Name this car....

[Rona!d]

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vor 17 Minuten schrieb Charles Morgan:

I sold my Citroen SM to a French architect in Paris, who was also a Facel Vega owner and leading light in FV circles. He said that Facel had offered De Gaulle a presidential vehicle but it was declined as having an American engine. At least he was consistent!

De Gaulle preferred the standard version of the DS 21 Pallas, even after Chapron built him the armored (ugly) Présidentielle version which he only used for three parades. He saw his chauffeur as his friend and talking partner during his drives, so he was no friend of an armored taxi shield between front and rear seat row.

He possibly wouldn´t have used the new SM Présidentielle for having an italian engine. Two SM convertibles were made and are still in official use at parades.

[wlaidlaw]

As a number of folks contributed to the answer, Azach, Andy and Ronald, choose amongst yourselves who posts the next car. 

Wilson

[Charles Morgan]

51 minutes ago, Rona!d said:

He possibly wouldn´t have used the new SM Présidentielle for having an italian engine. Two SM convertibles were made and are still in official use at parades.

On the evidence of my SM (prior to its fettling by a Dutch SM specialist) he might not have had a functioning Italian engine to be able to use it! There were many episodes of joylessness with that car, but my 4 hour trip round the M25 with 30 plus stalls is seared on my consciousness.

[Rona!d]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb wlaidlaw:

As a number of folks contributed to the answer, Azach, Andy and Ronald, choose amongst yourselves who posts the next car. 

Wilson

From my side the next car can be posted by anyone.

[wlaidlaw]

2 hours ago, Charles Morgan said:

On the evidence of my SM (prior to its fettling by a Dutch SM specialist) he might not have had a functioning Italian engine to be able to use it! There were many episodes of joylessness with that car, but my 4 hour trip round the M25 with 30 plus stalls is seared on my consciousness.

My wife had a Citroen CX, which we took on a ski trip to Chamonix one year. It was not running well on the way out but on the way back it kept stopping. I must have disassembled the carburettor 10 times to unstick the anti-run on solenoid, which kept shutting the fuel off. That is the last Citroen I will buy. Even though it was only 3 years old when I got it and had done just 25,000 miles, it was the most unreliable car we have ever had and that includes various Alfa Romeos and a couple of Lotuses (Loti?)

Wilson

[AZach]

3 hours ago, adan said:

Karmann Ghia - possibly with engine trouble?

And can the above be confirmed? Or was the gentleman stopped with a load of banknotes going to a Swiss bank?

[wlaidlaw]

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5 minutes ago, AZach said:

And can the above be confirmed? Or was the gentleman stopped with a load of banknotes going to a Swiss bank?

I think it is a still from a film. 

Wilson

[Rona!d]

vor 4 Minuten schrieb AZach:

And can the above be confirmed? Or was the gentleman stopped with a load of banknotes going to a Swiss bank?

Not sure if he would have stored banknotes in the hot engine compartment. It´s not the big Karmann Type 34 which also had  trunk space in the rear due to it´s flat boxer.

Whatever stopped him, I really like that "mice grey" on old aircooled VWs and Porsches.

[NigelG]

50 minutes ago, wlaidlaw said:

I think it is a still from a film. 

Wilson

It’s from “Polizeifunk Ruft” (1966-1970) Series 2 Episide 8. 
Known as “Les cavaliers de la route” in France

[pippy]

6 hours ago, adan said:

Karmann Ghia - possibly with engine trouble?

It appears to be an early 'Low-Light' example ('55-'60) which were equipped with more rectangular-shaped rear lights than the oval-styled ones which were introduced along with the larger-nostril / higher headlamps (etc.) for the post circa '60 facelifted version.

Beautiful cars but woefully underpowered - 30hp(!) on its introduction - and with an intricate amalgamation of hand-shaped, flat-welded bodywork fabrication which, considering the target market, was very expensive to work on if the car was involved in a head-on collision...or even rusted!

An Okrasa tuning kit, however, could sort out the first of these inadequacies!

Philip.

[Rona!d]

vor 7 Stunden schrieb pippy:

It appears to be an early 'Low-Light' example ('55-'60) which were equipped with more rectangular-shaped rear lights than the oval-styled ones which were introduced along with the larger-nostril / higher headlamps (etc.) for the post circa '60 facelifted version.

Beautiful cars but woefully underpowered - 30hp(!) on its introduction - and with an intricate amalgamation of hand-shaped, flat-welded bodywork fabrication which, considering the target market, was very expensive to work on if the car was involved in a head-on collision...or even rusted!

An Okrasa tuning kit, however, could sort out the first of these inadequacies!

Philip.

Indeed the nicest looking old model. I´d even prefer a Coupe over a Cabriolet although I´m a roadster guy. Well, I think a period OKRASA wouldn´t help much. Best, you leave it as it is and live with a slow vehicle which looks faster. With serial tyres and rear-axle you wouldn´t want to go any faster than with maybe 40-50 hp..

According to expensive made, YES, agree. And in restauration the tin doesn´t care if it´s been welded into a Volkswagen or a Porsche Speedster for half a million bucks.

[pippy]

20 minutes ago, Rona!d said:

Indeed the nicest looking old model. I´d even prefer a Coupe over a Cabriolet although I´m a roadster guy. Well, I think a period OKRASA wouldn´t help much. Best, you leave it as it is and live with a slow vehicle which looks faster. With serial tyres and rear-axle you wouldn´t want to go any faster than with maybe 40-50 hp..

According to expensive made, YES, agree. And in restauration the tin doesn´t care if it´s been welded into a Volkswagen or a Porsche Speedster for half a million bucks.

I agree about the preference for the coupe over the cabriolet - but I'm more of a 'Tin-Top' guy anyway!

As far as the Okrasa conversion goes you should bear in mind that when the K-G was introduced in 1955 the standard VW 1192cc flat-four was putting out a monstrous 30hp! From memory the Okrasa twin carb set-up raised that to around 44hp - almost exactly a 50% increase over standard - which made things in the lower ratios a bit more fun! But, yes, my own sepaphore-equipped '59 rag-top still had its original 30-horser which engine, by the time I acquired her, was already 30 years old and even then, with radials fitted, the car was rather tricky in certain road conditions!

Without going in to a long story my flat-mate at that time - who originally bought the '59 mentioned above as a rolling-shell before passing it to me - picked-up a rare RHD '55 (Oval-Window period) Karmann Convertible 'Beetle' and, Beetle originality not being so very much cherished back then, fitted a much later and bored-out 1.6 (to 1776), had it fitted with twin Webers of some description, lowered the whole thing by around 10cm (surprisingly easy if you know how to use a welding kit!) and installed a disc-brake conversion at all 4 corners for good measure. These modifications transformed the car's handling and raised the car's top speed from 67mph to the needle pointing to 'Oil Pressure Warning Light' - around 90+ mph - which was beyond the given range of the stock speedo!

Philip.

[wlaidlaw]

After the disaster of the Simca Abarth 1300, which my mother proved to be wholly incapable of driving (no power below 4000 RPM), she decided she wanted something a lot tamer, namely a Type 34 Karmann Ghia 1500 but my father who disliked the noise the the flat four made, said no. Instead he bought her a Renault Caravelle 1100. I suspect the Karmann Ghia might have been better, given how bad the Caravelle was. I would have loved the Abarth but that was when I only had a motorcycle provisional (learner's) licence aged 16 and the only car I could drive was my 1930 Three Wheeler Aero SS Morgan, which was at the time, legally classed as a motorcycle and sidecar, so no accompanying driver required. 

Wilson

[adan]

Since both Ronald and AZach bowed out:

Own photo - RF, but Mam6 rather than Leica.

A forensic exercise from a carcase (hah!), but I was able to eventually identify it myself.

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[wlaidlaw]

Andy,

Could it be a Hudson Hornet from around 52/53? 

Wilson

[adan]

Not a Hudson, but your dating is very good!

And there is a resemblance, from this angle (given that so much trim is missing)

[wlaidlaw]

My second guess would be a Plymouth Cranbrook or Concord from the same period. There may be Dodge or Chrysler clones. 

Wilson

[Rona!d]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb wlaidlaw:

.., she decided she wanted something a lot tamer, namely a Type 34 Karmann Ghia 1500 but my father who disliked the noise the the flat four made, said no.

In opposite to your father I really like the sound of a Type 3 engine. Inside and outside the car. It is a nice nuance between a beetle and an early 356.

Before I opted for beetles I was a type 3 guy. Had several notchbacks. Could never find a proper "Variant" estate and didn´t like the hatchbacks.

Back in the late 1980s, early 1990s I badly wanted a Type 34 Karmann. Checked out more than a dozen from cheap to very expensive. Deep inside ALL were crap in these days. Attended a restauration of a colleague who bought one of the better cars I refused to buy. Getting the usual spare parts was one story (as a Type 3 guy I had a lot in the barn) but body parts and special 34 parts was a nightmare (and still is). That cured me for a lifetime.

Such a pleasent car though, my dad even loved the automatic version when he worked in the development in Wolfsburg. One of his friends still owns a nice Type 34 Cabriolet which he bought in the early 1970s and had it converted by Lorenz. About 15 were made at Lorenz and maybe 12 at Karmann.

What I do own are the original VW brochures of the Karmann Type 34 Cabriolet and the Type 3 1500 hatchback Cabriolet. These don´t rust and don´t cost much storage space. Always a pleasure to read in from time to time.

In the Type 34 Coupe brochure VW themselve mentioned that this car is "like taylormade" and "handmade" and will remain a rare sighting in traffic. Today no mass market maker would write such stupid things because the possible buyers get frightened how expensive a repair could become compared to replace a fender at a beetle 😉

[John Z. Goriup]

Looks like a '52 Chevrolet sedan.

JZG

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[adan]

1 hour ago, John Z. Goriup said:

Looks like a '52 Chevrolet sedan.

JZG

Given the limited point of view and missing/invisible parts, that is acceptably accurate.

1952 (± 1 year) Chevrolet Styleline Special 4-door Sedan.

https://topclassiccarsforsale.com/chevrolet/219171-1952-chevrolet-styleline-special-4-door-sedan.html

Same basic model also produced as 2-door coupes, "business coupes" (no rear seat), Bel Air "hardtop" coupes (no B pillar), convertibles, Fleetline Deluxe "fastbacks," and station wagon/estates.

Your turn, John.