How many can you identify? (the Beetle doesn’t count.)
Wordless Outtake: Barrio La Fuente, Tegucigalpa, 1961
– Posted on December 21, 2015
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Curbside Classics Archives
How many can you identify? (the Beetle doesn’t count.)
There’s a 1951-1952 Chrysler just left of the center of the photo.
My parents had a 53 Chrysler and I agree this looks like a Chrysler.
1951-1952?? Uh, no, that’s a ’57.
I’m referring to the one farther back.
I don’t see it, you must have some sharp eyes (or I need glasses)
I think I see it. It’s down towards the bottom of the hill facing away from the camera. I’m using a magnifying glass that I’ve had since I was a kid. It gets more use now than ever.
The Karmann Ghia is a surprise find. Being the capital and largest city of Honduras, the offices must contain Honduran versions of Mad Men’s Joan Holloway and Midge Daniels. A white Karmann Ghia seems perfect for them and still easy to maintain and good on less than perfect roads.
Why doesn’t the Beetle count?
Anyway, Ford V8 stakebody truck, VW Karmann Ghia, Willys Jeepster?
Can’t really make out the rest.
Behind the beetle is a mid fifties Ford truck, a Willys station wagon, Karmann Ghia, the early fifties Chrysler, and something that might be a 61 Chrysler. The Chrysler in the foreground looks like a 57 and that’s probably another willys behind it. The car and truck at the very bottom of the hill are awfully small but both sort of have a GM feeling to them. Apparently the local Chrysler dealer was doing well?
1957 Chrysler (single headlamp) Karmann Ghia, mid fifties Ford truck Willys station wagonn 52 or 53Chrysler 50’s Rambler station wagon behind and a 54 to 56 Oldsmobile parked the wrong way further down the street
The American car in the left front looks like a 1955-57 Packard.
I thought the same thing too, which would be a real oddball, but you can barely make out the CHRYSLER across the hood.
Carmine, I thought it was a forward-look 57 Chrysler or Desoto, but the headlight cowls are more inset.
So I found 56-57 Packards, who have the same headlight inset cowls…
Plus, the car has a round badge with a line or bolt going thru the middle(not like Opel), just like a Packard symbol on the hood, too.
No
I was thinking Packarbaker more than the 55-56
The headlights are still not right. CLICK HERE
Or click here
It helps when you compare it to the right model….
I had thought Packardbaker too, not realizing how wrong the shape of the headlight hoods is. I always forget that the ’57 non-300 had a completely different grille shape.
Gents, is this our mystery car?
1955 Packard Patrician?
Nope, look at the picture, you can see CHRYSLER across the hood. Its a 57 Chrysler with single headlights.
That’s closer than the Packardbaker but I think Chrysler is right after all. Look at that ad drawing Carmine posted, and then look at the mystery car. The flat-topped headlamp pods (the Patrician has pointed tops), round badge, flat line where hood meets grille (Patrician is arched). It matches that ’57 NYer to a “T”.
Like this 57 Chrysler New Yorker?
You guys are still debating the ’57 Chrysler? That was the most obvious one in the picture, after the VW Beetle.
The proportion of trucks and wagons vs sedans is striking. In a 1961 US downtown you wouldn’t see even one Willys wagon, let alone two plus a Ford stake truck.
Now the US has the same proportion as this picture! Honduras was “ahead of the times”.
There’s a Chevy or GMC pickup further down the street and in front of it, pointed away from the camera? Could be a 50s Olds….or even a Packard. When I expand the image, it starts to “wash-out”.
That car behind the Rambler wagon and in front of the GM-ish big truck has me stumped. I am wondering if it is a 52 Studebaker hardtop? But only if that thing that looks like a double taillight isn’t.
Are we sure the car behind the Karmann-Ghia is an early 50’s Chrysler and not a ’48 Frazer?
Not sure about the cars, but looks like a scene out of the Godfather Part II when the character Michael Corleone is chauffeured around Havana just prior to the revolution.
Looking at the picture yet again….
On the RIGHT side of the picture:
A VW beetle, a 50s Ford stake bed truck, a Willys wagon, a Karmann Ghia, an early 50s Chrysler, AND….between the Chrysler and Rambler is a small car….I’d say another VW beetle, and a Chevy pickup truck.
The car facing the “wrong” way, facing the Chevy truck COULD be an Olds.
Look closer at the ‘Ford’ stake bed truck, guys and gals, it says ‘MERCURY’ across the front of the hood. A Canadian in Honduras? Or did the Central/South American market also have Mercury trucks?
The D3 Canadian ops were in charge of exports, generally. Fargo trucks were commonly exported too.