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Mystery car pix

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Comments

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The new Subaru?

    Juuuuust kidding :P

    Hmmm....it resembles one of those Hanomag thingies from Germany.....???
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Ooh, where's the emotorcon with hearts? Love it. W116s look great in brown, couple that with a rare Crayford conversion, and it's hard to beat. I can't tell the model, but does not look like a SEL (LWB) car.
  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    One thing that interests me is that it's got the US style 4 round headlights. Does that mean that it is a converted US version or were those headlights used elsewhere? The license plate doesn't look like US issue, but I can't even tell from the picture if it actually is a license plate.

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    It could be either. I have seen US lights on MBs in Europe (W126 especially) - some people there actually like the US style lights, and it might hearken back to the days in Europe when a V8 108 had quad lights, while a 6 had the flush composite lights. It could also be a grey market import, I am sure a few were sold here.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    That's a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300SD wearing the Crayford wagon conversion. Come to think of it the Euro bumpers and round lights are an odd combo.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    I know that post WW2, various former Axis countries, and those conquered by them, experimented with tiny three wheelers. Somewhere on the net there is a site given over to them.

    This looks especially rough, so I suspect pretty early post war and maybe Austrian or Czech prototype.

    The better ones led to things like the Isetta.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    That Mercedes G63 6x6 reminds me of these:

    image
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Mercedes W31 type G4 from about 1941. The Australian press has noted the irony that, in purchasing the 6wd G class, Mercedes are revisiting the W31.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    "I know that post WW2, various former Axis countries, and those conquered by them"

    Like the UK? Oh, that's their auto industry post 20th century :shades:

    The front end of that old pic reminds me of a Hanomag Kommissbrot. I get an Austrian or Czech vibe from it too, maybe something that led to the Velorex.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    1956 Oldsmobile Starfire
    1956 Chev, 4-door hardtop Sport Sedan. I'm trying to recall the colors. There was a dark gray used with a coral that might photograph like this in black and white. The black/yellow would appear much lighter in the yellow.

    link to larger version of picture.

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  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    edited March 2013
    Keerect, those two American beauties sure stand out in this crowd of little Euro cars. Anyone want to ID them, other than the obvious oval window early Vee Dub.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Lancia Aurelia....and I can't quite ID that convertible.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    Lancia Aurelia....and I can't quite ID that convertible.

    I read an article once about why Lancia made a number of RHD cars for the Italian market but I can't remember why, anyone know?

    The only convertible I see is the big Olds, unless you're referring to the small car next to it which could be a Minor 1100 convertible or sedan...hard to say.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That's an interesting story. Apparently Lancia provided right hand drive even in areas where driving on the right was the norm, apparently to assist drivers in heavily mountainous terrain, if they preferred, to see the edge of the road on the right side, going uphill. Coming down the mountain they still had the entire left lane buffering them from the edge of doom.

    I know, for instance, going east out of Aspen over Independence Pass during a ferocious rain storm--I wouldn't have minded right hand drive.
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    You and Fintail both mentioned Czech connections, and this is indeed from Czechoslovakia. It's a Krejbich (I've also found a reference to it as a Kreibick) built in 1949-50 and powered by Jawa 2-stroke engines - they fitted either a 200cc or 350cc motor. According to the only references I can find they built about 70 of them, and there are a couple still left - there are pictures of at least two survivors on Flickr.
    This is the first picture I have ever posted on this site that I didn't take myself, so I'm not exactly a quick learner!
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    The little convertible isn't a morris Minor - I think (especially given the setting) it is a Fiat 500 - probably a 500C, the last of the front engined 500's - so about 1950-54.
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    edited March 2013
    image

    I'm learning...
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    edited March 2013
    Aha, yes a Fiat 500. I saw one of the new convertibles recently and it had a similar appearance in back. There's one more car in that photo that we haven't identified. It's the black sedan that you can see just the rear door an C-post of past the little Fiat.

    It sure looks like this '55 MG Magnette>

    image

    But then I figured you'd have said so if it was so what is it? :confuse:

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    edited March 2013
    Nice Magnette although he's missing a bit of chrome - this is a later car than mine and I think is a ZB although the trim off the front wing isn't there to confirm it. He's also missing a bit I haven't got eiither - there should be a chrome strip round the rear window but his has gone. I have been looking for one of those for years, too.
    I think the black saloon in a Fiat 1400 (First I thought Alfa 1900 but the rear door doesn't look right).
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    Yes it could certainly be a Fiat 1400 but with just the little bit we can see it could easily be a Magnette too. Give the Italian location I guess the smart money is on the Fiat.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Gee, you are really going for the weird! My initial thought (from the nose and lights) was that it is related to the Triumph 1300 designed by Michelotti, but this picture is clearly rear engined (no radiator grill). It might derive from a late 50's or 60's Renault.

    One of the Japanese manufacturers had some license deal to make a knock off of the Renault 4. It was not Isuzu, which built the Bellett, (the greenhouse looks very similar) but something like that.

    Alternatively, is it some sort of odd DAF, found in Holland?

    Cheers

    Graham
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    edited March 2013
    Well, you are close without actually gettnig near, if you see what I mean...
    I think Michelotti was involved with this, but I'm not sure about that. It also has a Renault link, but only in the sense that this maker had previously built the Renault 4cv / 750 under licence and this was a development of that.
    However, it isn't a European manufacturer at all...

    Other than that, how about the van in the foreground?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,433
    Is that van some sort of DAF?

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  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    image

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    The van is British, the car is Japanese.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Looks like an early 1970s Subaru. Maybe 1971?
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    This is a wild guess as we didn't get these, but is this a Subaru 1000 - I keep thinking its a Suzuki, as it reminds me of the Fronte, but I am still going with Subaru.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cool wheels, are those mini lites?
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    cool looking car, but where the heck is the interior? :P

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • bob4020bob4020 Member Posts: 1
    Hi ya´all I´m finally going to do it. I´m going to go out and buy a brand new 2013 Camaro ZL1 for only $20,000.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Gee, a $35,000 discount. That's pretty good. Don't let the police catch you. :P
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Meanwhile his spam post over in Prices Paid has been removed. :D
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Dont mess with Quick Draw McGraw!
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    While you are all still pondering the Japanese car / British van in the previous Dutch picture, this other one caught my eye.
    image

    There are a lot more of these photos - wish I had taken them myself...
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,368
    They look like Minilites but since those are reallky expensive they're probab ly look-alike Panasports but the car itself was sold in the US as the 1970 Subaru FF-1 Star. It was probably the first FWD import from Japan.

    It was also known as the Subaru Leone/Subaru 1000.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,250
    edited March 2013
    The c pillar/rear fenders remind me of a Saab 900 sedan(?), not the hatchback version.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I actually owned an FF-1, and drove it through a nasty Colorado winter. Primitive but very sturdy little car.
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Congratulations. I thought all the trolls had died!

    Cheers

    Graham
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Been bugging me, as I am sure I have seen one in living memory. Have just remembered seeing one in Christchurch, New Zealand after the Earthquakes. If so, a Hino Contessa from the era when Hino made some cars, rather than just being a truck making arm of Toyota.

    The earlier generation looked like a Toyopet or Austin. This generations similarity to a Renault is odd.

    They were sold in Australia and New Zealand and an assembly plant in New Zealand made them, certainly for the NZ market. Although Australia and New Zealand are economically and socially close, there are odd anomalies between the industry policies which open markets for many cars there which do not make it to Australia.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • magnettemagnette Member Posts: 4,148
    edited March 2013
    Yes Graham - It's a Hino Contessa - they revised the model and this is the later version so mid-60s I believe. Hino built the Renault 750 under licence prior to the first Contessa, and I have seen one of those - but the later one was apparently sold in Nethelands, Belgium etc when it was current - Hino never sold cars in Britain even though as an RHD market they would have been fine here, but to be fair by the time the Japanese carsstarted to break through here they were merging with Toyota.
    The van is a Bedford HA - the commercial version of the first Vauxhall Viva. As a car the Viva HA was on sale from about 1963 to 67, but the van went on in this form until the mid-70's
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2013
    image
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    1965 or 1966 Rambler Marlin.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited March 2013
    What on earth was AMC thinking with the Marlin? IMHO, even the emblem was kind of dorky! However, I will say the '67 was better-looking IMO although they are even more-rarely seen than the '65 and '66. The Marlin was designed by Richard Teague, formerly of Packard styling in Detroit. He joked in an interview once that he was paid in Marlin decklids for the job! ;)
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2013
    That was fast (back). :shades: The Wiki contributor pegs it a '65. Another shot:

    image
  • lostwrench1lostwrench1 Member Posts: 1,165
    From two printed advertisements from the 60s............

    "Marlin by Rambler - Newest of the Sensible Spectaculars".

    "Introducing excitement! The swinging new man-size sports fastback - MARLIN!"

    I like the car.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Look how tiny that decklid is!
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I like the taillights, and I like that the cars are rarely seen.

    Seems like they cribbed "Marlin" from "Barracuda", though. Not real original.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    something went horribly wrong.... :cry:
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    I hate to say it, though, but I think I see some Chrysler Crossfire coupe and even '14 Corvette Stingray coupe in the way that fastback roofline is done--looking on from straight-on in the back, that is!

    Trust me, I always 'goofed' on Marlins when I was a kid, but I do think there are some similarities!
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
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