some Interesting American Cars/trucks from South America

[Falcon Ranchero]

Discovered them back in 2022.

The 1975 Galaxie 500 LTD from South America was basically a '66

 

And the 1980 Galaxie was also essentially a '60s car. Same style until 1983.

 

1961 Chevy Trucks were neat

1963's version of the Suburban, the Chevy Amazonia

Edited November 30, 2024 by Falcon Ranchero

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

Discovered them back in 2022.

The 1975 Galaxie 500 LTD from South America was basically a '66

 

And the 1980 Galaxie was also essentially a '60s car. Same style until 1983.

 

1961 Chevy Trucks were neat

1963's version of the Suburban, the Chevy Amazonia

Always cool to see what's out there. These are different 

[Brian Austin]

Bear in mind that the "South American" market is made up of separate independent markets.  I think those pictured are from Brazil.  Argentina had its own range of models, more closely mirroring US ones than the Brazilian ones.  Uruguay also used to have assembly plants as well, along with Chile.

What's fascinating for me is while some initially might have started out based on US models, over the years as they got updated, various parts from European divisions started to be incorporated.  An example of this is the Argentinian Ford Falcons.  By the 1980s and 1990s they got blacked out chrome trim, and head and taillights from European models.  My purist friends never liked them, but I found them cool in an alternative-reality sort of way.

I periodically dig through Latin American sales sites for vehicles.  There's a ton of stock and custom cars and trucks down there.  On the other hand, I'm finding Google to be increasingly useless in searching for these vehicles, as the results heavily favor US sources, despite my using the Brazilian and Argentinian versions the search engine, even while using search terms in their language.

[Second paragraph edited for clarity.]

 

Edited December 3, 2024 by Brian Austin

[Brian Austin]

How about a Uruguayan funeral car based on a 1952 Checker?

[Brian Austin]

Here are some examples of the work of a talented Brazilian modeler by the name of Ricardo Tropia.

http://antigosverdeamarelo.blogspot.com/2010/01/plastimodelismo-com-chevrolet-brasil.html

http://mauriciomorais.blogspot.com/2008/11/ricardo-tropia-o-mago.html

[Brian Austin]

Here we have an alternate-reality '60 Chevy wagon, from Uruguay.  Quite often this part of the world didn't get the US wagons, so they were supplied by local builders.  This one is supposedly by National, a US builder of funeral cars and such, but I know nothing of that connection.

[Brian Austin]

Chevrolet Opala in Chile.

[Brian Austin]

Another one from Chile.  I think the go-faster decals on the rocker panel are fighting with the character line crease.

Edited December 1, 2024 by Brian Austin

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Brian Austin said:

Chevrolet Opala in Chile.

Is this based off the vega? 

[stitchdup]

48 minutes ago, johnyrotten said:

Is this based off the vega? 

its based on a opel rekord/manta from europe.

 

[espo]

I have noticed in the last year that the MECUM AUCTIONS have been offering some '80's and "90's era Ford Broncho type 2 door vehicles in a few of their auctions. Don't know who is importing them and any of the legal issues connected with imported vehicles that may or may not meet US requirements. Check out the Mecum Auction site on the internet and you can look at the cars and trucks that are being offered on future auctions and maybe see one. 

[lordairgtar]

21 minutes ago, espo said:

I have noticed in the last year that the MECUM AUCTIONS have been offering some '80's and "90's era Ford Broncho type 2 door vehicles in a few of their auctions. Don't know who is importing them and any of the legal issues connected with imported vehicles that may or may not meet US requirements. Check out the Mecum Auction site on the internet and you can look at the cars and trucks that are being offered on future auctions and maybe see one. 

You can import any car that is 25 years or older.