Tag Archives: Dual

Dual Cowl – Packard 1104 Super Eight Sport Phaeton

Production of Eleventh Series Packards commenced August 1933 with 120 hp Eight, 145hp Super Eight and 165hp Twelve engine options available on three different chassis lengths with 17 custom body options by LeBaron and Dietrich.

Packard 1104 Super Eight Phaeton, Niello Concours at Serrano

The Super Eight powered 1104’s were all built on the 141 7/8ths inch wheelbase chassis and were available with 11 different body styles.

Packard 1104 Super Eight Phaeton, Niello Concours at Serrano

New features for the 11th series included and oil cooler and fuel filler hidden in the tail light assembly, while a vacuum tube radio was offered as an option.

Packard 1104 Super Eight Phaeton, Niello Concours at Serrano

Today’s regular Concours award winning featured 1104 was built with a rare, now most highly collectible, dual cowl Sport Phaeton body.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at last years Niello Concours at Serrano.

Thanks for joining me on this”Dual Cowl” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a modified FIAT 500. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz – Winner & Results

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in and persevered with the Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz, seems like this was a bit tougher for GALPOT readers than I anticipated.

1950s Grand Prix Engines

Mike ‘Jr Cracker’ Mansmith is the clear winner with 67 correct answers. Mike has chosen the Grand Prix Engines of the 1950’s set of cards as his prize and they will be winging their way to him from Paul Chenard in the next week or so.

Of the 120 questions, 17 a) is void because I posted the wrong telephone number and 42 b) is void because I worded the question incorrectly. So Mikes Score was 67 / 118. Below are the answers to all of the questions with high lighted links to some of the places one might have found answers :-

Dual Ghia

Photo courtesy Geoffrey Horton
Question 1

a) Ole Blue Eyes is said to have owned one of these what is its (full name) ?

a) Dual Ghia

b) One of his rat pack buddies drove another in a film, which rat pack buddy

b) Dean Martin

c) and in which film ?

c), Kiss Me Stupid

3 pts

Ford Prefect

Question 2 3pts

a) An alien science fiction character took his name from this brand and model after mistaking it for a superior form of life when visiting earth, what was the name of the original name of science fiction character who made the mistake ?

a) Ix

b) What (full) name did he adopt after making the mistake ?

b) Ford Prefect

c) What was the name of the radio series, tv series and film that the science fiction character starred in ?

c) Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy

3 pts

Lamborghini Islero

Question 3 2 pts

a) What is the car reg YLR 11 G above (make and model) ?

a) Lamborghini Islero

b) What film did YLR 11 G feature in ?

b) The Man Who Haunted Himself

2 pts

Rover P5B 3.5 Liter Coupé

Question 4

a) A car of the same type as CNP 224H above stared alongside YLR 11 G what is it (Manufacturer Model and Variant) ?

a) Rover P5B 3.5 litre Coupé

b) Who purchased the last batch of these cars and put them into storage for future use ?

b) The British Government

Unofficial Quiz consultant Tim Murray has informed me “specifically by the (then) Government Car Service administered by the Department of the Environment. (This has now become the Government Car and Despatch Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Transport.)”

2 pts

Ferrari Dino 246

Question 5

a) What brand name was SPC 46L marketed under (brand, model number and suffixes) ?

a) Dino 246 GT

b) Which Actor drove a vehicle of the same type as SPC 46L in a TV series known in Sweden as ‘Snobs on the Job’ alongside the actor that starred in the film relating to questions 3 and 4 ?

b) Tony Curtis playing Danny Wilde

2 pts

Lancia Monte Carlo

Question 6

a) What was the original first series full European name of this vehicle (manufacturer, model and variant) ?

a) Lancia Beta Monte Carlo

b) What was the name of the US variant and in which film did it play the love interest ?

b) Lancia Scorpion, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo

2 pts

BRM P57, Goodwood Revival

Question 7

a) David Fitzsimons drove the #7 green car owned by Neil Tolich seen above, what is it make & model ?

a) BRM P57

b) What was Moisés Solana Arciniega’s unique achievement driving this make and model,

b) Only person ever to drive with the #13 in a world championship Grand Prix,

c) where and in what year did Moisés Solana Arciniega’s unique achievement driving this make and model take place ?

c) Mexico, 1963

3 pts

McLaren M7 C, Goodwood FoS

Question 8

a) What is the #4 car in the photo above (Make Model and Suffix)

a) McLaren M7 C

b) What distinguished this car in Monaco practice specification as seen here from Monaco race specification ?

b) The removal of the high front and rear wings. Which were outlawed on safety grounds after Thursday practice.

2 pts

François Migault, Connew, Le Mans Bugatti

Photo courtesy Barry Boor Collection

Question 9

a) Who is the driver ?

a) François Migault

b) What is the name of the car manufacturer ?

b) Connew

c) Where and were was the photo taken, track and year ?

c) Le Mans, 1972

d) Which item from the car above finds it’s self now attached to the car in Question 8 ?

d) The Ford Cosworth motor, allegedly the motor in the the back of the McLaren M7 C today is the very same one that Peter Connew secured from Phil Kerr at McLaren in 1972.

4 pts

Question 10

a) Who is driving the #1 above ?

a)Mario Andretti

b) What (make, model) is the #1 above ?

b) Lotus 80

c) Where and in what year is the #1 above being driven ?

c) Silverstone, 1979

d) What makes the driver of the #1 above different from all the other winners of ‘The Great American Race’ ?

d) Only winner born on foreign soil. (Italy/Croatia) There are also a number of other unique facts including only driver to win Daytona 500, Indy 500 and World (Drivers) Championship any which would have been okay for the point.

4 pts

BAR Honda 006, Prodrive Museum

Question 11

a) To which Grand Prix Car does the drive shaft in the photograph above belong to is it :-

i) BAR Honda, ii) Brabham Repco, iii) Connew Ford, iv) Lotus Climax, v) Red Bull Renault vi) Super Aguri or vii Torro Rosso ?

a) i) BAR Honda

b) Which driver pairing drove this car was it :-

i) Villeneuve / Button, ii) Vettel / Bourdais, iii) Sato / Davidson, iv) Liuzzi / Speed, v) Coultard / Webber, vi) Button / Sato or vii) Brabham / Hulme ?

b) vi) Button / Sato

2 pts

Redbull RB3, Goodwood FoS

Question 12

a) What is Wings for Life and which Formula One team ran with their logos ?

a) A charity which supports the examination of fundamental approaches and mechanisms in traumatic spinal cord injuries. One of its founders was Dietrich Mateschitz owner of the Red Bull Formula One Team which ran with the Wings for Life logo’s.

b) In which event and when did said team run this colour scheme ?

b) British GP at Silverstone; 6th – 8th July 2007

2 pts

Chevrolet Impala SS, Palo Alto C d'E

Photo courtesy Geoffrey Horton

Question 13

a ) What is the #46 above make and model suffixes ?

a) Chevrolet Impala SS

b) Who drove the #46 above and what was his day job ?

b) Roy Mayne, US Airforce Sergeant

2 pts

Buick Regal, Goodwood FoS

Question 14

a) What is (manufacturer and model) and who drove the Miller Time #22

a) Buick Regal, Bobby Allison

b) The man responsible for building the Miller Time #22 car is thought to have built of 750 racing vehicles and in 1978 built all of the cars that won all 30 Winston Cup Races, who is he ?

b) Edwin Keith “Banjo” Matthews

2 pts

Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Goodwood FoS

Question 15

a) Who is seen about to demonstrate the 2000 Talladega winning #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2009 was it :-

i) Landon Cassill, ii) Austin Dillon, iii) Dale Earnhardt Jr, iv) Jeffrey Earnhardt, v) Kelley Earnhardt, vi) Kerry Earnhardt, or vii) Taylor Earnhardt ?

a) vii) Taylor Earnhardt


b) How many positions did Dale Earnhardt make up with four laps to go to the chequers at Talledega in 2000 was it

i) Three, ii) Four, iii) Seven, iv) Nine, v) Seventeen, vi) Twenty Nine, vi) Thirty Three or vii) Thirty Four

b) v) Seventeen

2 pts

Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, Talladega

Question 16

a) Who recorded a best finish of 37th in the Craftsmen Truck series and is associated with the catch phrase ‘Boogity Boogity Boogity’ ?

a) Darrell Waltrip

b) In which song did Ray Stevens use the phrase “Boogity Boogity” ?

b) The Streak

2 pts

MG B, Talladega

Question 17

a) Which popular NASCAR driver is most commonly associated with the telephone number 0800 55 55 55 ?

a) Dale Earnhardt Jr (QUESTION VOID THE CORRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER SHOULD HAVE READ 1-866-500-5555 SINCEREST APOLOGIES)

b) Until the arrival of Toyota in 2007 what was the last recorded foreign manufacturer to start a NASCAR race and what number did it carry ?

b) #32 MG

c) Who drove it ?

Smokey Cook

d) What was the event and where was it held and when year ?

d) International 200 at the Bowman-Gray Stadium, 1963

e) What race distance did he cover and how much did Smokey take home after finishing 17th and completing 12 laps ?

e) 3 miles, $75

5 pts

Toyota Camry, Aarons 499, Talladega

Question 18

a) Who is the driver of the #82 above ?

a) Scott Speed

b) Where is the #82 above Track and Race Name ?

b) Talladega, Aarons 499

c) Where and when did the driver of the #82 make his first Formula One Grand Prix start ?

c) Bahrain, 2006

3 pts

Lexie Zee

Question 19

a) What was Lexie’s Challenge ?

a) Charity Drive for the Kyle Busch Foundation

1 pt

Jim Rathman, Roger Ward, Indianapolis 1960

Photo by Ed Arnaudin courtesy Steve Arnaudin

Question 20

a) Seen in what has been described as “the greatest two man on going sustained battle, ever !” who is driving the #4 and #5 over the bricks at the Brickyard ?

a) Jim Rathman and Roger Ward

b) This race holds the record for the most lead changes in Indy 500 history at 29, how many times did the protagonists who finished 1st and 2nd change the lead over the last 100 laps ?

b) Fourteen

2 pts

Kimberley Cooper Special, Indianapolis, 1961

Photo by Ed Arnaudin courtesy Steve Arnaudin

Question 21

a) Which world Champion drove the #17 above at Indianapolis above ?

a) Jack Brabham

b) By what name was the #17 called, sponsor, manufacturer ?

b) Kimberely Cooper Special

c) Who owns the #17 that Jack drove today ?

c) Phillippe de Lespinay

3 pts

Vollstedt Offy, Silverstone, 1978

Question 22

a) Who is the driver of and who manufactured the #17 above ?

a) Dick Simon, Vollstedt

b) What and where is the event in which the #17 above is competing ?

b) Daily Express 200, Silverstone UK

2 pts

Porsche RSR, Danny Sullivan, Castle Combe, Tour Britannia

Question 23

a) Which Indy 500 winner drove the #42 at Castle Combe ?

a) Danny Sullivan

b) Were and for what team (full name) did the driver of the #42 above drive Formula One and ?

Apologise omitted the word ‘first’ from ‘drive formula one’ and ‘where’ ?

b) Tim kindly listed all the Formula One races Danny took part in for me

Jacarepaguá – Brazilian GP
Long Beach – US GP West
Brands Hatch – Race of Champions
Le Castellet – French GP
Imola – San Marino GP
Monte Carlo – Monaco GP
Spa – Belgian GP
Detroit – US GP (Detroit)
Montreal – Canadian GP
Silverstone – British GP
Hockenheim – German GP
Österreichring – Austrian GP
Zandvoort – Dutch GP
Monza – Italian GP
Brands Hatch – European GP
Kyalami – South African GP

He probably also tested at other locations, driving for Benetton Tyrrell Team

2 pts

AC 289, Eddie Cheever, Goodwood Revival

Question 24

a) Which Indy 500 winner drove the #98 at Goodwood Revival in 2011 ?

a) Eddie Cheever

b) With which team did the driver of the #98 above twice attempt to qualify for a Formula One Grand Prix before succeeding ?

b) Theodore Racing Hong Kong

c) How many IRL Career victories did the driver of the #98 have to his credit ?

c) 5

3 pts

Tony Kanaan,  Prelude to a Dream, Eldora Speedway

Photo Courtesy Tracey Dickson Zee
Question 25

a) Which IRL Champion is driving the #82 above ( all four given names) ?

a) Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho

b) Where at which event and at which track was the photo of the #82 above taken ?

b) Prelude to a Dream, Eldora Speedway

c) Which former IRL Champion owns Eldora Speedway ?

c) Tony Stewart

3 pts

Dallara Honda, Goodwwod FoS

Question 26

a) Who drove the #59 Dallara Honda in the 2011 Indycar Series ?

b) EJ Viso

1 pt

Dan Wheldon

Photo courtesy Jeff Fuller

Question 27

a) Who co drove with the 2011 Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, to victory in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona (both co drivers full names) ?

a) Scott Ronald Dixon, Casey James Mears

Ferrari 250 GT Boano, Carmel By The Sea C d'E

Photo courtesy Geoffrey Horton

Question 28

a) What make & model is the blue car above (manufacturer, numerals, suffix’s and coach builder) ?

a) Ferrari 250 GT Boano

b) Who does it belong to and how much did he pay for it ?

b) Mr Robert Lee, $9,500

2 pts

Ferrari 512 S, HR Owen London

Question 29

a) Name this car (manufacturer, model and suffix) ?

a) Ferrari 512 S

b) Which film did the car appear in ?

b) Le Mans

c) Who was as the wheel when it burnt to the ground prior to a shoot ?

c) Derek Bell

3 pts

Ferrari 512 BB / LM, Le Mans

Question 30

a) What model is this ( numerals and suffixes)

a) Ferrari 512 BB / LM

b) Which two French drivers drove it to 5th place over all and 1st in IMSA GTX at Le Mans in 1981

b) Jean-Claude Andruet / Claude Ballot-Léna /

2 pts

Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS

Question 31

a) I sat in this one what is it (numerals name and suffix’s)

a) Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS

b) Which three drivers drove it to 10th place over all and a GTS Class win at Le Mans in 2003 ?

b) Thomas Enge, Jamie Davies and Peter Kox

c) Name the female Stewart Haas Racing driver who drove the so called celebrity chassis of this model ?

c) Danica Patrick

Ferrari 458, Britcar, Castle Combe

3 pts

Question 32

a) What model is the #42 above ?

a) Ferrari 458

b) Who is driving the #42 above ?

b) Phil Dryburgh and John Gaw

c) At which circuit is the #42 seen racing above ?

c) Castle Combe

d) What outright circuit record did the #42 set at the circuit on the day the photograph was taken ?

d) Greatest number of laps covered in a single race at Castle Combe ever. Pete Stowe and Tim Murray have informed me the record set was 96 laps not 97 laps as originally published I’d accepted either answer for the quiz.

4 pts

Marina Rolls Royce, Goodwood, FoS

Question 33

a) What is the #23 being driven by Simon Ashworth model name and motor ?

a) Marina Rolls Royce

b) To which country was the #23 above allegedly exiled for fear the car would be impounded after the engine manufacturer found out what was going on ?

b) Belgium

2 pts

Jaguar, E-Type, Brooklands, WB Tribute

Question 34

a) Who was the original owner of this E-Type Jaguar registration FPL 660 C ?

a) Dennis Jenkinson

b) What was his best known sporting exploit, with whom did he share the cockpit and in what sort of car?

b) Co driving with Stirling Moss to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia in a Mercedes 300 SLR

2 pts

AC 3000 ME, Silverstone

Question 35

a) What type of car is depicted above (manufacturer, model and suffixes)

a) AC 3000 ME

b) Which two designers were responsible for the design ?

b) Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables

2 pts

Porsche 935 K3, Le Mans

Question 36

a) What is the full name of the vehicle carrying the #55 above (manufacturer, model and variant suffix/number) ?

a) Porsche 935 K3

b) Which three drivers drove the #55 above in the race depicted ?

b) Claude Bourgoignie, John Cooper, Dudley Wood,

c) Where did the #55 finish the race overall and in class ?

c) 4th OA and 1st in Class

d) What were the names of the three Australian drivers entered for the same race in the #74 ?

d) Colin Bond /Peter Brock /Jim Richards

4pts

Scimitar SS 1 1600, Cross Trophy

Question 37

a) What type of vehicle is being driven by Dave & Chris in The Cross Trophy above (manufacturer, model and variant) ?

a) Scimitar SS1 1600

b) What type of engine was originally fitted to the vehicle above (Manufacturer, and suffixes) ?

b) Ford CVH

2 pts

GMC Syclone

Question 38

a) What type of GMC is depicted in the photo above 9 (model) ?

a) GMC Cyclone

b) What sports car did Road & Track pit this model against for a road test and found the truck quicker of the two away from the lights (Manufacturer model number and suffixes)

b) Ferrari, 348ts

2pts

Pierce Arrow convertible sedan by Lebaron, Petersen Museum

Photo courtesy Geoffrey Horton

Question 39

a) What is the car in the above photograph seen at the Peterson Collection (full name) ?

a) Pierce Arrow convertible sedan by Lebaron

b) Which world champion learned to drive in the car above ?

b) Phil Hill

c) what happened when this car was entered at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance after it had been restored by the erstwhile learner and his brother ?

c) Won best in show award.

3 pts

Jankowits, Goodwood, FoS

Question 40

a) What is the surname name of the Brothers who designed and built the car above ?

a) Jankowits

b) It was originally built in Italy but what is the part of Italy in which it was originally built now called ?

b) Croatia

c) What is Mr Fusi of the ALFA Romeo Museum reported to have told Colin Crabbe when he found this car in New York ?

c) That it was a special

3 pts

Airomobile, Hillsborough C d'E

Question 41

a) What is the full name of the vehicle of this vehicle seen at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance (manufacturer, model, suffix) ?

a) Airmobile Sedan C (Since my quiz post this it has been brought to my attention by Tim Murray that this car was actually known as an Airomobile) either name gets the point in this instance.

b) Who designed the vehicle in the photo above ?

b) Tom Tjaarda (Tim also points out the Tom was born only 3 years before this vehicle was completed and that the design MAY have been influenced by John Tjaarda) point for John or Tom in this instance.

c) How many miles did this car complete on a fruitless promotional drive

c) 45,000 miles

3 pts

BMW 327/28, Palo Alto C d'E

Question 42

a) What is the full name of the vehicle depicted in the photo above (manufacturer, model number and variant) ?

a) BMW 327/28 Pillarless Coupé

b) How many others of this exact type are known to exist ?

b) One (Question 42b is VOID SHOULD HAVE READ ‘KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN BUILT’)

2 pts

Bristol 400, Greenwich C d'E

Question 43

a) Who was the manufacturer and what is the model of the vehicle above ?

a) Bristol 400

b) What is the name of the company that in 2011 bought the assets of the manufacturer of the above vehicle ?

b) Kampkorp Autokraft

2 pts

ALFA Romeo 33 Stradale, Goodwood Fos

Question 44

a) What make model and Variant is the vehicle registered TRP 271 F above ?

a) ALFA Romeo 33 Stradale

b) Apart from being fast and based on a racing car what was it’s claim to fame when it was launched ?

b) Most expensive car on the market when launched

2 pts

ERA R2B, Romulus, Paul Chenard

Question 45

a) What is the make and chassis number of Prince Bira’s #78 depicted competing in the 1936 Coupe de Prince Rainer above ?

a) ERA R2B

b) What did nickname did he give to the car ?

b) Romulus

2 pts

ALFA Romeo 158, Paul Chenard

Question 46

a) Dr Guiseppe Farina is seen driving the #2 to victory at the 1950 British Grand Prix, who manufactured the #2 and what model was it ?

a) ALFA Romeo, 158

b) What was significant about the 1950 British Grand Prix ?

b) It was the first round of the first World Drivers Championship

2 pts

Porsche 550 Spyder, Paul Chenard

Question 47

a) James Dean is depicted above who manufactured the car and what model is it ?

a) Porsche 550 Spyder

b) What script did Dean have painted on the rear cowling of the #130 above ?

b) “Little Bastard”

2 pts

Shelby Cobra / 289 Sebring Cobra / 289 Cobra, Paul Cheynard

Question 48

a) The chassis number CSX2128 distinguishes the #50 from its English built counterparts what is the correct manufacturers name and model of the #50 ?

a) Shelby Cobra / 289 Sebring Cobra / 289 Cobra BUT NOT AC COBRA

b) This car was sold to Coventry Motors after half a seasons racing in 1963, what prompted the original entrant buy it back in for the 1964 season ?

b) Because it kept on winning.

2 pts

Lotus 49B, Paul Cheynard

Question 49

a) Graham Hill is depicted winning the Monaco Grand Prix who manufactured the #9 what model and suffix is it ?

a) Lotus 49 B

b) Which American driver practiced with a car similar to the #9 above at the Italian GP but had a clashing commitment with the Hoosier 100 which disqualified him from being allowed to compete the same weekend in Italy ?

94) Mario Andretti

2) pts

Ferrari 126 CK, Paul Cheynard

Question 50

a) Gilles Villeneuve is depicted driving a Ferrari at Monaco above what is the model number and what are the suffixes ?

a) 126 CK

b) When asked about the handling of the #27 what US manufacturer did he cite in his comparison ?

b) Cadillac

2 pts

Automobiliart, Paul Chenard

I’d like to thank everybody who took part and congratulate Mike again on winning the superb set of Cards, Paul Chenard of Automobiliart for sponsoring the Automobiliart / GALPOT Seasonal Quiz, and not least Tim Murray for his corrections and comments. Look forward to doing something similar again soon. Meantime I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a vintage MG. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

US Convertibles – Niello Serrano Concours 2011

Thanks to the generosity of Geoffrey Horton today’s images come from the 2011 Niello Serrano Concours held the weekend before last in the El Dorado hills of sunny California. Today I’ll be focusing on a fabulous array of American made convertibles seen at the show.

Cord L29 Phaeton, Niello Serrano Concours

Vehicles manufactured by Cord Corporation were the feature Marque of the event so it was most fitting that grandson of the Cord Corporations founding father E.L. Cord should be seen here in one of the companies original models the 1929 Cord L29 Phaeton, which was the first US built front wheel drive car offered to the American public.

Cord L29 Coupé, Niello Serrano Concours

Of all the photo’s that Geoffrey sent to me this one of a 1930 Cord L29 Coupé with it’s bizarre, even by todays standards headlights and racy two tone paintwork, gets my nomination for car of the show. The front wheel drive L29 was the brainchild of Carl Van Ranst who had previously worked on the successful front wheel drive Miller open wheel racing cars that won that won the Indianapolis 500 on four occasions between 1926 and 1932.

Cord L29 Coupé, Niello Serrano Concours

Continuing on a vaguely Indianapolis related theme Geoffrey tells me this 1931 12 cylinder Cadillac 370A Roadster, was an Indy pace car in 1931. It was pulled out of a barn and restored by the owner 18 months ago.

Auburn Boat Tail Speedster, Niello Serrano Concours

One, of many, things I have learned thanks to these photo’s is that Cord was a brand name of cars manufactured by Auburn a company that ueber salesman E.L. Cord turned around during a leveraged buyout, above is a 1935 Auburn 851 Boat Tail Speedster manufactured just two years before both names went bust in the wake of the Great Depression.

Cord 812 Convertible Coupé,  Niello Serrano

The last model developed by Cord was the headlight popping 810 which had onlookers standing on the running boards of rival manufacturers cars when it was launched in New York in 1936. Rushed development and production schedules meant it gained a bad reliability reputation. For 1937 front wheel drive Cord 810’s were rebadged 812’s and although they had ironed out all of the reliability issues of the previous year the 812 series could not save Cord from financially tanking. This 1937 Cord 812 Convertible Coupe is particularly rare, if I have understood Card lore correctly, it is one of only six that were ordered without the exterior chrome exhausts sticking out of the sides of the bonnet.

Packard Super 8 Convertible, Niello Serrano

Despite the now give away giant bonnet ornament it took me a good half hour to work out that the car above is a 1949 Packard Super 8 Convertible with a pre WW2 bathtub body style.

Dual Ghia, Niello Serrano

I’ll let you see if you can guess what this mystery car is before you reach the end of this blog, this car was highly rated by Time and Life magazines, Good Houskeeping described this model as a ‘social phenomenon’. Designed in Italy but not built by one of the ‘big three’ the car is said to have had 50/50 weight distribution about the axles and counted amongst it’s star owners Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin drove one in the film Kiss Me Stupid and Ronald Reagan allegedly lost his to President Lyndon Johnson in a poker game. This is one of the 99 cars built from 1956 to 1957 from a planned production run of 300.

Buick Le Sabre Convertible, Niello Serrano

I know the designer of my all time favourite Formula One car is a fan of the 1959 Buick Le Saber Convertible all though he would probably prefer the Invicta version in bright red.

Lincoln Continental Convertible, Niello Serrano

Representing the swinging, in the UK anyway, sixties at Niello Serrano were the slab sided 1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible with it’s rear suicide doors, which are all the rage at Rolls Royce these days,

Dodge Dart Convertible, Niello Serrano

and the infinitely more modest 1964 Dodge Dart Convertible, which in optional automatic form had push buttons to select the gears.

The mystery car is the Dual Ghia, designed by Ghia in Italy and built by Dual motors in Detroit with Chrysler running gear.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for his excellent photographs without which todays post would not have been possible.

Thanks for joining me on this US convertible edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at some of the Ferrari’s at Niello Serrano Concours. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share