Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[martc]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2020 at 11:49 PM, Austat said:

Triumph 1300's were built in Israel under license by Sussita (I believe):

They were offered as a higher end version of the fibreglass body Don Carmels, it was convenient as the Carmels shared the same 1300 running gear.

They also introduced a 1500 version, using the 1300 body:

The top photo is a RHD model, were they recycling old BL photos as well as the cars? (Israel drives on the left).

[Austat]

8 minutes ago, martc said:

The top photo is a RHD model, were they recycling old BL photos as well as the cars? (Israel drives on the left).

Probably did before production started in Israel.

[Austat]

Seat 1200 Sport:

[Remspoor]

5 hours ago, Austat said:

Seat 1200 Sport:

That version is known as Bocanegra  (black mouth). That is better that rubber bumper!

[chaseracer]

What is that amazing two-tone brown wonder behind it?

[angle]

I've gone down a Chinese car wormhole again. G. Patton Super SUV. It's a rebodied Ford F450 Super Duty with a V10, teak flooring and a coffee machine. I'm honestly not making this up. 

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a20085937/theres-a-china-market-suv-named-for-general-george-patton/

The same company also makes a 6 wheel drive supercharged Jeep Wrangler. 

[egg]

12 hours ago, MKT said:

Never realised they did a 4x4 version of the MK1 Mondeo (that's a little 4x4 badge on the front wing).

They are fairly rare now. They have reduced boot space because of the rear axle changes. Command a bit of a price premium over most MK1s.

[Snipes]

A tidy mk1 Mondeo is a beautiful thing.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

15 hours ago, MKT said:

Never realised they did a 4x4 version of the MK1 Mondeo (that's a little 4x4 badge on the front wing).

All I remember of these was that Ford decided to drive some , along with some Mavericks . From London to New York, a little ambitious and judging by the fact there don't seem to be any New York pictures in google images , presumably they failed and everything is at the bottom of The Bering Strait.

There was a documentary that followed the preparation and explained that some sort of amphibious tank thing was going to tow the cars across the Strait, but I never saw anything after the initial launch.

[Datsuncog]

On 2/4/2020 at 3:57 PM, NorfolkNWeigh said:

All I remember of these was that Ford decided to drive some , along with some Mavericks . From London to New York, a little ambitious and judging by the fact there don't seem to be any New York pictures in google images , presumably they failed and everything is at the bottom of The Bering Strait.

There was a documentary that followed the preparation and explained that some sort of amphibious tank thing was going to tow the cars across the Strait, but I never saw anything after the initial launch.

It appears that the twin of the Mondeo in your pics lives just outside Belfast now...

Looks like they made it to Noo Yawk after all.

Not done much on the road since, mind... I think this one has been at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum since the mid-90s.

[Datsuncog]

Actually, on the topic of unknown/barely known cars, here's another from the Ulster Transport Museum's collection - the DAWB 6.

Anyone?

Nope, not one I'd heard of either... turns out it's a handbuilt one-off.

Rather incredibly, this special was built between 1954 and 1962.

Looks quite a bit more recent than that, I'd reckon.

Quite a few unique styling features, like the lights; you'd think this was a styling exercise by Vignale or Ghia, rather than something knocked together by a couple of fellas from East Belfast in their free time.

Not sure I'd call a six-cylinder engine 'unique' - unless they machined and built it themselves from scratch, which is quite possible.

Nice job, lads. 

Also nice that, after all the work, it didn't end up dumped behind a garage to rot into the ground!

[Inspector Morose]

34 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Not sure I'd call a six-cylinder engine 'unique' - unless they machined and built it themselves from scratch, which is quite possible.

Guess what? Yup, they did. It has a transverse in-line six, aircooled, of course. The drive to the (uh-huh) scratch built gearbox is taken from the centre of the crank and run down to the gearbox.

I have coveted this car for many, many years and even went to Belfast just to see it. There is an article on it in Classic Cars from around 1995 I think which goes into great detail of the build. 

After that, he built a boat. You can guess how that went.

To me, this is the pinnacle of one bloke in shed, striving away for perfection and realising their dream. The actual car becomes immaterial - but it does become a lasting monument to their skill and devotion to engineering.

[flat4alfa]

15 hours ago, martc said:

The top photo is a RHD model, were they recycling old BL photos as well as the cars? (Israel drives on the left).

Yes

[flat4alfa]

26 minutes ago, Inspector Morose said:

There is an article on it in Classic Cars from around 1995 I think which goes into great detail of the build. 

Classic Cars Oct 1988

Never seen it in the flesh, but I can't stop looking at photos of the donk

[flat4alfa]

 

[AnthonyG]

On 1/27/2020 at 9:01 PM, cort1977 said:

Ssangyong chairman.

Kind of a 7 series/ A8 copy.

As a not very interesting fact I think the FAA in the plate refers to the Angolan air force.

Close but no cigar, with the 7 series/A8 comment, these are based on a W220 S class.
The earlier one looked very similar to a first generation Lexus LS, and was based on the W124. 

[RoadworkUK]

I've always suspected that I'd far prefer a SsangYong Chairman to a Metro Chairman.

[martc]

2 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Yes

Waste not, want not. But they could at least print it the other way round, or had they lost the negative?

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Mondeo 4x4 was available for roughly 12months 2.0 only in all 3 body types only seen a saloon & hatch.

[vulgalour]

I'm assuming this is some sort of neverwas concept from 1980s Rover, with more than a hint of Cadillac Allante about it.  Any ideas?

[angle]

Anyone for a Shanghai SH7181? It never made it into production but in 1989 Shanghai Auto and the Shanghai Institute of Tractor Research decided to try and build China's first ever MPV to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the PRC. Obviously it was VW Santana based. 

From the always intriguing carnewschina.com... 

[face]

On 2/3/2020 at 3:01 PM, Macscrooge said:

The mighty Daihatsu Copen!  Powered, if I recall correctly, by a 1-litre 3-pot turbo!  I had one as a loaner for a day. Luckily it was dry as I’m 6foot2 and could only get in the little  fu**er by lowering the roof. Fun though, in rather a ‘honey I shrank the MX-5’ way. 

The later ones had an NA 1.3.

I really like Copens.

[vulgalour]

That Santanespace thing is amazing.  One of the best parts bin raids I've seen in a long time.  As a car, the driver location doesn't seem so odd, as an MPV it looks like he's sitting about 4' too far back.

[Datsuncog]

DAWB 6...

22 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

I have coveted this car for many, many years and even went to Belfast just to see it. There is an article on it in Classic Cars from around 1995 I think which goes into great detail of the build. 

Crikey, that's dedication!

Quote

Guess what? Yup, they did. It has a transverse in-line six, aircooled, of course. The drive to the (uh-huh) scratch built gearbox is taken from the centre of the crank and run down to the gearbox.

To me, this is the pinnacle of one bloke in shed, striving away for perfection and realising their dream. The actual car becomes immaterial - but it does become a lasting monument to their skill and devotion to engineering.

That handmade transverse air-cooled in-line six is truly jaw-dropping; even more so than the admittedly fantastic bodywork.

 

21 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Classic Cars Oct 1988

Never seen it in the flesh, but I can't stop looking at photos of the donk

Cheers for those scans - the UTM really needs to have more info available about this, and absolutely a picture of the engine.

As it is, it's crammed in to the display and quite badly lit (hence my crappy pics). Information is limited to the small info board in front of it, which I've shown in its limited totality.

 

Having read that article, I reckon the DAWB 6 should be the centrepiece of the museum's collection - rather than their embarrassingly shabby example of a De Lorean DMC-12, held together with dust and gaffer tape...

(though they do also have an Italdesign styling prototype in the gallery)

Different window lines on the other side; wheels too.

Wheels are actually just a paper design glued onto a flat hubcap.

Did I mention the museum's lighting is rubbish?

 

Actually, maybe worth mentioning the car lurking behind too - it's a locally-built-under-licence Fuldamobil, sold as the Nobel 200 microcar.

 

Not the only car to be built in Newtownards, either - Clan Crusader moulds were, for a few years, set up in a unit on the Jubilee Road and a couple of hundred examples were knocked out before the concern folded in 1987.

Interestingly, aside from the standard Imp-engined Crusader, the NI manufacturers also developed the Clan Clover, with a 1.5 Alfa Romeo flat-four engine mid-mounted.

Apparently, it was a bit of a goer with a 0-60 time of 7 seconds, but only 26 were built before the business hit the buffers.

So there we go - Norn Iron cars, which not many (including me) knew existed...

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:06 AM, chaseracer said:

What is that amazing two-tone brown wonder behind it?

1941 Cadillac Series 60 Special.

 

 

[lesapandre]

Look at this! Renault Project H 1967. V8 prototype.

[Supernaut]

On 2/3/2020 at 12:21 PM, martc said:

 The FIAT Tipo Sedan may be another unknown car to some viewers as we only get the hatchback and estate here.

 

Oh really?

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/fiat/tipo/1-4-easy-4dr/2019/ref/arnbp-n-19636

 

This knowledge only comes from a conversation with @17-Coffees and @rantingYoof recently. We found out there were several Tipo saloons for sale at the Aberdeen branch of Arnold Shark, all pre-reg, but not registered in this area, or even Scotland!

[bunglebus]

The subject of Ellenators came up a while ago - literally just seen the Fiat 500 with Messerschmitt-esque rear wheels.

What I didn't realise is that other models have been subjected to this hilarious modification

 

 

Do you leave the skirts blank...

 

 

...or paint wheels on them?

 

[Asimo]

On 2/4/2020 at 2:23 AM, Austat said:

Seat 1200 Sport:

There is just something about that to make me think "why didn't the Marina Coupe look like this?" 

Perhaps it is the proportions. 

Or maybe the door handles.

[egg]

1 hour ago, Supernaut said:

Oh really?

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/fiat/tipo/1-4-easy-4dr/2019/ref/arnbp-n-19636

£10k bit of a barg really!

Shite from new.