Whatsthisthen?

[NewcastleFalcon]

Nice advert for the Ner-A-Car on the Wiki page

These days it would be considered a bit too wordy, but an object lesson in "selling the benefits" and the other side of that coin "overcoming objections".

So it gets "85 to 100 mpg" but who's it for?
"Women as well as men, and boys and girls" great pretty much everyone then..

But it looks like it weighs a ton and could be unstable but no it's......
"Light...and this weight is centered below the hubs giving it a wonderful balance and stability"

Fair enough but I bet its difficult to ride..no
" Its simple easy to control, anyone can learn the NERACAR in five minutes.

and so it goes on, but wait a minute you are definitely going to have to get kitted out in special clothes to ride it
Of course not it's
"Clean-can be ridden in any clothes, Mudguard and deck 18" wide, and the hood encloses the machinery and oily parts"

Love the language and style of these old adverts.

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

It's interesting how the Ner-A-Car was produced in both the UK and the USA...

[xantia_v6]

I spotted this while out yesterday.

Own work while out walking...

Clues to follow if needed.

[NewcastleFalcon]

looks quite MG Midget-esque little chrome windscreen wipers interior on the spartan rather than luxurious side, and potentially two round headlights at the end of each wing.

Don't expect for a second to be right but are we talking small and British?

Regards Neil

[xantia_v6]

It is about the size of an MGB, and it was intended to be a competitor to the MGB, but in many respects it is a rather different beast.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Well, Triumph were the trraditional rivals of MG but most Triumphs tended to be a bit woody in the dash board department. TR4/TR4A may have been contenders if it wasn't for that factor.

Then there's the Austin Healey Sprite...pretty much in the midget department so unlikely

Then there is the Sunbeam Alpine which for now would be my best guess

Regards Neil

(as driven by James Bond in Dr No)

images/ext/8f7f8d536358346c87eaf0114672c5ac

[xantia_v6]

Without giving too much away (I hope), here is some teaser information:

The model in question was only a modest success, howmanyleft recons that there is only one survivor in the UK, but they sold and survived better in warmer climates.
The poor sales were despite a relatively advanced technical specification, but probably reflect the styling which was rather a pastiche of other sports cars.
The subsequent sports car from the same manufacturer was a swan to this ugly ducking, and was hugely successful.

[Michel]

Is it a Fiat 124 Spyder ? Looks Italian - the dash clocks at least..

[NewcastleFalcon]

How about a Datsun Fairlady?

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

This evidence fits...

Regards Neil


SR311 DATSUN-FAIRLADY 001 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by 160SX (Own work), from Wikimedia Commons

[white exec]

Nice...and 2.0-litre, 5-speed.
Those headlight chrome fillets (pointing towards the grille) remind me of something British, but I can't remember what.

EDIT: Just remembered what: Austin 1800 !

[Michel]

It is about the size of an MGB, and it was intended to be a competitor to the MGB, but in many respects it is a rather different beast.

Different beast as in "not total crap"?

[Gibbo2286]

I think it's a plastic pig i.e. a Bond Minicar but I could be wrong.

[xantia_v6]

Yes it is a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sport, badged in some markets as the Fairlady.

Own work

Own work

Own work

I subsequently discovered that they were not officially imported into the UK, and perhaps not to NZ, explaining their rarity.

The registration number on this one dates from 1982, so it may have been imported from Australia or Japan at that time.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Enjoyed the Datsun 2000, but lets narrow the search field down a bit for this one. Its French.

Whatsthisthen? gives 5 minutes of fame to this French Car

Help may be required but suffice to say it has appeared as a "Dessin du Mois" in a magazine which should be familiar to FCF alongside a Citroen DS 23

Described thus

Deux idées de l’excellence française
Il est des périodes étranges où deux époques se croisent et coexistent, même pour un temps très court. Les années 50 à 70 en furent le meilleur exemple. Sur nos routes se côtoyaient encore des autos dont certaines, à l’image de cette..... whatsthisthen?....., évoquaient encore un glorieux passé, tandis que d’autres, telle la Citroën DS 23 ie, semblaient déjà foncer vers le XXIe siècle.
[Par François Roussel]

Regards Neil