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Car ID question

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That's a Hino Contessa.

Rear engined and styled by Michelotti.

Hino used to assemble rear-engined Renaults in Japan, so it is said that the Contessa was inspired by the Renault layout.


These days Hino doesn't make cars anymore, but they make lots of box trucks and similar vehicles. Hino used to be an independant company but it's owned by Toyota these days.


image.axd
 
sweet! and dare I ask how you knew that?

thanks

how's the teapot going?
 
I have all this pointless info stuck in my brain....if only I could market all of it, I'd be rich! :jester:

Although I don't really like to drive them, I have an affinity for small, rear-engine classic cars. FIATS. VWs, Vespas, Gogomobiles, Imps, etc.

The little Hino always reminded me of the VW Variant notchback (below; a car I've always liked in terms of appearance).

I'm busy with the Sprite right now, so the Teapot is waiting it's turn. I put in new wheel bearing and brakes in the Sprite this week and I'm doing some normal maintainence (oil change, etc). I have a race in two weeks at Summit Pt, WV (Jefferson 500 Vintage) and then a race two weeks after that at the New Hampshire Vintage.
And I'm still finishing up the new top I put on the MGB. It's weatherproof....I just need to finish a few inside snaps. And I'd like to bleed the brakes on it and do a few other odds and ends.
Plus I just mounted a new set of Hankook summer tires on the Miata (I'm glad to be rid of the Blizzaks....they ruin the car in the dry).

I have about four more weeks of school. *Then* the Austin project will start in ernest.


VW Variant
4404hfg_18.jpeg
 
My parents had an old Renault (R-10?) it was white with an offset red stripe over the drivers side. Dad loved that car. Said it was incredible how much stuff you could pack into it. drove it till it practically fell in half
 
A whole SIX MONTHS, Ben?!?!

WOW!

:devilgrin:
 
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Yer lucky I wasent takin a swig of sumpin, or I'd be sendin ya the bill for the new keyboard! hehehehe...
Actually for a Renault, it musta been a lemon, cause it ran prit near flawlessly for several years of faithful service. even leading my dad to purchase another Renault some years later. Though the ensuing LeCar did well, I think it broke the hold that Renault had on my dad after a while (he never bought another one). It went out in a losing battle with a wire guardrail. Years later when I found one for sale, he practically screamed "Don't buy it" at me. So I diden't.
My wife had an Appliance, I mean, Alliance while we were dating... I was always suprised at how long that car lasted. It lost a battle with a culvert and a mailbox. (they ganged up on it) It probably woulden't have been around much longer anyway. I don't think she ever had the oil changed.
 
I had a '92 Renault 21 GXE when I last lived in France ('98 - 2000) and it was a great car. 100mph (160kph) cruise all day long down the Autoroutes, keeping a careful eye out for passing Mercs, BMWs and Porsches all barrelling their way down to the Cote d'Azur from Germany.
I don't really know why they have such a bad reputation here - maybe an inadequate dealer/service network?
 
Roger said:
I don't really know why they have such a bad reputation here - maybe an inadequate dealer/service network?
Click to expand...

and road salt. Rust.

My Citroen DS19 had the same problem. That and a car that likely needed more care than most American cars of the generation which were not as "tightly" built
 
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