What is it? (identifying obscure cars)

[Midpack]

The intent of the thread is to post pics of obscure cars you've owned or been associated with for others to try to identify. Try to resist the urge to look for/enlarge badging - it's not a contest, just for fun.

The one I've chosen (pic below, same color even) was owned by the older brother of a friend when I was a teen (about 15 yo) before we had drivers licenses. One Sat afternoon my friend "borrowed" the car without permission so we could drive to a distant golf course. On the way, the car gradually began to slow until it stopped. For some reason we deduced it overheated and needed water, didn't know better and took the radiator cap off to fill it. Went to a nearby farmhouse (in Germany) and borrowed some water to refill it - promptly cracked the block.

I never saw my friend again outside school, I think he was grounded for life, his Dad was the High School Principal. Though ironically, he became a successful golf club pro.

Truth is stranger than fiction...

 

[Nunthewiser]

Renault Caravelle?? no ...that can't be right as IIRC they were air cooled...

 

[Rick_Head]

I think you got it.

 

[Nunthewiser]

Having an affliction for wrenching on odd cars I actually bought one of these right before the great recession when I thought I had a lot of money and would retire at around 56.

I bought it off of ebay, sight unseen. It was a northern California car (true dat) but turned out to be a horrible rustbucket that would have taken many hours to fix (and welding skills that I didn't have).

A couple of years later, I bought SWMBO a 380SL in lieu of a new car that we didn't quite need, and the X-car needed to depart from the garage. I found someone to take it for scrap value. Alas, now that I have retired, good ones are somewhat out of (sensible) reach and I have too many projects now anyway.

 

[twestern]

A Citroen DS19? My father had one when I was a kid. Loved playing with the little lever that made the car rise up and sink down...

 

[Rick_Head]

Citroen from the early 60's. Can't put a model on it.

 

[travelover]

A Citroen DS19? My father had one when I was a kid. Loved playing with the little lever that made the car rise up and sink down...

Did yours dribble green blood wherever it went?

 

[Nunthewiser]

Yes, Citroen DS19 . Mine was a 1965 boite mechanique meaning that it didn't have the clutchless automatic transmission that most had (had four on the tree). They came out in 1955 and were light years ahead of anything on the roads at the time.

The Citroën DS 19: Why It’s the Ultimate Classic Car - WSJ

 

[Nunthewiser]

Did yours dribble green blood wherever it went?

Mine was an earlier LHM (?) or red "brake fluid" car. I was only ever able to drive it off the transport truck about a mile down the road into my garage, once, before it HAD TO GO. It was, infact, bleeding as it's right rear brake line had broken and we had to crimp the line. I was only able to use the emergency brake to stop it so it was a long slow ( and as it turned out, final ) ride.

 

[FIREd]

Some of the cars from my past (owned by my parents at one point or another).

Car 1: mom drove this one for years.
Car 2: I learned to drive in that car. Very advanced for its time, too advanced maybe as it kept breaking down. The car could rise to navigate unpaved roads.
Car 3: The car my dad bought after being promoted at work. I still remember going with him to buy it - it was a big deal at the time.

 

[RE2Boys]

#3 is a Peugot 504?

 

[FIREd]

#3 is a Peugot 504

Correct!


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[jjquantz]

#3 is a Peugot 504?

That brings back memories! My MIL drove one for a few years and then "gifted" it to us right after we were married. We called it our "Fred Flintstone car" because we could see the road going by through the rusted out floorboards. We only had it for a few months before the brake calipers seized up. I wondered why the gas mileage was SO BAD. Too expensive for 2 poor college students to fix so we sold it. MIL was mad at us for a while after that.

 

[travelover]

I wanted one of these but settled for its cheaper brother.

 

[Midpack]

Renault Caravelle?? no ...that can't be right as IIRC they were air cooled...

I think you got it.

Correct. But it was water cooled before [-]we[/-] my friend killed it.

 

[Midpack]

I wanted one of these but settled for its cheaper brother.

Saab Sonnett, I worked with someone who had one.

 

[Midpack]

Hmmmmm

Some of the cars from my past (owned by my parents at one point or another).

Car 1: mom drove this one for years. Yugo?
Car 2: I learned to drive in that car. Very advanced for its time, too advanced maybe as it kept breaking down. The car could rise to navigate unpaved roads. I've seen that car, a Citroen?
Car 3: The car my dad bought after being promoted at work. I still remember going with him to buy it - it was a big deal at the time.

 

[FIREd]

Car 1: no, not a Yugo
Car 2: yes, a Citroën, well done.

 

[NW-Bound]

Fired, is #1 a Simca?

 

[JoeWras]

This is a fun topic. I don't have anything weird.

But... a Peugeot after a promotion? Wow. Sorry for your Dad's loss.

In fairness, French cars have come a long way since that time of the picture.

 

[ls99]

I learned to drive in one of these.

 

[pb4uski]

#3 is a Peugot 504?

We had one of those when I was a kid. A diesel. It was great in the snow as it seemed that it didn't have enough torque to spin the wheels even in snow. Zero to sixty was.... forever.

 

[FIREd]

Fired, is #1 a Simca?

Nope.

 

[FIREd]

This is a fun topic. I don't have anything weird.

But... a Peugeot after a promotion? Wow. Sorry for your Dad's loss.

In fairness, French cars have come a long way since that time of the picture.

We lived in France at the time and Peugeot was usually well regarded as a car brand. I don't remember if it actually was a good car or not.

 

[Rick_Head]

Is #1 a Skoda Favorit?