My favorite Car

[goose]

A long time ago I posted some pix from the local car museum in Blackhawk. My favorite car was an incredible Cadillac. Here is a really cool history of the car (with some dated but bad pictures). An amazing vehicle with an amazing history:

http://www.cadillacdatabase.org/Dbas_txt/16hrtm.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mean Chuck]

Ever heard of this? http://www.conceptcarz.com/z19617/LaSal ... ncept.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[motorpsycho67]

Looks pretty similar to the '36 Delahaye 135.....

http://vehiclemy.com/Delahaye-135-Special1.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Delahayes and Hispano-Suizas are some of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. Oh, and the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic...



EDIT: After scrolling down, I see they mention the Delahaye...

[12ci]

yes, the Cadillac looks very French.

the LaSalle Chuck posted reminds me of a "Teardrop" Talbot-Lago.

[DerGolgo]

Two many wheels...
These are much more interesting, even if not quote as obviously pretty. Their beauty, it's on the insides.



Inside either one is a gyroscope to keep it upright. Won't corner, of course. Unlike this French effort:

Those "training wheels" are a retractable landing gear. Literally.

But if you gotta have to go with four wheels...



The photos do it little justice. Up close and in person, it's probably the prettiest four wheeler of the pre-1950s I'm aware of, definitely one of the prettiest American motors.
It's an Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster. I think it's got just enough of that tear-drop, streamline aesthetic without overdoing it, and just enough of how "normal" cars looked in the day without looking mundane. To my eyes, at least.
Which is not to say Cadillac didn't get close, especially with that Hartman V16 from goose's original link. But, to me, they overdid it. Which, being Cadillac, they'd have to, of course...

[Mean Chuck]

Ferrari 250 GT Zagato




Maserati A6GCS Pininfarina Berlinetta




1957 Jaguar XKSS



1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Bertone Jet

[DerGolgo]

On that note:
Alfa Romeo 33/2 Stradale (they made so few, they don't even know how few...)


A bit unfair. Alfas of old are just the definition of pretty, aren't they.

[motorpsycho67]

Maserati A6GCS Pininfarina Berlinetta

Doing!
Now yer talkin!



I'd be satisfied if I could just have a nice early 70s Porsche 911S

[xtian]

A bit unfair. Alfas of old are just the definition of pretty, aren't they.

more like the definition of "Rust". They probably sold just enough of these to have the right to register it in tourism competition, hence the name "stradale".

[DerGolgo]

A bit unfair. Alfas of old are just the definition of pretty, aren't they.

more like the definition of "Rust". They probably sold just enough of these to have the right to register it in tourism competition, hence the name "stradale".

Funny story, actually. That is pretty much what happened - only exactly the other way around.
I couldn't entirely recall the story, but since I'm a bit of a hoarded when it comes to the printed word, I didn't throw away the July 2001 issue of Oldtimer Markt in which this car's story was covered. Even managed to find it in under a minute. Don't hate me, I'm German, I can't help it... but I remembered bits of this car's tale even now, 12 years after reading it, and I love it so much, I'll recount some of it.
Alfa designed the Tipo 33 for racing, I don't know which series, but it competed in all sorts of 24 hours at Le Mans, Daytona, the 1000 km Nürburgring and the Targa Florio and whatnot. They hadn't designed a new racer since the fifties, so had to start from scratch. They didn't build it themselves, but outsourced that to Autodelta, who, apparently, did a good job of it, really, and later built all the Stradales, also.
A good job because they managed to score third place in the final rankings - with a 2 liter engine, while everyone else had a 3 liter mill. Something about the rules being changed at a bad moment, and Alfa/Autodelta not being able to keep up.
But even with an engine enlarged to 2.5, it didn't win enough. They needed to get the full 3 liters going. Problem is, those race cars, they are designed so close to the edge, everything is so bespoke, they needed a whole new engine for that, and since the whole car had been built around the first engine, a whole new frame to fit it in, too.
Rumor has had it that the Stradale was thus made from leftover engines and frames from the Tipo, it was presented to the public around the time that work on the three liter version began. Can't be entirely right, the engines were slightly different and the frame was made from steel, while the Tipo's frame was alloy. Also, the wheelbase was extended a few inches, so that Alfa's pretty tall CEO could fit in it. But apart from all that, it was a pretty accurate adaptation of an existing and not entirely unsuccessful racing car for the road.
And, truly, it was a racing car, not a road vehicle. 250 hp from 2 liters, conventionally aspirated, at around 10.000 rpm. In a 1400 lbs. running show in 1968. Did the kilometer (5/8 mile) from a standstil in 24 seconds, faster than any of it's more renowned Italian competitors.
It had dual ignition and, appropriately, 16 individual ignition coils for the 16 sparkplugs. But the Lucas fuel injection had no idle or startup capabilities, it was very British. Or Italian, take your pick, but it only ever delivered the one mix ratio.
With no choke, the only way to start her up was for the driver to precisely and carefully operate the throttle pedal. Being a very high revving engine, with very wide, flat combustion chambers, even the dual ignition couldn't make it work with anything but seriously advanced ignition timing and a very rich mixture. Mess up that all-manual startup procedure, and you had to unplug and unscrew 16 sparkplugs, clean the black gunk off of each one, and put the lot back together again. It would flood instantly. If you tried to operate it in the rain, with it's slightly unusual weight distribution and handling, you should better make your will and kiss your loved ones goodbye first. So, it had race car performance, but also a race car temperament and need for tlc.
Also, it had race car comfort. No heating or air con, not even enough room for unconditioned ventilation. All the window that could be opened was that tiny little slit at the side. With those enormous pieces of glass and plexiglas all over, a sunny day turned it into an instant oven. The seats were so low, even if you were so tall you were only just able to fit inside, you still wouldn't be able to see much past those wheel-housing bumps at the front. As befits an Italian sportscar, you couldn't see anything out the back.
If it had been a homologation project, in all likelihood, Alfa would have sold it for a "reasonable" price. Not cheap, but so cheap enough that they could actually sell a few, I think having sold a few is the big requirement for homologation. When the average car there cost about $ 2800, it retailed in the states for $ 17k. In Italy, where you could get a Lamborghini Miuria for 7.7 million lira, it's price tag was over two million higher. With the exception of the Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan, which at least had oriental rugs, a fridge and a chandelier and cost somewhere between $ 19k and 24k, it was the most expensive "production" car of it's time.
Some reckon they made about 25, but seven of these were concept cars and otherwise entirely different vehicles just using the same chassis and engine. Which would leave 18, however, in 2001, 18 was the number of Stradales confirmed to be still around. Which is an unlikely 100% survival rate.

So while, by all accounts, it's hell to drive, it's got the looks and the back-story and good helpings of personality.

[xtian]

Interesting story and a reminder of how exclusive and hardcore sport cars used to be.
I think the rules for homologation is that a certain number of cars have to be for sale for public use, but not already sold. The story says that Caroll Shelby had only a few cobra's rolling around out of the factory and back again by the other door when the official showed up to check if they had a sufficient number of road cars available for public sales at the factory.

[Bo_9]

Racing Homologation (thru NASCRAP) also brought us a couple fun designs in the USA -

My favorite NASCAR product -


As far as favorite car, you guys can find some gorgeous machines.

I still think the stuff PMD built (that later became GM models) was outstanding.

[Bo_9]

However these I could stare at all day.

[xtian]

Nice choice. I could never pick only one.




Hell, I'd probably couldn't pick only 10

[Mean Chuck]

80's anyone?

Lancia Monte Carlo 037




Ford RS200




Ferrari 288 GTO




Alfa Romeo SZ




BMW E30 M3

[piccini9]

This one, Lambo Miura? What year is it? I feel like I must have seen a picture of this as a kid and tried to draw it about 34048474463859 times. It always came out looking like a Corvette.
Fuck, just look at that thing. This picture just took me all the way back.

[Mean Chuck]

Awesome car, good history behind it too-

[Mean Chuck]

It's predecessor the 350 and 400 GT's weren't to shabby either. They lacked the wow factor of the Muira but were very, very classy.

[xtian]

The Lambo is HOT

[motorpsycho67]

This one, Lambo Miura? What year is it? I feel like I must have seen a picture of this as a kid and tried to draw it about 34048474463859 times. It always came out looking like a Corvette.
Fuck, just look at that thing. This picture just took me all the way back.

One of my favorite cars... Top 5

[Beemer Dan]

This thread has me drooling all over my keyboard! The one that caught my inseam not too long ago was the Maserati Tipo Birdcage:

http://www.dmarge.com/2011/12/1961-mase ... dcage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The messed up thing is, most of the vintage super cars that I spank it to are too small for me to fit in anyway. I got nothin on MeanChuck though, and somehow he can fit in a Miata. I'm thinking that even space-time doesn't argue with you eh MeanChuck?

[Mean Chuck]

Miata's have enough room and that is all you need. Funny thing is my friend's 1969 Corvette has less room than the Miata and my MGB had more than either! Carroll Shelby wasn't a small guy and he raced a lot of cars in the late 50's that had very little room inside. Funny that link you posted says Tipo 61 but they are showing A Tipo 63, The Tipo 61 is front engine.

Carroll Shelby in a Tipo 61

[goose]

and for Dan the man

[karl package]

I've always been partial to wagons, shooting brakes in particular


Unfortunately, Astons are out of my price range.

[goose]

I've always like that volvo wagon. The performance enhancing Cretins sticker doesn't hurt either. Adds what? 25hp in a tailwind?

Here's a lil more: