My SIL shot this in Europe, and sent it to me. I think I have it narrowed down to a few key suspects, but I’ll let you pinpoint it.
Update: you guys got it, with the Appia. That was my hunch too, but then I knew it was from Italy (where’s the “I”)? Tonight, SIL sends a few more pictures; I didn’t know she had them. Oh well.
The Appia was Lancia’s smallest car, and lived in the shadows of its more famous siblings, the Aurelia and Flamina. But the Appia developed a rep for being extremely well-built and very reliable. It used a 1098 cc version of the famous Lancia narrow-angle V4, and was built in three series between 1953 and 1963.
My first thought was Hindustan Ambassador, but since the setting looks more European, I’m guessing it’s the original, Morris Oxford III.
All the pics I can find of either have exposed trunk hinges, and most have a fuel filler where that antenna is mounted. None seem to have the chrome fender trim.
Youre right about the hinges and fuel filler. That back window and fenders appear to be 100% spot on. Maybe those were changes when it was imported into the UK as mentioned below? From what I can find, they called the Ambassador the Fullbore Mark 10 when it was (re)imported to the UK in the 90’s. Can’t find any photos of one though.
Nice try…
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2011/09/03/the-cars-hindustan-ambassador/
If you scroll down, there’s a thumbnail sized pic of the Fullbore showing both (one of) the hinges and the filler.
Haha, nice work. Well that’s beyond my knowledge of Morris variants. I’m curious now to find out what this is exactly.
It looks like the Wolsely 1500 and Riley 1.5 have the same basic rear lines and hidden trunk latches, but this car appears to be more Oxford size. It must be some variant of one of these, too hard for me to keep all this British badge engineering of 50’s – 70’s straight.
I’d go with the ambassador, and I think a few were imported into Europe as nostalgia cars.
True story: I repaired an Ambassador with a bicycle cable.
Yeah, I think it was the Hindustan Ambassador as well. They were imported into the UK for a few years. Could be Morris Oxford Series III, though. But I think it’s more likely the Hindustan.
Mid to late 50s Wartburg 311
I think you’re right. I first thought Ambassador because those tail lights look 70’s or later. Though someone could have swapped those in as replacements on an Oxford if they were much cheaper or easier to find than Morris units. I’m not sure if there’s any other identifying marks on the rear of these.
The tail lights definitely look more modern than the rest of the car, but fit like they’re original, which made me think it’s an Asian or East European knockoff or licensed version of an older European car. But what? I don’t think it’s an Ambassador, nor a Peugeot 403-based car. Definitely not a Wartburg or Borgward.
It was shot in Italy. Are we sure it isn’t an Italian sedan of some sort (Lancia, Fiat, etc?)
Dang it. Lancia Appia sedan.
Definitely an Italian license plate….
An Internet search confirmed it. It is a 1963 or so Appia Sedan. I’d never noticed how Oxford like it was, all it took was you saying “Italian”.
It’s an Appia, a third series actually, built from 1959 to 1963…this booty looks so generic I initially thought it was some kind of Peugeot !
It is NOT a Morris OXford or the Indian knock off give me while Im thinking Ive seen this before somewhere
IMCDb: 1959 Lancia Appia in “Il sorpasso”, 1962.
Yes I had thought bulbous (but not Morris Oxford bulbousness!) 1950s sedan so I tried Alfa Romeo 1900 sedan (the chrome trim isn’t right) or Wartburg 311 (the rear window shape is wrong).
The modern tail-lights on a 50s shape screamed Behind-Iron Curtain to me.
But I think Mike PDX has it: The Lancia Appia berlina of the 50s isn’t right but the Serie III survived well into the 1960s and has tail-lights just like that so I think it’s one to Mike PDX!
This one on Flickr is probably still for for sale http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_castelli/7745952768/
It reminds me of a miniature Rover 90 – and probably had much the same status and market in its native land.
No not me, thanks, the comment from “Ltd” was first. I just posted to provide a picture of the Appia.
I owned a 1960 Appia 3 serie.standard factory sedan. It did not have the chrome strips at the fender line.
However, the Appia also came in three other versions:
The Gran Turismo Esportazione Zagato
The Coupe Pinin Farina
The Berlina Lusso Vignale
(Plus a Vignale convertible).
Perhaps one of those.
My Appia, parked in my front yard in Eugene!
The owner’s manual.
The first picture didn’t take.
Second try.
Yes, I knew the Appia was ringing a bell!
Can you remember was there a centre “B” pillar between the front and (suicide) rear doors of the Appia?
From the web…