not difficult, and some sellers insist that the "original dealer-installed" packages are somehow more authentic than those built by owners later on. I don't see that. The "real" ones have unique identifiers in the VIN and only certain engine options.

OK, I'm intrigued enough to follow this for one more round. If they used a unique VIN, the package must be more than just the tonneau. What else is different? Was there mounting hardware that had to be added?

bhill2

andys120 said:

I read recently that a T-bird Sport Roadster went for $40 or $50 Gs at auction. Seems like a lot to me but I've never really liked any post-'57 Bird.

I kind of liked the '58-'60, despite being less than pleased at their going to a four passenger style. I also liked the '64-'66. The '61-'63, not so much. My father referred to them a 'Blunderturds', and I generally agree.

Mr_Shiftright

I think the package was the clip-on tonneau cover, Kelsey Hayes wire wheels and a sporty grab bar for the passenger, and that was about it.

bhill2 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Yes you can identify "real" ones from dealer-installed roadster "packages" but you have to know where to look and what to look for. Not difficult, and some sellers insist that the "original dealer-installed" packages are somehow more authentic than those built by owners later on. I don't see that. The "real" ones have unique identifiers in the VIN and only certain engine options.

OK, I'm intrigued enough to follow this for one more round. If they used a unique VIN, the package must be more than just the tonneau. What else is different? Was there mounting hardware that had to be added?</blockqu

tmart

How in the world did they get them in the garage?

fintail

Carefully.

I see this must be in France. Ferrari is probably a 250GT of some kind, Maserati is from the mid 50s.

Edit: I just read about this elsewhere - Ferrari is indeed something special, and there were many other cars in the hoard, too.

Mr_Shiftright

You'd be amazed what people do with old cars. I have personally seen them on:

rooftops of industrial buildings
stacked on top of one another with a forklift
buried
hanging from trees

tmart

Good article on Yahoo with pictures. Unreal!

slorenzen

Mr_Shiftright said:

You'd be amazed what people do with old cars. I have personally seen them on:

rooftops of industrial buildings
stacked on top of one another with a forklift
buried
hanging from trees

Years ago I was in Tokyo on the 40th floor downtown. next door was a slightly shorter building that housed an aviation school, where they had assembled a Cessna 172 on a patio.

andys120

fintail said:

Carefully.

I see this must be in France. Ferrari is probably a 250GT of some kind, Maserati is from the mid 50s.

Edit: I just read about this elsewhere - Ferrari is indeed something special, and there were many other cars in the hoard, too.

Yup, these are supposedly part of a barn find in southern France that included Bugattis, Ferraris
Facel Vegas and other valuable cars. The Ferrari on the left is one of the most valuable of all the Prancing Horse cars, a 250GT Spider California believed to have been owned by film star Alain Delon (Borsalino, The Leopard, Is Paris Burning?)


The Maser is a 1956 A6G/2.0bodied by Frua, a splendid car from what I've read.

andys120

fintail

BMW E21 Baur, probably something odd like a 323i. I had a couple of similar, but E30 based, toy cars when I was a kid.

andys120 said:

andys120

You're exactly right Fin, it's an E21 BMW 323i/Baur Cabriolet (1978-81).
There were 2002 and E30 versions too but they stopped making them once BMW introduced the E30 convertible. The Baur has been aptly described as "a 3er with a hat."

andys120

grahampeters

G'day

An Autobianchi, obviously from the name on the grille. I think this derived from the Fiat 500 or 850 and was the Bianchina. This one is a Panoramica but some of the other derivatives are interesting looking as well.

Cheers

Graham

berri

So Andys - BMW basically copied Lois lane's early 50's Rambler convertible in the old Superman TV shows

andys120

berri said:

So Andys - BMW basically copied Lois lane's early 50's Rambler convertible in the old Superman TV shows

Can't argue w that>

andys120

grahampeters said:

G'day

An Autobianchi, obviously from the name on the grille. I think this derived from the Fiat 500 or 850 and was the Bianchina. This one is a Panoramica but some of the other derivatives are interesting looking as well.

Cheers

Graham

You have very sharp eyes my friend. The Autobianchi Panoramica was basically an estate version of the Bianchine, itself a tarted up Fiat 500.

stever

And now for something completely different. Hint - it's from one of the Big 3.

tmart

Fordite.

stever

Wow, that was fast.

Fordite: A Jewel Made From Layers of Old Car Paint (amusingplanet.com)

grahampeters

stever said:

Wow, that was fast.

Fordite: A Jewel Made From Layers of Old Car Paint (amusingplanet.com)

G'day

My initial thought was swatches of fabric stacked together and cut (common technique for making multiple identical objects in different colourways)

However, the explanation of Fordite is fascinating. If it occurred today, it would be all silvers, muted metallics, black and white. Judy quite fancies a piece.

Cheers

Graham

andys120

jwilliams2

'61 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe...bubble top....Nice car...