What Is It?

[Tom99]

I picked this up a while back. All I can tell, it's a variant of an Oldsmobile Toronado.

I really don't know what I am going to do with it, I really would like to know what it is.

Any help?

 

[TarheelRick]

No idea what it is, but looks like someone was trying to turn a Toronado into a "pimp-mobile".  Looks like the top is either from an AMX or possibly a Mustang, maybe a combination of both, and that nose piece is almost a Firebird.  Either way, some really questionable styling ideas. 

[Jack L]

MPC Californian  

Edited May 19, 2019 by Jack L

[crossfire 2004]

Had to google the “Californian” - it’s certainly different.

[Tom99]

I thank you guys!!

[stavanzer]

Nice, Rare Kit. Yours looks very nice.  A great Survivor.

[bill_67]

Very cool that what it is.

 

[Tom Geiger]

Cool, I’ve never seen one of those!

[bisc63]

13 hours ago, crossfire 2004 said:

- it’s certainly different.

Polite. That's a face not even a mother could love. I would have guessed a George Barris design.

[Scott8950]

14 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

No idea what it is, but looks like someone was trying to turn a Toronado into a "pimp-mobile".  Looks like the top is either from an AMX or possibly a Mustang, maybe a combination of both, and that nose piece is almost a Firebird.  Either way, some really questionable styling ideas. 

it looks like a toronado and amx combined to me ?

[Bucky]

It looks like several different styling cues on this one!

[TarheelRick]

5 hours ago, Bucky said:

It looks like several different styling cues on this one!

I think you mean miscues.

[geemoney]

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi!

Harry Bradley did a lot of "outstanding" designs in the early 70's. I remember a feature in Car Life titled: The wagon as a GT.  The crop of pony-cars (Mustang, Cougar, Camaro, Javelin, Cuda, Challenger, Pontiac Trans-Am ) were given the "shooting brake" treatment, or sport station wagon if you prefer, à la Nomad. It was very well done. 

This, however, looks more like an answer to the Neo-Classics: Excalibur, and the design exercises made by Virgil Exner for Renwall... revisiting Stutz & Al. glory days. 

Well, the detroit Big 3 were playing catch-up with each other... so for the kit companies to do the same is not a suprise, isn't it?

CT

[paul alflen]

put it on fleabay, I mean fee bay, I mean e-bay!!

[Spex84]

I've always like Harry Bradley's awesome illustrations and renderings. He could draw like crazy, but I'm struck by the absolutely unimpeded exuberance of many of his designs. That's both good and bad...very fresh and creative, but also lots of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" going on, especially in cars like The Californian. Artists tend to get worn down by people telling them "no, that's nuts, we can't do it", but Harry Bradley apparently had the freedom to keep pumping out crazy ideas, probably with the idea that every so often he'd land a solid punch.  It must have been rewarding to him as an artist!

This has to be a rare kit, right? I can't imagine they sold very well, haha!

[sfhess]

Harry Bradley customized his own Infiniti J30 with weird ribbon graphics, chrome side pipes and a large fin on the trunk lid.

[Russell C]

11 hours ago, sfhess said:

Harry Bradley customized his own Infiniti J30 with weird ribbon graphics, chrome side pipes and a large fin on the trunk lid.

I was hoping you were kidding on that, but I guess not.

[sfhess]

9 hours ago, Russell C said:

I was hoping you were kidding on that, but I guess not.

Cool, huh?

[DumpyDan]

I have a couple of these Californian models, looked for a long time but I now have 2 both need rebuilding.

[vintagercr]

I have a built up.   Doesn't have the hood scoops or the rear spoiler.  Still a nice build.

[peteski]

On 5/22/2019 at 2:09 AM, Russell C said:

I was hoping you were kidding on that, but I guess not.

I would call that "jumping the shark". Some artists seem too get too creative.

But then again, there is plenty of "art" out there that looks like it was created by a finger-painting gorilla, and it fetches huge amounts of mullah!