ID this old car

I saw this photo on The Old Motor FB page.

The Old Motor

What is the red roadster? My first thought was Maserati, but now I think it is most likely a fiberglass kit car body on top of an American chassis. I know that I've seen that front fender detail before. It almost looks like a Victriss, but not quite.

Go!

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Austin-Healey

In reply to Javelin :

I don't think so. I think I'm seeing a curved crease going back across the front fender.

The windshield frame and layback points are BN1 or BN2 Austin Healey 100-4 as is the dash and the chrome detail on the front wing and well......everything

The forward chrome plinth for the windshield is so you can lay the glass back. Pretty sure only the 100-4 had that

Okay. My bad.

I was so focused on what I thought was a curve behind the chrome side trim that I was overlooking everything else. Maybe I'm just seeing paint where I thought I was seeing a recessed area.

Thanks guys.

One thing is for sure. That aint the stock motor in there. 

https://hooniverse.com/last-call-the-blue-beatnik-edition/

Older 2016 post

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

I think there is a curve there. It's a dent.

Javelin said:

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

I think there is a curve there. It's a dent.

My first thought was reflection of the wheel from the car next to it. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Javlin is right except it's a V8 with 3 two barrels on it. 

One of my pet peeves these days is how stuff gets put up with no context whatsoever, as it happens very frequently on FB and the like,  although sometimes there is a good commentary to fill in the blanks, more often than not though it never gets any explanation.

I'm somewhat nutty so often when something takes a hold of me I am compelled to hunt down the source material, for whatever reason this photograph intrigued me.

It has seemingly done the rounds and been regurgitated (another hypermodern trait of the internet, an endless stream of memes) and in the process of looking ironically found a couple more shots of an A&W featuring AH:

Then finally came across an article in a SoCal Hutchinson newspaper which provided an answer:

"In 1922, A&W  opened its first drive-in restaurant in Lodi, California, and franchised the concept. After World War II, it opened more than 450 units, which swelled to 2,000 by 1960.

Hutchinson's first A&W Drive-In opened in 1956 at 27 E. 30th Ave. and was there until about 1966. The first photo shows that drive-in in August 1959, with John Neal on the right. This photo also made it into an article in Life magazine."

https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2016/02/03/throwback-thursday-hutch-s-first/21000739007/

.

Was not motivated enough to search out the Life Magazine feature, but did find an alternate view of the same pic, small size though.

In reply to Oldboy Speedwell :

In black and white, and un-cropped, what I had mistaken for a character line now just looks a lot more like primer. 

Also...am I now seeing exhaust that dumps out behind the front wheel?

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Lakes caps.

Looks way too familiar to me.

What are the chances of that Austin with a V8 still cruising Calli??

I actually made an error on locale, it is the Hutchinson in Kansas, not SoCal. Duh! My apologies. 

Went bouncing around this morning briefly surveying old Life mags to see if I might get lucky, no dice but did see another mystery car, what is she standing in?

Since it's in Spain my wild-ass'd guess is a Pegaso.

In reply to Oldboy Speedwell :

That's the Lincoln Futura concept car that Barris hacked into the OG Batmobile.

My guess it that is a fiberglass kit car of the era. I remember my parents showing me pictures of an acquaintance that something like that. IIRC is was fiberglass body kit that bolted to a Ford model A or Model T chassis.

Javelin nailed it. Too bad Barris trashed it.