Skizzer's spotting thread

[wuvvum]

That was the Italia 90 wasn't it?

[Skizzer]

I’ve been to Switzerland for a mini break.

Switzerland is old car central, so there was lots of spotting to be had. Much of the choice tin was mobile and eluded the camera, but here’s a few that didn’t get away.

First up, a Pontiac GTO in the middle of Zurich. Saw lots of pony cars / muscle cars, including sundry 60s Mustangs and a yellow 1970 Dodge Challenger.

 

Not one but two Fiat Topolinos, one pre- and one post-facelift, not far apart around Einsiedeln. I assume they were connected somehow.

The same roadworks queue as the green Fiat also featured this Volvo Amazon and a smoky NSU Prinz.  NSU pic is too crap to post even for me.

 

This early Manta B was hot hot hot.  Vinyl seats for the win. (Bonus Audi 80 B4 Avant too.)

Old Willys/Ford and CJ5 Jeeps in combat trim seem to be a popular runabout in the Alps. Here are two of several.

More shortly.

[Skizzer]

Somebody with superior skills to mine can identify these buses.  I love the one with the panoramic roof.

 

Corolla 4x4 at the Klausenpass - ideal WBOD.

This Caddy Eldorado was for sale in Locarno. No I didn’t.

The sane place had what purports to be a Bugatti Royale, but isn’t. It was huge enough though, including a vast engine.

Another yard down the road was less posh and sported this Dodge Daytona and Fiat Panda, amongst various VW T25s and dull later stuff.

Speaking of posh, you know you’re paying too much for your holiday let (not mine) when the rep drives an Aston Martin, even if it is a Cygnet.

[Skizzer]

Assorted car park shite.

70s Mini has the usual mods but looked quite saucy. I like the colour.

Nice Civic Shuttle, only slightly crashed.

This R5 GT Turbo had been there a while. It’s illegal to have a car this dirty in Switzerland. Yes, really.

All of the above were in the same car park in Ascona. Sadly I didn’t see any actual Asconas. Closest I got was this Vectra A in RobT-friendly spec.

This was a different car park, in Zurich. One of two Buick Park Avenues I spotted in the wild. Class.

[Skizzer]

That’ll do for now - there’s more but it’s bedtime. I’ll post the rest tomorrow or Saturday.

[Inspector Morose]

The buses are by Saurer by the way . I just happen to have a model of the lower one somewhere in the house.

 

edit: I’ve never driven a Saurer motorbus (yet) but I did get its electric cousin under my belt in 2000.

[eddyramrod]

We don't need any more.  That red GTO happens to be my favourite year of GTO production!

But well done, thank you for thinking of us!

[Skizzer]

21 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

The buses are by Saurer by the way . I just happen to have a model of the lower one somewhere in the house.

Oo, actual genuine Swiss buses! I’d forgotten about Saurer. Thanks for that.

Here are some more spots.

I rented a Golf sized car but Enterprise didn’t have any about so gave us a Grand Cherokee instead.  Diesel V6 sounded ok at revs but wasn’t actually very fast - it’s got a lot of car to haul around.  Quite shite-friendly as moderns go I suppose...

...but I’d have much rather had this 4.0 straight six petrol one from the early 90s. I like these.

 

Or a Toyota FJ Cruiser, or a W126:

The Merc is pretty special - poverty 300SE spec on trims with a fetching hat on the parcel shelf.

This W123 is a whole lot more miserable though:  the glacial 200 petrol in prison overalls blue without even any trims. The chrome arches just add a note of despairingly pointless tinsel. I love it.

There was a smarter 230E W123 in metallic forest green with those great body coloured trims they have, just up the road, but I missed the pic. 

While we’re on Mercedes Benzes, this was my favourite: an R107 Panzerwagen SL in gorgeous metallic brown with tan interior and a brown fabric hood.  

Hell yeah.

[Barry Cade]

Great pics! Swizzerland is ace for oldtimer spotting.

 

I found this place last time I was passing through. Bonus 9-5 in the background..

 

[Skizzer]

Fab. They do love a Camaro/Trans Am (and why not) - saw several but didn’t get any shots.

 

Last batch.

I thought this was a 1957-ish 62 series Caddy convertible, but now I’m not sure. I need  Junkman to shout at me for being ignorant and tell me what it is.

Quite a lot of Geländewagen about. This green one was a favourite. I like these although, and maybe because, I’ve never actually driven or ridden in one.

Here’s a ramshackle old shed. And a wooden agricultural building.

And finally, my favourite spot - an Alfa Giulia van: 

The tailgate at least seems non-original (that looks like a VW Polo rear window) but it’s awfully well done. Chapeau.

[Three Speed]

7 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

I thought this was a 1957-ish 62 series Caddy convertible, but now I’m not sure. I need  Junkman to shout at me for being ignorant and tell me what it is

55 Pontiac

[Barry Cade]

 

Looks like a '55 Pontiac Star Chief....

 

 

 

Beaten to it!!

[inconsistant]

Great stuff! Ive struggled with decent chod  spotting in Switzerland, but then our visits have always been to the rural alps rather than city streets. Usually loads of Justys and the odd 4wd Corollas and Golfs. They have very strict regulations on cars once they’re more than a few years old so its no surprise to see all your chods are in great condition and being used. Its very rare, probably impossible to run an old banger in Switzerland. 

[Spottedlaurel]

That Manta B is delightful.

I was surprised how much old stuff I saw in Switzerland on a brief work visit a few years ago.

[bramz7]

Nice spots. I'm actually in Basel right now and it's amazing how clean everything is. Including the old cars might I add....

[HMC]

Lovely! I had an r107 in exactly that colourcombo a few years back

[Skizzer]

23 minutes ago, HMC said:

Lovely! I had an r107 in exactly that colourcombo a few years back

Hnnnngggg.  Very jealous.  They’ve zoomed out of my range now, sadly.

[Skizzer]

Just got back from spending Christmas in Germany with Mrs Skizzer’s mother.

Not a lot of spots, but a few. 

Loads of W123 and 124 Benzes still about, mostly just doing duty at being a car. This 230E was smart.

Three door Charade, which I don’t think we got except the GTti (with two Ts).  This is apparently a TS Special whatever that means.  Skinny steels suggest povvo spec, but they could just be its winter boots.

The boot sticker on this Daewoo Nexia translates roughly as “it’s worth it”.  Quite so.

Speedy the Suzuki apparently wasn’t worth it though. Shame, looks very solid. 

Mrs S was on photo duties on the Autobahn and has been playing the game long enough to know that the Beetle (though nice and on old Dutch plates) isn’t the interesting thing in this shot.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a BX up and running, which is a shame.  Although debadged, I think this is a basic 14E from the trims, unsmoked lights, lack of bonnet grille and non-central-locking boot button.  

Another Citroen - a Visa this time, in French peasant beige. It turned off before we got any closer but again it’s a very lowly spec. A 10E would be my guess.

Not old but a curiosity - did we get a booted Astra of this generation?  If we did it passed me by.  Rare even in Germany, but more successful visually than the equivalent Focus.

Finally, what better vehicle than a BMW-Isetta to take to Bauhaus (=B&Q).  It’s bigger than the child’s ride-on shopping trolley parked behind it, but not by much. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

12 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

Three door Charade, which I don’t think we got except the GTti (with two Ts).  This is apparently a TS Special whatever that means.  Skinny steels suggest povvo spec, but they could just be its winter boots.

My Mum had a Daihatsu Charade TS, two of them in fact as the first was written off.

She always said that TS stood for The Shit, because if you drove a Charade you were the shit.

[RobT]

That Astra saloon looks pretty swish.  Based on the estate's longer wheelbase apparently, so probably quite spacious inside (for a modern).

[anonymous user]

On 10/5/2019 at 10:55 AM, HMC said:

Lovely! I had an r107 in exactly that colourcombo a few years back

That's not how I imagined you, nice hat though 

[bezzabsa]

This is actually nice!! 

Rear end has a hint of Skoda about it too... reckon these would have sold to the Giffer brigade