Help identifying a car wreck

[Jakko]

Here’s a picture with a wrecked car in it:



Can anyone identify what it is? Cars aren’t my specialty, so I’m having a hard time figuring out what make and model it is. As background information, the photo dates from 1944, so the car is probably a 1930s model. I’ve ruled out a Citroën Traction Avant, because the shape of the front wings is wrong, but that’s as far as I’ve managed to narrow it down.

 

[boatman]

looks to me like a very early modle of a Citroën dolly

 

[PaulTRose]

any info as to where the pic is?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looks like a two door model......location would help Jakko

 

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
how about a 1938 Opel Kadett?

Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Renault Juvaquatre perhaps?

 

[Tim Marlow]

That’s a good call Dave....

 

[Dave Ward]

Even a Ford Eifel?


A lot of the two door sedans were very similar at that time.....................
Dave

 

[Gern]

Even a Ford Eifel?
View attachment 380180

A lot of the two door sedans were very similar at that time.....................
Dave

Just like they are today - except they're hatchbacks

 

[Jakko]

any info as to where the pic is?

It’s a view of the Zuidstraat in Westkapelle, on Walcheren island in the Netherlands, ca. November/December 1944 or early 1945.

Looking at the types suggested, none of them seem to be it. The shape of the wings isn’t quite the same, and none of them have running boards, which the wreck does have. The front bumper is also below the edge of the wings, while all three cars above have it a bit higher than that.

 

[Mini Me]

Truthfully, I don't think there is enough of it left to get a positive I.D. May I ask why youhave so much interest in this particular vehicle?

 

[Jakko]

I’ve been looking at photos of wrecks of tanks and other military vehicles in the same village for quite a while,¹ and think I’ve probably by now become the world’s leading (or only ) expert on the matter. Though that wrecked car probably isn’t a military vehicle (it could have belonged to the German army, but I kind of doubt it), I’ve seen that photo often enough now that I’ve begun to seriously wonder what car it is.


¹ There’s one in the photo at the top of this thread. Can you spot it?

 

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
I'd think it must be a car in German service - if not the Army, then something like the Todt Organisation, I can't think there can have been many private cars at that period in Holland
Dave

 

[Jakko]

This isn’t in Holland but in Zeeland There probably weren’t many private cars, I agree, but at the same time, the ruined house in the middle of the photo is the mayor’s, and the doctor’s house was also nearby — if anyone would have had a car in a small village, it would have been them, I’d think.

I now suddenly realise that the logo of the site I got the photo from, is over where the licence plate might be on the front bumper, which may provide a clue who the car belonged to (assuming it’s still there, of course). Maybe I should contact them to ask if they’ve got a version without that.

 

[Mini Me]

If there were any automobiles in that area the Germans would have confiscated the good serviceable ones when they occupied the area. I haunt another Forum that has a thread on vehicle identification, with over 700 pages of photos posted by members requesting I.D. on them. You would be surprised at not only the number of vehicles, but also the variety that existed at that time. So far I have searched 200 pages looking for a match to your photo, possibly another angle shot exists that may shed some light as to what this sedan actually was.
Rick H.

 

[bilbo]

If it was a German staff car then it might have been a simca 5, I also thought it look like an early fiat

 

[Jakko]

If there were any automobiles in that area the Germans would have confiscated the good serviceable ones when they occupied the area.

Probably, yes.

You would be surprised at not only the number of vehicles, but also the variety that existed at that time.

I wouldn’t, really

So far I have searched 200 pages looking for a match to your photo, possibly another angle shot exists that may shed some light as to what this sedan actually was

Thanks for going to all that trouble

If it was a German staff car then it might have been a simca 5, I also thought it look like an early fiat

Looking at photos of a Simca 5, it doesn’t look like one — the windows are wrong, for example. Not sure about Fiat, that may require a bit more research without easy model numbers.

 

[bilbo]

Jakko - Look at the Fiat 1500 - I think it looks like a fiat 1500 C, with the style of the doors in a wrecked state, and in a poor qulaity photo it might look like a 2 door vs. a 4 door.



messing around with you original photo:



Front wing, and bumper seem to match (bumber has a small vertical bar, just pass the wing), but theres no indication of the headlight on the front wing
the white dot, could be part of the door handle, rear wing doesn't appear to be 100% match,
it has the running boards...

 

[Mini Me]

My personal opinion is that it's a larger sedan. Looking at the thickness of the side window pillar and the bumpers, not to mention the length of the running board tells me it is not a small vehicle. Rick H.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good call from Bilbo, rear door is a suicide door, so looks like a two door car....wing shape looks right and it has runners....