The "WTF is that?" thread

[sheffcortinacentre]

Never seen the point in back to front conversions???

[Austat]

20 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

It must be a 'later version' as the 'R23' was on the cover the previous year, June 1973 (and had been hand-touched into blue for some reason!)

 

Our mystery 'Blue' car was on the February 1974 cover

Mystery car looks like a Bertone submission to me, perhaps one of Gandini's, as he liked opening up the window line as shown in his Fiat 128 Coupé Shopping (1969)

The formula that was unique to Bertone's Fiat 128 Coupe (sloped bonnet, large windows, large interior space) would later be used for MPVs and minivans, so it was a concept that was fairly ahead of it's time. A shame that the detachable trolley on the back of the car didn't catch on! There are a few concepts created by Bertone for Fiat that I quite like, including the 1975 Fiat Visitors Bus which also incorporates those aspects that the 128 Coupe had.

        

Back on the topic of the mystery blue car, the front end reminds me a fair bit of the Lancia Gamma Berlina which was introduced two years later.

Looking at the prototypes for the Gamma Berlina there wasn't a window in the C pilar at first, another aspect similar to the Mystery Blue car, but still unlikely and purely just coincidental.

[barrett]

On 1/21/2020 at 1:03 PM, flat4alfa said:

The inside front cover says (translated):

Our cover: One of the bodies under which the V6 engine was tested, which will be common to Peugeot 604, Renault 23 and Volvo 184

I missed this reply. Seems like that's the answer then - just a 'mule' body (hence the weird relationship between front and side windows etc) rather than a styling model, and the 504 rims

[barrett]

Hey, shows what I know. I sent this to the guys at the brilliant Car Design Archives FB page and this was the almost instant reply:

"Hi Scott, that's interesting, this capture is also new to me and didn't know it was used as mule.
Actually this is a Renault 14 counterproposal penned by Pierre Mignon. Here the full-size mockup. Cheers"

so, there ya go

[inconsistant]

That Car Design Archive page is just about the best thing on FB, it’s a daily treat.

[Mr Pastry]

7 minutes ago, barrett said:

Hey, shows what I know. I sent this to the guys at the brilliant Car Design Archives FB page and this was the almost instant reply:

"Hi Scott, that's interesting, this capture is also new to me and didn't know it was used as mule.
Actually this is a Renault 14 counterproposal penned by Pierre Mignon. Here the full-size mockup. Cheers"

so, there ya go

Interesting, but I'm not totally convinced that is the same car.  Smaller wheels, different wheel arches, door skins and handles.  Of course the other side isn't necessarily the same!

[flat4alfa]

I looked at the 18 and 14 protos and decided on a no as well

[flat4alfa]

Apart from that look at the scale of it compared to driver

The proto mule we are looking for has a wheelbase and track of near Renault 30

[JeeExEll]

Could it be?

Some sort of Renner 20 prototype after all.

Have no idea what the text says in the link though.

https://www.drive2.ru/l/4386142/

I think I've just fried my brain trying to read it in a Russian accent. A starting point for further investigation maybe.

[supermellowman]

Mystery blue looks a lot like this to me.

[spartacus]

That blue cover picture is an almost exact copy of that b/w photo below, even down to the way the driver is hanging out of the window. Well spotted JeExEll.

[Tenmil Socket]

Imagine being on a track and this thing painted like Herbie drives past you ?

[Austat]

I found another picture of the 6 wheeled "Caprina", except with different license plates:

Would like to know the story behind this.

[Ghosty]

On 1/21/2020 at 11:10 AM, Austat said:

It's from February 1974, so the Chrysler 180 would of still been quite up-to-date. The front cover doesn't say which company came up with the prototype, so that isn't going to help. Here's the cover anyhow:

This is absolutely screaming Renault 20/30 at me, the front end is the only difference, and there's not a lot in it - especially the 20 with the fishtank headlights, as opposed to the more sporting 30's twins.

[Ghosty]

On 1/21/2020 at 12:43 PM, JeeExEll said:

This is what Renault were doing for R20 prototypes late 1974 / 75.

 

While there are echoes of R20/30 in the general shape, the design language here has much more in common with late'70s/early '80s Citroens than Renault, IMO. Shape is largely reminiscent of the GS/A (and possibly CX), and that rear end is massively reminiscent of Citroen's mid-80s round of facelifts, adding plastic bumpers and grey trim to late 70s cars, especially the Visa.
Further to this, Renault never bothered trying to facelift '70s cars for the '80s unlike Citroen (again see GSA and later Visas), Renault either did next to nothing (R4/5), or released completely new models like the 11. 

[Craig the Princess]

On 1/21/2020 at 7:56 PM, martc said:

 

 

I never knew there was a car company called Baldi. Does anyone know anything about it?

[bramz7]

@Craig the Princess

 

http://www.baldifrog.com/

[Craig the Princess]

5 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

@Craig the Princess

 

http://www.baldifrog.com/

Wow! Much want for one of those.

[Mrs6C]

11 hours ago, bramz7 said:

@Craig the Princess

 

http://www.baldifrog.com/

If you're ever in Nashville...
https://www.lanemotormuseum.org/collection/cars/item/baldi-frog-1975/

[Richard_FM]

Any idea what this rather mangled microcar is?

I've tried looking for similar microcars from the 1950s & 60s, The GLAS Goggomobil looks close, but most didn't have a grille on the front.

[Mr Pastry]

2 minutes ago, Richard_FM said:

Any idea what this rather mangled microcar is?

I've tried looking for similar microcars from the 1950s & 60s, The GLAS Goggomobil looks close, but most didn't have a grille on the front.

It's a Meadows Frisky.

[Richard_FM]

Thanks, there were a number of different microcars around at one time, 

[Austat]

Here's some bus shite, does anyone have any info on this? It's Bedford based:

[Steve79]

On 1/27/2020 at 6:11 AM, Craig the Princess said:

I never knew there was a car company called Baldi. Does anyone know anything about it?

 

I'd be more interested in the kind of cars that SULKY in the background made. Bet they were miserable to drive! ?

[Steve79]

Yep look miserable alright!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casalini

[Tadhg Tiogar]

On 1/27/2020 at 7:33 AM, bramz7 said:

@Craig the Princess

 

http://www.baldifrog.com/

Hang on, the car's badge is almost identical to the NatWest logo!!!

[bunglebus]

Hell yes, Sulky by name...

 

[bunglebus]

Baldy are just as bad good

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

15 hours ago, Austat said:

Here's some bus shite, does anyone have any info on this? It's Bedford based:

The body was built by Comair (Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation) in Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, Chassis is probably a Bedford SB.

[JeeExEll]