Have You Seen Any Interesting Cars On The Road Lately?

[MikeInWimbledon]

To be fair, the Edsel didn’t die because of its looks. I believe it was all about how it looked, drove, was made, priced marketed and launched during a recession. Otherwise: not so bad.

At least it wasn’t a Corvair, launched around the same time, which killed because it was unsafe at any speed.

 

[Gollom]

Really? They were considered ugly even when in production......the main reason for their failure..
View attachment 128364

So ugly it's kinda attractive

 

[Darrell]

So ugly it's kinda attractive

Exactly.

 

[st13phil]

At least it wasn’t a Corvair, launched around the same time, which killed because it was unsafe at any speed.

I wonder if Nader would have achieved fame without the Corvair?

 

[del320]

I wonder if Nader would have achieved fame without the Corvair?

Was the Corvair maligned?

 

[st13phil]

Was the Corvair maligned?

Great article - thanks for posting.

People tend to forget that we had our own car in the UK that was prone to the rear suspension "tucking up": the Triumph Herald / Vitesse. But we didn't have Ralph Nader.

 

[Gollom]

Contender for the Car Owner With the Least Possible Taste (pic taken by my passenger before someone jumps on me!)

 

[Bellow]

The Corvair's air cooled engine didn't provide sufficient heating for colder climates which necessitated the use of the optional gasoline fuelled heater located in the front storage compartment. It's thirst caused the Corvair to be as consumptive of gasoline as the cars it sought to eclipse.

 

[JamRocky]

The front looked like … erm…
lady bits.

Yikes!

 

[JamRocky]

They were the result of a survey where people were asked what features they liked best in a car. It turned out to be a complete disaster. I suppose they don’t look too bad now because they have become a classic, but at the time they just bombed.

I mean sure … can it be considered ugly now with the wrap around windscreens and fins etc. so interesting compared most modern cars

 

[JamRocky]

So ugly it's kinda attractive

Are you still talking about cars?

 

[JamRocky]

I'm not sure it this has been done before - but I thought it may be fun to do again, even if it's a resurrect.

Similar to Scott's scrapyard thread, but with the cars/bikes not quite so dead.

The only rule being that it must be something that you've seen on the road or out and about, and not from car shows/events, or photos from the internet.

Anything goes, as long as it floats your boat.

Here's my starter to ten, seen just down the road the other night.

1973 MGB GT, a proper chrome bumper model:

What a treat!!!!

 

[davymead]

356. The nearest I got to owning one, was I shod one of my Splitscreens with a set of 356 replica wheels.

 

[JamRocky]

356. The nearest I got to owning one, was I shod one of my Splitscreens with a set of 356 replica wheels.

That car was by no means “mint” but beyond charming and stole the show from every other car parked nearby including a Bentley

 

[Teego]

Great article - thanks for posting.

People tend to forget that we had our own car in the UK that was prone to the rear suspension "tucking up": the Triumph Herald / Vitesse. But we didn't have Ralph Nader.

The Vitesse was a bastard. A Herald with a 2litre engine, also used in the GT6. But Screamin Jesus they were fun.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I'm not sure it this has been done before - but I thought it may be fun to do again, even if it's a resurrect.

What a treat!!!!

But was it real, or a fake from the likes of Chesil?

All looks but nothing “genuine” about it, like those seats ?

 

[JamRocky]

But was it real, or a fake from the likes of Chesil?

All looks but nothing “genuine” about it, like those seats ?

From the location it was seen in I’m going to assume genuine. There’s always expensive cars of all ages from Bentleys to Ferraris … There was a black Ferrari just up from it …

 

[st13phil]

The Vitesse was a bastard.

A good friend of mine had one in the late 1970's. Indeed it was somewhat “wayward”, but its rear end was tamed a bit by fitting the SAH conversion.

As an aside, it’s often the flawed cars that end up being the most fun.

 

[Williamwoo]

The Vitesse was a bastard. A Herald with a 2litre engine, also used in the GT6. But Screamin Jesus they were fun.

Yes, the handling was 'interesting'! They improved it with the mark 2 which had 'doughnuts' on the half shafts. Unfortunately, mine was a mark 1. Mine also had no reverse gear for a while so I always had to park facing up hill, using gravity to go backwards (not too difficult in Bristol), and the famous incredible turning circle helped too.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Yes, the handling was 'interesting'! They improved it with the mark 2 which had 'doughnuts' on the half shafts. Unfortunately, mine was a mark 1. Mine also had no reverse gear for a while so I always had to park facing up hill, using gravity to go backwards (not too difficult in Bristol), and the famous incredible turning circle helped too.

The difference between the Vitesse and the "unsafe at any speed" Corvair was that the Vitesse was sold to people who had some idea of how to drive it, whereas the Corvair was more of a family wagon with unsafe traits that your local garage didn't know about - like those weird tyre pressure differences between front and back.

So, in general, the Vitesse driver with his string-backed driving gloves was less likely to come a cropper.