There was some kind of individual car time trial happening. I don't understand. The event over the weekend seemed very popular, although I expect it would have more so if not for the 39 degree heat on the Saturday and then a wet Sunday morning. The rain had cleared by about 9.30 and the chamois came out to dry the cars to a state of sparkling.
Bad luck if you have no interest in cars.
This is a Mazda from I think the 1970s. My step mother's brother in law bought one. The rotary engine is quite different to conventional engines. As I recall, the engine was invented by someone called Wankel. The downside of this car was that it used a lot of fuel, not a problem until the late seventies when the price of fuel rose to a high dollar figure. It was very powerful but also burnt quite a lot of lubricating oil.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
I was disappointed when I did not see cars like this travelling the streets of New York City.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
It came in other colours.
.jpg)
.jpg)
I believe this is an XK Ford Falcon.
.jpg)
I'll give it the prize as it seems to be quite original, aside from the colour.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
The youngest of my brothers had one of those rotary Mazdas. He loved it, and mourned when it died in a crash.
ReplyDeleteEC, the car was an interesting experiment.
DeleteI wondered why the rotary engine went away. I always thought it was suppressed by the other manufacturers. I suppose the rising cost helped, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big car fan, but this parade was pretty cool. The red and white interior is great. Probably no seatbelt in that model?
Boud, you could be right about it being supressed. I thought it had potential for further development. No seat belts, as it was registered as a club car. I hope you buckle up. So many have been killed who don't buckled up.
DeleteWhat a great collection of oversized classic cars.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of our visit to Havana. .
JayCee, I had forgotten you went to Cuba. Yes, quite similar.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. The cars from my teen years were like these. the 60s and 70s had the most amazing cars. Dad had a red Chevy Impala. Big car.
ReplyDeleteCC, I think a few Chevy Impalas were imported to here. I remember them. They had a deer like looking badge.
DeleteI love photographing the cars
ReplyDeleteRoentare, you can't use your slow photo feature with a car.
DeleteThere is something about the smell of well cared for old vehicles.
ReplyDeleteMerlot, oh that I could get close enough to get a sniff or decaying old leather.
DeleteIt still a bit of a shock to see American cars with the steering wheels on the opposite side. Sometime back it came as a surprise to discover that you were a 'motorhead' (as they would say here...is it the same there?). It's just something at odds with my vision of you. I'm not even sure why exactly. You never fail to amaze, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteDebby, it is interesting that your country thought the market in Australia was large enough to offer right hand drive cars. The conversion would be expensive for a limited market.
DeleteMurphy and I had mazda once.
ReplyDeleteThey are very reliable Dora. It was a long time ago?
DeleteI know they were very common in the 1950s, but having been born after that, the only place I've ever seen a car with tailfins (not counting old photos) is in a car show.
ReplyDeleteLordy, the kiddie Kirk is bragging about how youthful he is. Ok, I'll get a bit more modern, like the cars in Streets of San Francisco.
DeleteMy grandfather had a Plymouth belvedere. I had completely forgotten until I saw that beautiful interior and those fins. Of course it was called something different in the states. I'm sure. These are lovely. For years during the 1990s I got around in my 1973 BMW motorcycle, the one with the toaster tanks, the shiny reflective sides. During our time in Northern California for 4 years before the pandemic, we were enjoying a 1983 Mercedes with a moon roof. I love the older vehicles and cherish them. Thanks so much for sharing these Aloha
ReplyDeleteWankel! Gosh, I had completely forgotten him! Thanks, Andrew
DeleteCloudia, what a car it was. To be a passenger or driver, you would float on air. I think of the comfort and quietness of cars of the sixties and wonder why modern cars are less comfortable and more noisy.
DeleteInteresting to see these cars, Andrew and a reminder of the cars we used to see on the streets and in people's driveways.
ReplyDeleteThey were all around us Margaret. Go and see some at Evandale next year.
DeleteLovely colours but I don't like any of them. The interior of the Plymouth is noice (and suddenly I'm in Kath and Kim land)
ReplyDeleteA very noice interior River. I am glad I took that photo.
DeleteWe've been watching the Brokenwood Mysteries, and the senior detective drives a much-loved and somewhat decrepit Holden.
ReplyDeleteMost interesting JB. I don't know the tv show. I Guggle. Ah, not the Kingswood. You're not taking the Kingswood.
DeleteI just vacuumed the ashtray!
Delete😀
DeleteThe olden days when you could name a car just by the look of it. Though we hardly had swanky large cars in Britain.
ReplyDeleteThelma, I have learnt most of the badges if they have them but you are absolutely correct. There seems to be so little difference nowadays.
DeleteFelix Wankel was the only son of Gerty Wankel and Rudolf Wankel. Wankel was closely associated with Nazi and anti-Semitic groups before World War II. He and his wife Emma did not have any children so no little Wankels followed after him. Wankel died in 1988 and is buried in Heidelberg. Ironically, Wankel was very short-sighted so never had a driving licence. What was it that made a lot of young Nazis go blind?
ReplyDeleteYP, thanks for that interesting information. One can only speculate on the cause of early blindness in Nazis.
DeleteMazda keeps talking about a new rotary engine sports car. Here in the US the engines had a hard time meeting emissions standards.
ReplyDeleteTP, I had forgotten that. Yes, emissions issues.
DeleteI love car gatherings like that. We call them a Cruise and anyone can bring their old car and display it. I think I saw the most old American cars in Sweden where they seem to love them. Although I've never been to Cuba where they are widespread.
ReplyDeletePat, I like seeing older cars even if they are a bit on the rough side. That's an interesting observation about Sweden. I can't imagine why they would have them there. Cubans are brilliant at keeping the old tanks going.
DeleteI had a friend in high school who had a Falcon very similar (in structure) to that one! Hers was white and red.
ReplyDelete(It was already ancient by that time, I hasten to add.)
DeleteSteve, the XK was based on the Ford US 'compact' car design. I've certainly seen the two tone red and white, although it may not have been original.
DeleteI probably mentioned before that my Midwest (Ohio) USA born family have always been hugs car fans. This made me smile. Be well, my dear.
ReplyDeleteDarla, perhaps like me, not a fan of modern cars.
Delete