Round two of the 2017 Autotron spring show starts with a lineup of Americana. As usual plenty of classic US vehicles from the fifties, sixties and seventies were present. Let’s pick up where we left off last week.
1969 Hanomag F35-N flatbed truck. In the seventies these light trucks and the vans got a three-pointed star on the grille.
1971 Jaguar XJ6 4.2 (Series 1).
1971 Fiat 850 Sport Spider.
1974 Mercedes-Benz W115 230-4.
1979 Opel Monza 2.8S, 140 hp from its carbureted 2.8 liter inline-6 engine.
1958 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL.
1956 Volkswagen T1 panel van.
1992 BMW 730i.
1970 Chevrolet CST/10.
1970 GMC C2500.
1980 Opel Commodore C with a 2.5 liter inline-6 engine. The Commodore was an upgraded Rekord with a 6 cylinder engine, the Commodore C was based on the Rekord E.
1965 Volvo Amazon 121.
1972 BMW 3.0 CSI.
1966 Volvo P1800 S.
1952 Peugeot 203A.
1963 Triumph Vitesse 6 convertible.
1978 Mercedes-Benz W123 230.
1972 Citroën SM convertible. No, not an ultra rare Mylord by Henri Chapron. It’s a later convertible conversion, ordered by an Italian owner.
1964 Pontiac Catalina.
1963 Citroën Ami 6. It’s not ugly, it’s cute.
1965 Peugeot 404.
An appropriate ending to a sunny and pleasant sunday afternoon.
Nice tour. The Opel Monza is a car I’m quite sure I’ve never seen in the flesh.
I’d love to give that Ami a good home.
The SM convertible conversion is a bit odd, although it works well-enough with the top down.
They came in Opel and vauxhall flavours some have washed up in NZ, there was a prototype Holden version mooted but without the extra body strengthening it didnt see production, the volume would have been too small to justify the cost.
I’ve admired the style of the Opel Monza since I first saw it in CAR magazine in late 1977. It’s a shame that this lovely car was never brought over to the US. Oh yes, the Ami 6 is still ugly. 🙂
Many lovely cars here.. The red Jag so lithe, the Monza very 70’s in the best way, in the most popular colour for these cars I think?
The blue Kombi brings a childhood memory. When I was really tiny a farmer from about 2 miles up the road would come around in one of these on a Friday, this exact shade of blue. The doors would open and I would be overwhelmed by the smell of picked-that-morning carrrots, beans, cauliflowers and turnips. I was always trying to climb in to the dark fragrant cave and explore, but between my mother and the farmer I never got it right.
Nearly every car shown is appealing to me ( I can pass on the SM convertible).
I don’t want to own one, but that Ami puts a smile on my face. So whimsical.
I’d love to try that 850 Spider on for size. I never got to try one, and it’s been decades since I’ve seen one this nice. Thanks for taking us along, Johannes
An Air Force buddy of mine had one of these back in the mid-seventies. It was a hoot to drive around in, you could drive it as hard as you could and still not be going all that fast. It was definitely not designed or built for high speed runs on the Interstate. As I recall the little Fiat lasted about two months under Bobby’s stewardship before the engine exploded. One of these would be great to have as a fourth or fifth car, one that was taken out for 30 minutes of spirted driving once or twice a month, in good weather. As a daily driver these definitely had some limitations.
I like the VW van. The 190 Mercedes is like one a guidance counsellor had in high school. She even let us guys in the auto shop give it an oil change. I really liked the design of the motor compared to the mess of wires and hoses all the other late 70’s and 80’s cars we normally worked on had.
Just a bit of 1959 Buick influence in that 63 Triumph. Eh?
That Commodore could pass for the Aussie Holden version they used the Reckford body with the Senator front.
One can say that the 1977 Opel Rekord E (see below) was the mother of the Commodore C, Senator A and Monza A.
The Rekord had a 4-cylinder engine short front and a live rear axle. The Commodore had an inline-6 engine with a long front and live rear axle. The Monza and Senator had an inline-6 engine with long front and independent rear suspension.
The Holden version had 4,6,& 8 cylinder engines long front and live rear axle, nobody had tried to put V8 style torque thru the Opel independant rear end so that option wasnt available on the early cars, later in the 90s it turned up.
Well, Peter Brock did one Monza with a 5.0 litre Group Three Holden V8. Did it work properly? Impossible to tell considering the sycophantic treatment he received from the specialist press at the time. It was always paragraphs about the late Brock’s genius, but a quick drive only. Then the car just went away, staying as his personal ride.
Village Motors Holden Redcliffe, however, did sell two door Commodores – Adyler Sportiffs – 253 Holden V8 based on a VH SLE. More of a two door sedan and VKs out by then, as with the VH Monza.
Hopefully, Bill Mitchell’s not reading this bit, but the Holden V8’s lighter, more compact than a SBC as it was designed for a HR size Holden, and dare I say equal in other ways. It’s makes for an easier fit in the Opel. Brock quoted 177kw for his Group Three, but nobody really believed it. The standard engine had 126kw (and a lot of torque.) so maybe it worked well. It was, however, a challenge to get to market at a Mercedes price.
The Senator (below) also had a longer wheelbase. From circa 1970 onwards top-model 6-cylinder Opels were offered with fuel injection.
Very nice vehicles – always good see see some I haven’t encountered in awhile – like the Triumph Vitesse.
There is a lot of desirable material here! Amazon, Monza, 404, 850 Spider…
Very nice Monza, would you say that its intended competition would include the BMW 6-series and perhaps even lesser engined MB Coupe’s of its era? It’s certainly more upscale than the Manta was.
It’s not that the Ami isn’t ugly, it’s cute, but more so that it’s SO ugly, it’s cute!
In today’s (Euro) terminology: the Monza was an E-segment model, while the Manta was in the D-segment.
I just found this. Opel Monza vs Mercedes-Benz and Opel Monza vs BMW (click on the pictures for the -German- text):
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/opel/monza/
With the Monza I did a double take. The only time we saw one down here was Holden’s one off Brock Monza. It never made it to production, but hot stuff with 5.0 litre V8, the Monza’s IRS and a 5 speed. Basically, a 140 (slightly dubious) hp car with a 177 (very dubious) kW engine!
Nice selection, and I sure don’t get to see bricked parking lots around here!
Bugeye Sprite is my initial favorite, but that 64 Pontiac is a beauty as well.
The ’70 GMC 3/4 ton is wearing Ford hubcaps.
I was going to let the caps pass, but since we’re picking the nits, what’s the appendage hanging down between driver’s door and rear tire?
An LPG/propane conversion tank.
That’s my favorite vintage of GMC pickup