For a third day we’re looking at the subject of visual devices used by car designers to manage an awkward rear side window to rear pillar transition. The Jaguar XJ-S had very wide distinctive ‘flying buttress’ rear pillars, and black plastic panels were applied in order ‘slim’ these visually (left). On later models (right), the rear side window glazing was extended over the leading edge of the rear pillar instead. Pics: NEC #ClassicMotorShow yesterday. #Jaguar#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, for #FensterFreitag, we’re looking at the half-louvred rear side windows on the C107 Mercedes SLC from the early 1970s. The C107 was an extended-wheelbase fixed-roof coupé version of the R107 ‘Bobby Ewing’ SL convertible. The louvres, encased between two panes of glass, appear to have been intended to avoid a bland ‘two-door sedan’ look while avoiding overly-wide rear pillars. A lot of Mercedes enthusiasts don’t like these, but I’m a fan. #Mercedes#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
And this is the VW-Porsche 914, the joint successor both to the recently featured Volkswagen Big Karmann and the Porsche 912. Almost all 914s received the air-cooled four-cylinder engine from yesterday’s Volkswagen Type 4 (914/4) but a few, such as this one (#TechnoClassica 2019) got a mild version of the six-cylinder boxer engine from the 911 (914/6). With its mid-engined layout, the 914 foreshadowed the later Boxster in Porsche’s line-up. #Volkswagen#Porsche#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
I can’t move on from the Porsche 356 and the 356-powered Fletcher Flair and 597 Jagdwagen without featuring the Porsche 912. The 912 had the same body as the 911, but used the 356’s four cylinder engine instead of the 911’s six, and was initially the better-selling car. Snapped at #TechnoClassica in 2013 - the engine shot is from a second 912 at the same event. Both cars were reimports to Germany from the US, and were on sale for about €30K. Bargain. #Porsche#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
While the recently featured Porsche 356 powered Fletcher Flair and 597 Jagdwagen failed to sell to the American and German militaries respectively, the 356 itself saw uniformed service with the police. I snapped this unliveried but police-spec 356 at #TechnoClassica this year. Note the siren and windscreen-mounted blue light. Try out-running that on the Autobahn in your #Beetle or #Goggomobil. No chance. Price ‘on request’ but presumably fairly steep. #Porsche#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, a Porsche-based vehicle you’ve probably never heard of, the Fletcher Flair off-roader. This was developed by the US aviation entrepreneur Wendell Fletcher, relying on his links to Ferdinand Porsche. Despite its Porsche 356-derived powertrain and innovations such as aluminium bodywork and amphibious capability, the Flair wasn’t taken up by the US military, so this prototype snapped at #TechnoClassica this year remains a one-off. #Porsche#FletcherFlair#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Yesterday, I featured MG Rover’s Streetwise in juxtaposition with the Rover 25 on which it was based. Another variation on the 25 was this slightly sportier MG version, the ZR. Like the Streetwise, the ZR was far less ‘pipe and slippers’ than the standard 25. This sort of rejuvenation measure was essential given that much of the 25’s design and tech, while sound, dated back to the Rover R8 of 1989. Pic: the #GreatBritishCarJourney#MG#Rover#BritishRacingGreen#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
I recently featured a sequence in #davidsdailycar on the now defunct British #Humber marque, which represented the best that the Rootes group had to offer. If you found those posts interesting, do take a look at this video which #Steph, of #idriveaclassic fame, has just posted featuring the 1952 Humber Hawk 5. She does a great job of explaining the car, especially the magnificent interior and beautifully designed dashboard. https://youtu.be/fDDxy3gp0VI?si=yN5GeNuhHa1sJ_QD
This car is the ultimate development of the Rover 75 family. It’s the 75’s MG-badged sister, the ZT, in ZT-T estate form. And this is where it starts to get a bit bonkers. MG Rover decided that what the 75/ZT needed was a 4.6-litre V8 engine from the Ford Mustang, which also involved converting the car from front- to rear-wheel drive. This is one of those rare V8s, captured at this year’s Festival of the Unexpected. Had a go in one. Brilliant. #MG#Rover#FOTU#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
I know I’m supposed to be back on the Nissans but yesterday’s Datsun 240Z got me thinking about its Toyota near contemporary, the 2000GT. Like the 240Z, the 2000GT combined a straight six engine and a sleek coupé body, and altered perceptions about the capabilities of its maker. One big difference - the 240Z was a huge seller, especially in the US but only 351 2000GTs were built. This one was on sale at #TechnoClassica 2023 for an eye-watering €890,000. #Toyota#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, after a couple of lengthy diversions, we’re back on the subject of Nissan. A few weeks ago, I featured the Datsun Type 14, said to have been inspired by the British Austin Seven. As Nissan sought to re-establish itself as a car-maker in the 1950s, it turned to officially-licensed Austin designs, initially the A40 Somerset, which it assembled from CKD (completely knocked down) kits. Pic: Austin A40 Somerset at #NationalMotorMuseum#Austin#Datsun#Nissan#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Yesterday, after I posted on the subject of the Mercedes C36 AMG, @ZeKik was commenting on the general wonderfulness of the W202 C-Class on which it was based. This is a C280 Elegance seen at the 2017 NEC #ClassicMotorShow, showing off its superb 2.8-litre M104 straight six. Fully built C280s (Sport rather than Elegance models) were sent to AMG at Affalterbach to be transformed into C36s. I’ll do a PS post on my own C280 later. #AMG#Mercedes#W202#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
@MarSolRivas Now I have embraced the slow life, #davidsdailycar is probably the most effort I put in all day. Going out for a tea and doing the post is the only thing that gives any routine or shape to my day at all. These days, the only time I go 'flat out' is when I lie down for my afternoon nap!
Before I post today’s #davidsdailycar, I’ve got some more construction machinery for @MarSolRivas. Activity is really stepping up at the local hospital rebuilding project, with more big machinery being moved on to the site. Here by way of an appetiser, a big lorry carrying what look like four trailer-style generator/lighting units (?) which I saw on my morning walk.
As I explained previously, when Nissan (or rather Prince) decided to put a straight-six engine in the early Skyline models, the wheelbase was extended by 200mm forward of the A-pillar. Today, I’m featuring another car that was later extended in a similar way, the four-cylinder Volvo 144, seen here at this year’s Festival of the Unexceptional. I really like the period turquoise paint/whitewall tyre combo. Tomorrow, its six-cylinder sister, the 164. #Volvo#FOTU#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, the third and last 1960s Skyline captured by my brother at Nissan’s HQ in Japan recently. This is a 1969 PGC10 2000 GT-R model. I’ll continue my Nissan sequence later in the week but after @AWStephen raised the subject of the early Skylines with straight sixes getting a longer wheelbase, I thought I’d spend the next few days, starting tomorrow, on the interesting subject of other cars that were modified to take a six cylinder engine… #Nissan#Skyline#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar 1/2
Having featured the 1935 Datsun Type 14 and the electric Ariya, I thought I’d do some of the Nissans that came in between. Last week my brother was in Japan and he WhatsApped me some snaps of cars on display in the foyer of Nissan’s HQ. I think this is a second-generation Prince Skyline from the early/mid sixties. Prince Motor Corporation was absorbed into Nissan in 1966 but the Skyline name was set for a longer life. #PrinceMotorCorporation#Nissan#Skyline#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
This car is the predecessor to the 1967 Hillman Hunter (Arrow) based Sunbeam Rapier featured yesterday. It’s a derivative of the previous generation of Minx (Audax). The original 1955 version of this Rapier, the Series I, was styled by Raymond Loewy Associates but the design had received a number of detail tweaks by the time this Series III version appeared in 1959. Pic: #GreatBritishCarJourney#SunbeamRapier#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
When I featured the Sunbeam Talbot Alpine on #davidsdailycar the other day, @petes_bread_eqn_xls and @Holberg pointed out that a similar model was driven by Grace Kelly in the 1955 film ‘To Catch a Thief’. Here’s another car with a cinematic connection, the 1904 #Darracq 12hp ‘Genevieve’ which starred in the 1953 film of the same name. This is the original car, which I snapped at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, where it was on loan this summer from the Louwman collection #WeirdCarMastodon
Today we’re celebrating #FensterFreitag again with this rear view of the Lamborghini Espada, and in particular its second lower rear window. Set into the vertical tail panel of the car, this was intended to improve rearward visibility for reversing. While the original purpose of this feature is practical, I think it also adds quite a bit to the visual elegance of the Espada design. Snapped at #TechnoClassica in 2016. #LamborghiniEspada#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
While the rebranding of #Chrysler Europe as Talbot did not succeed, the choice of name itself was quite clever as it had previously been used by both the British (formerly #Rootes) and French (formerly #Simca) sides of the operation. Automotive genealogy can be complicated. One snag - did this old, if illustrious, brand really resonate with buyers? Here’s a British Sunbeam Talbot Alpine convertible from 1955. Pic: the #GreatBritishCarJourney#Sunbeam#Talbot#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Yesterday @FlanFlinger mentioned he’d managed to get 4.8 miles/kWh out of his Nissan Leaf. My best score was just slightly more than that - 4.9 - when I had the 40 kWh model on test in 2018. #NissanLeaf#EV#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, in celebration of #FensterFreitag, we’re looking at the Lancia Stratos, and in particular the spectacular curvature of its visor-like windscreen, designed to provide good all-round visibility for rallying. This Stratos was just sitting there looking fantastic at #TechnoClassica Essen in 2013. #LanciaStratos#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, we’re rounding off the sequence on Honda with the all-electric Honda e. Design-wise, the e is a toned down version of the company’s well-received Urban EV Concept show car. I snapped this particular one when I picked it up from Honda’s press fleet garage in Bracknell for testing in 2020. I can tell you that the maximum real world range of a carefully driven e is almost exactly the same as the distance from there to my house in Cambridgeshire. #Honda#EV#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, a third and last example showing something of the diverse choice of cars based on Volkswagen’s MEB EV architecture. This is the Skoda Enyaq Coupé, a sportier take in the more capacious standard Enyaq, and the equivalent in Skoda’s range to yesterday’s Volkswagen ID.5. Photographed/driven at the judging day for the 2023 Professional Driver car of the year awards held at Epsom Downs racecourse. #VW#Volkswagen#SkodaEnyaq#EV#ProfessionalDriver#EpsomDowns#WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar