Help identify a car

[motortrend]

I found old threads about identifying a certain car and thought maybe we could have one for whenever someone has doubts. If such a thread already exists, my apologies. Here's what I need help identifying

VW based kit car

 

[Wiegert]

That's either a Kellison Astra GT fibreglass body moulded in the 1960s. Or a more recent replica made by another kit car body maker like Fiberfab.

 

[motortrend]

Looks like that's What it is, thanks!

 

[KinLM]

I need help with this Ferrari.

 

[Joey D]

View attachment 157853I need help with this Ferrari.

It's a Testarossa Special H17 TRS, it's a one-off creation.

 

[Yui-san]

What's this? Looks like a Lancia, but I'm not sure which one.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

I believe that's actually a Maserati Ghibli II.

Not 100% sure though.

 

[The Stig Farmer]

Looks like a Maserati Giblets to me

 

[DrPuppetwarrior]

What's this? Looks like a Lancia, but I'm not sure which one.
View attachment 158404

I was thinking biturbo. Ghibli though

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Sorry for the bad pic I think it's a Mopar but don't know what model.

 

[Wiegert]

Sorry for the bad pic I think it's a Mopar but don't know what model.
View attachment 158493

Almost certain it's a 1969 Chrysler 300 Convertible.

 

[Danoff]

I'd love to figure out what car this was:

I road around in my buddy's convertible sports coupe in the late 90s. I want to say it was an early 90s or late 80s car. I was very not into cars back then, so I honestly couldn't tell you whether it was domestic or foreign (my guess is foreign), but it was very boxy, it had a back seat, 2 doors, convertible, and it was a "sports" car - meaning teenage Danoff who knew nothing about cars thought it was sporty. It couldn't have been a particularly expensive car. It was not the following brands:

Mazda, BMW, Mercedes, Dodge, Chrysler, Ford, Jeep, VW, Infiniti, Audi, Lexus, Chevrolet, GM, Cadillac

I want to say it was a Fiat, but I'm really not sure that's right. Any suggestions?

Edit:

Also it was manual, no chance it was a V8, not sure about rear or front drive.

 

[TexRex]

Need more info... What shape were the wheels?



I know you referred to it as a coupe early in the post, but since that can mean different things to different people, did it have a short or long deck aft of the top or did it turn down sharply as if based on a hatchback?

As a stab without an answer to the above...Yugo?

 

[homeforsummer]

I'd love to figure out what car this was:

Only things that spring to mind not from the brands you mentioned that fit the boxy/manual/probably foreign/back seat/late 80s-early 90s are the Saab 900 Convertible and Renault Alliance convertible. And of those only the Renault fits the "very boxy" description. Sold until 1987, so just sneaks into late 80s.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I hope @TexRex is right with that astonishing find - I never knew of a Zastava convertible. My god the Zastava was a horrible car

Possibly you're thinking of a classic Peugeot 205? Definitely a better car than the Zastava, but then so was absolutely any other car

 

[TexRex]

My god the Zastava was a horrible car

I don't think I've laughed so hard at the use of a simple "smiling" smiley. It could have been one that better fit the statement being made, or it could have been a "laughing" smiley because the cars are comically bad, but no.

I figured it was worth a shot, since it was essentially a Fiat (which was noted as a possibility), and with that particular example being a 1990 model, was exactly between "late '80s to early '90s."

 

[Danoff]

Need more info... What shape were the wheels?



I know you referred to it as a coupe early in the post, but since that can mean different things to different people, did it have a short or long deck aft of the top or did it turn down sharply as if based on a hatchback?

As a stab without an answer to the above...Yugo?

Only things that spring to mind not from the brands you mentioned that fit the boxy/manual/probably foreign/back seat/late 80s-early 90s are the Saab 900 Convertible and Renault Alliance convertible. And of those only the Renault fits the "very boxy" description. Sold until 1987, so just sneaks into late 80s.

View attachment 743627​

I hope @TexRex is right with that astonishing find - I never knew of a Zastava convertible. My god the Zastava was a horrible car

Possibly you're thinking of a classic Peugeot 205? Definitely a better car than the Zastava, but then so was absolutely any other car

View attachment 743628

Of these, homeforsummer is the closest. It was not a hatchback type, it had a trunk deck on the back. It might actually have been a saab 900. The brand doesn't strike me as what I remember (because I still have Fiat stuck in my head), but that car looks pretty darn close. It looks closer after the 1994 update. There was no bar across the top like in the Peugeot. You move the front seat forward and then climb in the back without dodging anything.

I kinda doubt it was the Renault because it just doesn't seem like something we had in the states.

This actually might be it:

Any other suggestions for cars that look a lot like this.

 

[Aerocoupe]

I kinda doubt it was the Renault because it just doesn't seem like something we had in the states.

Actually, for a brief period the US did get a few Renault models thanks to them partnering with AMC. As a matter of fact, the Alliance was co-developed between AMC and Renault for the US market and only sold here (it was also sold overseas by a different name and a few design tweaks); it was even built in the US using AMC production facilities. Although I'm sure by this point, as with many inexpensive cars of the period, they've all turned to rust by now...

 

[TexRex]

I kinda doubt it was the Renault because it just doesn't seem like something we had in the states.

As @Aerocoupe indicated, we did get Renault models manufactured by AMC until it was bought out by Chrysler, and the Alliance and its Encore sibling were so named specifically for the North American market. In fact, I'm given to understand we got unique variants in the 2-door hatchback and convertible that weren't available elsewhere.

This information isn't particularly important and may even be moot at this point if the Saab is indeed what you remember, but I thought I'd put it out there for general knowledge.

 

[Danoff]

Actually, for a brief period the US did get a few Renault models thanks to them partnering with AMC. As a matter of fact, the Alliance was co-developed between AMC and Renault for the US market and only sold here (it was also sold overseas by a different name and a few design tweaks); it was even built in the US using AMC production facilities. Although I'm sure by this point, as with many inexpensive cars of the period, they've all turned to rust by now...

As @Aerocoupe indicated, we did get Renault models manufactured by AMC until it was bought out by Chrysler, and the Alliance and its Encore sibling were so named specifically for the North American market. In fact, I'm given to understand we got unique variants in the 2-door hatchback and convertible that weren't available elsewhere.

This information isn't particularly important and may even be moot at this point if the Saab is indeed what you remember, but I thought I'd put it out there for general knowledge.

Could have been the Renault then, it looks even more like what I remember. The front end of the Saab didn't seem like quite enough of a box.

 

[homeforsummer]

Could have been the Renault then, it looks even more like what I remember. The front end of the Saab didn't seem like quite enough of a box.

Weirdly that Renault was one we didn't actually get in Europe, to my knowledge. The Alliance was basically a Renault 9, but while the 9 was only sold as a sedan in Europe (with the very similar Renault 11 filling the 3/5-door hatchback role) the Alliance made it to the US as a sedan, two-door sedan and a convertible.

Not a car with a great reputation on either side of the pond, but the Turbo models sold in Europe were actually a lot of fun, judging by reviews I've read.

 

[TheCracker]

Maserati Biturbo? Didn’t Cadillac also have a lightly altered version of it as well? (With a different engine too, I imagine)

 

[Aerocoupe]

Didn’t Cadillac also have a lightly altered version of it as well? (With a different engine too, I imagine)

Nope. While this:

is similar in that it was in the same market segment, the Allante shares nothing with the Maserati. The only similarity could be the Pininfarina body of the Caddy originating from the BiTurbo's homeland .

 

[Danoff]

View attachment 744568

Maserati Biturbo? Didn’t Cadillac also have a lightly altered version of it as well? (With a different engine too, I imagine)

It's got the right look to it for sure, but there is no way it was a Maserati. At the moment I'm thinking it was an alliance GTA.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I suspect the Renault is closer but one thought I did have was a Celica convertible:

@Danoff Do you remember any details such as the interior and exterior colour? It might be possible to narrow it down based on any unusual features or the colours various cars were offered in.

 

[Danoff]

I suspect the Renault is closer but one thought I did have was a Celica convertible:

View attachment 744656

@Danoff Do you remember any details such as the interior and exterior colour? It might be possible to narrow it down based on any unusual features or the colours various cars were offered in.

Definitely not a toyota (also not a honda or buick). I knew what a toyota celica was back then. When they told me what this car was I remember having no idea what they had just said. The interior was tan, exterior was red. Part of the reason that the alliance looks right is because the rims looked about like that (not the other square shaped rims for that car for sure). The saab rims (hubs) also look about right. The celica rims are definitely not it, same for the maserati. The rims had a full appareance rather than having fewer large spokes.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Definitely not a toyota (also not a honda or buick). I knew what a toyota celica was back then. When they told me what this car was I remember having no idea what they had just said. The interior was tan, exterior was red. Part of the reason that the alliance looks right is because the rims looked about like that (not the other square shaped rims for that car for sure). The saab rims (hubs) also look about right. The celica rims are definitely not it, same for the maserati. The rims had a full appareance rather than having fewer large spokes.

Definitely sounds like the Renault fits the bill, then. There was an older 900 Convertible:

But the Renault still seems like a better fit for what you've described.

 

[TheCracker]

Nope. While this:
is similar in that it was in the same market segment, the Allante shares nothing with the Maserati. The only similarity could be the Pininfarina body of the Caddy originating from the BiTurbo's homeland .

It wasn't Cadillac i was thinking of. It was the Chrysler TC (by Maserati) that i had in mind originally. That as it turns out, that wasn't related to the BiTurbo in any way either. It was just put together by them and was around at a similar time.

 

[JR98]

Saw this 90's looking sports car at a car show but I'm not sure at all what the name of it is. Tried google image search but the best it can come up with is "supercar".

Unknown Sports Car

• JR98
• Jun 17, 2018

 

[Downhill Dino]

Looks like a Marcos. Mantaray?