Aquidneck Motors Cars
1/10/23
David: Aquidneck Motors is a European auto repair shop in Middletown, RI. This is a town very close to Newport. I was up here for a dental visit, but just happened to spot this at a traffic light. The rear end of the Falcon was the culprit, as its large, circular tail lights are very hard to miss. There were a few other cars at the lot that were unfortunately unable to be photographed well because they parked in, and I couldn't get any good angles on them. Those included a yellow 1970s Super Beetle and a brown MGB. Aquidneck Motors shared their lot with an auto detailing shop so I would assume they were pretty short on space. No worries there though, I still got to photograph some great cars, so here was what I found.
Row Shot of Aquidneck Motors' Rear Lot
For a little teaser of what's to come in this collection, here is a row shot of a few of the cars you'll see. Here you can see the Mustang lineage starting with the Falcon and one of the first ever produced Mustangs! There's also a fairly rare Mercedes Benz too! Stay tuned, we'll touch on all of these cars, and more.
Above and Left: Jaguar Mk. II 3.8 Litre: The Inspiration for the Sports Sedan
First up we have a Jaaaggg, to quote Jeremy Clarkson. In all seriousness, this is quite possibly one of the most gorgeous British cars ever made. It may not look like it in this state, but I asure you, even seeing this car was pretty exciting.
It's not everyday you see a classic Jag, but its certainly not everyday you see one of these. You're lucky to find one in a museum. Come to think of it, I have only seen these in Museums, and why is that? Well, here is one of the predecessors to the modern sports sedan.
I talk about the BMW 2002 being one of the first to pioneer the modern Sport Sedan, but the Jaguar Mk. II was the blue print. This came with a 3.8L straight six engine, which was also available in the E-Type/XKE sports car. Like, the E-Type, this car was very aerodynamic and low. The Mk. II was able to reach 120 MPH easily, and was able to do 0-60 in 11.9 seconds. This was amazing for a car produced from 1959 to '67, and also unbelievable for a sedan! In 1959, Jaguar got the sport sedan right, but the world wasn't ready just yet.
Jaguar would pass the baton on with the XJ series in '68 which would last until 1992, but the influence of the Mk. II would remain and continue to inspire cars like the 2002 and much more. Today, the Mk. II remains one of the most influential cars in automobile history.
Above and Left: 1963 Ford Falcon Futura Convertible
A Falcon! The last time we saw a Falcon was in a junkyard, but finally we have one on the road. This one sure is a survivor and I love that the owner has kept it mostly original. I'm unsure if the rims on this one are original to the car, but if they're not, it's a nice look. The Falcon itself is a fairly historical car too, being the first ever compact car to be produced by the "Big Three" in 1959 for the 1960 model year. The AMC Rambler American would be the first American compact car in 1958. However, unlike the Rambler, the Falcon would find more commercial success, and inspire cars like the Chevy II (which would become the Nova), Dodge Dart, and Plymouth Valiant. The Falcon would also serve as the the foundation of the Ford Mustang, a car which we'll hear from in just a little bit.
Above: 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible: A Legend in Its Own Class
Now of all the Mustangs we've photographed on here, this one might not be the most powerful or flashiest car, but it's sure one of the coolest. This is indeed a real '64 "and-a-half" Mustang, and for those who really don't know, the first ever year of the Mustang. Based on the Falcon, seen above, the Mustang would become Ford's high water mark. The Mustang changed automobile history overnight by literally creating a new class of car, the Pony Car. Although many consider the Plymouth Barracuda to be the "first" pony car by only a few weeks, the Mustang would prove to be the more popular option earning itself the place in the spotlight. It was a unique option at the time, as GM wouldn't introduce the Camaro until 1967, leaving the Mustang as one of the only choices for a small sports car with a V8. It would also be one of Lee Iacocca's many achievements in the auto industry, this one being his first major one. Iacocca would oversee the Mustang project, demanding it be a small car at only 180 inches, seat four individuals, and be priced at no more than $2500. The design would be credited to Gale Halderman and L. David Ash, and the rest is history. Besides the Corvette, no other American car has achieved a level such as the Mustang. The Mustang is truly a legend in its own class.
Mercedes Benz 300CD Turbo Diesel (C123)
Here we have another turbo diesel coupe! The last one we found was spotted in ealry fall, which you can read about in that section. Unfortunately, I didn't get many photos as much as I wished to since it was getting dark and I had to be home in time for dinner, so this was the best I could do. Unlike the other 300CD coupe, this one had a two-tone paint job. This was just an option available from the dealer, based on what I could find. This was one cool car, and I hope to revisit it at some point to get more photos.
See Early Fall Finds for the other 300CD entry.
Hidden Saab 900 Sedan
Here was what I meant by some of the cars being parked in. I had to photograph this Saab because of my love for them, but this car also suffered the fate of the Beetle and the MGB I mentioned in the description earlier. I wouldn't say it was a terrible fate, I just didn't get to photograph them. Here is a poor attempt at the Saab though. Unfortunately I can't get much other details about the car. Clearly, its 1987 or later model and it's most likely a non-turbo model, or at least that's the case based on the fact that their are no "Turbo" badges on the hood or grille. It does look to be in good shape though, which is a good thing. I hope to see it released from the lot at some point. I don't know the next time when I will be in Middletown, but next time, there better be progress on this car!