Mystery car pix

texases · September 2007

Didn't the US ones end up with a 2.8 V6 at some point? My roommate in college had a 4 cyl, noisy valves, had a look, cam and followers were trashed. No money to fix, so you could here hem coming a block away :sick: Was that OHC the same as the Pinto?

Mr_Shiftright · September 2007

Oh the Pinto engine. Well of course the camshaft was bad. They were made of either rubber or pasta, not sure which.

andys120 · September 2007

Didn't the US ones end up with a 2.8 V6 at some point?

I think you're right, it was a 2.8L V6. Perhaps the 2.0 was a SOHC, I'm pretty sure the 1.6 had pushrods. It did have a cross-flow head which was considered a big deal at the time.

karsick · September 2007

The first V6 offered in the US was a 2600.

My roommate had a sweet 1973 model V6 manual (last model without HUGE bumpers)

Looking back, it was one of the few affordable 70's cars sold in the US that had any enthusiast appeal. The cars were kinda crude, with live axles & pushrods, but a nice size for tossing about.

bumpy · September 2007

It doesn't seem to have distinguishing features except the Euro-style plate holder, so I'll guess it's some Chinese car. Is it the one that bombed its Euro crash test?

hudsonthedog · September 2007

Not exactly, the lack of side marker lights should have tipped you off that it wasn't the US model badged as a Mercury.
The US model was simply a "Capri" with no "Mercury" on the car and sold by Lincoln-Mercury dealers. The first "Mercury Capri" was produced in the 1979 model year.

hudsonthedog · September 2007

That's the Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus-based GAZ Siber. It's Russian.

andys120 · September 2007

That's the Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus-based GAZ Siber. It's Russian.

Da!

andys120 · September 2007

magnette · September 2007

We also had a 1.3 version of the Mk 1 Capri... They weren't any slower, I don't think, than the 1.6... The main reason lower engined versions of the Capri ( and the contemporary Cortina) were popular, was because they were cheaper to insure - important for younger drivers, who the Capri was aimed at.

magnette · September 2007

Fiat 126 - about 1972/6. They later replaced this air-cooled model with a water-cooled version (126P) which was built exclusively in Poland, and which had a hatchback - still with a rear engine- but it wasn't as good as this original version - although this wasn't as good as the old 500 which it supplanted

andys120 · September 2007

Miami Vice 1964-89

jescue · September 2007

84 Mustang,SVO?

im_brentwood · September 2007

I know I know!!!!!

Higher insurance rates!

hudsonthedog · September 2007

Aside from the ticket I'm going to get just for seeing this in my rear view mirror, it's a 1983-1986 Ford Mustang LX.

andre1969 · September 2007

That's a Plymouth Caravelle. The Dodge 600 had a slat grill like the Aries.

Chrysler used that name in Canada too, on a version of the M-body from 1977 until around 1981 I guess. They may have used it other years, too.

I think the Dodge 600 went to a crosshair grille for 1986. One of my cousins up in Middletown, PA had one. Of all the strange things to remember, I remember driving it in the procession for my Granddad's funeral in 1990.

It wasn't a bad car, I guess, considering it came from the humble K-car platform. I don't think it was any worse than something like a Celebrity or those small Fairmont-based LTDs. I remember the thing actually being pretty roomy and comfy inside, especially considering its rather small external dimensions. Those K-cars had paper-thin doors though. That gave pretty good shoulder room, but I imagine side impact protection was just about non-existent. :surprise:

andre1969 · September 2007

I could be wrong here, but I don't think they ever used the 2.8 V-6 in the Fox-based Mustang. It was used in the Capri, though, and also offered in the Pinto wagon.

The Fox-based Mustang most likely used the 3.3/200 CID inline 6 as a step-up option from the Pinto 2.3 4-cyl. I think hp was about the same, 85-90, but torque was a bit better.

At some point, possibly 1982, the 3.8 "Essex" V-6 started getting used. I think the carbureted version put out 112 hp, but it went to fuel injection pretty quickly, where it put out 120. In later years it was boosted to 140 hp in cars like the Taurus and 1989 T-bird, and there was that supercharged version that put out something like 225?

Eventually though, the Fox-based Mustang dropped the V-6 and only offered a 4-cyl or V-8. I'd guess they did this for 1987? Then at some point, they dropped the 4-cyl and the V-6 came back, possibly with that 1994 restyle?

And to add to the confusion, Ford also offered a 2.3 pushrod 4-cyl. It was introduced with the Tempo/Topaz, and was basically a 4-cyl version of the 200 six, just with the bore and/or stroke changed. I think they started using this version in the Ranger/Bronco II, and it may have eventually gone to a 2.5L displacement.

I also vaguely remember Ford offering a 2.9L V-6 in the Aerostar when it first came out. Possibly the Bronco II/Ranger, as well? Where did this engine come from? Was it a version of the German 2.8 V-6, or an all-new engine? Maybe it's what ultimately became the 3.0 Vulcan and then, once converted to DOHC, the Duratech?

jescue · September 2007

All I know is my first car was an 83 Mustang GL hatchback.It was the V6 with no power and was the most wretched vehicle I ever owned.

Mr_Shiftright · September 2007

Aside from that you liked it? :P

ateixeira · September 2007

You are correct, andre, in fact my 1980 Mustang Ghia had the 3.3l straight six. It was so narrow you could sit in the engine bay while you worked on it, which was convenient because that was often.

My girlfriend in high school owned a Capri and indeed she had a V6 in hers. Dad had the 3.8l V6 in his Mercury Cougar. It was quicker than my lame 3.3l, too.

andys120 · September 2007

1983-1986 Ford Mustang LX.

Well that covers a broad range. IIRC they changed the grille from the egg-crate style to the narrow slit in '84 or '85 so that narrows it down a bit. It is in fact an '85 according to the caption but it doesn't say whether it's a GT or an LX, IIRC both styles had the 5.0 (standard with the GT).

Mid'80s cops liked the 5 liter 'Stangs because aside from a few exotics the Fox Mustang with the 302 could stay with anything including a Corvette. ">

hudsonthedog · September 2007

I could be wrong here, but I don't think they ever used the 2.8 V-6 in the Fox-based Mustang. It was used in the Capri, though, and also offered in the Pinto wagon.
I hate to say it, but you are incorrect. The 1979 Mustang was offered with the 2.8L V6. I believe it was 1980 when they ran out of engines for the Fox-bodied Mustang and they made the switch to the 3.3L inline six, which eventually gave way to the 3.8L before going to four/V8 engine choices exclusively.

And to add to the confusion, Ford also offered a 2.3 pushrod 4-cyl. It was introduced with the Tempo/Topaz, and was basically a 4-cyl version of the 200 six, just with the bore and/or stroke changed. I think they started using this version in the Ranger/Bronco II, and it may have eventually gone to a 2.5L displacement.
Yes, the OHV 2.3L spawned the OHV 2.5L that was used only in the Ford Taurus. The OHC 2.3L, which was used in all longitudinal applications (including the Bronco II, Aerostar, and Ranger as well as a herd of cars), was eventually enlarged to 2.5L for the Ranger/B-Series just before being replaced by the "Duratec" 2.3L.

The Cologne V6 was offered in a variety of vehicles in a variety of sizes. I know of 2.3L, 2.6L, 2.8L, 2.9L, and 4.0L versions. The 2.9L V6 in the Aerostar/Ranger/Bronco II was from this family and was the size used in the US-market Merkur Scorpio. The Vulcan engine is different from the Cologne engine and was only offered in 3.0L OHV (and Yamaha 3.0L DOHC) versions. The "Duratec" V6 (not related to the similarly named four-cylinder) is not related to the Vulcan V6.

andys120 · September 2007

ateixeira · September 2007

Aren't they both British?

im_brentwood · September 2007

They both have BMW engines

andys120 · September 2007

Only one of those is British, the same one that has a BMW engine.

The little Cabrio is not British, I believe the engine was made by Heinkel.

What they have in common is something else. Hint: it's related to racing.

im_brentwood · September 2007

Isn't that White car a Veritas?

andys120 · September 2007

Yep, the little white cabriolet is a 1952 Veritas Dyna, what does it have in common with the orange exoticar?

im_brentwood · September 2007

You have me real close to stumped...

Perhaps it was that they were both the only road-going cars made by a manufacturer of race cars?

im_brentwood · September 2007

Here's one for ya

andys120 · September 2007

Perhaps it was that they were both the only road-going cars made by a manufacturer of race cars?

You've got the right idea. The Dyna was not Veritas' only road car but the Dyna, like the McLaren F1 were both made by companies better known for making Formula One Race cars.

Veritas was considerably less successful, never having scored a point in F1.

andys120 · September 2007

1970s Holden of some sort, it shows a resemblance to our Chevy Novas of the 1960s..

im_brentwood · September 2007

Oh come on, you know me better than that!

andre1969 · September 2007

Funny, I was thinking along sort of the same lines. Except to me it looks kinda like a '66-70 Falcon sedan with a Buick grille forced on the front.

I'm gonna guess some sort of Opel? The only old Opel name I know off the top of my head is Kadette, but I think they kept that name for their little cars, and what ultimately became the Chevette.

andys120 · September 2007

Opel nomenclature used to derive from naval ranks (Kapitan, Admiral, Kadette). Later political officers were used like Senator and Diplomat.

It looks to me like it could have a steering wheel on the right which would make it a Vauxhall, perhaps a Viceroy?

fintail · September 2007

Probably some kind of Vauxhall, but I am pretty sure those are Aussie plates. Doesn't remind me of a Holden though.

andys120 · September 2007

Could they be USA plates (Union of South Africa)?

andre1969 · September 2007

what was considered higher-ranking in Europe...an Opel or a Vauxhall? I tend to associate Opels with Buicks, probably because they sold them in the US through Buick dealers for awhile. For some reason, I'm associating Vauxhall with Pontiac. Didn't they used to make them look kinda like little Pontiacs back in the 50's?

The name "Vauxhall" just sounds more upscale to me than "Opel", though.

magnette · September 2007

This is a Vauxhall Viscount, which was a deluxe version of the Vauxhall PC Cresta. I think it was sold in UK 1966/70, but the Cresta on which it was based went on a bit longer, to late 72 or so.
This particular one looks like it is registered in Australia.
3.3 litre straight-6 engine, and a big car by British standards, it was effectively killed off by rising fuel costs, and there aren't that many left now. My dad looked into buying a Cresta at that time, but it was too wide to go up our drive, so he got something else..

magnette · September 2007

Funnily enough Vauxhall is a district of inner London, and for most of the last century, until property prices started to rise it was not a particularly salubrious locale..
The company which made Vauxhall cars was originally an engineering works in that part of London, hence the name, but by the time they started making cars circa 1903 they were located north of London in Bedfordshire - actually at Luton, which was then a little market town, I suppose.
In Britain Vauxhall was/is thought of in the same way as Ford, and it was funny how when Opel was marketed jointly with them in the 70's they were always sold as more upmarket than poor old Vauxhall, although of ocurse now we have Vauxhalls which are basically re-badged Opels...

michaellno · September 2007

what was considered higher-ranking in Europe...an Opel or a Vauxhall?

As I understand it, they are pretty much equivalent to one another now .. Vauxhall is the brand name used in the UK exclusively, while Opel is used everywhere else in Europe (including Ireland).

im_brentwood · September 2007

We have a winner!

Yep, it's IN Australia but it is a Vauxhall Viscount. It's a PC.. when the PCs came out they dropped the Velox, there was the Cresta, the Cresta DeLuxe and the Viscount was the luxury model with power windows.

As most of you know I own 2 PAs..only a handful of them in America.. a 1960 Velox and a 1962 Velox. I don't know of any PBs or PCs in America.

A pic of my 1960 is on my Carspace profile.

im_brentwood · September 2007

Neither.

Vauxhalls were traditionally sold throughout the British Commonwealth.. Australia, UK, Guyana, Belize, Canada, South Africa, Rhodesia, etc... Opels were sold elsewhere.

andys120 · September 2007

andre1969 · September 2007

I have no idea, but it looks like either Toyota got tired of Pontiac names on their cars so they thought they'd try Ford, or Volvo and Mazda got together and designed something, and are letting Ford sell it.

I kinda like it. Even though it looks little, it has kind of a strong, rugged look to it.

im_brentwood · September 2007

Ford Kuga

ateixeira · September 2007

A bit overdone, eh?

I like the Mondeo headlights, but then you add the concave side panels a la BMW and the Nissan Murano D-pillar and it's just too much.

im_brentwood · September 2007

True.. but it's not like I'd ever drive one... compact SUV? yuck...

hudsonthedog · September 2007

I tend to associate Opels with Buicks, probably because they sold them in the US through Buick dealers for awhile. For some reason, I'm associating Vauxhall with Pontiac. Didn't they used to make them look kinda like little Pontiacs back in the 50's?
Buick sold Opels until they offered Isuzu-built "Buick/Opel" models. But in the 1950s and early 1960s, Pontiac imported Vauxhalls. I thought that was where you were going when you compared the four brands.

Mystery car pix

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