Interesting cars from the past.

When I was a kid my mom insisted on my dad buying a 68 {?} Thunderbird with suicide doors. She also insisted that the color be turquoise, much like the one in this picture. My mom never was into cars so I find it odd now that she insisted on having this particular car with the strange doors. Anyway, from what I remember the car had a very nice interior but it was in the shop most of the time. There always seemed to be something wrong with it.

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I remember the Tucker car. It was quite advanced for its time. The story of what happened to quash its further development is rather sad and cruel.
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https://www.hotcars.com/real-story-of-what-happened-to-tucker-automobile-company/
 

As a young child, I would watch a Lotus Europa glide past my house every late afternoon. Its low, wedge-shaped profile and mid-engine made it look like something from another world at the time.

It was the first car I ever truly wanted. After endless pestering, my mother finally bought me one. A toy version -- it was the closest I was ever going to get to owing one at the time.

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During my Navy years, upon our return from a deployment to Europe we had the opportunity to buy one of these FOB Rota Spain and the US Navy would transport it stateside for free. The cost would have been $3000. Of course, on an E-4s pay it might as well have been $3 million. :(

I still recall, the car was 34 inches from the roof to the ground. If somehow I could magically get into one today they'd have to bury me in it because I would never be able to get out. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Years ago, I visited a museum in Hershey Pa. and got to eyeball a Tucker up close. It was cool, but, the display of spare engines really drew me in. What an engineering marvel.


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Not to be [persnickity] but it wasn't an [in-house] engine.
It was a Franklin 0-335, modified in house, to be water cooled.

"An air-cooled flat-6 engine, the Franklin O-335 made by Air Cooled Motors (and originally intended for the Bell 47),[22] fit, and its 166 hp (124 kW; 168 PS) pleased Tucker. He purchased four samples for $5,000 each, and his engineers converted the 334 cubic inches (5,470 cc) engine to water cooling (a decision that has puzzled historians ever since).[22] "
 
Not to be [persnickity] but it wasn't an [in-house] engine.
It was a Franklin 0-335, modified in house, to be water cooled.

"An air-cooled flat-6 engine, the Franklin O-335 made by Air Cooled Motors (and originally intended for the Bell 47),[22] fit, and its 166 hp (124 kW; 168 PS) pleased Tucker. He purchased four samples for $5,000 each, and his engineers converted the 334 cubic inches (5,470 cc) engine to water cooling (a decision that has puzzled historians ever since).[22] "
Yep, but, The engineering that went into making an air cooled helicopter engine into a water cooled automobile fascinated me.
 
Another more unusual one that I captured at one of the car shows....



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347 Grinnall Scorpion IV (est 2010)

Grinnall Scorpion IV (2005-on) Engine 1800cc S4 Turbo
Launched in 2005 at Autosport International, designed by Steve Harper of SHADO the car is powered by a Audi 1.8-litre turbo, 4-cylinder, 5-valve motor, re-manufactured and tuned by Jabbaspor producing from 250 to 370bhp in 1.8 litre form and 500bhp in 1900cc form. Driving the rear wheel via Getrag 6-speed manual transmission..
The Scorpion-IV features a lightweight, super-stiff space-frame chassis onto which is bonded a composite body shell.

 
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I managed to get some really close up pics of interiors at some of the shows even tho' very often the windows were closed. I was very careful tho' not to touch the car in any way. Looking at the huge steering wheel I remember the feel of those from my childhood, very hard and thin.. but very large !:D
 
Here for you James Bond 007 fans, three movie cars all in one picture. The white 1965 Mustang from the Movie Goldfinger, the Toyota 2000GT from the movie You only Live Twice, and of course in the middle the Astin Martin DB5 from the movie Goldfinger. If you look closely at the front you can see the two supposed machine guns sticking out. These are all verified as cars used in the filming of the movies.
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My Mom had one of these when I was in 7th grade, I loved it she hated it. I thought it was cute back then
1962 AMC Rambler
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