The Obscure and Unusual cars thread.

[maycontainthunder]

Many here will have heard of the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but virtually none will realise that there is a very real, non film, series of racing cars that it was loosely based on.

Chitty Bang Bang - Wikipedia

 

[Streetwise]

Car that transforms into plane in just minutes cleared to fly

 

[Streetwise]

 

[Judge]

View attachment 77948

From "The Man With The Golden Gun" film. Unfortunately it's just an AMC Matador with a lot of fake gadgetry, much like Doc Brown's DeLorean/Time Machine.

 

[Streetwise]

From "The Man With The Golden Gun" film. Unfortunately it's just an AMC Matador with a lot of fake gadgetry, much like Doc Brown's DeLorean/Time Machine.

Its obscure to me!

 

[Judge]

Its obscure to me!

I suppose most any AMC car probably would to someone from the UK. However I grew up with the AMC brand when they were common as dirt. Though I still appreciate the AMX Javelin. Considerably sportier than a Matador with clipped wings.

And this one probably "flew" as well....

 

[Judge]

Some of the best "Low Riders" I've ever seen.
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada

61 Chevy Impala Convertible w/ modern Cadillac LS-1 Engine

64 Lincoln Continental

Of course when such cars leave the premises, they use their custom hydraulics to raise the car to a more suitable height.

 

[Judge]

Quite obscure in Nevada, but once common in Britain: Some 60s Morris Minors
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada

Lots of fun to look at these little cars, distant cousins of the MGs I once owned many years ago.

MG = Morris Garage

 

[Judge]

An original Ford GT40, but altered to be street legal.
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada

Note the bulges in the roof...lol. Not a car to be driven by tall people.

 

[Judge]

59 Austin Healey "Bugeye" Sprite
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada

 

[Streetwise]

I suppose most any AMC car probably would to someone from the UK. However I grew up with the AMC brand when they were common as dirt. Though I still appreciate the AMX Javelin. Considerably sportier than a Matador with clipped wings.

And this one probably "flew" as well....

View attachment 77949

We'll agree to disagree

 

[maycontainthunder]

Many will have heard of Land Rover but what about the largely unknown competitor the Austin Gypsy?

Mostly forgotten. They had a slight issue with the gearbox jamming... the only way to fix it was to take it apart!

Austin Gipsy - Wikipedia

 

[Streetwise]

Fritchle electric car 1905

 

[Streetwise]

Sebring Vanguard citicar 1974

 

[tkcartoonist]

Tucker '48. These cars are very rare, but were pretty ahead of their time (just look at the body styling alone: it looks at least ten years ahead of its time, and not like something from 1948). There is a movie based around the guy who made this car called "Tucker: The Man and His Dream".

 

[Judge]

It was an early 50s Henry J. Kaiser. A bit modified since then...
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada 2010

 

[Judge]

Must have been hell on three wheels...whatever it is.
"Hot August Nights" Reno, Nevada 2021

 

[abby normal]

 

[Aspychata]

Re

After making the Troll in the 1950s, we tried again and made an electric car. The Th!nk City. It was produced by the company Think Global and their production partner Valmet Automotive in Finland from 2008 to 2012. It is a small (barely) highway capable vehicle, with a top speed of 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) and an all-electric range of 160 kilometres (99 mi) on a full charge. And it sucked all day long.

View attachment 77897

Reminds me of my Finnish family's car they had.

 

[maycontainthunder]

Another forgotten maker... Trojan who used a very unusual engine in their earlier days.

Trojan (automobile) - Wikipedia