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Mystery car pix

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Comments

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    andys120 said:

    omarman said:

    The caption for this mystery car at the Petersen Museum states, "Ford eventually forced Porsche to drop the Continental designation."

    Well you can see why Ford might get a little testy but in general auto makers were less sensitive about protecting model names back then. E.g. GM and Chrysler both offered models called "Suburban" (Plymouth/Chevrolet/GMC). The Continental name was quickly replaced w the moniker "European" (odd for a US market item.)

    I couldn't find out much about what distinguished the "Continental" from other 356 models, perhaps those whitewalls and full wheel covers were standard equipment. Possibly other items such as (AM)radio and cigar lighter were included. It's doubtful that they offered P/S or P/B.

    BTW Shifty, I believe most of the Continentals were 1955MY.
    They made them through Oct. 1955 so you occasionally see them registered as 56s--back then it was quite common for German cars to be pushed to the next year if they didn't sell right away. I see this all the time.

    Porsche also branded some with a "European" fender script, and that didn't go over well either.

    I suspect the real reason was Max Hoffman telling them to stop already with the silly names on the fender.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    That blue HT wagon; maybe around a 63 Dodge 880?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    berri said:

    That blue HT wagon; maybe around a 63 Dodge 880?

    '64 I think, but that's close enough!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481


  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,348
    edited December 2017
    85 Ford LTD LX

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682

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

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 54,053
    Mid 70s Stutz?

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,177
    edited December 2017
    Stutz Blackhawk, in particular. Most don't have that fake split windshield, but some do.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,177
    edited December 2017
    Here's a nice fixer-upper Blackhawk:
    http://hanabi.autoweek.com/sites/default/files/styles/gen-738-415/public/120419960-3.jpg?itok=FFEKDP38
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682
    edited December 2017
    texases said:

    Stutz Blackhawk, in particular. Most don't have that fake split windshield, but some do.

    Yep, that's a 1971 Stutz Blackhawk, the product of a failed attempt to recreate the name and style of the classic 1920s sports cars.



    The Stutz revival cars were popular w the celebrity crowd including Lucille Ball, Sinatra and his Rat Pack gang proving that money does not buy taste. There were different models including convertibles and limos. Production ended in 1988.

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

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 270,691
    edited December 2017
    On the same note as that Stutz, a friend of mine has a Mercer Raceabout in his 2nd story bedroom. If he wanted to get it out, he'd have to tear down an exterior wall.

    It looks just like Jay Leno's Mercer, here:
    https://www.nbc.com/jay-lenos-garage/video/1913-mercer-raceabout/2861489

    Jay tried to buy his car, and he wouldn't sell it, but found him another one (in AZ, I think).

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is your friend's a 1913 version, or later model? Some of them are quite valuable, depending on year. I'd imagine Leno's is worth north of $1 million, but a 20s version would bring considerably less. You sometimes see Runabouts converted to Raceabouts. Scary thing to drive.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 270,691
    Mr_Shiftright said:

    Is your friend's a 1913 version, or later model? Some of them are quite valuable, depending on year. I'd imagine Leno's is worth north of $1 million, but a 20s version would bring considerably less. You sometimes see Runabouts converted to Raceabouts. Scary thing to drive.

    That's a good question. I'll have to ask him. He has correspondence that Jay sent him, after he completed the purchase of the one in the video. (a picture of Jay's head, looking through the monocle windscreen).

    My friend is a big-time brass-era car collector. I'm sure it's not from the '20s. That's too late for most of his interest.

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    edited December 2017
    Must be a lucky guy. The brass car market hasn't deflated like some of the old timey car world, in fact, it seems to have behaved more like west coast real estate. You'd need to be pretty wealthy to collect the big cars.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    tjc78 said:

    85 Ford LTD LX

    Gold Star! It's an LTD on a 5.0L Mustang platform. As usual Ford screwed up and wouldn't offer it with a 4 or 5-speed mnaual transmission. It only lasted two years and is a rare bird today.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited December 2017
    andys120 said:


    When Virgil Exner missed, he missed big. This catastrophe is a Stutz Blackhawk. They sold roughly 500-600 cars in 16 years. Elvis owned one and I think it's still in Graceland---the perfect place for it.

    It's based on the Pontiac Grand Prix, as you can no doubt tell, and weighs in over 5,000 lbs, probably due to a lot of lead in the custom-built bodies.

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 270,691
    I'm pretty sure that is the one Elvis owned. Ask me how I know? ;)

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  • omarmanomarman Member Posts: 2,702
    kyfdx said:

    I'm pretty sure that is the one Elvis owned. Ask me how I know? ;)

    How do you know it wasn't John Voight's car?
    A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh, you mean the dentist? Could be.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682

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

  • lostwrench1lostwrench1 Member Posts: 1,165
    Wow, a 1958 El Dorado Brougham. I think there were only around 300 made. Will have to check on that.
  • lostwrench1lostwrench1 Member Posts: 1,165
    304 made.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682
    edited December 2017
    At The Old Motor they think it's a 1957 MY, I don't know how they tell. Based on pix I found the '57 and '58 models of this very exclusive car looked identical. Fantasy Junction sez 704 were built in two years, 400 in 1957, 304 in '58.

    fantasyjunction.com/cars/1414-Cadillac-Eldorado%20Brougham-365%20Cubic%20Inch%20V8

    theoldmotor.com/?p=167902

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    I think those cars might have been the first to use narrower band whitewalls.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is that a butterfly net?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    Looks like a toy 57 Country Squire and similar era Shasta trailer, probably a modern item cut from tin as a souvenir piece.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think it was an old toy, but I"m not a toy expert so I couldn't date it. It seemed substantial when I picked it up. I might go back and check it out more thoroughly for a brand name. I think they wanted $100 bucks for it, so I put it back down, as if it were burning hot. :p
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    The patina on it looks kind of "forced" - I am not a published expert on old Japanese tinplate, but I have some decent examples, and that wagon is unlike any I am familiar with. $100 for a loose mint item would be a fair deal, but for a modern decorator piece, not for me.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,419
    It's not a 57 CS, no fins. The rear looks like a 59, but the headlights don't, at least from this view. It could be a generic wagon.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    I think the tin woody is more of a toy than a scale model. The windshield dogleg angle is too steep for a 55-56, but the front end doesn't match a 58-59. The profile is definitely Ford, to me anyway.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682

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

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 54,053
    Fiat Dino. I like it.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682
    Yup, a 1970 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe, body by Bertone

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

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,804
    gorgeous

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited December 2017
    It's the 2400 you want. Worth considerably more than the 2000, possibly 50% more just for the engine. Reason? The 2000 engine was a boat anchor. The Spider version in the 2400 brings big bucks.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682

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

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    I'll pick off the 59 Galaxie 3rd car from left.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,419
    I'll take the 56 and 59 Fords.
  • lostwrench1lostwrench1 Member Posts: 1,165
    '56 Packard
    '54 Chevy (?)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Packard......'56???
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    Car at far right maybe a lower trim ~55 Plymouth? Or 52-54 Ford? Hard to tell.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682
    fintail said:

    Car at far right maybe a lower trim ~55 Plymouth? Or 52-54 Ford? Hard to tell.

    My first thought was a '55 MoPar but now that you mention it, it could be a Ford. FWIW at least one guy @ The Old Motor thinks it's a '52-'54 Ford.

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

  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,419
    My gut feeling is the blue car on the right is NOT a 52-54, BUT if it is, it's a Mainline. The others had some chrome at the base of the pillar.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682

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

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,747
    The car at the far right keeps telling me MoPar because of the door frames having the dark green color of the bottom of the car while the roof was a lighter green. Those colors were generally on MoPar, Plymouths, in my memory of things.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,756
    I see more Plymouth than Ford in the far R car, too.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,682
    fintail said:

    I see more Plymouth than Ford in the far R car, too.

    I do too but damned if they didn't have the same C-post!>>

    '55 Plymouth
    >

    '54 Ford



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

  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,419
    That's unreal. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,747
    edited January 2018
    andys120 said:

    fintail said:

    I see more Plymouth than Ford in the far R car, too.

    I do too but damned if they didn't have the same C-post!>>

    '55 Plymouth
    >

    '54 Ford

    Here it is. I'd missed it on the bottom of a page when I searched a day back for the right profile.
    All the others have a flat chrome trim piece covering the C-pillar...








    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

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