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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2013 => Topic started by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:48:07 AM

Title: Solved -PJ484- La Pulce Torpedo
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:48:07 AM
This is quite tricky.
It can be very easy, I can't tell.
I found this vehicle with 1:a name, 2:the base car, 3:the place and 4:the year.
#2,3 & 4 are quite easy.
#1, I suspect is not the real one.

1 point for who will find the asnwer to 1,2,3 and 4 and 1 point for any additional info (that I have not, but there's something more to add later...)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: thorax on January 24, 2013, 09:37:08 AM
base car is Italian?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 10:38:19 AM
base car is Italian?
Nope...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 24, 2013, 11:08:41 AM
Chinese?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 12:11:15 PM
The base car is probably a VW Beetle?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 12:15:41 PM
1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: China
4: ?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 24, 2013, 12:36:23 PM
Is it from holland?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 12:37:21 PM
1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: China - Holland
4: ?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 24, 2013, 12:39:50 PM
Any relation to the VW country buggy?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 12:41:03 PM
Base apart, none. :-\
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: D-type on January 24, 2013, 02:54:58 PM
From Australia?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 03:05:13 PM

1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: China - Holland - Australia
4: ?

Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 03:16:24 PM
From South America?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 24, 2013, 03:16:50 PM
What about Indonesia?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 03:46:13 PM


1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: China - Holland - Australia - South America - Indonesia
4: ?


Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 24, 2013, 03:55:16 PM
I,ll say europe?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:06:53 PM
1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: Europe  :thumbsup: Holland  :thumbsdown:
4: ?



Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:09:19 PM
Italian?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:13:55 PM

1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: Italy  :thumbsup:
4: ?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:19:59 PM
From 1973?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:22:09 PM
1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: Italy  :thumbsup:
4: 1973
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:23:05 PM
1974?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:28:27 PM
1: ?
2: VW  :thumbsup:
3: Italy  :thumbsup:
4: 1974  :thumbsup:

All correct so far.
I'll let you give the 1st shot at the name with a clue...it could be VERY trivial, but it's not...(I know it's not much, but if you got the hint...)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:33:08 PM
I don't think I really got the hint. Is it called Baggi?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:40:04 PM
I don't think I really got the hint. Is it called Baggi?
Not Baggi.
Probably my clue was too cryptic (as usual).
It's a generic name...
Open for all!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:42:39 PM
Roadster?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 04:55:24 PM
Not roadster...or a bodystyle.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 04:58:43 PM
Lido?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 05:01:40 PM
Not a place...but right language  ;)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 05:03:58 PM
Vettura?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pguillem on January 24, 2013, 05:17:50 PM
Jolly ?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 05:21:44 PM
Vettura?
Not Vettura and not car-related (in Italian!)
Jolly ?
Not Jolly and not used by any other manufacturer.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 24, 2013, 05:30:03 PM
Sole?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 24, 2013, 05:35:41 PM
Not that or in that area...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pguillem on January 24, 2013, 08:25:25 PM
Spiagginetta ?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:47:44 AM
Not named after a place (lido, spiaggia, etc).
It's the broader category ever used by car makers...and no, not numbers!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 03:21:09 AM
Prototipo?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 12:50:19 PM
Not Prototipo or car-related at all.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 12:53:23 PM
Viaggio?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 12:56:46 PM
Festa?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 12:58:13 PM
Quite a lot of makers choose theyr model names in that ...world!
Not Viaggio (or related) nor Festa (or related).
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 01:17:20 PM
is it named after a wind?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 01:19:34 PM
Not a wind or related...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 01:24:19 PM
Mattina?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Otto Puzzell on January 25, 2013, 01:29:17 PM
Crucial?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 01:31:23 PM
Mattina?
Not Mattina or Crucial.
I strongly suggest to find the right area, it will be VERY clear then.
Think of a maker and you probalby will find at least one model named after something coming from that world!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 01:33:36 PM
Audi, VW, Renault, Ford, Opel,...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 02:06:35 PM
spazio?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 02:24:30 PM
It,s not sirocco by any chance?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:29:56 PM
Not Spazio.
I'll make an example and I hope I will not confuse you more.
If it was named after a City, let's say Cincinnati, it will be an original name, never used before, but it's not unusual to name a car after a city. Extend this concept to another wide area of car names (not numbers) and then you can guess to the specific name...I'll provide you further clues then but it won't take (too) much.
I'll help you even more:
Abarth, De Tomaso, Triumph...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:32:32 PM
Not Sirocco.
If you search for this name in ANY line-up of ANY car maker, you won't find it (in Italiano).
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Otto Puzzell on January 25, 2013, 02:32:54 PM
It's named for an animal?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:36:21 PM
YES!
Or better, a living creature, smaller than an animal.
Now, before you list them all, remeber a couple of hints:
it's an italian word, never used before, it could be VERY trivial, but it's not.
This means that this name is not that original in another language.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 02:46:12 PM
Fungo?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:52:44 PM
Nice guess, but not that.
It's named after an insect!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 02:53:53 PM
Mosca?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:54:48 PM
Not Mosca...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 02:55:00 PM
Formica?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:55:19 PM
Not formica...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 02:57:42 PM
Ragno?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 02:59:48 PM
Not ragno...
These are all very good guesses so far, it won't take much!
Don't forget the right article.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 03:00:38 PM
Apis?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 03:04:44 PM
Not Apis...and we call them 'Api', singular 'Ape'... ;)
(BTW: There was the Caprera Ragno and the Zuccoli Formica)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 03:08:58 PM
What about Vespa?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 03:13:58 PM
Scarabeo?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 03:23:04 PM
Coleottolo?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 03:23:08 PM
Not Vespa or Scarabeo (there was a Vespa 400 and an Osi Scarabeo...)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 03:24:17 PM
Coleottolo?
Not Coleottero (I'm sure you meant that  ;) )
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 03:30:49 PM
Insetto?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 03:31:48 PM
Yes, but which one?  ;D
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 03:31:53 PM
Simply "Bug"?
When I try to translate that into Italian and vice-versa I get "errore di programma"!  :D
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 03:37:42 PM
Bug is not an italian word...
...but you are close if you had the 'Buggy' word in mind.
Anyway is not the Italian translation of Bug, but a different insect.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 03:43:47 PM
Passeggino?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 03:45:44 PM
Tonchio?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 25, 2013, 03:47:39 PM
Locusta?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Otto Puzzell on January 25, 2013, 03:49:21 PM
Scarafaggio?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 04:00:17 PM
 :lmao:
Please don't get offended but it's too funny!
I've never heard of a Tonchio (and now I know what kind of insect it is...) but why 'Passeggino'?
However, not those nor Locusta or Scarafaggio.
I'll add another clue but this will cost you  ;D
The same company offered this vehicle #2.
Vehicle #2 was named after that insect too (and in italian it was quite obvious to call these kind of vehicles in that way, just like 'buggy' is quite obvious in other languages).
The price you'll have to afford, now, is that, actually, the puzzle car was named xxxx yyyy, were x is always the same insect and yyyy is a bodystyle...now I'll need them both!
 
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 04:06:09 PM
Zanzara Carrozzino? (don't laugh!)
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 25, 2013, 04:08:08 PM
XXXX = Maggiolino?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: D-type on January 25, 2013, 04:13:23 PM
From my wife's pocket English-Italian dictionary:  Sabbia Ragno?  Ragno Barchetta
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 04:16:08 PM
Zanzara Carrozzino? (don't laugh!)
I know it's hard playing in a different language, I do it all the time!
Not Zanzara and not Carrozzino
XXXX = Maggiolino?
That is not Maggiolino (I'm surprised nobody thought of it before!)

The insect is not Zanzara or Maggiolino or any other named insect so far.
In Italy, we use to call Buggies in that way, not always and it was not a rule, but it was quite common.
There was at least a Buggy called with the english translation of that word, from a quite known Buggy-maker.
The second part of the name is a common bodystile, unusual for the vehicle but very used.(Not Roadster or Spider).
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 04:19:06 PM
Is Coccinella one of the words?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 04:22:04 PM
From my wife's pocket English-Italian dictionary:  Sabbia Ragno?
I will put that dictionary back in the pocket, because 'Sabbia Ragno' is meaningless!
'Sabbia' is 'Sand' and 'Ragno' is 'Spider' but you can't say 'Sabbia Ragno' if you mean 'Sand Spider'...
...but you are somewhat close!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 04:23:15 PM
Is Coccinella one of the words?
Not Coccinella (that was used before by Lombardi in his 500).
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: kwgibbs on January 25, 2013, 04:29:33 PM
Cavalletta?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 04:33:36 PM
Not Cavalletta.
Now I'm really trying to help you all.
If you translate Cavalletta and match the result with my reply to D-Type, you may find that famous buggy from a famous manufacturer...
...or you may look for italian sites talking about Buggies and see how do they call them!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: woodinsight on January 25, 2013, 05:28:54 PM
Cavalletta is grasshopper in English.....
Maybe Saltatore di Sabbia?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 05:33:52 PM
Cavalletta is grasshopper in English.....
Maybe Saltatore di Sabbia?
There is not such an insect...not with that name, at least!
Almost there!
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 25, 2013, 05:42:48 PM
Pulce?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 05:51:40 PM
 :applause:
XX Pulce YYYYYYY

x: the article
y: bodystyle.

You can count Xs and Ys.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 25, 2013, 05:57:59 PM
La Pulce Berlina?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 06:02:46 PM
Not berlina, an open type.
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Wendax on January 25, 2013, 06:10:26 PM
La Pulce Phaeton?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 25, 2013, 06:16:20 PM
Not phaeton...
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: pnegyesi on January 26, 2013, 04:14:52 AM
La Pulce Torpedo?
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on January 26, 2013, 05:02:11 AM
Yes!  :applause: :applause:
Now for another point, is there any idea about who built
"La Pulce Torpedo" and "La Pulce"?
The factory was located in Rome, Via Nomentana 1111 (like Puma, that was in via Nomentana n.15, but it's quite far from Rome), they were available also in kit and were advertised as a Volkswagen-Maggiolino (Beetle) transformation (the Pulce) or elaboration (The Pulce Torpedo).
I tried to look for old ads of Puma and similar, but the address and telephone number are different.
That address is now shared by several activities, like a big car dealer (Imauto) that is active fromless than 20 years and at least another carrozzeria (Corvasce) that was there 30 years ago but is not familiar with any other activity at the time in that area (apart some farms!).
Title: Re: PJ - 484
Post by: Paul Jaray on February 03, 2013, 03:23:57 AM
Ok, let's declare it solved!