balthazar

aftermarket or factory?

No one knows what platforms are under a given car- thats immaterial, esp with the way these cars are driven. If the name is all that matters here, then why bring "maybach" into the picture at ALL with the stigma attached to it? I'll tell you why; vanity. There hasn't been a mercedes 600 limo since 1981, and no one bought them, so they have very little market remembrance/ awareness other than MB and... limo fans (??). Those were the only true MB 'limousine', with wheelbases of 130 or 150". Everything otherwise has been, as the current one is, a mere 5" stretch of the S-sedan. What's crazy is the proposal to build a "new" model that's only 2.8" longer in wheelbase than the current one. What a waste of time- they're going to have a real marketing problem playing up something so minor as a major feature justifying a monster price hike. The ONLY way this exercise works is to brand it the "S700" or "S800" to play off the good rep of the s-class.

An amazing occurrence in autodom; a nameplate fails & is discontinued, then the manufacturer announces it is re-introducing the same concept, under the same name, only months later. THIS TIME, speculation points to the new model being even MORE of a rebadge that the former, failed version. What was that definition of insanity again?

(4) Plymouth Prowlers parked in a row @ a Chili's restaurant. '70 Merc Cougar Eliminator, black & yellow, minty, rollin'. '57 Bel Air 2-dr sedan, medium blue, aftermarket rims, minty, rollin'.

Ya- same rear concave glass.

So they ARE functional. Wild.

You must've seen this : http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hha9bqSeew/UGd602KKoZI/AAAAAAAASKI/1JSusjzmAIY/s1600/1965-Oldsmobile-starfire-2-door-hardtop-coupe-4.jpg I recall the feature on the '65s, factory brochure does call them 'side exhaust'- implying they're functional. Wow.

I would not guess they believed it 'stood for' anything radically different than what it states.

This position in the Buick catalog went as follows : Century '38-58, Invicta '59-62, Wildcat '63-70, Centurion '71-73. The name changed, but the concept remained consistent : the smaller full-size body with the largest engine.

^ You really need "Art and Science" defined??

Don't know I'm going to take the 20 min ride back for pics of the Checker, dfelt. But I did take a ride to shoot these this AM : '47 : My buddy's '55, ran yesterday for first time in 10 years: I've seen a handful of this vintage MB just rotting- I assume they're not worth restoring, even if it has a nice, American-inspired hardtop : Now THIS is something interesting. '56-65 Fiat 600 Multipla: Specs~ WB : 78", OL : 139", width: 57", height: 62" curb weight: 1543, 0.63 or 0.76L I4. 0-50 MPH in 43 secs, top speed 57 MPH. This one had the optional seating for 6. Engine was out & sitting in the interior. ROugh, but savable. WOuld be pretty cool to somehow stuff a small turbo'd 4 in there with about 250 HP. I'm actually going to have to ask if it's for sale.

DD shut down chat the moment we realized you had wandered off, §§.

Pre-girder bumper Checker Superba sedan, grey primer, sitting on its frame in the back corner of a scrap yard, pretty solid looking- chrome grille has minor rust. EDIT: checking the Book, the last year for the Superba was 1963, so this was an oldie.

'57 Ford 2-dr sedan, medium blue, blackwalls, hood scoop opened up, rumbling, pretty sure I saw roll cage thru the back window too.

Not as much as I thought- 3.3" wheelbase & 4" body length... but in the 2-drs, this length is all in the deck. Were I to rank the GM-60s, it'd be : 1. Cadillac 2. Pontiac 5. Buick 7. Chevy 14. Olds ...if you get my numbering implication.

Pretty close to GMPG, going to be doing any photog in that direction? Good luck!

I can dump '59-63 inclusive (tho a chunk of me wants to save the 62 Starfire). '64s are pretty bangin'... the problem there is; there were also '64 Pontiacs built.

^ Ha- but that's merely a Super 88. Line up a 98 next to it. After hitting the sweet spot stylistically in -say-54-57, Olds dropping into the barrel bottom by '59-61. '62s & after improved immeasurably, tho. '57 Plymouth Savoy 4-dr sedan, grey primer with green scallops, rollin.

"drops" = discontinued in auto-jargon.

I've seen this one on TV for a week or 2 now : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBtVOmhnw-k Hilarious how infinitely "big" can be defined, eh?

Have I not seen fiat 4-dr ads, the one with the 2 guys in the desert?

I don't think there'd be any stability issues. If the degree of angle doesn't get too severe --like is possible with a tractor/trailer 5th wheel & a jack knifing scenario-- I don't believe it'd be measurably different than a conventional layout. IE, geometrically speaking; the 'steering angling' is merely moved a bit rearward from a conventional location (front wheels). AGL-4 obviously is meant for off-road/ farm/ military usage - there's no advantage to the loss of cargo capacity on the road vs. a conventional pick-up. I don't see a feasible scenario where bed swappage would be going on, unless you had a fleet of these doing regular routes, and then your better off with at least a box truck.

Amazing in this day & age they wouldn't offer an auto in those models.

If that 'elsewhere' line is correct- turning the steering wheel would angle the connection to the bed, thus 'angling' the cab & 'steering'. Just like an articulated loader :: Seems logical the AGL-4 worked the same way, no?

• They restored the Wizard of Oz footage- this seems just as worthy of resto, IMO! • Has great stance, that's for sure. • I see it has FAROO (Frontal Anti Roll Over Outrigger)... that's thinking ahead. • Is there steering linkage to the bed- at times it appears to follow conventionally but the 'duck waddling' makes it look otherwise. EDIT : I found this elsewhere : >>"When you turn the steering wheel, its 44-inch tires move with the cab, as an alternative of independently."<< but the next sentence is >>"Its front cab articulates left, appropriate and sideways more than rough terrain."<< which makes no sense. I would like to see a diagram of how that all works.