Argentina

[For Fiats Sake]

Don't eat the beef!

[pshome]

Picked up a copy of the local car mag "Parabrisas" at the Salta airport.

 

 

In spite of my spanish pretty much limited to "dos cervezas por favor" it made for a very nice reading on the flight to Bueneos Aires. The title story is about pick-ups, skipped that one. Interesting page showing the new car market shares for January. The french seem to have the lead followed by Ford.

 

 

Two detailed technical articles, one about ignition cables, and one explaining how variable compression engines work with many diagrams, both very well done. Several pages showing current new and used car prices. I remember European car mags used to have that in the 80's.

Classic cars are well represented, a 6 page page report from the Paris Retromobile show with many nice pictures and a page about Moultin Taylor and his aerocar. There is something about a Porsche 911 HLS in the readers letters, never seen that one before. What is this?

 

 

A seperate section caters to the bike fans including a review of a 1952 Norton Dominator.

 

What at the first glance looked like the typical "praise the new cars so they will place their ads" magazine turned out to be excellent reading. An enjoyable mix of very good articles about old and new, certainly up to, if not better, than many of the UK or German car magazines.

[Asimo]

Southern hemisphere cars are fascinating, a completely different set of priorities and constraints have produced some excellent shite, often with much bigger engines, pickup versions, weird combos of engine, body and brand name.

Mercrockers A55 2 door 4 door pickup is a new one to me!

 

Hours of fun available on https://www.arcar.org/siam-1961-89944

[Junkman]

Would have loved to do the trip in a 504, but its not practical. Buying a car as a foreigner is, as mentioned, a burocratic nightmare.

 

Buying a motorcycle is an even bureaucraticer nightmare, guess how I know.

The 1947 Indian Chief I bought in Salta in 1994 is probably still nailed into a wooden crate at the customs bonded warehouse in Buenos Aires.

To ride it from Salta to Buenos Aires via Antofagasta and Santiago de Chile was rather priceless, though.

To ask the Argentinian customs officers how much the export permit would cost earned me two nights not having to pay for a hotel though,

if you get my drift.

[Junkman]

Edit: They told me if I were smart, I'd have shipped it home while I was in Chile, because that alone was illegal enough anyway,

but the Chileans have a rather lax attitude towards these things. Can you ever win?

 

No, you can not.

[Junkman]

Interesting was the Argentinian/Chilean border crossing at Paso de Jama. Not because of the altitude of 13,800 ft,

which left the Indian and me slightly breathless, but because the road in Argentina was like that unpaved one in your photographs.

Exactly where the border bar would have cast its shadow at noon if it were lowered, tarmac started, with an edge made with a ruler.

All the way to Antofagasta and throughout Chile, it was smooth enough to make me believe it was applied with a flatiron.

So one country blew its money on the Falklands War, the other invested theirs in infrastructure.

I sincerely hope Britain would learn from the latter, I'm afraid it does from the former instead, though.

[pshome]

They have saved enough money by now to fix the road.

RT52 east of Paso de Jama.

 

Still, us foreigners are left breathless there...

but not as bad as across Abra del Acay (4995m).

I really didnt feel well up there and was glad when we came down to below 4000m.

They have this self service oxygen supply at the first town coming down from the mountain:

[Junkman]

When I had the R4 hire car, it had a nice wooden box in the shelf in front of your knees.

This box contained a carburetter, a spanner and a screwdriver, nicely wrapped in oil paper,

and instructions how to change it at the roadside, when you reach altitudes above 4000 metres.

Yes, it was a differently jetted carb for use high up in the Andes.

[Junkman]

That RT52 there definitely doesn't look like it did when I was there.

Did you see the railway trestle bridge near Salta?

 

 

Entirely btw, Salta is yet another place where I have one of my as you choose to call them

strategically placed women around the World.

[pshome]

That RT52 there definitely doesn't look like it did when I was there.

Did you see the railway trestle bridge near Salta?

 

 

Entirely btw, Salta is yet another place where I have one of my as you choose to call them

strategically placed women around the World.

We didnt drive up to the bridge, its at 4200m and i really had trouble to support the heights. Turned east at San Antonio de los Cobres, had a look at the Salinas Grandes salt flats and then headed towards Quebrada de Humahuaca.

[pshome]

Some spots from Buenos Aires.

 

A few collector items:

 

Long time since i have seen one of those

 

Today is a public holiday, grandpa taking the family out.

 

Vive la france

 

Junkmobil

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Gah!!!! It looks so friggin cool there.

[Junkman]

Some spots from Buenos Aires.

 

A few collector items:

ba1.jpg

 

Those surveillance cabins are collectible now?

[pshome]

Back from Patagonia to Buenos Aires, plenty of shite on the roads of the capital.

 

 

Lovely bumpers.

 

Decent rack!

 

ARO

 

DKW!

 

 

 

[mk2_craig]

Living the dream! What's that green estate thing with the rear wing in primer?

[pshome]

Living the dream! What's that green estate thing with the rear wing in primer?

 

This?

 

 

Ika Torino!

 

Shame the pic isn't any better, i only figured back home what a fine spot this was. When taking the pic, i  thought its a Ford Falcon variant.

[alcyonecorporation]

Living the dream! What's that green estate thing with the rear wing in primer?

It's an IKA Torino station wagon (Rural?)  - a locally built and modified Rambler American with what looks like a buggered tailgate. 

 

My favourite Torino is the Lutteral Comahue because of its mental split window coupe boot lid. 

[pshome]

Living the dream! What's that green estate thing with the rear wing in primer?

or that?

 

 

Ford Falcon wagon, there are plenty around.

[Junkman]

The real sensation is the IASF Auto Union 1000 Combi, a derivate of the DKW F89L Schnellaster,

which was built in Argentina until as late as 1969. It should be pretty rare even there by now.

 

The IKA, or rather Renault Torino is arguably Argentina's most iconic car.

 

 

It's a rather weird hybrid frankensteined from AMC's 1964 - 65 Rambler American and Classic, with exclusively designed front and rear body panels, bumpers and interior. The central body section is from the Classic

 

 

and the engine bay and boot sections are derived from the American.

 

 

Rooflines came from the American as well and some later Torino saloons featured the attractive  C pillar that was used in 1968-69 American sedans.

The rear coil suspension was borrowed from the Classic, albeit with a four link setup rather than a torque tube.

The front unibody "frame rails" are borrowed from the Classic convertible (also used in the 1965 - 66 Marlin). They are longer than the American's, extending all the way back under the car to the front of the rear rails.

This made for a stiffer chassis, better adapting the car to the rougher road conditions of Argentina at the time.

The Torino rides on a slightly longer wheelbase than the American by one inch - 107.

Although the engines were not obtained from American Motors, the vehicle's basic AMC platform continued throughout its lifetime.

As upgrades were incorporated over the years, such as AMC's flush door handles, the Torino became mostly a product of Argentina with few imported parts.

The car's badging is based on the city of Turin's coat of arms. The symbol is a bull standing on its two hind legs, mimicking the prancing stallion symbol of Ferrari. The Argentine car's front end, rear fascia, and interior were redesigned by Pininfarina to give it a more European look, as well as to make the Torino more appealing to the Argentine public and less like an American car.

With the added exterior styling touches, as well as its unique trim and luxurious interior appointments, and Argentine built Kaiser-Jeep OHC six,

the Torino was truly a product of Argentina.

 

 

From the late Sixties to the early Seventies, the Torino TS 2 door hardtop was sold as a "luxury vehicle" alongside the Belgian Built Renault Rambler in Europe.

Famous owners included Fidel Castro, Leonid Brezhnev, Muammar al-Gaddafi and Juan Manuel Fangio.

 

 

 

The Argentine Ford Falcon was built by Ford Argentina from 1962 to 1991.

Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon

 

 

and retained the same body style throughout its production, with several substantial facelifts, giving it a more European flavour and bringing it into line with other more contemporary Fords.

However, it was apparent that it was a 1960s design wearing a 1980s grille.

 

The robust Falcons became popular as black and yellow taxi cabs and white and blue police cars. They also have a less tasteful connotation,

with dark green painted Falcons used by paramilitary government forces like the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance death squads of the 1970s

and the secret police of the military junta.

Falcon and Torino based cars are still being raced in the Turismo Carretera racing series:

[Lukas]

No japanese cars? This thread would be very disappointing*, if there were no Espero. 

[KruJoe]

Are you saying Esperos are Japanese?

As Japanese as the Ssangyong Mussos. 

 

At first look, I thought this was a Japanese Prince Skyline Wagon...

 

 

But no, it's a Fiat 1300/1500 Familiare! Cracking spot.

[Lukas]

No, I´m saying I´d like to see a lot of old japanese cars like in many developing countries. Like Greece.  But an Espero is good enough. 

[Junkman]

Argentina's car industry is way too protective to allow for a large influx of this Oriental shit.

It's also bigger than most think.

[Lukas]

Argentina's car industry is way too protective to allow for a large influx of this Oriental shit.

It's also bigger than most think.

 

Hohoho, strong words of a real man.   With strategically placed women all around the world, just waiting for him to return. 

 

Hair on my chest starts growing even from reading this... 

 

[pshome]

The real sensation is the IASF Auto Union 1000 Combi, a derivate of the DKW F89L Schnellaster,

which was built in Argentina until as late as 1969. It should be pretty rare even there by now.

 

The IKA, or rather Renault Torino is arguably Argentina's most iconic car.

 

 

It's a rather weird hybrid frankensteined from AMC's 1964 - 65 Rambler American and Classic, with exclusively designed front and rear body panels, bumpers and interior. The central body section is from the Classic

 

 

and the engine bay and boot sections are derived from the American.

 

 

Rooflines came from the American as well and some later Torino saloons featured the attractive  C pillar that was used in 1968-69 American sedans.

The rear coil suspension was borrowed from the Classic, albeit with a four link setup rather than a torque tube.

The front unibody "frame rails" are borrowed from the Classic convertible (also used in the 1965 - 66 Marlin). They are longer than the American's, extending all the way back under the car to the front of the rear rails.

This made for a stiffer chassis, better adapting the car to the rougher road conditions of Argentina at the time.

The Torino rides on a slightly longer wheelbase than the American by one inch - 107.

Although the engines were not obtained from American Motors, the vehicle's basic AMC platform continued throughout its lifetime.

As upgrades were incorporated over the years, such as AMC's flush door handles, the Torino became mostly a product of Argentina with few imported parts.

The car's badging is based on the city of Turin's coat of arms. The symbol is a bull standing on its two hind legs, mimicking the prancing stallion symbol of Ferrari. The Argentine car's front end, rear fascia, and interior were redesigned by Pininfarina to give it a more European look, as well as to make the Torino more appealing to the Argentine public and less like an American car.

With the added exterior styling touches, as well as its unique trim and luxurious interior appointments, and Argentine built Kaiser-Jeep OHC six,

the Torino was truly a product of Argentina.

 

 

From the late Sixties to the early Seventies, the Torino TS 2 door hardtop was sold as a "luxury vehicle" alongside the Belgian Built Renault Rambler in Europe.

Famous owners included Fidel Castro, Leonid Brezhnev, Muammar al-Gaddafi and Juan Manuel Fangio.

 

 

 

The Argentine Ford Falcon was built by Ford Argentina from 1962 to 1991.

Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon

 

 

and retained the same body style throughout its production, with several substantial facelifts, giving it a more European flavour and bringing it into line with other more contemporary Fords.

However, it was apparent that it was a 1960s design wearing a 1980s grille.

 

 

The robust Falcons became popular as black and yellow taxi cabs and white and blue police cars. They also have a less tasteful connotation,

with dark green painted Falcons used by paramilitary government forces like the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance death squads of the 1970s

and the secret police of the military junta.

 

Falcon and Torino based cars are still being raced in the Turismo Carretera racing series:

 

 

Great post! Thanks

[pshome]

No japanese cars? This thread would be very disappointing*, if there were no Espero. 

 

did you read the thread before you commented?

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/27621-argentina/?do=findComment&comment=1193242

 

more... includes Espero in the wild.

[pshome]

No, I´m saying I´d like to see a lot of old japanese cars like in many developing countries. Like Greece.  But an Espero is good enough. 

 

.. Argentina is not a developing country. If you scroll up a bit and read, you will find info about the new car market shares different brands have over here.

[Junkman]

Hohoho, strong words of a real man.   With strategically placed women all around the world, just waiting for him to return. 

 

Hair on my chest starts growing even from reading this... 

 

 

Wrong tree up barkage. I have nothing to do with the Argentine car industry being big and protective against imports.

[Coprolalia]

I was in Argentina (and most of S America below Equator) about 10 years ago.

 

I was mainly interested in the stunning women, guzzling red wine and gorging on beef, but a few of the passing cars got a look in...

 

 

That's it for now, it's going to take some time as I have to dig through old albums on my potato camera. I remember petrol being cheap and no real road rules, great times.

[lisbon_road]

Am I right in remembering that Argentina made Mk1 Sierras long after the rest of the world had stopped?  Might explain the ones seen in this thread though they don't look like will last much longer.