Mystery car pix

Michaell

berri said:

So the Volcano takes out the eastern portion of the US, earthquakes drop the west into the Pacific and Hurricanes wipe out Florida, eastern Texas and much of the Southeast, while tornados wipe out the rest of Texas and much of the southwest. China must be chompin' at the bit

China has floods and pollution.

berri

So it is going to be the Ruskies

andys120

Ol Man Universe, he jes' keep rollin'....a planet blowing up here and there...no biggie...we got plenty

The early Healey 100 is about as pure an example of a British sports cars that you can buy...torquey engine, dog-cart suspension, throaty exhaust, requisite fumes and smells, no windows, a top better suited to a baby carriage, and a heater that feels like a mouse panting on your foot. Fun, fun car to drive!

Yup that's a 1956 Austin-Healey 100/4 (BN2 in Healey-speak.) Although it looks very similar to the later 3000 Mk.II/IIIs it was I think much more of a pure sports car. The Marks were more GT oriented w a pull up top, roll-up windows, wood dashes and such.

fintail

My uncle had a 3000 when new. He was in the Marines in 'Nam, and considered to be a tough guy. My dad, who was in the AF earlier, and was into bikes and large engined Fords, considered the 3000 to be a serious car.

Mr_Shiftright

The 3000 was a serious car but more designed for higher speed motoring and a fair degree (by British standards) of comfort. It was the gentleman's sports car--a little cushier, a little softer, more comfort for the wife and even room for small children. Edging more towards the E-Type in concept.

So, yes, still more "manly" than a Mercedes 190SL for instance, and more robust than an Alfa Spider. British sports cars of the 50s and 60s were generally pretty tough little cars--simple and rugged.

andys120

Mr. Lucky>

fintail

Looks like a 58 Ford Skyliner. With those tires, pic is probably no older than 1961-62.

andys120

fintail said:

Looks like a 58 Ford Skyliner. With those tires, pic is probably no older than 1961-62.

That's right Fin, it's a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner w the retractable hardtop in the up position. IIRC they were pretty rare.

tmart

Definitely a 58 Ford Skyliner, with optional Continental Kit for added trunk space.

Mr_Shiftright

Whoa...lotta ankle showing there...but I guess driving a '58 Ford has its perks...

berri

When I was a kid, a neighbor around the corner bought a several year old used 57 Skyliner - (Tutone in Fomoco speak) red with white top. Lotta electronic problems as I remember. It was sort of neat as in being unique, but only a small tray in the trunk for baggage, and a rather prominent back end profile. The regular convertible (Sunliner I believe) was a much sleeker car to me at least. I think the 59 model was the common one I'd see at old car shows. Maybe they had the bugs out by then.

fintail

My mom had a 59 Skyliner as an ordinary used car around 1968, when it was replaced by another ordinary used car, a 1961 Impala convertible. That was replaced by her first new car, a Beetle.

berri

A few years back I was somewhere north of Orlando when I spotted a small retro type of museum. It had some neat stuff from the 50's and 60's including a few old cars. The one I felt stood out, and that I really liked, was a baby blue 61 Impala in seemingly perfect shape. I used to like the 63 best of that era Impala, but over time I've come to like the 61. I know the 62 had the bubbletop coupe, but it was maybe a bit plain (as was the 62 Ford Galaxie for that matter) for me. That era Impala I could never get into a whole lot was the 64. Always thought it was perhaps a bit overdone. Overall though, they were all fairly nice looking and riding cars for the time. Now let me ask; did mom wear a headscarf appropriately complemented by some big lensed shades when she took it out for a top down spin or was it a leather jacket with a 409

fintail

I think 61-64 Impalas all have their pros and cons. They are all nice looking cars, overall. The 64 seems to be the most polarizing, I think it is seen as kind of blocky and a little too severe in the front. But, I love the machined style trim on the SS, and how the SS was trimmed overall. Nice cars. For Galaxies, I like the 63 out of the 62-64 style, and as some might know, for 60-61 I really like the 60.

I doubt my mom's car was a big block, as she had it long before I was born, all I know is that it was white on red. I think I recall her saying it was $800. I know I have told her that one just in average condition today would be $25K, and she just shook her head. Kind of fun to think that people today who drive white on greybeige Camrys (and are happy as can be with them) once had cars considered to be quite cool and desirable today. She had some style, and I could see her in the Impala with an overdone hairstyle of the day.

The Beetle is a funny story too - after a few years, I guess my dad thought it was too slow, and he knew a guy with a crashed Porsche - in went a 912 engine. I guess this made it a bit faster, but a bit less reliable. It was eventually sold off too. My mom would later have a white on white Continental style T-Bird for some years, I guess in 1976 that was maybe somewhat chic.

berri

I don't know how to broach this Fin; but sounds like mama lived a little faster than you

fintail

Hey, I had a couple AMG cars. When mama was roughly my age, she drove a Tempo, and was fine with it

andys120

Michaell

Well, it's a Fiat, based on the stampings on the hub caps.

No clue about the model, but I'll guess late 40's or maybe early 50's.

andys120

Michaell said:

Well, it's a Fiat, based on the stampings on the hub caps.

No clue about the model, but I'll guess late 40's or maybe early 50's.

1953 Fiat --- ----------. Anyone want to fill in the blanks?

Mr_Shiftright

That would technically be a 1953 Fiat 500C 'Topolino' Giardiniera.

berri

Any relation to Topo Gigio the puppet on the old Ed Sullivan show

andys120

Mr_Shiftright said:

That would technically be a 1953 Fiat 500C 'Topolino' Giardiniera.

Yep, the addition of the cloth sunroof makes this one a Giardiniera Belvedere.

berri said:

Any relation to Topo Gigio the puppet on the old Ed Sullivan show

Sorta: "Topo" is Italian for mouse thus "Topolino" means Little Mouse. "Topo Gigio" would be "Gigio the mouse."

Mr_Shiftright

Topolino is the best chick magnet in the world, ever (for those of you still in the game).

andys120

qbrozen

It seems to be an early second generation Spider. I'll say 1970, although it could be later and they changed the rear bumper.

andys120

qbrozen said:

It seems to be an early second generation Spider. I'll say 1970, although it could be later and they changed the rear bumper.

It's a 1969 Alfa-Romeo 1750 Spider Veloceso you've got the right idea but I wouldn't call it an "early second gen Spider". The first postwar Alfa Spiders the Gilietta/Giulias were succeeded by the Spider Duetto with it's distinctive boat-tail styling in 1962. It's the iconic Alfa seen in The Graduate (1964)



My blue 1750 had nearly identical styling to the Duetto 1600 but in a few years the tail styling was altered in favor of a flat tail design which was produced until 1994.

Mr_Shiftright

I liked the last of the American Spiders. They got rid of that rubber duck tail and it improved the looks tremendously IMO. It wasn't a very fast car, and didn't rev nearly as well as the 60s and 70s cars, but they were very good cars---solid and reliable. Definitely a cut above the Fiat 124 in that respect although some may say not as handsome.

andys120

Michaell

andys120 said:

Mondeo wagon, ER, estate.

andys120

Michaell said:

andys120 said:

Mondeo wagon, ER, estate.

Yep, NSH but widely popular in Eurp.

qbrozen

andys120 said:

qbrozen said:

It seems to be an early second generation Spider. I'll say 1970, although it could be later and they changed the rear bumper.

It's a 1969 Alfa-Romeo 1750 Spider Veloceso you've got the right idea but I wouldn't call it an "early second gen Spider". The first postwar Alfa Spiders the Gilietta/Giulias were succeeded by the Spider Duetto with it's distinctive boat-tail styling in 1962. It's the iconic Alfa seen in The Graduate (1964)



My blue 1750 had nearly identical styling to the Duetto 1600 but in a few years the tail styling was altered in favor of a flat tail design which was produced until 1994.

If a '69, then its a first gen, but I thought all first gens had the glass domes over the headlight cutouts.

andys120

If a '69, then its a first gen, but I thought all first gens had the glass domes over the headlight cutouts.

The Feds outlawed covered headlights starting the 1968MY so they disappeared on Alfa
Spiders and Jag E-Types and a few others.

andys120

Michaell

andys120 said:

Iso Grifo?

tjc78

andys120 said:

I don't know what it is, but I want it

explorerx4

Are those Mercedes wheels on it?

fintail

Looks like a Grifo to me, not MB bundt wheels.

andys120

Michaell said:

andys120 said:

Iso Grifo?

Yup, that's a 1966 Iso Grifo with styling by Giugiaro @ Bertone and power from a 327 Chevy. they were made using various powerplants for over a decade ('63-'74).

Those look like the optional Bundt wheels on Benzes of the era but I think they're Italian (probably Campagnolo or Cromodora.)

andys120

texases

1977-ish Corolla SR5 Liftback?

andys120

texases said:

1977-ish Corolla SR5 Liftback?

Yup, it's a 1977

kyfdx

texases said:

1977-ish Corolla SR5 Liftback?

I think it might be a little earlier than '77. Bumpers and grill are giving me a '74-'76 vibe. (just guessing)

andys120

kyfdx said:

texases said:

1977-ish Corolla SR5 Liftback?

I think it might be a little earlier than '77. Bumpers and grill are giving me a '74-'76 vibe. (just guessing)

My bad, it's a '76.

andys120

texases

Looks like my high school parking lot, with my '65 Mustang...oops, looks like a fastback, mine was a coupe. It's next to a '62 Valiant, next to a similar age Dauphin. BMOC has the '70 Camaro. Most everything else look like hand me downs from mom and dad.

fintail

The Dauphine is the odd one in the pic. I also see a Capri parked on the street in the background, at center right with someone looking in the drivers window, I think a 65 Ford full sized sedan, and what appears to be another one at lower right.

stickguy

Behind the bus I think the nose of a Datsun 510.

stickguy

And a first gen cougar pulling out onto the road, next to an eyebrow Chevy PU.

texases

Nice Olds Vista Cruiser on the right.

stickguy

For cruising the vista!