This is bustling Buenos Aires, Argentina, sometime in the 1960s. There’s a Valiant II (what North Americans would call a ’62 Valiant) just to the right of the centre, and…what vehicles can you identify?
Vintage Photo & QOTD: One Night in Buenos Aires – What Do You See?
– Posted on June 5, 2023
I see a beautiful befinned BMC Farina on the street with what appears to be a Dodge Lancer [DeSoto Rebel?] in front.
I think the Farina is a locally-built variant – the Siam Di Tella 1500. I’ll see if can work out what some of the others are.
Correct, it’s a Siam Di Tella 1500 (article soon).
Looking forward to that! Fascinating variants including two types of pickup, one with one bench and one with two benches (much rarer, as if any Sam Di Tella is not rare already). Only seen one advertisement of it.
That’s the Valiant II I mentioned; there were no Dodge Lancers sold in Argentina, and the DeSoto Rebel was a South African model.
Wow ~ this reminds me of the large East Coast cities in the U.S.A. when I was a child at that time .
-Nate
Fiat 1100 (appears to have a “FIAT – En rodaje” decal, meaning Not broken in yet.) A Fiat 600, two Peugeot 403s, another Fiat 1100. To the right, A Siam Di Tella (Local BMC Farina, later called Morris Oxford), and a Valiant II. I’d say this is a 1962/3 picture of Avenida Corrientes.
Great spotting! Why would there need to be a decal advising that the Fiat wasn’t yet broken in…?
It is amazing spotting.
“Running In – Please Pass” stickers were once common – especially on older cars which had had engine replacements and were being treated gently until the parts had bedded-in.
I’m looking forward to the Di Tella article.
Here in Uruguay older buses and trucks would use those until 40 years ago or so (a literal translation would read “being softened”).
I really don’t know. It was like, “another new Fiat delivered”. Those assembled here in Uruguay in the 70’s also had that decal and proud owners pointed to them like saying, hey, it’s new!.
Somebody once described Argentinians as Italians who speak Spanish and think they’re British. Seems to work for this scene.
That probably works for many people from the Capital, as well as for many Uruguayans. Lots of Italian and Spanish ancestry, and lots of British industry that was taken by the state after running its useful life. So, old British infrastructure (a century ago…now infrastructure is not British in either country)
Here is photo of the momennunt to the taxi driver in Buenos Aires..
Also here is the story about it.
No photo or link came through, Martin; will you please retry? Photos have to be not more than 1,200 pixels wide or tall.
Yes. Corrientes Ave. it is, shortly before it changed way. You can slightly see the shape of the Obelisco in the distance. Nowadays the traffic would be facing the photographer.
The bus is a Mercedes-Benz O321 and the trolleybus probably a Mercedes-Benz O6600T (shortly before its demise)
One of the best times in Argentina, under Frondizi.
The Farina was the only one that really stood out. The third car up, on the left, looks like an English Ford to me…maybe an Anglia, c.1956? And the second one I thought might be a Fiat 500, but it doesn’t quite seem right.
The one that puzzles me most is the half-obscured one in the far distant centre, in front of the Valiant. The rear styling should be immediately recognizable, but I can’t figure it out.
Overall, a lot of European cars from the late ’50s. I’ve done quick searches of Renaults, Simcas, and Borgwards, but nothing looks right.
Can AI sharpen this photo??
I immediately thought Farina, but then wasn’t sure.
Perhaps it’s the wide-angle lens, perhaps the local panelwork. But it doesn’t look quite as upright and stodgy as a BMC Farina!
Interesting local variances in language .
My British / Australian mates used tags saying “running in” on vehicles being towed to their shops .
In the U.S.A. we’d say “Under Tow” .
The best breakin is done in 60 seconds after the initial startup of a new/rebuilt/overhauled engine .
Takes a _lot_ of faith the first time you do it .
-Nate
I see a thriving street in a thriving country in the thriving 1960s!