A tale of tails.
Greetings fellow CCers, and thank you for all the kind words after my contributorial debut earlier this week!
When we last spoke, I was chatting about last weekend’s Swapmeet in Cambridge, New Zealand. To briefly recap, I wandered the venue (twice!) taking photos and buying a stack of 1970s Lada, Skoda and Hyundai (remember the Pony?) brochures, and a ‘Prince’ grille badge (Prince created the immortal Skyline and became part of Nissan in the 1960s). But after a couple hours, my keen eye and keener iPhone camera were, um, keen to head out to the carpark to see what vehicular treasures keenly awaited. And I didn’t even get to the car park entrance before classics parked curbside began to captivate me with their alluring charms!
“Behind youuuuuuu…”
Immediately after the Minx in the Part I post, I was rewarded with the multi-cultural view above – an ’85 Rover 3500 looking regal in red, a black 1940 Chev Tudor, and a white car with a weird window accessory. Oh, and a tiny bit of Mitsi Outlander that looked like a formless amoeba compared with the afore-mentioned delights.
I believe the white car with the weird window accessory is a 1938 Pontiac, and after googling “big pipe thing hanging out of old car window”, I now know the thing in the window is a ‘swamp cooler’. Apparently it’s some sort of pre-a/c cooling device – has anyone here had experience with these? Are they effective? Probably doesn’t matter if it works or not, as it lends an air of unspeakable cool (puns intended) to the big ol’ Ponti’.
Moving along, I actually managed to enter the car park, and awaiting me was this white-walled RHD ‘38 ’39 Mercury in the company of a chrome-walled LHD ‘87 El Camino. It was mentioned on CC recently that El Caminos are everywhere; as evidence may I present Exhibit A? And just for you Minx fans, there’s a white and green Minx sneaking into the background!
“Would you like ham with your mustard?”
On a couple of CC posts recently, the 2600cc version of the very handsome SD1 Rover was mentioned. Above is a ’78 2600 in glorious mustard. The odometer read 97,000km, and it’s travelled just 18,000km in the last 18 years, so is probably someone’s cherished Sunday driver.
If you put your ear to it you can hear the ocean.
Immaculate inside and out, it’s an excellent example of BL’s superb panel fits. Oh, wait, that’s wrong, the gaps between the front and rear doors were large enough to stick a finger in on both sides of the car, and I could easily read the service stickers on the jam…
Plenty of later Rover SD1s in the carpark and curbside indicated that BL tightened (literally) their standards over time. I imagine if they were still building SD1s today, the panel gaps would be almost perfect! Just along from the 2600 in another gap (ha!) was an interesting study of contrasts: a 1968 Ford Anglia alongside a recently-immigrated 1954 Buick Roadmaster convertible.
14 years separates these two, but their respective design ethoses (ethoi?) are separated by more than time. Meanwhile, what’s that in the corner with the wonky wipers?
Why, it’s a February 1961 Dodge Pioneer with 176,000miles on the odometer. A quick rego check shows it ran up 61,611 of those miles by August 1966 but took until May 1995 to achieve 167,000. It’s NZ-new and factory RHD so I guess it’s a Canadian-built Plodge? I’m sure someone in CC-land will know for sure! EDIT – MCT did indeed know; see his post in the comments below – thanks for the interesting info MCT! Obviously a much-loved survivor, I wonder what tales it would tell? On the subject of tales and tails…:
Big Blue Boat.
Isn’t she a beauty! I love that tail, such a contrast to the ’76 Mini van in the next row over:
Baby Blue Bath-toy.
Going by the front door handles, this lil’ Min’ might be the Australian-built model. Fun fact: the Mini fits in the Pioneer’s boot. Probably. While we’re telling tales, here’s another interesting example: a NZ-new RHD Studebaker Cruiser – although the rego said it’s a ’66, not a ’65 as claimed by the number plate. EDIT – it was first registered on 01 January 1966, so would indeed be a 1965.
Hey! hey! Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1965…
As well as twin exhausts it also sports twin ‘Cruiser’ badges for double the cruising fun! Speaking of cruising fun, is that an Aussie-built Valiant coupe lurking to the right of it?
Big green mean machine!
Yes it is! A 1970 Chrysler Valiant Regal, powered by the 318 V8. Looks pretty original too; some very nice lines there. There are also some very nice lines on this:
Another NZ-new survivor out to play for the day, a 1948 Nash Ambassador. Despite styling that screams “I’m pre-war and proud of it!”, it’s a great looker – that chrome is brilliant. Literally!
There were plenty of shiny bits in the interior too – this was my favourite interior of the day.
And here’s another nice shiny classic, a Honda Accord Euro wagon! Pity I couldn’t get a clear shot, what with that 1968 Series V Sunbeam Alpine GT in the way… On a serious note, this Alpine, featuring Hillman’s famed 1725cc motor, is one of 19,122 built. I wonder how many survive today?
I really need to get going, but had to stop for this 1939 De Soto Deluxe with the Niedermeyeresque red wheels. I thought only the ’39 Dodges had those square headlights, but this De Soto is NZ-new RHD, so maybe Plodges were being built for us then too? Although rather than a Plodge maybe it’d be a De Odge? Ply Soto? De Mouth? Whatever, it was in beautiful order inside and out.
Are you sure you’re not a Mk II Ford Zephyr with a tail-lift?
By now, the sun was hot and my face was getting sunburned, so definitely time to head back to the car. And I nearly made it until I spotted a black something in the distance… As I got closer I thought it was a customised Mk II Ford Zephyr, until…aha!
It’s a 1955 Willys Custom Delux 2.6 litre, and in absolutely beautiful condition! I’ve seen a green one, but this looks so much better in black – the chrome details really ‘pop’. I was actually quite taken with the whole car – particularly the hood ornament which appears to be Perspex?
A nice green interior for Tom Klockau!
The interior was very attractive too – amazing how a bit of colour can make something so plain look interesting.
Well dear CCers, that marks the end of the Cambridge Curbside Classics, and as I headed back to my car, I was very thankful for several things: thankful for being made redundant from a job that was killing me, thankful I got a new job close to home that allows me weekends, thankful to the owners of all these surviving classics, and most of all, thankful for CC for the delight and joy it never ceases to bring! I look forward to giving back through future posts.
where is the hunter?(Hillman hunter I mean)
No Hunter, must have been chased away by the orange-caped Avenger across the road from the swamp-coolered Pontiac!
Thanks Scott,love the Dodge Pioneer & the Valiant.Dad had a 66 Aussie Valiant 4 door sedan non hemi upright 6.The Dodge looks familiar as I remember seeing one near my Grandparents who lived near a USAF base in the mid 60s.That Sunbeam Alpine is the same colour as my French teacher Mr Taylor’s Rapier fastback.More Aussie iron please,there’s a few turn up at shows in the UK especially the Mopar Euronats
Thank you Gem! That Valiant coupe was one of the nicest I’ve seen, so I have a lot more photos for a later write-up or the Cohort.
Swamp coolers work fine in low humidity conditions where the water can evaporate. I knew somebody on Oregon who had one on his 1951 Nash Ambassador and he said it was effective in our relatively dry summers, and unnecessary in our cool moist rest of the year.
NZ seems to get a pretty broad assortment of cars, I’m surprised there are not more Australian cars on show.
Thanks for the swamp cooler info. We have high humidity here, so they possibly wouldn’t be terribly effective.
There were plenty of Aussie cars curbside and in the carpark, but I was going for the cars that interested me, and although nice classic Aussie cars do, they’re so common I didn’t give most a second glance! But I’ll take more notice in future for my fellow CCers 🙂
I rarely shoot American cars for the cohort we have plenty of them but coals to Newcastle, there are plenty of Aussie cars in your backgrounds nothing special just the usual fare.
I always thought these were outboard A/C units as well, at least that’s what I’ve been told
The proper name for a swamp cooler is an evaporative cooler (or air conditioner). The swamp part comes from what happens if you dont maintain or & never drain the water.
Nice tour Scott!
Used to see a lot of those on our trips to Colorado in the early sixties. I was very jealous!
Thanks, Scott your first two right ups have been interesting and fun to read.
After seeing that Roadmaster it reminded me that I have a question and I believe that you are the perfect person to answer it being that you’re young, knowledgeable about cars and you’re from NZ. I was having an online chat about NZ’s phenomenon, Lordes and her hit record “Royals” In the refrain she sings a verse “We’re driving Cadillacs in our dreams” one in the chat wondered why she would use “Cadillac” as a dream car because there are no Cadillacs in NZ so she would have no knowledge of them other then what she may have encountered in the media. I argued that although rare that there must be Cadillacs in NZ that at some point impressed her enough to include them in her song as something elusive and not for everyone which is what the song is about.
I’d be interested in your take on this and answer the question, are there Cadillacs in NZ that a 16 year old song writer would notice enough to write about?
Thank you! Especially for the “young” bit, as I hit the big 4-0 in a couple weeks…*sigh*.
Lorde also mentions Maybach in the line following the Cadillac dreams. I believe the song is about her reaction to the oft-ostentatious pop culture evident in many of the music videos nowadays. Symbols of their extravagance is seen in their vehicular choices – often the Phantoms and Maybachs, but including the Caddie Escalade which seems to feature in rapper videos. The first two makes are certainly opulent, but I think a pimped-out Escalade represents the ultimate stereotype of the biggest/boldest/chromiest. That’s my take on her lyrics anyway!
But yes, we have Cadillacs here in New Zealand, and many Kiwis would know the name represented an expensive American car. Indeed, although Elvis never toured New Zealand, one of his Cadillac did in the 50s/60s – my parents remember the excitement of it being on display!
As well, the stereotypical school-ball car in the late 80s/early 90s when I was at high school was a stretch Cadillac (in fact a local acquaintance owned an early 80s stretch De Ville and a late 70s stretch Lincoln Town Car for a number of years from the 90s, and did a roaring trade come ball time).
Traditionally Cadillacs haven’t been sold here new, but there have been many, many private imports of used (usually) models. If they were less than 25 years old when imported they generally had to be converted to RHD, although that restriction has been largely relaxed today. Someone in my small rural hometown imported a bustle-back Seville new in the early 80s, it was converted to RHD and stood out like you wouldn’t believe! I still remember 10 year old me being entranced with its other-worldly styling!
More recently, we’ve had a number of ’98-’04 factory RHD Sevilles come in ex-Japan; I’ve also seen a couple of the ’92-’97 model in RHD too.
Things changed with the ’08-’13 CTS though, as Cadillac had been planning on launching them in RHD for a world launch. That plan changed due to a financial “hiccup”, and the launch was cancelled after several hundred had been built in RHD. The whole RHD run was bought by Ebbett Motors, the GM dealer local to me, and sold new with full GM-NZ warranties etc. They were snapped up in next to no time – I remember reading that a number of buyers owned older Cadillacs as weekend cars and were delighted to get a new one as a daily driver. Because so many of them sold so close to me I see them around a lot. They remind me of that Seville I drooled over back in ’83/4 in that they look quite different and distinctive. I’d buy one in a second if I had the money – it’s one of the few new cars that does anything for me!
So yeah, that was a really long way of saying yes, we do have Cadillacs in NZ. Click the link to see what’s currently for sale here: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&cid=268&sidebar=1&rptpath=1-268-&5=&14=Cadillac&15=&18=0&18=0&24=0&24=0&searchRegion=100&sidebarSearch_keypresses=0&sidebarSearch_suggested=0
Thanks for the detailed answer. I figured there had to be some kind of specialty market for Cadillacs. I always thought the song was more of a general commentary of have and have-nots, but it seems it’s geared more towards the hip-hop music industry.
BTW 40 is a breeze compared to 50 😉
Lol, I like the Cars 40th, cheers! 🙂
Awesome finds and write up! Since you are heading into summer, let’s hope you are able to find lots of good stuff while you are out and about.
If nothing else, just post pictures of grass and trees as everything in this part of the world is turning – or has turned – brown for the winter.
Just discovered there’s a classic car display on tomorrow nearby that I shall trot along to. It’s lakeside rather than curbside, but there will be green grass and leafy trees!
Over here that stuff turns brown in summer! ( no water)
That Willys suddenly reminded me of something:
.
More fantastic pics and commentary again Scott. I enjoy them, thank you!
I laughed out loud at your commentary on the Rover panel gap.
I was thinking the same thing before I read your caption.
I am fascinated by the variety of models that have made it to NZ.
Like the Studebaker Cruiser for example. I’m assuming it’s
one of the Canadian-made models from it’s second last model year.
I am guessing, beyond salty air, the climate in New Zealand must be very agreeable to old cars?
Actually, I just discovered the Studebaker was first registered here on 01 January 1966, so it would be a 1965 model after all, my bad…
NZ is indeed very agreeable to old cars – the salty air is only around the coast, and there’s no salt used on the roads in winter. We had restrictive new car sales for many years – the market was only really deregulated in the mid-late 80s, so many old cars remained on the road because there was no other choice. Things are different now, as there are so many new cars and new-to-NZ used JDM imports that anything over 10 years old is basically worthless and is scrapped at the slightest hint of mechanical or panel damage. There definitely won’t be nearly as many cars from the 90s and 00s around in decades to come.
Interesting 1960 Dodge – can’t say for the mechanical bits of course, but everything on the outside of the car is exactly the same as the 1960 Dodges I remember. Of course I don’t think there was any mechanical difference between a Dodge and a Plymouth by 1960.
It’s powered by a 3,000cc engine – the old flathead maybe? Here’s the interior, I’m not sure if it’s the same as US Dodge interior or not:
My father had a 1960 Dodge Pioneer 4 door sedan just like this car, but it was a LHD Canadian car. His car had a 225 six with a three speed column shift. The car had some issues including constant problems with the transmission that caused him to eventually trade it for a ’65 Impala in 1966.
The Canadian 1960 Dodges built in Windsor, had Plymouth interiors and dashboards. It appears this 1960 RHD Dodge uses a Plymouth dash too.
The last year for Canadian Plodges was 1959. For 1960, Dodge introduced a smaller model in the U.S. riding on the Plymouth wheelbase called the Dart. This model replaced the Plodges in Canada, since it served essentially the same purpose the Plodges had. That is what the car in the picture appears to be. To Bill’s comments about the interior, it is my understanding that Canadian Dodges in those days (across the whole range, not just the Plodges) often used Plymouth interior components, although I don’t know any specifics on the ’60 models.
The 1960-61 Dart came in three trim levels — Seneca, Pioneer and Phoenix — which corresponded to the three fullsize Plymouth models. From comments I’ve seen here in the past, Chrysler apparently ran into a trademark issue over the use of the Dart name in Australia, and marketed these cars under the individual trim level names there. The same may have been true in New Zealand.
Note that from 1963 on, the Dart name was used on an “A-body” closely related to the Valiant — which is what most people associate the Dart name with today — but the original 1960-62 Dart was a fullsize car unrelated to the Valiant.
Awesome info, thank you MCT! I’m only familiar with the 63+ A-body Dart, I was totally unaware the badge had been used on the fullsize 60-62.
I can confirm that all our large Dodges were indeed badged Seneca, Pioneer and Phoenix in the early 1960s. I had no idea they were actually trim levels, but it totally makes sense now. I don’t know if Chrysler had the same trademark issues with the ‘Dart’ name here too, or if they just wanted continuity between the countries.
The Seneca and Pioneer badges only lasted a few years, but the RHD Phoenix badged Dodge lasted until 1973 when a long wheelbase Australian-built Valiant that was badged “Chrysler by Chrysler” was introduced to fill the Phoenix’s role in the line-up. Edit – I wrote this before looking at wikipedia which (thankfuly!) says the same.
Anyway, thank you for filling in my knowledge gap about Plodges, really useful to know!
For 1960, only the Canadian Dart line used Plymouth Dashes and Interiors. The Polara’s made in Windsor, Ontario, however were identical to the US built Dodges. There were 16,940 Canadian Dodges built in 1960, of which I am unsure if that included the export models. The majority were Darts, only 1276 being Polaras. Interestingly, almost half the Canadian Dodges were produced with the Slant Six, like my dad’s old ’60 Dodge. The Pioneer series was the most popular.
MCT is correct that 1959 was the last year Canadian Dodges used unique sheet metal and model names. However, Canada did produce the “Valiant” make later on, which was essentially a Dart body with a Plymouth Valiant style nose. This unique Canadian make was sold at both Plymouth and Dodge dealers.
Iirc, the inaugural Mercury was a 39, and I’m not sure that I have ever seen one outside of a museum. A great variety of some very uncommon stuff.
That is one cool Nash. That may be the last Nash that really excites me.
I love that Willys. But I bet the left-handed 3-on-the-tree would take some getting used to! Like most Americans, I’ve never driven a RHD car.
Only on-the-tree I’ve ever driven was a 5-on-the-tree ’82 Mitsubishi L300 van, and that was not easy!
My 70 Vauxhall Cresta PC was 3 on a tree and it took a bit of getting used to having never driven a manual column shift.In the end I could shift as quick as a floor shifter
I had a Citroen DS20 with a 5-speed manual column shift and I didn’t find it a problem at all. The linkage was really slick – I’d imagine that the front-mid-engine layout made it comparatively straightforward.
Nice coverage and some rare cars on display there never were many Willys Aeros here thats two I know of now, I guess you’ll be covering the Humber Hillman AGM display in Te Awamutu next easter.
I love the mistakes made on registration labels Mercury wasnt even available in 38, and there were no Anglias on sale in 68 Ford ran them out in 67 prior to the launch of the Escort. The Studebaker Cruiser is another.
Are the registrations based on built date rather than model year? US makes traditionally switched over to building next years models in late summer.
NZ registrations are based on the date first registered new there are no build plates as such and for older cars the information has been lost and inaccurately updated
JPC and Bryce, you’d be correct re the “1938” Mercury being a 1939 I think – as per the number plate of “HR1939” that I just noticed. Although it’s definitely registered as a ’38, the rego records go on to say it was first registered here brand new on 18 December 1939. So a mistake seems likely.
It’s surprising though that it was registered as new after WW the Two had already begun, so I’m guessing it was already on the boat over when the war started. It had done 94,820 miles when it changed hands on 29 December 1966, 105,521 when it changed hands again on 27 December 1974 and is now up to 128,000ish.
It’s listed as being a 3.2 litre V8, serial number S3560F, which I guess is original. If anyone out there knows how to decode old Mercury VIN numbers, its chassis number is 71355.