[PW] Ecuadoran cars

[T. F. Mills]

On 17 Jun 2008 at 7:07, Ivan Van Laningham wrote:

> Who can tell me what brands of automobiles would have been found on the
> streets of Quito in the early-to-mid 60s?  I'd be especially interested in
> low-end vehicles that might have been driven by frugal missionaries. ...

I knew a missionary in Quito in the late sixties.  I can't swear to it, but I think he drove a VW 
beetle (probably of early sixties vintage).  I think Renaults and Simcas were also present.  
(Chile had factories to assemble these before the 1973 coup, but I don't know where Ecuador 
procured its auotmobiles.)

Here is a set of 1965 Quito photos, and cars show clearly in three of the photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tungurahua/1432534569/in/set-72157602142554471/

You can barely make out the roof of a VW beetle in one, an early 1960s Chevy (I think) near 
the bug, an unmistakable VW bus in another, possibly a Mercedes next to the VW bus (not a 
missionary vehicle!).  The "waiting for transport at the edge of town" looks like some late 
1940s American cars in the background.


T.F. Mills                            (Colorado, USA)
temporary email:         phasco at earthlink.net
(pending resurrection of regiments.org mail)