Mystery car pix

imidazol97

What's the car in front of the black Convertible? 1969 Ford?

fintail

In front of the Ford, behind the VW? Kind of reminds me of a GM bubbletop

berri

The Chevy guys back in school sometimes referred to the 60 Ford as an aborted 59 Chevy.

andys120

fintail said:

In front of the Ford, behind the VW? Kind of reminds me of a GM bubbletop

That's definitely the "bubbletop" roofline. The car could be any GM make except Caddy (IIRC they had different, less rounded 2dr h/t roofs).

bhill2

OK, call me irresponsible, but with the crease at the top of the fender running over the front door handle I'm calling it a '61 Chevy sport coupe, probably an Impala.

imidazol97

bhill2 said:

'61 Chevy sport coupe, probably an Impala.

I suggest a 1960 Chevy, maybe a sedan. In the right corner of the convertibles windshield I see a flat wing like the 1960 Chevy. It's distorted some by the windshield's curvature and it's right between the hub of the Ford's windshield wiper and the right edge of the windshield.

berri

I like that 61 Impala. The missing third rear light on the other models really made it apparent you didn't owl an Impala

imidazol97

I posted the three Chevy pictures because I was trying to compare the various rear window and C-pillars with the one above the windshield of the Ford convertible in the picture. I also was looking at the left front fender shapes as seen past the windshield of the Ford. I think the 61 bubble top is the right fit.

andys120

It's very hard to see but you can see (thru the convert's windshield) a ridge running up the side of that bubbletop
which looks more to me like a '61 Chevy than a '60. The bubble top roof looks more rounded than it was on the 60.

I think I've figured out how to account for the lack of import cars. The photo was probably taken on a Saturday morning and all the locals are in from the hills running errands while the VW/ Renault/.MG driving students are sleeping off their Fri night parties.

berri

Ima - I'm glad you posted the various models. Its nice to see pix of other than just top end models. They were common back in the old days.

andys120

stever

Someone emailed wanting help ID'ing this car. The photo was taken in 1939. Thanks!

magnette

andys120 said:

Well. it's an Alfa Romeo Alfetta - is this the Alfetta 2.0 America ? - it looks like its got bumpers more suited to the US market and some trim items are different too.

magnette

stever said:

Someone emailed wanting help ID'ing this car. The photo was taken in 1939. Thanks!

Would this be about a 1936 Willys 77 coupe? - the 35 had horizontal louvres and the 37 had artillery wheels so the portholes on the bonnet and the wire wheels would point to a 36...

fintail

I agree. Stupendously rare car in stock form today, those that weren't junked 70 years ago were rodded and drag raced away 50 years ago.

magnette said:

Would this be about a 1936 Willys 77 coupe? - the 35 had horizontal louvres and the 37 had artillery wheels so the portholes on the bonnet and the wire wheels would point to a 36...

fintail

I think some were sold in the US as just the "Sport Sedan". Definitely a US spec model. This model was Cameron's car in Ferris Bueller's Day Off:

magnette said:

Well. it's an Alfa Romeo Alfetta - is this the Alfetta 2.0 America ? - it looks like its got bumpers more suited to the US market and some trim items are different too.

andys120

Well. it's an Alfa Romeo Alfetta - is this the Alfetta 2.0 America ? - it looks like its got bumpers more suited to the US market and some trim items are different too.

Yup, it's a U.S.-spec 1979 Alfa-Romeo Alfetta Berlina equipped, as were all Alfettas,
with the DeDion rear suspension and the rockin' 2.0.V6.

It's a lot prettier than the 33/Milano sedans that followed.

I can't recall the moniker "Sport Sedan" being applied to the Alfetta but it would've made sense since many assumed BMW invented the sport sedan. Actually the early1950s Alfa 1900 Ti was the first modern sport sedan.

andys120

fintail

I've seen the "Sport Sedan" name used for the US market Alfetta. Here's an enthusiast ad referring to it as such, and there are several more references out there:

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/alfa-romeo-cars-sale-wanted/219057-1978-alfa-romeo-sport-sedan.html

The red Corvair influenced thing is a NSU, likely a TT with the racing trim. They were formidable competitors for a while.

andys120

fintail said:

The red Corvair influenced thing is a NSU, likely a TT with the racing trim. They were formidable competitors for a while.

Yup, that's a 1971 NSU Prinz TTS, NSU's last design before being absorbed into the VAG (IIRC)

andys120

texases

1972 Plymouth Scamp?

andys120

Good call Texases, I was hoping someone would say Dodge Dart Swinger (they were badge engineer versions of the same car.

texases

I almost did, but then squinted and read "Scamp" on the side. My brother had the Dart version, ran for years with no problems.

andys120

Good call Texases, I was hoping someone would say Dodge Dart Swinger (they were badge engineer versions of the same car.

andys120

kyfdx

andys120 said:

'73 911E (lots of guesses... I know it's a 911. lol_

Mr_Shiftright

Might be earlier?

qbrozen

I definitely want to go with 911E because it looks like one I know the owner of. I'm not sure how to tell year on these. His is a '69, and no pics I see on the interwebs show those sidemarkers. I'd guess those little side markers are probably an indication.

texases

So a 911E was '72-'73...looks older than that.

stickguy

I was going to guess 1968 912. But I am usually wrong.

texases

With those side markers it must be '68 or newer. But a Porsche expert can probably tell us the year/month/day/hour...

andys120

stickguy said:

I was going to guess 1968 912. But I am usually wrong.

Well this time you're exactly right. Everyone saw those Fuchs 5-spoke alloys and saw 911 since most 912 owners being budget buyers simply made do w the stamped steel wheels w hubcaps. Nevertheless the iconic Fuchs wheels could be bolted right onto any 912.

The color was known as Irish Green, I knew a guy that had a 911 with that color.

texases

Is there anything visible that makes it a 912?

andys120

texases said:

Is there anything visible that makes it a 912?

Not from the angle of that photo but if you go around to the rear you'll see the giveaway>



FWIW, the thick chrome surrounds on the headlights were used only in the late 60s and early 70s.

Mr_Shiftright

Hey! I was going to say '68 912! No, really......

There are visual cues but not from that profile shot. The fact that the rear fender wells aren't flared tell you it's got to be a pre '69/ 912. If you could have seen the dashboard, that would differentiate it from a 911.

912 used the old Porsche 356 engine, so it doesn't perform like the 911s, even though the HP difference between a 912 and an early 911T isn't very much.

It's expensive to make a 912 go fast, and putting in a 6 cylinder motor is not as easy as a "bolt-in".

texases

Isn't the 912 now a 'thing' to collectors? Like similar $$ to a 911? That's something I'll never understand...

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, they have shot up in value but I think the 911s still outpace them by a considerable margin. But it's the restored cars that are climbing in value---"projects" or mediocre 912s are flattening out in value since 2011 or so.

No reason why a 912 shouldn't bring equivalent money to a nice "bathtub" 356 Porsche. Of course, 356s have many open-top variants, and those are worth a bundle. There are no convertible 912s, only Targas, which many buyers don't care for.

fintail

I might be wrong, but I like the Targa. Different from the everyday cliche 911, and usually cheaper.

Mr_Shiftright

True, true, but a real PITA. Squeaks 'n Leaks and more flex in the chassis.

andys120

kyfdx

Mr_Shiftright said:

True, true, but a real PITA. Squeaks 'n Leaks and more flex in the chassis.

Exactly.. I always said my next 911 would be a coupe.

tmart

andys120 said:

56 Ford Country Squire.

texases

...in desperate need of some Bleche-Wite

andys120

56 Ford Country Squire.

Yup!

lostwrench1

The 1956 Ford Parklane Wagon is the one to have. Only 2 doors and built for only 1 year.

bhill2

andys120 said:

56 Ford Country Squire.

Yup!

With a Thunderbird V-8 (sorry, couldn't resist).

andys120

Mr_Shiftright

I know that one, but I'll wait for two other guesses.

kyfdx

2002 Touring. I'll guess 1971.

Those look like E21 320i wheels