Now for something different

[351CFalcon]

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Ford's initial idea for a minivan ... 1973 Ford Carousel.
Still based on a E-Series full-size van, but much smaller. 460cid V8.
Henry Ford II refused to approve it so both Lee Iacocca and Hal Sperlich re-introduced the minivan idea when they left Ford and went to Chrysler ... and the rest is history.

 

[351CFalcon]

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The bar has been set higher.

Ok, now that Jimmy Buffet's Falcon convertible sold at an auction for $258,500 (with buyers premium), anyone with a Falcon convertible will be asking something similar.

Nothing special about it other than a roll bar, a V8 and 4-speed, just his name:

.Learn more

 

[351CFalcon]

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In 1966 with Ford’s blessing, Beverly Hills Ford, a Los Angeles area car dealership produced a small run of Mustang pickups.
Only 50 Musteros were produced for 1966.
The Mustero conversion package added a hefty $4,000 to the Mustangs price which brought the Musteros total base delivery price to a little over $6,500.
As a comparison, you could buy a Falcon Ranchero with a 289 V8 for $2,200 or a 427 Shelby Cobra could be purchased for around $7,000.
They are out there...somewhere.

 

[CDNflatlander]

I checked my calendar, nope not April 1st… interesting, now that would be a ‘find’….i wouldn’t cut up a Mustang, but I would be easily convinced to take one of them home.

 

[351CFalcon]

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Back to the 2-seaters.
1962 Corvette Rondine
One of the few exceptions is the Rondine Concept by Pininfarina, which made its debut at the 1963 Paris Motor Show.
Built on the new C2 chassis that debuted the same year, the Rondine is unusual in that it was Chevrolet itself that commissioned this concept, contracting Pininfarina to tailor a new suit for the second-gen model.
Designed by Tom Tjaarda at the Turin-based carrozzeria, the Rondine features a number of very recognizable Pininfarina design elements, some of which you may recall from other production and concept cars of the time.
But it's also fairly recognizable as a Corvette -- the design does not depart far from the looks of the factory C2 to the point that one would say that it hails from another marque altogether.
Of course, we say that with the benefit of hindsight, and with the ability to draw every detail of the C2-generation Corvette from memory, also knowing how the Corvette evolved in later decades.
But there is still enough of a resemblance to make the Rondine a Corvette and nothing else.
If there is one single theme to the Rondine, it is that it appears visually lighter than the factory C2, wearing flowing bodywork that features longer front and rear overhangs.
The Sting Ray shape is still there, but the proportions are far more liberal and more elegant -- the Rondine was not penned to appear more aggressive, rather adding lightness and softer lines to the same chassis.
Up front, you'll notice that the Rondine still features a split bumper, but the pivoting headlights are hidden under sharp and slightly menacing eyebrows. The beltline that bisects the car is still prominent, but the Rondine wears a slightly more prominent grille.
The small round side markers are there as well, but lifted up and to the sides of the headlights.
Gone are the vents behind the wheel arches and the bulges in the front wings, smoothed out in favor of a more subtle surface, and it's a theme that extends to the whole of the car.
Wearing less chrome, the windshield adopts a wider stance, instead of the more upright and chrome-trimmed outline of the original design.
Tjaarda smoothed out the rear fenders as well, giving the tail a more tapered profile, but not at the expense of the rear overhangs.
The shape of the roof is one of the more Italian elements in this design -- it's easy to picture a Ferrari with this greenhouse design -- and so is the rear glass, which is wider than the original split window arrangement.
A thick B-pillar roll bar is the single biggest chrome surface on the car, and it's a very Italian design detail from the period.
The rear wings and the taillights are also trademark Pininfarina elements of the time, ending in origami-style folded lines and thin, horizontal taillights. Viewed in profile or from the front the Rondine is still very much a Corvette, but it's an Italian car strictly from the aft.
What happened to the car after it was built? Pininfarina kept it in its museum until 2008, when it was sold at auction and found its way into private hands.
The car brought $1.6 million in 2008, which seems a little light a decade later. Where else will you find a carrozzeria-styled Corvette ordered by Chevrolet in the 1960s?

 

[wuga]

That's a mistake. Never liked the C2, but thank god they didn't go for this piece of puff pastry.
Warren

 

[351CFalcon]

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1963 421SD "Swiss Cheese" Catalina, originally owned and raced by Mickey Thompson.
This was #3 of 14 produced by Pontiac for their drag racing program.
This one has many factory lightweight aluminum parts including the hood, inner and outer fenders, core support, front bumper, brackets, and rear bumper.
Other lightweight parts included an aluminum intake manifold, aluminum differential carrier, aluminum headers, and plexiglass windows.
Out back were a set of 4.30 gears with Safe-T-Track.
To further reduce weight Pontiac drilled large holes in the frame.
This would prove to be the pinnacle of Pontiac's weight reduction program.
On January 24th, 1963, Pontiac issued a memo that their 389/421 Super Duty engines were cancelled, effectively ending their factory backed racing program.

 

[CDNflatlander]

Hehe….probably already on here somewhere…still prefer the Great 8 contestant, ‘Henry’.

 

[351CFalcon]

View attachment 10593
Hehe….probably already on here somewhere…still prefer the Great 8 contestant, ‘Henry’.

Be careful....I hear that a person is getting tired of all these ranchero/el cameno conversions with the Henry J as an exception.

 

[wuga]

Copy Cat!
Warren

 

[351CFalcon]

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1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special

 

[351CFalcon]

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[351CFalcon]

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The Studebaker Hawk was on its last go around of tailfins in 1961 with the aging body morphing into the Gran Turismo the following year.
There was only one body style offered, a 2-door pillared sedan/coupe.
The seller’s car is a prototype that was developed to test the concept of a rumble seat in the rear, an idea that never went into production.
Though two were built, just one survives and this is it. Located in San Lake, Michigan, this interesting oddity is available here on Facebook Marketplace. But unsure of the price: both $35,000 and $50,000 are mentioned in the listing.

Studebaker built 3,929 Hawks in 1961.
Somewhere between marketing and engineering, the idea to test market a rumble seat came about.
Two were built but the idea was abandoned when the automobile went in a different direction as a personal luxury car in 1962.
Most prototypes in the U.S. auto industry found their way into the crusher in those days.
But given Studebaker’s weak finances, we’re told both prototypes were sold, but sadly the other one was wrecked.

Can’t imagine that the rumble seat would have made a comeback 30 years after the fact.
The four passengers inside the car would be warm and dry while the people in the rumble would be exposed to the elements.
There appears to be a step on the right rear quarter panel to help people get in and out.

 

[351CFalcon]

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Old airporter

 

[EBEAR]

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Able to transport many gostbusters .

 

[James__WC]

Not sure this fits the bill in relation to the thread title, but Dayum ! LOVE that colour !

*Having said that, I'd likely never paint any of my junk that colour, because when you take them out and drive the wheels off them, they're going to show it at some point, and I don't think it would be easy to match ....

 

[JohnnyBgood]

Paint it..as you say drive the wheels off until it starts to show..then it’s called patina…eh.

 

[James__WC]

Someone spent some time making that Bullet Nose front clip fit up to the pickup cab!!

 

[James__WC]

Gold Flake poppin' under the lights, yummy!!

 

[Sassy]

Cool Stude truck