This photo will likely only reinforce certain, let’s say, stereotypes about the Golden State, but I couldn’t resist sharing it. It’s what you see: a whole bunch of foreign metal in the parking lot of the Rosemont Pavilion (Google Streetview HERE), from where the Rose Parade floats are constructed and decorated.
Perhaps the one that catches my attention the most is the Mercedes-Benz O139 bus, with a worn yet nice two-tone look. Even in California, it was an oddity. I don’t see a CC entry for this particular M-B model, but we do have some about other M-B versions from that time, including the neat Panorama ones.
The trio of white sporty cars is closer to more general assumptions; Fiat 124 Sport Spider, a BMW (likely a 1602), and a Saab Sonett II, next to a Fiat 124 station wagon. The odd one in the whole group? The barely visible Pinto by the Fiat wagon’s side. The Pinto, in proper 1970s mustardy color.
Of course, I’m being hyperbolic. The usual Pasadena parking lot didn’t look like this… but then again, that this one was found there doesn’t seem that strange either.
What, no Peugeot? Heresy.
Just as interesting as the grouping of cars themselves is that especially due to their rose parade location there is a marked absence of color, this on cars that were somewhat known for offering multiple highly colorful choices with the ones chosen almost specifically the “anti-color” of their respective palettes…
The Pug?
Why, it shortly beforehand drove off not only into the sunset but to the sun itself, wherein its breast its owners still live and thrive, in great comfort.
Or, it short-circuited then overheated before rusting down into a stain still just visible behind that Mercedes, whilst not quite out of warranty, whereafter its descendants still yet make uncomfortable repayments on the accumulated debt.
I remember more “colors” in parking lots @ that time.
The one that I never saw in the US, but saw all over South America in 1980-82 —
. . . The Mercedes minivan / mini-bus
(was it actually sold at retail in the USA?)
Another great photo, Rich !
These were not sold in the US, nor were their successors. The first Mercedes van to be sold here was the Sprinter, but initially only badged as a Freightliner or Dodge, in 2002. A few years later it was sold here under the Mercedes badge.
Mercedes did sell the medium duty L Series trucks here in the 1970s, but once they bought Freightliner in 1981, they did not sell any MB brand trucks here thereafter.
Now that I think of it, Mercedes did sell some T Series compact buses to some transit districts in the 1970s, including a pretty substantial order to San Diego. This would have corresponded to the same time as the L Series trucks, so undoubtedly Mercedes did have a commercial presence and some dealers in the US in that decade. But I cannot remember ever seeing the T Series vans/buses anywhere except in limited use as buses.
Thx !
The Mercedes bus is very much an oddity, and by far my favorite of the bunch. I’ve had a thing for these since riding in one in Austria up in the Alps with that giant sunroof and panorama windows offering superb views while it chugged up the mountain at a little more than a crawl. It may well have been one of the early versions that had the 43(!) hp engine from the Mercedes 180D. Later versions had the zippier 50 hp engine from the 190D and there was also a gas version of the 1.9, which would have been the hotrod of the family.
I lusted for one of these in my youth to convert into a camping/traveling van. Bigger and better than the classic VW hippie bus, although not necessarily faster.
Dang, this place hasn’t changed at all in 50 years! Still a BMW there, though:
The Karpfischmaul (L319) was M-B’s first effort at the lighter 3.5 tonne segment. It was a bit crude, compared to the Borgward B611 by all accounts, but the rest is history. It evolved into the Düsseldorfer Transporter covering the market from 3.5-7.5 tonnes in a massive variety of lengths, heights & even widths.
Speaking of vans, there is a Ford Transit first series there, too!
” It was a bit crude, compared to the Borgward B611 by all accounts, …”
In the commercial vehicle sector, M-B has never been what it is in the passenger car sector – or rather, what it once was.
“What, no Peugeot? Heresy.”
The absence of the usual Volvo 145 or 245 is much more astonishing.
I grew up in the Pasadena area. The parking lot vehicle types were pretty common in the 60s. Chalk it up to Caltech and JPL scientists and engineers, and the proximity of the foothill communities to Angeles Crest Highway and Willow Springs.
Pasadena had Rusnak Motors (primarily German auto sales, plus Volvo later on), Scientific Automotive (Roger Bursch, the Porsche guy in the area and the first with an in-shop dynamometer), and Monise Motors (Frank Monise, who provided service on the British imports). Glendale had Peter Satori (Alfa and Fiat sales) and Bill Young Sports Cars (Lotus, MG, Austin sales). It was a spectacular place to be a car-addled kid, always something interesting in a parking lor or on the road (but, sadly, never in the driveway).
Are you sure it’s a 2-stroke Saab Sonett II (very rare, 277 made) and not a Sonett V4? The Sonett V4 had a power bulge to accommodate the V4. Admittedly it’s not easy to tell from behind.
This was life in SoCal. When I moved here in 1972 to go to graduate school at UCLA two of my new friends had a new BMW 2002 (my first time riding in a BMW) and a 1961 Jaguar XK150 S. Cars were king and just about everyone was interested in them. The level of special interest in cars would change but it is still a car-centric environment – and fun.
This is how things looked in Pasadena way back when, Frank Monise was one of those old timer Mechanics who only ever wore white work togs, as he did lots of English cars (the parade of early 120’s & 150’s through there made me sweat) and he had a Mercedes bus just like this one parked in his forecourt for twenty + years, I no longer remember the color but it well could have been this one, Pasadena used to be jam packed with weird and wonderful older vehicles of all descriptions .
I’ve forgotten the name of his son who worked with him but a tip of the pin to him for finding the clogged idle jet in my 1973 BMW when I didn’t .
I bet the white SAAB Sonnet is the same one that used to drive up the ACH every Sunday morning for breakfast at Newcomb’s Ranch (now closed sad to say), there was a group of three that’d haul ass up there before the Motocycle squids (organ donors) woke up and filled the ACH with mayhem .
Good times .
-Nate