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#WeirdCarMastodon

44 posts19 participants3 posts today

Yesterday I was explaining how BMW didn’t have any mid-range cars going in to the 1960s. During the 1950s, the company offered either small basic models like yesterday’s BMW Isetta, or expensive and exotic high-end products like this, the 507 Touring Sport with its 3.2-litre V8, introduced in 1955. To ‘expensive’ and ‘exotic’, add ‘exclusive’ - only 215 were built. I saw this one at Techno Classica in 2013. Apologies for the slightly blurry phone shot.

Today we’re moving on to BMW, which would go on to dominate the executive saloon market. But curiously enough, before hitting the jackpot in that sector, BMW didn’t really offer an upper-medium saloon at all. Its cars were either much bigger and much more expensive (more on that tomorrow) or smaller and cheaper like this BMW Isetta, seen here in police trim at Techno Classica 2013.

‘Terrible fuel efficiency, no right-hand drive’: why trade deal won’t warm up Japan to American cars

Few vehicles like the Ford F-150 pick-up make it to Japan – as well as being made for the wrong side of the road, they are seen as too big and unreliable

theguardian.com/world/2025/jul

The Guardian · ‘Terrible fuel efficiency, no right-hand drive’: why trade deal won’t warm up Japan to American carsBy Gavin Blair

Another #WeirdCarMastodon #WouldYouRather —Crappy Coachbuilt Cadillac edition! For $5,850, are you going for the rusty-crusty 1-of-51 ’75 Castilian wagon, or for a healthy $9,500 will you take the 1-of-3 ’80 Seville roadster that needs a top?

Given that it has one of the least-bad second-gen Seville engines (6-liter V8, no cylinder deactivation) and seems to be in mostly okay shape, I guess I'd take the goofy-looking droptop. That wagon is scary.

Today, the car that replaced the bottom half of the redoubtable Mercedes Heckflosse range featured yesterday. Meet the W114/W115 ‘Strich Acht’ (stroke eight), a ‘younger’ design closer in concept to the Rover P6 and Triumph 2000, introduced in 1968. The Strich Acht came from the pen of the French designer Paul Bracq, who would later have a hand in rival executive saloons such as the BMW 5-Series and the Peugeots 604 and 505. Pic: Techno Classica 2013.

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First variation done: for the moment, the bodies (aside from color), bases, and wheels are identical, but there are different interiors in these two Bavarias. The Polaris (silver) over blue car has optional rear headrests and air conditioning, which means a differently shaped dashboard. The Malaga (maroon) over tan car has neither. In order to make the Polaris car a replica of my old Bav, I'll be adding a sunroof and changing the bumpers to ’73 spec. #WeirdCarMastodon #164scale #3dModeling

Greetings from inside the engine bay 👋

I plonked the hood down on the … hood hole (?) temporarily so I could measure how tall the stuff I put in the engine bay can be.

At first I tried to climb in and lift the hood over me, but there was no room for me to scrootch down with the motor, the steel, and the wood in there.

But then I came to my senses and realised I could just lie on my wheely trolley thing without having to risk life and limb.

Today, we’re sticking with the theme of ‘staid 1950s cars that gave way to more dashing executive saloons in the 1960s’. But we’re moving on to a new manufacturer, Mercedes, and its legendary ‘Heckflosse’ (tailfin), one of my all-time favourites. I saw these magnificent examples at Techno Classica Essen in 2013. Tomorrow, the successor model, which gave off a much more modern vibe.

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Seats are done. Here again, there's room for some variation. 1971 and older models had different pleats than later cars, and the fancier 3.0S/Si versions had different seats as well. Plus, the rear headrests were optional on Bavarias, standard on the luxury models—the first more or less mainstream car in the US market to be commonly so equipped. The seats I've done so far match those found in 1972-74 Bavarias, with the optional rear headrests. #WeirdCarMastodon #164scale #3dModeling