Cars you didn't know existed...

[saaby93]

Stolen from the 1984 thread
https://www.uijtenhaak.nl/gatso/gatford.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus_Gatsonides

[Benni]

Fast Bug said:

Shades of Opel GT in that

...and of the Cheetah "for when an AC Cobra is too soft"

Opel should have just produced a slightly more modern version of the GT, classic sportscar lines without silly performance,

a 2&2 for singles, couples and small families, to keep as 2nd car even if the inevitable Pampers Bomber wagon had to be bought.

[Jazzy Jag]

Not sure about the reg plate, thought?

[CanAm]

Benni said:

...and of the Cheetah "for when an AC Cobra is too soft"

Opel should have just produced a slightly more modern version of the GT, classic sportscar lines without silly performance,

a 2&2 for singles, couples and small families, to keep as 2nd car even if the inevitable Pampers Bomber wagon had to be bought.

I've seen a Cheetah in course of renovation. The engine is mounted so far back, there is no propshaft - the gearbox bolts directly to the diff. No wonder the cockpit got hot!

[Jimmy Recard]

saaby93 said:

Stolen from the 1984 thread
https://www.uijtenhaak.nl/gatso/gatford.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus_Gatsonides

The inventor of the speed camera. tt

[CanAm]

Jimmy Recard said:

The inventor of the speed camera. tt

Except he designed to help his car go faster!

[Kolbenkopp]

poing said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

threespires said:

I found these Jaguars on line

that's Düsseldorf, Oberkassel, in the background they are setting up the 'Großte Kirmes am Rhein' funfair

I also think it's photoshopped

As a former regular visitor to those parts you got me more interested in the background than the cars! A rather wonderful blast from the past.

Gee, and I live on the other side of the river (Flingern) and thought, "Hm. looks a bit familiar?" Really need to get out more. Oh wait :-/.

[MarkwG]

https://viaretro.com/2019/01/new-to-me-the-trendse... - two new/old ones to me - Victress & La Dawri; intriguing machines.

[Red Devil]

Benni said:

Fast Bug said:

AstonZagato said:

Vauxhall XVR concept

Shades of Opel GT in that

...and of the Cheetah "for when an AC Cobra is too soft"

https://classiccarcuration.co.uk/the-vauxhall-xvr-...





You need cojones of tungsten to drive a Cheetah. While getting fried as well: your legs sit alongside the engine with the exhaust headers passing over them.
Had things panned out differently Thomas could have been the equivalent to GM as Shelby was to Ford.

Tatra 87. 'Suicide' front doors and air coooled V8 rear engine.

[21st Century Man]

The Germans banned it's Officers from requisitioning and driving those during the war. It was fast for the time and with all the weight hung out behind the rear axle, it killed so many it became known as Czechoslovakia's secret weapon.

[CanAm]

There was a small museum devoted to Tatras in Bad Homburg near Frankfurt. Unfortunately it's now just run of the mill classics with nothing outstanding.

[Red Devil]

21st Century Man said:

The Germans banned it's Officers from requisitioning and driving those during the war. It was fast for the time and with all the weight hung out behind the rear axle, it killed so many it became known as Czechoslovakia's secret weapon.

- https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/czec... - the source for the first pic in my post.

Naturally Jay Leno has one. Love these comments:
It looks like a hearse and drives like a motorboat. ...driving a Tatra produces the uneasy exhilaration which may be got from shampooing a lion.
Ferdinand Porsche plagiarised Hans Ledwinka's designs when he and Erwin Komenda produced the KdF-Wagen (the Type 60 prototype of the VW Beetle).

[Rostfritt]

Red Devil said:

- https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/czec... - the source for the first pic in my post.

Naturally Jay Leno has one. Love these comments:
It looks like a hearse and drives like a motorboat. ...driving a Tatra produces the uneasy exhilaration which may be got from shampooing a lion.
Ferdinand Porsche plagiarised Hans Ledwinka's designs when he and Erwin Komenda produced the KdF-Wagen (the Type 60 prototype of the VW Beetle).

That is fascinating. I suppose it is down to this car that the Beetle and 911 are rear engined? That thing looks mad on every level, the three piece front windscreen looks like a bay window on a 30s semi, the middle headlight must have made it quite distinctive in the dark too.

[P5BNij]

Chrysler's 70X concept of 1969 with sliding doors...

[anonymous-user]

Rostfritt said:

Red Devil said:

- https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/czec... - the source for the first pic in my post.

Naturally Jay Leno has one. Love these comments:
It looks like a hearse and drives like a motorboat. ...driving a Tatra produces the uneasy exhilaration which may be got from shampooing a lion.
Ferdinand Porsche plagiarised Hans Ledwinka's designs when he and Erwin Komenda produced the KdF-Wagen (the Type 60 prototype of the VW Beetle).

That is fascinating. I suppose it is down to this car that the Beetle and 911 are rear engined? That thing looks mad on every level, the three piece front windscreen looks like a bay window on a 30s semi, the middle headlight must have made it quite distinctive in the dark too.

No, Porsche was designing and building rear engined cars well before WW2. I've never understood why people mention cooper as the inventor of the rear engined racing car when Auto Union were doing it in the 30's.

[21st Century Man]

Porsche settled in the sixties and Volkswagen settled in the seventies. You don't do that for no good reason. Ledwinka got nowt though.

[Bodo]

CanAm said:

There was a small museum devoted to Tatras in Bad Homburg near Frankfurt. Unfortunately it's now just run of the mill classics with nothing outstanding.

The Tatra theme was just a temporary exhibition - https://www.central-garage.de/fr%C3%BChere-ausstel...
Next up is Alvis.

[CanAm]

Bodo said:

The Tatra theme was just a temporary exhibition - https://www.central-garage.de/fr%C3%BChere-ausstel...
Next up is Alvis.

Ah thanks Bodo. I also saw the "Women Accelerate' expo. The guy with the model shop on site is also brilliant.

Too late for the Alvis one unfortunately, as the friends I visit there are moving to Sweden in two weeks time.... hopefully!

[JxJ Jr.]

Red Devil said:

Tatra 87. 'Suicide' front doors and air coooled V8 rear engine.

A great, if slightly baffling, period film of the later Tatra 603 which followed the same engine layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR6-ReQR45E

[21st Century Man]

I've always fancied a T603, or even a T613/5 UK spec.

https://revivaler.com/tatra-613-there-arent-enough...

Edited by 21st Century Man on Saturday 11th April 18:01