Funny cars you see in London

Triumph TR4

2007-05-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

Another Italianised Briton by Michelotti, like the Stag or the 2000. Beautiful lines in those cars.

Saab 96 in the night

2007-04-26T04:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this is a 93,95 or 96 ...but it's simply beautiful. This Swedish car sitting outside an Argentinian restaurant in London.

Peugeot 504 Coupé

2006-04-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Pininfarina approach to the French myth.

C'est du joli!

Austin Van

2006-02-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure whether this is the A55 Van or some relative. Can you shed any light on the subject?

BMW 3.0 CSI (1974)

2006-02-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Beautiful coupé on the Islington streets. To me, car beauty doesn't go much further than this. The owner appeared while I was taking the pictures and told me that the car was made in 1974, just like me. Wikipedia knows something about the 3.0 and its relatives

Peugeot 204 cabriolet

2006-01-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Beautiful little French car. The first Peugeot to have disc brakes, amazing.

Austin Maxi

2006-01-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

Another British classic from the mind of Sir Alec Issigonis just like the Morris Minor 1000 or the Mini.
I wonder what the passer-by thinks about the Maxi, well she's probably more interested in the ice cream.

Ford Pilot V8

2006-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Beautiful, the first large postwar Ford. Things you find on the streets of London.

Living Scimitar

2006-01-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

I already posted a Scimitar GTE back in september last year. But this one is more alive, I love the colour, the silhouette and the January light.

LDV Milkvan

2006-01-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

Milkman van of the 21st century. New customers always welcome.

Volvo 121

2006-01-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

Relatively easy to be spotted in London. I specially like the estate version. Here by the Pub on the park. This one, from the early 60's, was fitted with the famous B18 motor.

Saab 99

2005-12-13T04:41:00.000-08:00

Lovely Swedish silhouette from the late sixties. When cars still had a personality on their own.

Mercedes Benz 220

2005-11-30T03:54:00.000-08:00

First produced in the late fifties, this was one of the first cars to be engineered with a great concern about safety. A lovely fintail desing on the Hackney night.

Ferrari 308

2005-11-22T04:46:00.000-08:00

A very familiar car from the late 70's. Magnum (Tom Selleck) drove this car!

Rover 3500 V8

2005-11-21T04:31:00.000-08:00

Nissan Pao

2005-11-08T03:03:00.000-08:00

Another lovely funny Nissan from the late 80's, somehow from the same breed as the Nissan Figaro.

Hillman Minx 1967

2005-10-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

Original ad from the 60's. Image taken from Mclellansautomotive.com

The car is quite funny, but the ad is just gorgeous. And, yes the car looks pretty reliable...almost 40 years old. Anyway, at Mclellansautomotive you can find lots of old brochures and ads. Here's another one of the Minx

*They don't pay me for this!!

Alfa Romeo Pick-up

2005-10-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

Strange breed.
And to think that Alfa-Romeo's motto is cuore sportivo

Jaguar MK X

2005-10-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

1961, the big Jaguar saloon of the sixties. For many years it was the widest car produced in the UK.

Vauxhall Viva HC

2005-10-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

A European car with quite an American look back in 1970. Wikipedia knows it all about it

Ford Capri MKI

2005-10-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Launched in 1969 somehow as the European counterpart to the very succesful Ford Mustang.
It´s silhouette and C shaped rear window make it unmistakable.
It was then adevertised as "The car you always promised yourself".

Ford Mustang GTA

2005-10-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

I'm no expert in American cars, but I reckon this is probably the 1967 version. The A on GTA stands for Automatic. Quite a surprise to find this sort of car on a London Street.

Morris Oxford VI

2005-10-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Launched in 1961 was a restyling of the Oxford V.
As a BMC (the 1952 merger of Austin and Morris)the car had its twin, the Austin A60 Cambridge. Both having been designed by Pininfarina, like the beuatiful A40 Farina.
Apparently, the long tailfins (although smaller in the VI series than in the V) were a typical desing feature of those models

Triumph Stag

2005-10-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

A convertible from the early 70's derived from the Triumph 2000 saloon.

Triumph 2000

2005-10-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

A nice looking car designed in 1963 by Giovanni Michelotti, who also designed the car coming up tomorrow.

1951 Jaguar Mark VII

2005-10-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

Amazing silhouette.
Apparently, this car had a 6 cylinder 160 hp motor that made it capable of exceeding 100mph.

MG BGT

2005-10-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

Little, sporty hatchback. A close relative to the Midget. I guess this was one of the last to be produced. Probably late 70´s.

Humber Pullman Limousine

2005-10-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about this car. It's a British car from the late fourties and it's just amazing.

Citroën DS Pallas

2005-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Although this car has seen better days, it is just impossible to overlook the sheer beauty and charm of this model. Specially beeing this the luxury Pallas model.

Morris Minor Van

2005-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Another member of the Minor family already seen on this blog.
Morris Minor Traveler
Morris Minor 1000

Vanden Plas 1500

2005-10-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

This blog was created for this sort of car. Never in my life have I seen or heard about this car.
Vanden Plas is an originally Belgian company that has worked throught the XX century together with many major car constructors (including Jaguar, Daimler, Rolls Royce to name a few). By the mid-seventies they created this luxury verison of the Austin Allegro.
One of the funniest cars I´ve seen in London.

Volkswagen T1

2005-09-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, joyful, a myth. The first Transporter, not to confuse with either the Typ 1 (Beetle) or the Transporter T2, maybe the most popular one. This is the Transporter T1, the original one from the fifties. It´s easy to tell because of the split windscreen. I am unable, anyway, to determine the age fo this vehicule. But the colours and the form are just lovely.

I already posted a picture of the Typ 3 and this would be the Typ 2, so I am just missing the Beetle, Typ 1.

VW Karmann Ghia 1955

2005-09-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

Pure beauty, somehow the MB SL of the poor, and one of my favourites cars, not difficult to be spotted in London.
The funny thing is that yesterday I posted a Volvo P1800 and said that I expected to post the VW Karmann soon, but I didn´t have any picture of it. Today, amazingly, like summoned by a strange force, I discovered this car on a back alley. What an incredible coincidence!

Volvo P1800

2005-09-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

And to think people believe Volvos are boring. This incredible model dates back to the early 60's. Reminds me quite a lot of the VW Karmann Ghia (designed some years before), one of the cars that I hope to be posting soon.

MG Midget

2005-09-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

A beautiful Midget in front of a wedding-dressed Bangladeshi home in the East London night. Quite a peculiar sight.
It's hard to tell (well, at least for me) but I reckon this Midget (frogeye as it was sometimes called) dates back to the early 70's.

1950's Chevrolet Pick-up

2005-09-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

Amazing car on the streets of London...I think it probably misses the open spaces and ranchs of the US. Although the custom look makes me think of something fiery hidden under the bonnet.

By the way, it has a most hilarious speedometer.

Scimitar GTE

2005-09-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of those truly British, strange creatures from the late seventies. A nice silhouette, though. Unlike nowadays, those days many cars would have a very personal shape that made them unmistakable.

1967 Mercedes-Benz SL 250 Automatic

2005-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lovely car, lovely colour. Doesn´t reach the beauty of the 50's SL (one of my favourite cars ever) but it´s so nice.

Reliant Rialto

2005-09-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

No, this vehicle is not missing any wheel. It´s a three-wheeler!!
Although incredible...the Rialto was introduced in 1981 in 3 different types: saloon, state and van. Can you believe that?
This is one the funniest vehicles you can see in London. Actually, I had just seen it before on the Mr Bean Show.

Austin A40 Farina

2005-09-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

This little car is a true gem. It was designed by Pininfarina (the classical Ferrari designer) and was the first mass produced hatchback car ever.
And everything back in 1958!

My birthday - '74 Corvette

2005-09-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today it´s my birthday. I´ve been thinking quite a lot about getting older lately.
And just the day before yesterday I was riding by a scrapyard in Southeast London and had to stop because I had one of those magical encouters you just have once in a while.

Click on the image for a full size picture

I was taking this picture for my car-blog, strangely attracted by this "American icon" car, when the owner came out and looked at me quite suspicious.
- Nice car, I said.
- Yes, he answered.
- How old is it? I asked, hopping to get some conversation with that strange man at that strange place.
- 1974, he said.
- Oh!!, Just like me!!, I shouted full of excitement.
Then the man made a small pause to stare at me carefully and said:
- Yes, but you don´t look as good as my car.

English Land Rover

2005-09-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

The Land Rover is not a particularly weird or scarce vehicle, specially here in the UK.
I found this one in Outer Hope, a nice village in the Southern Devon coast. I couldn't help taking the picture and processing it emphazising the bumper sticker.

Unknown german van

2005-09-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

Although bearing a Berlin registration number, this creature inhabits the streets of London.
I don´t have any idea of the marque...just something ressembling an L on the badge.
Any idea?
Anyway, I think it has a certain beauty.
Click here for a side view of the van.

Triumph Herald 13/60 - Vitesse 2 L

2005-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Look alike...

But they were not. Although both from the late 60's they had absolutely different motors and aspirations.
It's so nice to discover the vast heritage of British cars almost unknown to continental people

Morris Minor Traveller

2005-09-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

This "woodie" has a lovely shape and the wooden parts give it a special charm that metallic cars lack.
By the way, it´s a funny mix of two cars we´ve already seen in this blog, this and this.
What do you reckon?

There are more coincidences between these cars, just look at the reardoor hinges. I think they´re the same.

Fiat 500

2005-09-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is an icon.
"Il Cinquino", 1957

Nissan Figaro

2005-09-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

This car is not what it seems.

When I moved to London it was one of the first vehicles (together with Bus 38) that catched my eye. I´d never seen it before...what was it???
Actually is a car from the 90's but with all the attractive of the convertibles from the 60's and a peculiar look. It was created like a sort of cult/fashion object, they just produced 20.000, and the demand was so high that they had to do a lottery to see who was going to have it!!
It has a tiny 1.0 motor and anyway you look at it is just gorgeous

The good thing for the British is that in Japan they also drive on the left, so there are so many people importing this little gem to the UK.

Aston Martin DB6

2005-09-05T00:42:00.000-07:00

The following version to the car driven by 007 James Bond!
A beautiful car...

Click here for an impressive view of the front.

70´s Ford Escort

2005-09-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Although first launched in 1968, I think this verion dates back to the (late?) seventies. Then it was a sales wonder, but few of these cars have survived to our days.
I spotted this one in London Fields
I know the picture is a bit crappy, mainly because of the overwhelming noon light. Well, I think it gives it a slight 70's taste (I was tempted of touching the colours with PhotoShop to make it really look 70's).

Lancia Fulvia

2005-09-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Something very special for the weekend...the astonishing Lancia Fulvia

Obvioulsy I didn´t take this picture in London, but in Dartmoor. I think the beauty of the car makes it worth it to post it. In the afternoon light of Dartmoor the "rosso corsa" colour shines wonderfully.
I reckon it´s the 1974? version, but I´m not quite sure. So, as always, comments and help are welcome.

VolksWagen Typ 3 Fastback

2005-09-02T03:47:00.000-07:00

The typ 3, the car with the first mass-produced fuel injection motor.

Sunbeam Rapier Series IV

2005-09-01T00:59:00.000-07:00

Another British classic, quite weird to the eyes of a continental born long after the time of this car. I think it´s a Sunbeam Series IV because of the amber turn indicators
Nice silhouette anyway. And to think it was first built just two years after the Cadillac from 2 days ago.

Citroën DS Break

2005-08-31T00:54:00.000-07:00

DS (Déesse), The Goddess. Amazing car, even Roland Barthes wrote about it, you can read it here
As I was taking this picture on a lonesome alley in the Hacney night, the owners came, turned the motor on and the DS went away beautifully.

Morris Minor 1000

2005-08-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Quite a usual sight on the streets of London, specially East London; a quite unusal car in the continent!!!

I already posted this photograph back in July on my other blog. But I thought it was worth to see it again.
The Minor was designed by Sir Alex Issigonis, just like the Mini.

*I photoshoped the background, but the car is just that very colour!!...have a look

1953 Cadillac Coupé

2005-08-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

I don´t know if this car is the so-called 1953 Eldorado, or just the convertible version got the name.

Strange Mini progeny

2005-08-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

The doors tell you that it´s somehow related to a Mini, but then everything is quite weird. It has a simple L on the badge. Any idea??

Renaul 12

2005-08-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

It´s been ages since the last time I saw this car, specially this version. Jolly.

The idea

2005-08-30T04:43:00.000-07:00

After 8 months of seeing some of the most unbelievable cars (and things on wheels you just wouldn´t know what to call) I have finally decided to keep track of this unique heritage. London, like regarding many other aspects of life, is an incredible place to spot amazing cars.
Some of the cars that will be showing up here appear to me as something out of the ordinary. Well, probably many of them surprise me as I am continental, and would not raise much expectation amid british people. Anyway, also many of the cars depicted are not definitely awesome, but it probably has been a long time since the last time we have ever seen anything alike (I can´t deny an emphasis on old-timers of any kind).

Please, feel free to comment on anything you see, as many of the pictures will lack the background or even the less knowledge about the subject.
Enjoy!