Mystery car pix

Mr_Shiftright

Karmann Ghia

pair of bell bottoms (sure hope those aren't coming back).

andys120

Across the street from the Datsun 510, someone getting out of a "Mercury"(Ford) Capri.

'66 or '67 Pontiac GTO parked behind the Valiant. Pretty cool ride for school.

fintail

Could the white car behind the bus and beside a pickup with canopy be a Rambler?

texases

Could be a Rambler. Looks like a '55 Chevy 4-door across the street on the left, behind a Ford Country Squire (?)

andys120

There's a 2nd Gen Corvair in the leftmost lane facing the camera. Just to its right is a '64 Pontiac coupe, either a Lemans or a GTO.

andys120

texases

1956-1957 Corvette, not sure how to tell the difference. Is this a period pic? If so, the fender skirts on the '57 Chevy are a surprise.

stickguy

Looking at the haircut and the trailer, I would say yes it is.

Michaell

texases said:

1956-1957 Corvette, not sure how to tell the difference. Is this a period pic? If so, the fender skirts on the '57 Chevy are a surprise.

Isn't that a C2 Corvette?

A friend of my father's hit the lottery in CA and bought one. Put on vanity plates that read "6TWON"

texases

Michaell said:

texases said:

1956-1957 Corvette, not sure how to tell the difference. Is this a period pic? If so, the fender skirts on the '57 Chevy are a surprise.

Isn't that a C2 Corvette?

A friend of my father's hit the lottery in CA and bought one. Put on vanity plates that read "6TWON"

Dual headlights '58 and later, right?

fintail

I am not aware of any easy way to distinguish a 56 from a 57 Corvette. 58 got quad lights as mentioned, along with a louvered hood and rear chrome strips that I think were unique to that year.

berri

Is that a photo or a painting? That trailer is definitely Populuxe era!

kyfdx

berri said:

Is that a photo or a painting? That trailer is definitely Populuxe era!

Definitely not a painting. Could have been a black and white photo that was later colored.

Mr_Shiftright

There are ways to tell a '56 from a '57 but they are subtle and don't appear in this photo anyway---I'm going to guess '57 based on rear view mirror and full cover hubcaps.

lostwrench1

The easiest way to tell if the Corvette is a '56 or '57 is to see if the base of the interior rear view mirror has a thumb screw for adjustments. Yes = '56. No = '57.

Mr_Shiftright

Let's see...I'll just do a zoom here....yep, it's there. Guess I was right!

andys120

Simplest way to tell a '56 from a '57 'Vette: The '56 didn't have crossed flags or lettering in the "coves".

'57 Vette


Fuelie cars added Fuel Injection lettering.

BTW all pre-1963 Covettes are considered C1s

andys120

texases said:

1956-1957 Corvette, not sure how to tell the difference. Is this a period pic? If so, the fender skirts on the '57 Chevy are a surprise.

I don't know why skirts should be a surprise on a '57 car. I'd say one of every ten or so coupes, 'verts and roadsters were so equipped (sedans less common w skirts).

texases

Well, that's only 10%...growing up I saw very few.

andys120

texases said:

Well, that's only 10%...growing up I saw very few.

Skirts are one of those things seen more often on restorations than they ever were in the real world, like 8-lug wheels on Pontiacs or side-pipes on Sting-Rays.

To me the odder thing about the photo is the two fairly spiffy newish cars (the coupe is a BelAir) posed in front of trailer homes with concrete block steps.

andys120

kyfdx

andys120 said:

'67 Catalina?

kyfdx

I know the fender louvers and the 455 should tip me off to something,though.

lostwrench1

'67 Bonneville.

andys120

kyfdx said:

andys120 said:

'67 Catalina?

Yup, a1967 Pontiac Catalina 2+2. The ad identifies the motor as a "428 4 barrel". That's a new one on me but then I've never seen those louvers before.

omarman

andys120 said:

texases said:

Well, that's only 10%...growing up I saw very few.

Skirts are one of those things seen more often on restorations than they ever were in the real world, like 8-lug wheels on Pontiacs or side-pipes on Sting-Rays.

To me the odder thing about the photo is the two fairly spiffy newish cars (the coupe is a BelAir) posed in front of trailer homes with concrete block steps.

Mr_Shiftright

Well if you lived where that photo was taken, you might want a set of good wheels, too.

lostwrench1

The trailer is a 1959 and was used in several episodes.
I can hear the theme song.

kyfdx

Is that Jim Rockford's Firebird Esprit? I'll guess '74

tmart

Isn't that James Garner's Pony from the Rockford Files?

stickguy

Yes it s

andys120

I thought I'd long since seen every Rockford episode but you'd think I'd remember one that featured a Dino 246GT. Anyone know the name of the episode?

omarman

andys120 said:

I thought I'd long since seen every Rockford episode but you'd think I'd remember one that featured a Dino 246GT. Anyone know the name of the episode?

First season "The Countess."
Funny post about the "1959" trailer... I have no clue on that one!

lostwrench1

omarman said:

andys120 said:

I thought I'd long since seen every Rockford episode but you'd think I'd remember one that featured a Dino 246GT. Anyone know the name of the episode?

First season "The Countess."
Funny post about the "1959" trailer... I have no clue on that one!

1959 Nashua House.
It also was in one episode of the Bionic Woman.

andys120

tmart

Early Ranchero prototype from Australia. LOL!

andys120

tmart said:

Early Ranchero prototype from Australia. LOL!

You aren't that far off. It is a RHD Ute from Oz but not a Ford of any kind.

magnette

Chrysler sold a lot of RHD cars and presumably "utes" in Oz in those days - there was one called the Wayfarer, but that isn't what it says on that chrome...

tmart

I knew it wasn't a Ford, but wasn't about to say El Crapino.

magnette

Just saw your post earlier about Jim Rockford's car and the Dino and last night on TV - on one of the many channels that show old shows- they had an episode of "The Persuaders" because Roger Moore had died.

He always drove an Aston Martin DBS in that, and the other car driven by Tony Curtis was a Dino.

andys120

magnette said:

Chrysler sold a lot of RHD cars and presumably "utes" in Oz in those days - there was one called the Wayfarer, but that isn't what it says on that chrome...

Nope, it's a name familiar to Americans.

lostwrench1

I'll put one chip on a DeSoto Ute.

andys120

Nope, not a DeSoto.

magnette

They did have a truck called the Fargo

andys120

magnette said:

They did have a truck called the Fargo

Fargos were rebadged Dodge trucks sold in Canada. I am not aware they were sold in any other market. Again the pictured Ute wears a name familiar to Americans conversant with MoPar offerings in the US market. Going...going...

kyfdx

Belvedere?

omarman

Packard Baker?

berri

I'm thinking, but not sure, that for awhile in the first part of the 50's all Chrysler products sold in Australia were labeled as Chrysler. If so Chrysler Ute?

grahampeters

G'day

This has taken me some time to remember. Chrysler in Australia seemed to name each variation of their basic line with an entirely different name, including for auto or manual. This one is a Plymouth Belvedere Utility from about 1956. The sheetmetal is 1953/54 US Chrysler derived, but the engine was sourced from Canada and the whole assembled at Chrysler's factory in Keswick, suburban Adelaide.

There is an excellent write up on Shannons of the model, with one being ausctioned here in Melbourne, last year.
https://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/2016-shannons-melbourne-summer-classic-auction/BDG97C75I2L7B5N0/

Cheers

Graham

grahampeters

G'day
A mate has two late 50's Chryslers; a 1956 DeSoto and a "Fin on Fin", Chrysler Royal from a few years later. The Belvedere name on the Utility above defined it as a Powerflite Auto. My mate's DeSoto with auto (I think it was designated as a DeSoto Diplomat) is in fine running condition and the auto is still working well.

Cheers

Graham