Car Spotting

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Why am I not buying these things?
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1992-ford-f-250-16/

Originally Posted by Adam43

It is quite ugly, but it didn’t factor into my consideration.

My neighbor has a F150 with the hugely sort after two gas tanks. Not ugly.

You can fit more camping gear in there than the Jag, if you were wondering....

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by rbs

This was at Bicester today, quite rare in England.
Attachment 78361


Attachment 78362

Is that a Maverick? How'd that get there? I haven't seen one in 20 years, so they're pretty rare here too.

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

A couple of pics from a damp cars and coffee meeting yesterday.

You are required to point and say "square body" aloud every time you see one.

Originally Posted by Adam43

It is quite ugly, but it didn’t factor into my consideration.

My neighbor has a F150 with the hugely sort after two gas tanks. Not ugly.

The brown one is NOT ugly, it just needs a period correct slide-in camper to complete the look. The red one is super sharp. The "bullet hole" wheels are what you want.

[E.B]

OK I have to admit that this is not a car I have physically seen and photographed but it is owned by a member of my (Shannons) insurance co. car club I am in. (As well as normal cars they specialise in insuring collectable cars and also sponsor a lot of historic racing). I just thought I would share this fellow member's stunning car, especially as it is 'Murican'. Plus it has a story which came by email from them, with the pics. And it does have "the desirable Columbia Two-Speed Overdrive."

1946 Mercury Convertible: Winged Messenger

At 82, Graham Bateman is happily retired and yet – like so many so-called retirees – is just about as busy as he has ever been, spending much of his time working on cars. Housed in his two 20-metre by 12-metre sheds is a collection of interesting older models, mostly Ford or Ford-related.

He currently owns 23, of which one of the most interesting is this resplendent 1946 Mercury convertible with the desirable Columbia Two-Speed Overdrive.

There was a good market for mid-range US cars in early postwar Australia. Fords, Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Buicks and a trio of Chrysler products – Plymouth, Dodge and De Soto – were locally assembled. From time to time you’d spot a late 1940s Mercury or very early 1950s Packard in the traffic. Hudson Hornets were quite popular in 1956-57. If you were really fortunate, you’d occasionally sight a Cadillac Eldorado. In 1963 your favourite teacher might have proudly parked his Studebaker Golden Hawk in the school grounds.

When Graham first set eyes on it, the Mercury was not really an ‘it’ at all. Rather, there were three trailer loads of parts, which he acquired at a Beenleigh swap meet about five years ago. There was no floor, not even some rusty scraps thereof. Graham’s description of what he had just purchased – these remnants of an early postwar Mercury convertible – as a ‘basket case’ could be considered euphemistic. To say the job of ‘restoration’ lay ahead of him serves as a wonderful example of understatement.

Long story short he bought a local donor car and 5 years later turned up at a car show with what you see in the pics. He had help from a panel beater / painter mate, but not a bad effort for a project he took on at 77years old.















Edit: Oh and to keep the "Ute" theme alive, he also owns (and restored) a local build 1950's Mainline 'ute'

[broadrun96]

Red and white far more acceptable, the tan/poo phase of car paint was not our best effort

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Red and white far more acceptable, the tan/poo phase of car paint was not our best effort

Says you, I would cherish it.

[broadrun96]

I stand by what I said. There were far better options but at least we didn't Harvest Gold and Avocado cars so there's that. Still had a harvest gold fridge in my apartment in the late 90s, didn't work great and freezer sucked but it worked. Kinda like cars of the 70s and 80s, not great when they work but they often just barely keep going

[joeb]

How about grey on gray?

[broadrun96]

Well that's the kind of Chebby I learned to drive in and then inherited when my dad moved on to his 350. And better than the brown/poo

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by joeb

How about grey on gray?

Looks like the front end and back end are from two different vehicles! A complete mismatch there

[Peter Mallett]

Isn't that an aftermarket truck top?

[broadrun96]

Yeah, Leer most likely. Second most old man style topper, the higher the hat the older the guy driving. Full old man is the high hat with the replacement door at the rear instead of tailgate

[JHamilton]

That's a Leer High Rise. I think they still make them.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by E.B

OK I have to admit that this is not a car I have physically seen and photographed but it is owned by a member of my (Shannons) insurance co. car club I am in. (As well as normal cars they specialise in insuring collectable cars and also sponsor a lot of historic racing). I just thought I would share this fellow member's stunning car, especially as it is 'Murican'. Plus it has a story which came by email from them, with the pics. And it does have "the desirable Columbia Two-Speed Overdrive."

1946 Mercury Convertible: Winged Messenger

Long story short he bought a local donor car and 5 years later turned up at a car show with what you see in the pics. He had help from a panel beater / painter mate, but not a bad effort for a project he took on at 77years old.

I missed this beautiful Merc, as we confusingly call them. It's RHD, were they sold there?

I don't want to praise an insurance company but I watch a lot of Mighty Car Mods and Shannons are a sponser. They seem to understand the car community very well.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

That's a Leer High Rise. I think they still make them.

Yes, yes they do. An old man has been shopping toppers

[broadrun96]

Ferrari Friday. And he did give it about 80% of the beans from the light

[E.B]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I missed this beautiful Merc, as we confusingly call them. It's RHD, were they sold there?

I don't want to praise an insurance company but I watch a lot of Mighty Car Mods and Shannons are a sponser. They seem to understand the car community very well.

Not only sold but built / assembled locally, thus built with RHD and of course left dipping headlights and other RHD peripherals. The practice continued well into the sixties and by then included some European cars, Minis, Hillman Imps, Cortinas etc. Sometimes suspension would be uprated from the US /Euro offerings due to our at the time largely unsealed roads in rural areas

Referred to here as made in Australia from CKD (Complete Knock-Down) kits.

There was a good market for mid-range US cars in early postwar Australia. Fords, Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Buicks and a trio of Chrysler products – Plymouth, Dodge and De Soto – were locally assembled. From time to time you’d spot a late 1940s Mercury or very early 1950s Packard in the traffic. Hudson Hornets were quite popular in 1956-57. If you were really fortunate, you’d occasionally sight a Cadillac Eldorado. In 1963 your favourite teacher might have proudly parked his Studebaker Golden Hawk in the school grounds.