whats the most "unusual" vehicle you ever drove?

[walkerheaders]

anything from AMC or Amphicar to Zippety Do Dah.

I'll go first with this 1982 never seen before shot of me and my first "el camino"
old time readers here will recall me talking about it. but let us hear or see your vehicle "oddities"

this one was a 65 elky that had been converted to a lemans pickup when new by some conversion company i suppose. i originally thought it was canadian but that did'nt jive. and i have heard of others built.
it came with 326 pontiac, 4-spd. and pont. 10 bolt rear. the frame had never been drilled or threaded for the fuel line up the right side. it was on left like an original pontiac. other clues like the throttle linkage being cable operated (pontiac) instead of arm lever like a chevy and i could go on......LeMans bucket interior and no chevy emblems anywhere on it. the doors would not fit a Camino and the fenders would not fit a LeMans.
i got it cheap and made it 4X4 on a bar bet. i started with a coil spring 1/2 ton 65 c-10. hung a blazer front axle and all components on it, shortened it down to 115" then dropped the camino body on it. GTO emblem in the grill, monte carlo interior, 82 vette red paint and cowl hood. 400 small block with real LT1 heads cam and intake, before it got a tunnel ram and 2-600's. ran perfect and turned heads everywhere. i did'nt hesitate to take it on some serious offroading trip either.

 

[walkerheaders]

another shot blizzard of 83

 

[yellow wagon]

A 1980 AMC Spirit with Procharged Mopar 340 under the hood

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Isetta from BMW

I once owned a 1957 BMW Isetta 600 (the big version, if you can call it that!) powered by a BMW side cylinder engine, just like their motorcycles. In fact this one wasn't too much bigger. But it was a 4 seater and I once drove around St. Louis with my two young sons and a passenger. It was quite a fit, I'd say!

These are often referred to as "novelty cars" and I used to collect them. Had a 1964 Subaru as well, they gave them away when you bought a big Lincoln Continental. This was a two stroke car, even smaller than the BMW, and one person could lift the entire front end high off the ground, even with a passenger in it!

Wish I had a Messerschmidt, never found one of those "bubbletop" cars. Now I seek the full size "bubbletops" .

Enjoy!
TomK

 

[Ronnie Russell]

At age 16, I bought my 3rd car. Tore the first 2 up real quick. Found the 3rd on a used car lot. An engineer from T.I. had built it , sold it to move on to his next project. 1959 Simca with 62 Ford 221 with Ford 3 sp. trans. The engine installation looked factory. I had no money to update to 289 parts, but it was still a fun car. Most kids thought it was a nerdy car, until I opened the hood and they saw the V8 with chrome valve covers. The car was slow but I drove it like it was a race car. ( 16 years old ).

 

[boxerdog]

Unusual??

late 60's: Austin-Healey 3000 w/ 283/270 SBC

late 70's: Chrysler "Kit Car" Dodge Dart w/ 550 hp SB Mopar (circle track)
1966 HD Sportster stroker 74" kick only (knee hated it)

Pretty much gave up on unusual!

 

[CDNpontiac409guy]

1951 Skoda that my grandfather had in his junkyard. I got the car running, and drove it around a bit. Had a 4 speed on the column.
I always kind of liked the looks of that thing

 

[rwagon57]

1st car - 1963 Rambler Ambassador 4-door 2-tone maroon with a 327 ci 4-barrel Rambler engine and fold down front seats.

Frankenstein car was a '72 Mazda B1600 pick-up with a 289 ci Ford and C4 shoehorned into with 25-inch tall tires and the factory 4.56 rear end. Crappy brakes, crappy gas mileage, 50 mph on the intersate in the RH lane, but from 0 to about 80 mph it would handily spank a local bad a$$ and his '69 SS396, 350 HP Chevelle. He really hated me. He kept coming back for more

 

[Rusty Everitt]

Henry J with 4 spd dual quad 409, awsome and very dangerous.

 

[bobs409]

A 1971 Cadillac Hearse! No average hearse though. This was black with red, orange and white flames on the front.

A friend owned it but passed out from too much drinking. No problem, lots of room in the back to stretch out! We were all out at this party spot way out in the sticks many light years ago so I drove it out of there and to his house. If I remember correctly, we just locked the doors and let him there. LOL


Ah, the good old days. It's amazing I (or my liver) is still here. bang

 

[rstreet]

A 60's DKW 3 cylinder two cycle 4 speed on the column Black and White... Anyone remember them(Tom K)??
robert

 

[models916]

two weird ones

Weinermobile and the Mad Max Falcon. Just drove the Falcon a month ago. Hard to shift with my left hand. We went thru a McDonald's drive up window and freaked out the girl.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

DKW: pre cursor to the Audi?

I remember the DKW as a two stroke sporting car from the early 60s. People used to use them as "rally cars". I think they were considered the precursor to the Audi F103?

Ah, German engineering! Didn't they combine that 3 cylinder crankcase into a V6 or something like that later on?

I used to love these "oddball" cars, mostly as novelties . At one time I had 9 or 10 Morris Minors (all models except the woodie) and a gaggle of PV 544 and P1800 Volvos.

Cheers!
TomK

Cheers!
TomK

 

[rstreet]

Tom I saw a Morris woodie last year somewhere. If I see it in Ocean City again I'll ask if it's for sale. yes, the DKW 3 cylinder 2 cycle later became a v6 but I don't think it made it to us. that's too many years ago!!
robert

 

[walkerheaders]

a guy used to come to 75-80 with a "Woodhill Wildfire" strange looking beast. had a high winder small chevy with 180 degree headers on it.

 

[Old School]

M1- A1 at Fort Irwin CA. Top speed 55 mph and an amazing smooth ride. However, lousy mileage and very hard to fit in a small parking space. Great for road rage...

 

[Richard/SIA]

Cisitalia chassis with an Arkin roadster body and Alfa engine!

If the guy I got it from would have cooperated the chassis alone could have been worth a fortune.
From the way he acted I think somebody died when the Cissy was wrecked.
Guy I sold it to claimed he was going to build it back to original, remaking or finding every missing piece.
If he ever got it done, it's worth stellar dollars today.

Strangest production car I ever drove, Dyna-Panhard!
2 cylinder opposed engine, front wheel drive, aluminum body, and a steering center light.
I was shocked to see one used in a TV commercial recently. :eek:
Sold mine to a collector in S.F., back when they only worth $300 if running.
I have a feeling it's a lot more valuable now.

Other odd cars, Subaru 360, Renault Caravelle, Ford Thames van, I.H. Scout postal, Simca sports coupe (set up for 289), Cushman 3-wheel Mailster, more that I can't remember the names of.

BTW, a local bike shop is in need of a Subaru 360 engine for their parade/advert van.

 

[ROYALOAK62]

What's the most unusual vehicle you drove?

Didn't drive one but had a ride in one of the 1963 Chrysler "TURBINE CARS".

They only made 60 of them. A neighbor next street over worked for Chrysler had one for the weekend. Boy was that a rush for a 17 year old car guy.

Dave

 

[raymar58409]

This ones easy. 1948 Crosley station wagon 4cyl. 3speed toploader.

Ray

 

[fourspeed409]

The most unique vehicle I have driven is a 1968 Sicard airport snow blower. It had a 534cid gas engine that powered the unit and a 12V92 Detroit that powered the blower.
In 1998 The company I was working for bought it for $1500, we wanted the Detroit just for a core. The thing had been sitting in a field for ever. For fun we thought we would see of the Detroit would run. Some fresh fuel, oil and filters and it fired up and ran like a champ.
Eventualy we fixed up the whole unit and made it operational again. The blower was so heavy that you had to have it on the ground to steer. I drove it down United Blvd in Coquitlam B.C. to load it on a flat deck trailer. The blower was like 7' high and 10' wide. It felt like I was driving a piece of history, it was such a neat rig.
http://www.sicard-snowblast.com/ABOUT_SICARD.html

Shane