Topic: SOLVED: WTH # 067 - 1964 Chrysler Valiant V-280 by Ghia - scale model by Politoys

[sixtee5cuda]

Here is a 1/43rd scale model of a one-off car.

For one point, provide the year, make, model, and coachbuilder of the one-off car.

For another point, name the builder and their model number for the scale model.

[Otto Puzzell]

Dang! I had the real one queued up as a puzzle.

No matter - I have a nice pic I can add to this when it's solved.

[sixtee5cuda]

I hope your picture isn't one of the two I already have from a car show.  I wish there was more information about this car.

I threw this and several other puzzles up today, because someone beat me to posting a nice German coupe that was "in my queue".  I think we all surf the same pages looking for answers, and we encounter other cars, and stick them in our queues.  Wait too long, someone will sneak ahead of you.

[Carnut]

someone beat me to posting a nice German coupe that was "in my queue".  I think we all surf the same pages looking for answers, and we encounter other cars, and stick them in our queues.  Wait too long, someone will sneak ahead of you.

Which is exactly what you've just done to me with your WTH#072!!
Back to the surfing...!

[Allemano]

I was sure we had it before. To be honest I was thinking that I already posted it as a puzzle, but it seems I didn't...

[sixtee5cuda]

someone beat me to posting a nice German coupe that was "in my queue".  I think we all surf the same pages looking for answers, and we encounter other cars, and stick them in our queues.  Wait too long, someone will sneak ahead of you.

Which is exactly what you've just done to me with your WTH#072!!
Back to the surfing...!

That someone who posted the German coupe from my queue?  It was you Carnut...  It all balances out...

[Carnut]

someone beat me to posting a nice German coupe that was "in my queue".  I think we all surf the same pages looking for answers, and we encounter other cars, and stick them in our queues.  Wait too long, someone will sneak ahead of you.

Which is exactly what you've just done to me with your WTH#072!!
Back to the surfing...!

That someone who posted the German coupe from my queue?  It was you Carnut...  It all balances out...

I know.  C'est la vie!

[sixtee5cuda]

Up!  Time for the Experts to take a look.

[Julien1A]

iso?

[sixtee5cuda]

Not Iso.

[fyreline]

1964 Chrysler Valiant V-280, Coachwork by Ghia. The 1/43 replica is Politoys #550. The model was also reproduced in the former USSR by the Donetsk factory, as were other Politoys models. I think the Soviet versions were molded in plastic.

I guess collecting all those little die cast cars when I was a kid finally paid off. Sure, I had the usual Corgi and Dinky toys, but the Mebetoys and Politoys were my favorites due to the more obscure subjects . . . Like the quiz car!

[sixtee5cuda]

Two points to Fyreline, for a complete answer.

I am surprised, by how many one-off or prototype cars, have been reproduced in 1/43rd scale around the world.

[fyreline]

I completely agree . .. There were some cars I had never heard of or seen pictures of, except as die casts. I always enjoyed seeing the 1:1 version for the first time. The Chrysler Ghia V-280 is one of those. I wasn't even aware of the actual car until many, many years later when I acquired a book on Ghia for my library . . . And there it was!

[sixtee5cuda]

The only pictures of the real V-280 I have seen, were taken at a car show, and there is a man standing next to the car.  Front and rear shots, same guy next to it.

[Otto Puzzell]

One more

[Allemano]

...

[sixtee5cuda]

Very nice, Thank You!

Here are the terrible pictures from my collection:

[fyreline]

The excellent black & white shots make the car look somewhat Chevrolet Camaro-ish . . . in 1964!

[RayTheRat]

The excellent black & white shots make the car look somewhat Chevrolet Camaro-ish . . . in 1964!

I'd say that you've mastered understatement, Fyreline.  The wheelhouses are probably interchangeable with a 67 Camaro.  Even the C-pillar, backlight and deck lid are very close.  Those are unreal.  Makes a fella wonder who borrowed from whom?

Has anyone done a puzzle that compares "borrowed" designs...or even those that use the same stampings like ZIL/Packard, Cord/Hupmobile and so on?

RtR

[Otto Puzzell]

Perhaps more coincidental that copied. As seen in this article, the design for the Camaro (named Panther at that point) was mostly established by 1964. As the Camaro was slated for a fall '66 launch, it had to be close to done in '64, for the sake of tooling, etc.  

http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=10902.0

Great idea on a new thread. I've seen 'separated at birth' threads on other sites. One of my favorites is the 1st gen Infiniti Q, and the Taurus-ized Ford Crown Vic that came out soon after. The Hupmobile was a puzzle here some time ago, and it generated a guess of "Cord".

http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=589.0

[75america]

Pics from the Style Auto article:

[Otto Puzzell]

I wonder, did Ghia start with the previous-generation Valiant (the weird-looking Exner design)? The proportions of the Ghia car, including the droopy butt, more closely follow those of the longer Exner car, versus the stubby 63-64 Valiant