Mystery car pix

texases

With Half Dome in the background. Anyone can climb it, as long as there's no thunderstorms in the area:

fintail

I see the source of the pic (Hemmings) has an even larger version of the pic. I am pretty sure I see a 65 Ford sedan (rear view), behind the Valiant/Dart that is in front of the E-Type.

berri

It is a good perspective of Shifty's comment on the huge difference between Detroit and foreign cars back then. That XKE 2+2 is simply dwarfed by the Detroit iron around it

berri

So Fin, you are a fan of the 60 Ford wagon looks; how do you compare that to the full size 63 Ford wagon on the right of the pix? Can't help asking because I've always been a bit of a wagon fan.

fintail

I like the 63 too - I like the rear end detail on big 63 Fords, and the wraparound side glass on that era of Ford wagons is a nice touch. I like the 60 mostly out of sentimental fondness, reminds me of my dad, and it was a fun car to tinker with. It is also an interesting design, somewhat resembling a super-sized Euro Ford, with unique gingerbread, bridging the gap between the 50s and 60s.

There's actually a 60 Ford (or on off-chance, Edsel) wagon in that pic, at fat left near the trees, at about the middle of the lot. Easy to spot with its one year only roofline. There's also a fastback looking car that I think is a Volvo 544.

Here's the larger pic

berri said:

So Fin, you are a fan of the 60 Ford wagon looks; how do you compare that to the full size 63 Ford wagon on the right of the pix? Can't help asking because I've always been a bit of a wagon fan.

andys120

fintail said:

I see the source of the pic (Hemmings) has an even larger version of the pic. I am pretty sure I see a 65 Ford sedan (rear view), behind the Valiant/Dart that is in front of the E-Type.

Good eye! I think you're right about the '65 Ford and I'm pretty sure there's nothing newer
than '65, most of the cars are 62s and 63s. The Beetles both have the big rear window, I can't recall exactly when those came in but I think either '57 or '59, anyone remember?

The shape of the roof and headlights sez Dodge Dart to me, I don't think it's a Valiant.

I too was taken aback by how small the E-Type looks. I've driven them and they never struck me as really small but my benchmark sports cars were big Healeys and TRs.

Yes every nationality's cars were different, French and Swedish cars featured terrific seats, Brit cars smelled of nice leather and had lots of gauges, Benzes had controls that were unlike any other car's.

fintail

Beetle went from oval to rectangle rear window for MY 1958. I think the Beetle in the foreground, with its larger windows, is also one of the newest cars visible - I think the windows were enlarged for MY 1965,

Fascinating pic. I spent some time examining it.

Edit: looking at the pic more, I see another large window Beetle in the middle row in front of the white Caddy, and there's a 64-65 T-Bird to the left, just in front of the Caddy, too.

andys120 said:

Good eye! I think you're right about the '65 Ford and I'm pretty sure there's nothing newer
than '65, most of the cars are 62s and 63s. The Beetles both have the big rear window, I can't recall exactly when those came in but I think either '57 or '59, anyone remember?

The shape of the roof and headlights sez Dodge Dart to me, I don't think it's a Valiant.

I too was taken aback by how small the E-Type looks. I've driven them and they never struck me as really small but my benchmark sports cars were big Healeys and TRs.

Yes every nationality's cars were different, French and Swedish cars featured terrific seats, Brit cars smelled of nice leather and had lots of gauges, Benzes had controls that were unlike any other car's.

Mr_Shiftright

When you're done rock-climbing, try this one. I warn you, this is something of a shifty-shiftright trick. It's a regular production car, nothing that sneaky. Bonus points for the model name.

andys120

I think it's a DeSoto ca.1949, perhaps a "Suburban".

lostwrench1

1950 Plymouth Suburban.

Mr_Shiftright

Nope, it's not a Plymouth and but it is 1950 and part of its name is "Suburban"--but it had another name to distinguish it from the Plymouth Suburban.

lostwrench1

Hmmm.
How about a '50 Dodge Kingsway Suburban?

lostwrench1

Ahaa!
Found the badge on the skirt.
10 more chips on the Dodge Kingsway.

andys120

Michaell

1975 Pontiac Can Am

kyfdx

Not a bad look, considering the era.

stickguy

I generally don't like large cars, but I always loved that can am.

imidazol97

andys120 said:

Find the newest...oldest

OMG. So much to love in that picture. Various trim levels within US brands...

next to E Type, Fairlane Club Sedan, 1957. Haven't seen one of those in decades
at car shows.

Mr_Shiftright

lostwrench1 said:

Hmmm.
How about a '50 Dodge Kingsway Suburban?

Bingo! Gold Star for lostwrench. I believe the Dodge Kingsway Suburban was a Canadian manufacture.

Cheating is allowed in this case It's the reward for sharp eyes.

Mr_Shiftright

Nope, 1977 I think was the only year for the Can Am.

I'm generally not fond of cars that can't do what they look like they can do, but in this case, the car is pretty rare so it deserves a spot on the curiosity shelf if nothing else.

Some units had the Olds 403 motor installed, for smog reasons.

andys120

Mr_Shiftright said:

Nope, 1977 I think was the only year for the Can Am.

I'm generally not fond of cars that can't do what they look like they can do, but in this case, the car is pretty rare so it deserves a spot on the curiosity shelf if nothing else.

Some units had the Olds 403 motor installed, for smog reasons.

Yup, that's a '77 Pontiac Can-Am (didn't realize that was the only MY).
The "6.6 Liters " denoted on the hood scoop is 403 CID American but it's curious that it reads
T/A 6.6, T/A being short for Trans Am (why is that on a Can Am scoop?).

Mr_Shiftright

You got the 6.6L in 49 states and the 403 Olds in California. There may have been some other "high altitude" deliveries using the 403---not clear on that one.

andys120

berri

59 Mercury convertible, perhaps a Park Lane.

andys120

berri said:

59 Mercury convertible, perhaps a Park Lane.

Bingo! Yeah, berri, it's a 1959 Mercury Park Lane. I'd forgotten there was ever a PL 'vert.

andys120

fintail

Well, the date is easy.

The Jeep and W123 are probably still on the road somewhere.

tjc78

I think it's funny that the picture shows GM badge engineering at its finest. Pretty sure the one behind the Jeep is a Malibu and on my phone can't tell if the one in front it the Buick or Olds variant.

stickguy

I think it is a Buick. And behind the Malibu, an Andre mobile 5th ave.

berri

I agree that the blue car is a Buick Skylark, but can never tell which year on most of those X cars.

andys120

tjc78 said:

I think it's funny that the picture shows GM badge engineering at its finest. Pretty sure the one behind the Jeep is a Malibu and on my phone can't tell if the one in front it the Buick or Olds variant.

I don't think that Skylark was a badge-engineered version of the RWD Malibu. The Skylark was based on the FWD Chevy Citation (X-body). The Buick versions of the Malibu were the Century and the Regal (which was the last RWD my Dad owned).

Mr_Shiftright

imidazol97

In reality the Buick Skylark was a good improvement over the Citation. It had a much nicer interior. We had one that my wife had bought, 1981 I think. No problems. Traded on a Century.

tjc78

My mistake on the Buick. I really thought it was the RWD clone of the Malibu. Looking closer you are correct. Man they are similar.

fintail

Cute little art deco Studebaker truck, just postwar, I will say 1947 for fun.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Mr_Shiftright

A fine guess Mr. Fin, just one year off. It's a '46 and a rare bird.

Try this one:

texases

1950 Diamond T?

fintail

Diamond T. Prewar design, but must be around 1946. Handsome design and no doubt sought after today.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Try this one

texases

My mistake, trusted a link.

BJ lists that Diamond T as a 1938...
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1938-DIAMOND-T-201-PICKUP-80933

Mr_Shiftright

You know, I'm thinking my link mis-dated the truck...if it was a '46 it would have a kind of metal-spoked wheel I think. I generally wouldn't post pre-war vehicles in this topic, but I'm going to rule it pre-war for now.

In any event very attractive truck in a "trucky" kind of way.

fintail

100K, sounds right for the time

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, pre-war, painstaking nut and bolt restoration of an incredibly rare truck---someone really wanted it, and they WILL have the only one at the concours, that's for sure.

Kind of a piece of American history there.

why, that must make THIS ONE worth at least $35,000 then!

berri

Every July the Walcott, Iowa I-80 truck stop has a big truck-a-rama or some such. It includes a big display of antique trucks. It is really kind of interesting if you in that area the week it runs. Otherwise it does have a small old truck museum behind it. The truck stop itself is pretty massive and actually kind of interesting too.

berri

That Diamond T pickup has a roofline that reminds me of the of, Hudson pickups.

andys120

fintail

Tatra 613. Although the Czechs were unceremoniously thrown to the Soviet wolves, they still tried to make unique products.

Mr_Shiftright

Legend has it that that part of the world was carved up on the back of a napkin at Yalta.

Skoda is owned by VW now, right?

Mr_Shiftright

fintail

And from there was born the idea of "western betrayal". If anything, it proves there is something to the human spirit.

Yes, Skoda is VW now. Often sharper styling than VW, for a lower price.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Legend has it that that part of the world was carved up on the back of a napkin at Yalta.

Skoda is owned by VW now, right?

fintail

NSU TT/Prinz 1000TT/et al, someone liked the Corvair.

Mr_Shiftright said: