Mystery car pix

stickguy

I think the 2005 series TL was really good looking.

berri

Personally, I think Honda is losing some mojo and maybe needs some new management. Quality seems to have dropped a bit and sales are down. In fact, I read that the big selling CRV took a hit too. Meanwhile Acura appears to be a one pony player with the MDX.

stickguy

companies do get stale after a while. And sometimes it does take a shakeup. But, seems from what I read (putting aside the ring pin issue!) that the Civic overall is a major improvement. And I thought the CRV was still cranking along. Pilot was a nice job too. Though sales are sales.

berri

It seems that the current CRV maybe cut a few corners and owners are beginning to notice???

stever

The CR-V is usually one of the most researched cars here. They had some vibration issues with the 2015 model (new engine) but that's been worked out.

kyfdx

berri said:

It seems that the current CRV maybe cut a few corners and owners are beginning to notice???

Maybe.. but, outside of full-size pickups, I think the CR-V is one of the best selling vehicles in the U.S. For the first 10 years, it was a niche vehicle, and now it's a mainstream top-seller.

andys120

kyfdx said:

berri said:

It seems that the current CRV maybe cut a few corners and owners are beginning to notice???

Maybe.. but, outside of full-size pickups, I think the CR-V is one of the best selling vehicles in the U.S. For the first 10 years, it was a niche vehicle, and now it's a mainstream top-seller.

AFAIK the CR-V is hugely popular despite being (IMO) possibly the ugliest Honda ever mass-produced. I think it's close to being their top-seller.

andys120

Michaell

andys120 said:

Mid to late 80's Renault Alliance convertible.

andys120

Mid to late 80's Renault Alliance convertible.

Exactemente. It's an '85. The Alliance sedan was a moderate seller, convertibles, IIRC, were fairly rare.

stever

Antique car ID help needed. Thanks!

Mr_Shiftright

been there, done that.

magnette

Try another one?

fintail

I think that's a Toyopet Tiara. Those were actually sold here, and a few still exist.

magnette said:

Try another one?

magnette

fintail said:

I think that's a Toyopet Tiara. Those were actually sold here, and a few still exist.

magnette said:

Try another one?






That was quick Fin.
We didn't start to see Toyotas here until the Corolla in about 1966.
First Japanese car sold here breiflwas the Daihatsu Compagno - never saw one on the road at the time but that was because they were only sold in London I tinkered I was a kid in wales -although I did see neat the London Motor show in 1964, I believe.
First Japanese cars we saw in Wales were Honda S800s in about 1966/

magnette

That was quick Fin.
We didn't start to see Toyotas here until the Corolla in about 1966.
First Japanese car sold here breiflwas the Daihatsu Compagno - never saw one on the road at the time but that was because they were only sold in London I tinkered I was a kid in wales -although I did see neat the London Motor show in 1964, I believe.
First Japanese cars we saw in Wales were Honda S800s in about 1966/

fintail

I think the first Japanese cars sold in NA were early Datsuns, starting in 1957 or 1958. I've never seen one - something like this:

Mr_Shiftright

Saw this on Bring a Trailer today: I never even knew this car existed:

Michaell

Mr_Shiftright said:

Saw this on Bring a Trailer today: I never even knew this car existed:

Toyota Crown? JDM only.

fintail

Toyota Century, maybe 2000 or so, I assume it is in Canuckistan/

Now that our asinine 25 year laws have met with the passage of time and more reliable/interesting 1990s stuff can come in, these will be occasional sights. If I was going to do a private import from Japan, a Century would be at the top of my list. I would probably hold out for a later one with a V12 though, pair it up with a V12 W140.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Saw this on Bring a Trailer today: I never even knew this car existed:

Mr_Shiftright

Nope not a Crown. Here's the engine:

fintail

I said Century

V12 makes it 1997 or newer I think - too new to be let in here, but wait another 6 years.

Mr_Shiftright

Michael said Crown, but your post wasn't up yet.

I think they still make these cars. Some crazyman put one of these engines in a Porsche 928.

stickguy

I had to look that up. Only one in country? I believe it.

fintail

Oops, my bad. Yep, they still make them - I think they go to old royalty and for other official use, mostly. Another cool thing we have to wait for, but is importable almost anywhere else.

And for 11.5K loonies, which is around $8300.

magnette

We had at least a couple of those Toyota Century's in London - belonging to the Japanese embassy. I had an interesting discussion with an embassy security man and one of ours probably from the diplomatic protection team about that car when I photographed it round the back of the embassy one day - all very pleasant but still.... Sadly not a digital photo but I will find it somewhere and scan it in perhaps.

Had more lively discussion another time when I photographed a limo - not on diplomatic plates - round the corner from one of the more sensitive embassies - I just wanted to photograph the car but got some windows at the back of the Syrian or Lebanese embassy - one of those anyway - in my picture. All got calmed down eventually but exciting for a minute or two.

It is quite interesting walking round the embassy district in the middle of town - we must have pretty much a full house of countries represented (there is even a North Korean delegation somewhere in the suburbs although I've never seen that) - and it is of course also the place to see various supercars because the locals tend to be rich beyond ones wildest dreams. So you can be looking at a car in the street innocently and find you are being watched by a large chap on some nearby doorstep.

Once photographed an old MG in the street and the next building turned out to be the home of one of our former Prime Ministers. Again coppers on the door - although they were just chatting about the car - I didn't set off any alarm bells.

fintail

I suppose some of the dirtier parts of the brave diplomatic world and the fine hardworking creators who make London a money laundering capital don't like to be watched. Which is amusing with CCTV surveillance grid in the area. I remember seeing a Lexus LS at the Japanese Embassy in Berlin, and remarking to myself that it might be the only such car in the city. Probably safer to take a pic there.

I've had people come up and take pics of the fintail before, or do it when I was at a distance. It amuses me.

magnette

Yes - there are a lot of people who don't like their wealth / power / fame to be overseen. And we are more overseen than most with CCTV - although you get used to it..

andys120

Michaell

1st generation M3 Cabrio. Not factory spec, IIRC.

kyfdx

Cutting the top off is never a good thing.

andys120

Michaell said:

1st generation M3 Cabrio. Not factory spec, IIRC.

Au contraire, the factory did make a few hundred E30 M3 Cabrios but none ever went to the US. I didn't know such a thing existed either. I must say this version looks better for lacking the trunk mounted wing seen on the tin-top versions.

andys120

magnette

VW Brasilia - late 70's. I think they never sold the four door in Brazil itself but it was exported widely in Latin America and a version was assembled in Nigeria, although I doubt this was one of those - apart from anything else the lights look different from the Nigerian version.

andys120

It's a 1980 VW Brasilia. I saw plenty of the two-doors when I was in Rio in '76 but don't recall any of the 4/5 doors, so perhaps it is either a later variant or one not sold in Brazil. Anyone know?

grahampeters

fintail said:

I think the first Japanese cars sold in NA were early Datsuns, starting in 1957 or 1958. I've never seen one - something like this:

G'day

I think was from the mid/late 1950s when you could still see hints of Austin origins in Datsun designs.

Not sure of exact model but it reminds me of the Austin designed London cab of a slightly earlier era.

Cheers

GRaham

magnette

andys120 said:

It's a 1980 VW Brasilia. I saw plenty of the two-doors when I was in Rio in '76 but don't recall any of the 4/5 doors, so perhaps it is either a later variant or one not sold in Brazil. Anyone know?

I have a book called Volkswagens of the World and in that it says the Brasilia was made in Brazil as a four door but not sold there as one.

iluvmysephia1

Not sure of their intent and marketing strategy because this import closely resembles another car this company sent to America the same year for sale here.

stickguy

I did happen to be walking by the Toyata stand at the car show when one of the reps was doing a little "quiz show" for kids, and the question I heard was "how long has Toyata been in the U.S.?" Answer was 58 years.

iluvmysephia1

So that would be 1958 that Toyota got here. That little bugger above is for sale in St.Louis at a Classic Car dealer. 1.5L 4 cyl. IIRC. I like it - I like it a lot! Oh, it's 4 doors, too. I've got to run down a price - I'm on a spending moratorium but I like to dream.

Oh, stick or anyone else, the above orange import is not a Toyota.

stever

Anyone up on their mystery steering wheels?

fintail

Datsun 411?

iluvmysephia1 said:

Not sure of their intent and marketing strategy because this import closely resembles another car this company sent to America the same year for sale here.

bhill2

iluvmysephia1 said:

So that would be 1958 that Toyota got here. That little bugger above is for sale in St.Louis at a Classic Car dealer. 1.5L 4 cyl. IIRC. I like it - I like it a lot! Oh, it's 4 doors, too. I've got to run down a price - I'm on a spending moratorium but I like to dream.

Oh, stick or anyone else, the above orange import is not a Toyota.

Indeed it's not. It is the first Datsun sedan I remember seeing in (relatively) large numbers (at least in the Seattle area). I want to say it was a model 311, but I'm not sure.

iluvmysephia1

Datsun 411?

You got it, fin. It's a 1968 Datsun Bluebird 411. The ad says "Italian Pinanfarini styling", and, you know, the little buzzbomb's styling is spot-on to me. What's weird to me is Datsun brought their 510 coupe/sedan/wagon in 1968, too, and the small square body design is almost the same.

iluv has some more research ta do - I am so used to fuel injection now that a carbureted engine would almost seem a labor of...love at this time. A second rig for Midwestern weekend fun runs? Mrs. iluv is on my other shoulder, though.

berri

I had a girlfriend many, many years ago in Georgia during the 70's that drove something like that Datsun, except I remember it being a darker red with black interior. It was a 4 speed stick if memory servers me. But it gets hot in GA and no A/C. So one summer weekend she left the windows opened. Not smart. Something, I believe a cat perhaps, used it as a urinal. That stink never went away. On a positive note, it probably kept any rat's nests at bay!

iluvmysephia1

Well that's more information than I thought I might garner, berri. Who knows if your girlfriend's Datsun was a 510 or a Bluebird 411? The internet no doubt will contain some hidden gems on these square-bodied cars. The one pictured here in orange I'm tempted to get its mileage and their asking price. They include a short video so you can hear its throaty exhaust sounding out. Sounds delicious, actually.

fintail

I dug around and found it - they want 12.9K for it, which seems a bit dear as it still appears to have needs, and isn't a completely accurate restoration (those mirrors and wiper arms would bug me).

If you really want something like that, come out west and look around, I bet you could find a decent one for a bit less. That or negoitiate firmly - some old Japanese cars are appreciating nicely (first gen Celicas are now sought after, for example), but this is a non-sporty sedan.

iluvmysephia1 said:

Well that's more information than I thought I might garner, berri. Who knows if your girlfriend's Datsun was a 510 or a Bluebird 411? The internet no doubt will contain some hidden gems on these square-bodied cars. The one pictured here in orange I'm tempted to get its mileage and their asking price. They include a short video so you can hear its throaty exhaust sounding out. Sounds delicious, actually.

iluvmysephia1

If you really want something like that, come out west and look around, I bet you could find a decent one for a bit less. That or negoitiate firmly - some old Japanese cars are appreciating nicely (first gen Celicas are now sought after, for example), but this is a non-sporty sedan.

Are you referring to interior deficiencies that look sort of like "backyard" fixes? Because I saw some of those - seats didn't appear ta be torn, though. I didn't see anything in the video or pictures that would get in the way of a more serious look. But I would want to know the mileage on the powertrain and would want a Warranty on it- doubtful they'd Warranty the powertrain. But one of these would be nice or a 510 4-dr. sedan. 510 sedans seem to be lacking on the market - these cars are nearly 50 years old, though!

I wanna find some articles that explain why Datsun exported these Bluebird 411's along with the 510's in the same model year - 1968. Both with that square but Pinanfarini styling. Humm. Left-side driver so not from Europe.

fintail

I couldn't find a listing with more pics or a video, but the interior description sounds like it wasn't done to factory spec either. Maybe it's just me, but if I was spending that kind of money on a car like that, it would need to be correct and pristine. Warranty, you're funny - but I suspect an engine rebuild would cost an average BMW lease payment.

I think it is just timing that this and the 510 might have appeared alongside other - perhaps some unsold stock. IIRC, the 411 was replaced by the 510. That reminds me, I need to go through my parked cars snapshots, I swear I saw the wagon variant in Seattle last year.

Edit - here it is:

iluvmysephia1 said:

Are you referring to interior deficiencies that look sort of like "backyard" fixes? Because I saw some of those - seats didn't appear ta be torn, though. I didn't see anything in the video or pictures that would get in the way of a more serious look. But I would want to know the mileage on the powertrain and would want a Warranty on it- doubtful they'd Warranty the powertrain. But one of these would be nice or a 510 4-dr. sedan. 510 sedans seem to be lacking on the market - these cars are nearly 50 years old, though!

I wanna find some articles that explain why Datsun exported these Bluebird 411's along with the 510's in the same model year - 1968. Both with that square but Pinanfarini styling. Humm. Left-side driver so not from Europe.

berri

Datsun made decent cars. Always seemed to me that it started losing ground around the same time it changed names to Nissan for whatever reasons.