What Am I? Grilled
Welcome to another edition of DT’s cure for the Monday morning blues, everybody’s favorite way ice breaking game played in the tropics — What Am I? Today’s photo comes from comes from K2 Mystery Car, so you know its gonna be…well…errr…ummm…a mystery.
Can you guess what this is and/or what vehicle it comes from? Comments below.
Chrysler Airflow
My first guess was a Divco delivery van but after googling, it doesn't appear to be a match.
Neat guess, tho.
Looks like an Outdoor A/C unit you find attached to your house.
Funny, I was going to guess the 12v cooling fan on K2's PC. I figured maybe he dropped the digital camera when he was trying to post a photo.
It's possible! But, no. This is truly a "What Am I" post that will result in the name of an automaker and the model pictured. Or maybe it will stay a mystery, buried in a pyramid made of questions.
A clue is available, upon request…
Me at my old computer.
[img] i.imgur.com/bT5WPax.gif?1[/img]
I've since upgraded. Here's my new compu-whip. I be stylin' now.
[img] i.imgur.com/3wOurYo.jpg?1[/img]
Bugatti
OK, I'll be the first to beg for a hint. Decade of manufacture. Too skinny to be mid 50's Packard, too open to be a '60's Mini. Or, is it a '60s Mini?
First of all, you guys are bloody brilliant. Don't let it go to your head.
Here's your clue; this automaker was formed in the same year a certain American car known for safety issues with the fuel tank began production.*
*I'm fully aware that could describe a number of cars. That's part of the challenge.
Bitter?
No, I'm just a little disappointed.
Narf!
"What is food to one man is bitter poison to others." – Lucretius
Thanks, I'll be here all week. Try the prime rib special.
You'll be here all week, and so will we, still trying to guess this what-am-I… ha ha ha.
@K2, any hints as to the manufacturer's country of origin, or would that give too much away?
Good for you, RyanM. The answer is of Asian origin.
Is it something ridiculous and obscure like a Ssangyong Kallista? Or the cowl vent or other obscure feature of a more well known model? Or is it just a LG washing machine with wheels attached?
If it weren't ridiculous, you wouldn't be reading this comment.
I'm going down K2's gas tank rabbit hole and looking for cars from 1970, but I think I'm awry.
As usual, your thinking is very acute. You're on the right track, FTB.
Ok, so it's a Mitsubishi. Now to figure out which little tiny truck it is.
Dogs love trucks!*
*Not actually a clue.
Mitsubishi made its own version of a Model A in the late teens, so would it have actually formed in 70s?
Good point. Formed out of MHI, MMC became a subsidiary during that time period.
I'm going with Hyundai Genesis sedan.
Wok the Dog !
Whoop whoop de do for your Subaru
Suzuki?
AMC?
Damn, this is a tough one… how bout another clue, K2?
No problem! Clue: Make sure to compliment him the next time you see him.
Hmmmm…I think we need another clue. You've come up with a real stumper!
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Here's a clue, sort of…the fact is that a couple of you are insanely close to the correct answer. I mean, it really is amazing what you guys can do when you put your noggins on it.
OK, what the hell is it? LOL. I've searched and searched all 70's Mitsubishi models that I can find…
Is a Kei Car?
Not a kei and not from the 70s.
K…is it a Mitsu micro truck? Any other clues you can give us?
No problem! Multiple clues…he's been working out, it's not a truck and everybody thinks he's a swell guy.
one of these?
headlight grille, mitsu LV-60
Mitsubishi MHI-MEISTeR. Or is that too ridiculous?
That's an awesome guess. But no.
I just saw this for the first time. It is a grille as I see the radiator and shroud brace, but I am not convinced it's in the front. It looks like hard steel that is painted. It looks like detailed Japanese work. Now for the search…
Those are very acute observations, Tom.
Compliment him when you see him, everybody thinks he's a swell guy, not a seventies car, not a truck, automaker formed the first year a car that had the American car with gas tank problems was introduced ( Pinto 1971), Asian car, and anything else is making me coo-coo birds. First the name of a guy that would be an Asian name that must be from the 40s because he is swell that you must compliment , and that car maker formed in 1971 but not in the seventies, that would have a steel painted wire grille. I give up…
Yep, I hear you Tom…
I've said the exact same things regarding the clues given. This one is driving me to drink. Not that I really need an excuse.
Is it a concept or production model?
I've found things that fit the clues (or seem to) but do not have any elements that match the photos. This is quickly entering the uncle stage…
Production – good question!
I can't find the right picture for a Hino Designed by Micholetti….water cooled rear engine etc….close but no banana.
The Hino Contessa? Lovely design. The 900 sprint model resembles the BMW 507.
The clues are an OBVIOUS reference to "Subaru" — the Japanese word for the star cluster Pleiades (cluster or COMPLIMENT) — combined with "the next time you SEA him" (amphicar, totes obvs) plus SWELL indicating the means of bouyancy to be inflatable pontoons. The car was naturally created by a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru in 1959 when the Corvair was launched. I'd post a link but I need to leave my stately mahogany paneled study to go pour myself a fourth glass of scotch.
I hope you have enough scotch for everyone.
Supplies are running low. Although I'll sure buy the person that solves this riddle a glass next time I'm in his and/or her tow.
Now it sure would be sneaky of a guy to use the formation date of the American Honda Motor Company in 1959 — which happens to neatly correspond to the first production date of the Corvair — as the date this car company was "formed."
Suuuuuuure would be sneaky.
It sure would! But I ain't that smart. I hope somebody ends up taking you up on that offer of a snort.
and a hit or two for me…
More clues!
Another shot and visual clue from this sleek, sexy and very cool beauty. That's a bit sarcastic, by the way.
[img] i.imgur.com/7RqovDb.jpg[/img]
I tried to look up the production numbers on this and couldn't find an exact number. But rest assured, there have been thousands made. It is definitely not a one-off or concept.
The first one was sold to the public in 1978 and I took these pictures recently. I've seen several of these around but it's possible that they're just popular in this area due to an aggressive dealer who sold a bunch of them or something.
Honda Acty?
Neat guess!
[img] i.imgur.com/o5ENhjb.jpg?1[/img]
I'm looking forward to the podcast with you in it!
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i was thinking more like this
podcast recording was fun like being a 7-year-old sitting in the rear-facing wayback of a Roadmaster making faces at people and singing the Frozen soundtrack, loud, which also happened
You recorded your podcast interview from the back of your Roadmaster? I'm sure you have a lovely singing voice. Should be interesting!
youtube.com/watch?v=R3X0Cqn_fM0
The tiny clue pic above sure looks like a 1st-gen Montero grille.
Like this one, but I can't match the initial photo to anything on the vehicle.
I was just discussing the current sad state of Mitsubishi here in the States with a pal. Well, I was trying to; he didn't really want to – could care less about that company, I guess. That's too bad because they produced some really interesting cars. The Montero is a good example, a sort of cheaper Land Cruiser, a step up from the Trooper and a great alternative to the domestics at the time. I still regret not buying one over a Trooper. Well, I almost bought a couple, not just the Montero but also the rebadged Raider two-door but something always got in the way. They were great for what they were and I'm not interested in SUVs any longer so I suppose I'll never own one. And then there's all of the other cool Mitsubishi cars and trucks over the years…say, that gives me an idea for an article…
Missed it by that much!
[img] i.imgur.com/f1XHe2G.jpg[/img]
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So it's a Honda with 2 grills. One is front and one is side or back …not a truck though. The engine is not in the front then. Just rambling assumptions here….
I've spent more time that could ever be considered healthy this week looking for mid or rear-engine Japanese non-kei cars. If you find it I'll be both impressed and enraged. But I'll be happy for you, really.
A couple of questions:
Is it a model officially imported to the USA? If so, Is this a captive import?
I'm not entirely positive but I don't believe it's a captive import.
And so I believe all of them were imported, to answer the first question.
Seeing how we're gluttons for punishment, how about a couple more tantalizing clues, Sir K2?
Sure! I have to be careful because you guys are so very close to figuring it out. So here's another clue: no ducks were involved.
So it's a Mitsubishi, guys – that much was already established. Right?!?
Correct!
So Mitsu and Shysler got together in 1971, same year as the explosive Pinto. Is it a Delica van? Not a truck as you said…
Neat guess! I love the Delica.
[img] i.imgur.com/QSeOD07.jpg?1[/img]
I meant an earlier Delica, the kind they don't have pictures of except for maybe K2.
Older than this?
[img] i.imgur.com/i3KC22Y.jpg?1[/img]
That later grill he posted could be from a 1st gen Galant.
[img] mitsubishipedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/1970s-galant.jpg[/img] which was later sold as a captive import Dodge Colt…but I've lost track of what we are doing…
Another great guess! Can you imagine one of these sitting next to a Royal Monaco Brougham on a dealer lot back then? It was bizarre, I tell you. A person could fit the Colt into the trunk of the Monaco.
[img] i.imgur.com/kkj52dS.jpg?1[/img]
Nailed it.
[img] advanced4u.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MitsubishiOutdoorUnit1.jpg[/img]
Perfect….
Grumpy Guss FTB did, indeed, nail it. Winner winner, tofurkey dinner. Too bad it was just a little too hard to write the words "Mitsubishi Mr Slim". Street cred awarded, nonetheless.
I'm hoping everyone is just too exhausted from the effort and the impulsive, uncontrollable binge drinking to be pissed off that it's not actually a car; just one from a company that also has a branch that does.
LMAO….I threw that up there as a goof, not thinking it was actually the answer.
Your gamble paid off!
Is it a Mitsubishi Minica truck/Minicab?
I was thinking the second grill photo looked a bit like the Mitsubishi Bravo, which is a van version of the Minicab. But it's a kei and I don't think it was imported to the USA.
I vote for giving up and simply requesting the answer. I've found many interesting cars that I had never known existed through this search, but that circular-appearing grill is proving difficult.
Second the motion….oh, I had a Montero and around 80k miles it sounded like a bucket a bolts every bump, but would have it over a Land Rover any time .
Then this was a HUGE success to me, w.neff! If you discovered cars new to you, then that's just plain awesome.
Ahh, what's another day, right? Not one to give up, let's narrow this down a bit more K2. Is it a van, bus, or car? The decade would be nice too… I have half a bottle of scotch left, so might as well finish it.
Ha! Really, is that bottle half full or half empty?
FTB figured it out; it's a Mitsubishi Mr Slim.
So not actually a car. I have the feeling there isn't a car that exists that DTers can't identify
Don't ever do that again.
Ugh…I saw Mr. Slim a week ago, and thought, "Nah, couldn't be…" LOL. Should have spoken up!
Great fun, K2!
Point of order: Mitsubishi Electric was founded in 1921, not 1970. Mitsubishi Motors was founded in 1970. I'm going to have to strike this one from the record as null & void.
I never claimed Mitsubishi Electric was formed in 1970, just MMC as a subsidiary. It was a clue, not the answer, that happened to have a distant historical connection (just the year, really) to the Pinto.
So here's another guidepost on our What Am I social experiment; is it better to make the challenge really difficult or run the risk of it being over so quickly that very few DTers get to play? My vote is a mix of the two, which we just experienced between this one and the last.
Like I said before, I don't think there's a car in the world that can't be identified by DTers. We're going to have to get really creative every now and then for it to be a challenge.
HaHa! Nice one CFlo. Tip of the hat to K2 for the challenge, and to FTB for solving this mystery!
Thanks, Ben! Glad you had fun with it.