Let's Go Carspotting, in THE PAST! Part three!

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 01/22/2020 at 17:15 • Filed to: Carspotting, Books, Dots, The Traveler's Book of Color Photography by Van Phillips and Owen Thomas

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We are back with more carspotting in the Past! (I have unilaterally decided to put this back at the top. 50 views? c’mon!)

Part three! The first can be found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and the second !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

This remarkable vintage book* was picked up at a library sale by a sibling, and is now my favorite picture book. Why? It is a guide to the brave new world of color photography, using examples taken by a team of professional photographers on a continental (and American) adventure. Better yet, it is set in the colorful, colorful world of 1972!

*All images are copyright 1972 by Hamyln House and taken by Van Phillips and Owen Thomas. I do not own the right to reproduce these photos. The publisher still exists, but I can find no mention of this book online. It is unlikely that they renewed the copyright this long out of print, since color photography needs no introduction; I don’t think they would mind me sharing a few partial images online after 50 years has elapsed. Please tell me if you have any information regarding this. Enjoy.

This bustling town square is quite colorful, between the vibrant outfits and bright commercial liveries. I especially like the simplistic blue and yellow design on that van.

Imagine the chaos if a modern supermarket parking lot had as little direction as this one. I am having trouble identifying that white tailfinned machine and that swoopy 50s design behind it. Update: the swoopy car is a Renault Dauphine! So close. the tailfinned sedan is a Fiat 1800. Thanks, Rallydarkstrike! In the background, another Fiat Millecento (white with black stripes underneath statue), which Rallydarkstrike pointed out to me in the first edition of this series. There is a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to the left of the Beetle convertible abutting the Millicento.

That lovely red Volvo Amazon sedan (with one black door) really stands out in this colorful waterfront scene. Anyone recognize that white car rapidly escaping above it?

I can get several more posts out of this book, but the cars will be increasingly in the background; Not many pictures in this book feature vehicles prominently. Whataya think?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/22/2020 at 18:39

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Much love for that red FIAT 600 on the right of the main intersection in that first pic! :D

Second pic - the white car with the chrome on the side behind the finned sedan with the black roof in the front of shot is likely a Renault Dauphine , I think! As for the cool finned, black-roofed sedan... FIAT 1800 or 2100 (or possibly 1500 , though doubtful as the 1500 was the cheap model so likely wouldn’t’ve had the two-tone roof/body paint)! :D It was their Executive car at the time!

Third pic - that red Volvo is definitely the star of the show! That orange-red VW Bus is pretty awesome too! Not sure what that green truck on the left is...?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/22/2020 at 18:55

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150 views and the first reply! I was beginning to get worried. Thanks for the info on that parking lot picture; I was really curious about that Fiat (its always a Fiat, isn’t it?). I sometimes wonder why the Fiat 600 doesn’t get more love, or any of the remarkable sedans it made later for that matter. I will update the post with this info.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/22/2020 at 19:34

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The FIAT 600 is quite well loved (it was also sold as a SEAT in Spain and built under license in Yugoslavia as a Zastava , so it has a big following in that area of Eastern Europe! :) )

I don’t think they post here or visit here much anymore (to be honest, I forget who it was!), but there was an Oppo here in...British Columbia, Canada, I think?...that had imported a Zastava 750 and posted about their adventures from time to time! :D

As for FIAT’s older sedans, etc....I completely agree! That had a lot of really cool older cars like the 1100, 1800, etc that don’t seem to get all that much love on the classic scene outside of Italy! A lot of them are even very handsome!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/22/2020 at 19:39

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I always appreciate your enthusiasm for these cars (and helpful links). Never change!

Though yeah, these more plebian italians don’t get much recognition in the states. Two door Accent from the movie Knives Out for your time, which was featured prominently in the movie and had its own car chase.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/22/2020 at 19:48

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Everyone has told me I have to watch that movie and the trailer looks pretty awesome! Pretty cool they featured an Accent like mine too...not sure I want to know what they did to it in the movie (no spoilers!), haha...hopefully it survives! :P

I love mine...contrary to what people like to claim about 2000's Hyundais, it’s been an honest, hardworking, reliable and efficient little runabout...and peppier than people give it credit for !

punkgoose17 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/22/2020 at 21:14

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Is the white car in the 3rd picture a Volvo 544?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > punkgoose17 01/22/2020 at 21:27

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Maybe; if the aspect ratio is just slightly off from the crappy picture of a picture it could make it look much longer and lower than it is.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/23/2020 at 04:15

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Kombis in pics 1 & 3

pic 3 white car is prob Fiat 500/600 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > pip bip - choose Corrour 01/23/2020 at 08:51

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The Kombis are pretty interesting in their various configurations, and I don’t think I saw a body c olor repeated.

The blurry white car looks a little long for a 600; the slightly off aspect ratio would actually shrink it. I am leaning more towards old Volvo, but thanks for your input.