(first posted 2/24/2017) These lovely snaps come from the VW Vortex forum, which has a near 500-page thread of vintage car pics. They were posted by an Oslo-based member under the pseudonym Galrot. What I particularly like about these is how eclectic they are. In countries with no national automaker(s), that’s to be expected.
I did not edit, crop or comment on these pics, save to indicate what I think the cars are and my best guess as to their model year. I trust the CCommentariat will point out any mistakes and rectify my many approximations. These are posted in no particular order.
It seems like there were a lot of Chevys and (for some reason) Simcas in Norway, 50-60 years ago. What would you pick to go see the fjords?
Tomorrow, we’ll go on a trip through the country and have a look at roads and streets, with a more copious selection of old metal.
Update by PN: here’s a fascinating documentary on American car culture in Norway in 1965 left by a commenter. No subtitles; just skip through the talking parts. It give a great insight as to how pervasive American car culture was in Europe already at the time.
Cool old set of photos. I have never once heard of a Tempo Vidal–where is that one from?
Also, I just now realized that GAZ Pobeda looks a *lot* like a ’46-’49 Kaiser in grille and front end layout.
My first thought on the GAZ was a 1942 Nash.
Thank you, Chris, I thought the same thing about the GAZ.
Tempo is a German marque. They made lights trucks and three-wheelers until the 60s. This particular one would have been made sometime before the war (I don’t think Norway imported too many after they were invaded in 1940) and is a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Many were used by the Wehrmacht and other armies in open tourer form, but obviously, it’s a great kind of chassis for a pickup in a place like Norway.
I picked the USS Trenton to go see those fjords. Actually the USN pick the Trenton out for me.
That was the most interesting part of the world I ever cruised in. Norway was very beautiful.
Even today Norway stands out as an eclectic country when it comes to cars, you’ll see everything here. Classic American muscle, regular japanese metal, regular european cars, the occasional american van, truck, or SUV etc.
Especially the chevrolet tahoe, and chevrolet suburban are pretty common here. Even the occasional police car.
Modern day Norway:
Ford Excursion police car.
[IMG]http://i50.tinypic.com/2db801w.jpg]/IMG]
At $7 a gallon that’s costing the taxpayers plenty.
Well of course, but this is the police we’re talking about, every tax dollar spent on police is a well spent one in my opinion.
There is something about that Simca 1000 Coupé.
It does not seem right?
Does not look like Bertone.
I got it:
It is a 1964 Siata 1500 TS by Michelotti!
You’re totally right!!
I hang my head in shame, as it’s now evident to me that this is blatantly not the Simca’s shape, especially the rear. In my defense, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Siata in the metal, ever. Beautiful car — and a rare one, too!
I’ll fix that caption straight away.
Probably sold in Norway as the Neckar 1500 TS (built in Germany by NSU-Fiat)…
Wow!
Remarkable variety of cars! I knew American cars were common in Sweden and Norway, but it’s an eye-opener to see how many, and also so many higher-end/trim versions too.
I had always heard that Europeans liked American cars and that they were moderately popular in the 1950s, before they became excessively large, but that they preferred lower-end trim models, partly for because of the lower cost, but also because they did not like all of the chrome that decorated so many higher-end trim versions and found them to be kind of ostentatious and vulgar-looking.
Norway is now the largest market in the world for electric cars. Gas is very high. Pickup trucks, let alone old high mpg cars way too expensive. Hugh taxes on new cars. Big fringe benefit , not many fat people, although restaurants are also very expensive.
There’s something about B&W photos that captures the smallest detail!!
Great find!!;-)
I love the 1958 Chevy Delivery.
Great pictures and a very interesting article. I’m curious about what’s happening in picture 4, though. The world’s smallest, slowest rally course? Some kind of nightmarish drivers’ test?
Great pictures; like Chuck says above, B&W makes everything seem more realistic than color.
I would love to pull into the Basking Ridge NJ town landfill and brush drop off with a load of winter debris and leaves in that Tempo Vidal. It seems so … (what is the right term?) … purposeful. And those skinny tires must be great in the snow.
Thank you TATRA87.
Between this and the Britcars posts Tatra87 has been just killing it with content lately!
+87
An eclectic selection, albeit with a common characteristic: lots of body roll and positive camber on the outside wheel in corners.
I wonder how many of these cars are still alive in Norway today?
I can not say how many of the cars that Are still alive, but it can be ascertained. Many Internet fora in Norway is dedicated to such genealogy, and authentic norwegian cars command higher prices.
If a car has “DROSJE” written on it’s number plate, it’s a taxi. The Norwegian car market was fairly diverse in the post-war years with a few American cars, soviet cars and off course all kinds of European cars. We were also early adopters of Japanese cars in the 1970s.
It is worth noting though that the VW 1200 dominated as the best selling car trough most of the 1960s, and this picure series isn’t that representative.
I know most of you don’t speak Norwegian, but here is an interesting clip on young people and American cars in Oslo, 1965:
I watched it, and found it very absorbing. Great slice of teen culture at the time. I’m tempted to post it, but it might be a bit obscure for most readers.
What you called the Chevrolet delivery 2-door wagon (I assume you were reading the model script on the side) is a Chevrolet Delray. This was a one year only base model (going up the ladder was Biscayne, BelAir and Impala which was a subset of BelAir for the first year), and would have been called a sedan delivery in the catalog.
And I’m surprised at the four chrome hashes on the front fender. Usually, the model came with just the indentations in the metal for them.
A Norwegian in Copenhagen 1981-82
A Norwegian in Copenhagen in 1981-81
in Kongens Nytorv in front of the Hotel d’Angleterre.
My maternal grandmother was of a Norwegian background, but her family came to the States before cars, so . . .
Very interesting shots. The variety is quite interesting. That 61 Ford wagon might not have been the best choice for deep mud.
The Lincoln is next to a Danish Corvette, and the SAAB Turbo has Danish diplomatic number plates.
This is my all time favourite Norwegian registered Lincoln, the 1967 Convertible.
Here in a picture from 1981, not taken by me, but by the Danish Royal Garde photographer during a visit to Oslo.
In the backseat is King Harald V and Crownprince Haakon.
The car was privately owned for some years, before it returned to the Royal Garage, prior to the 2001 wedding between Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
The car has tuxedo style interior, best know from the 1965 Lincoln Continental.
Web page picture from the coverage.
A car very suitable for the event.
Front page picture from a Danish newspaper.
Nice. All ’67’s, all black and all body styles. I think the first picture is a 2 door, but it’s hard to tell for sure.
A-3413 is a 4 door.
These are great, as are all of Tatra’s contributions. Really appreciate them!
When I drove across Norway in 1967 in my newly acquired Volvo I recall very little traffic outside the cities, mostly trucks. When I stopped at a cross-country ski resort I met a 30ish male Norwegian. His car? A mustang convertible!
In 1964 my family brought our European delivery Volvo back to the US on a Swedish cargo ship. The car, along with my parents and my sister and I who I think were the only passengers, were on the same ship. Anyway, the ship’s captain, who I assume was Swedish but in any case Scandinavian, wondered why we bothered to buy a Volvo when American cars were so good. His own car was a ‘54 Chevy.
I had a similar experience. I’d met a Swedish exchange student. We were talking and I mentioned my SAAB Sonett V-4. He’d never seen one. I talked about my other SAABs. He said he was driving a Camaro. I asked why. He pointed out the SAABs and Volvos were all over the place back home. He friends were impressed he had a Camaro. Even a base model was still a Camaro. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Yes, this is a valid argument. Maybe not for the majority of people but I like to stand out too. And it is a good thing because if not we all would drive the same.
Great finds, I must have missed this the first time.
The ship Torrens by the 1958 Chevy was built in Sweden in 1967, and scrapped in 1993
Very nice pictures, wonder what type of camera snd lenses were used, some of them are very sharp, probably taken with a Lieca
Did the “sprawling, Country Squire” ever get “free”?
I spent the summer months of 1976 in Europe and was in Sweden just a few days after the 4th of July in Copenhagen. The first night two of us left our hotel, in Stockhlom, the street in front was having cruise night and all the cars were American. Some even had the American flag hanging off their side. Then when some of the locals spotted us on the street they all came up to ask the two of us about American cars. I was 22 at the time and was on the street several hours I also note there was quite the difference between how Oslo at the time compared to Stockholm and Copenhagen.
This is how I saw a fjord back then
I stumbled over this page a few days ago:
http://gsg9polizei.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-limousines-and-cabriolets-of-king.html
The Norwegian royal family has some nice rides, including a 1939 Buick Roadmaster.
Great essay! Thanks.
It suprises me that there were so many American cars there in the past. My 70 year old father is Norwegian and while he likely had 100 – 200 vehicles in his lifetime his only American cars were an 80’s Chevy van and a 1953 Willys jeep.
I thought it would have been because of availability but while he doesn’t say it I guess he doesn’t like them that much. I’ve had a lot of old Detroit steel since I was 19 so I obviously didn’t get that from him!