Count The Paykans#3

Row of Paykan Taxis waiting patiently for passengers...

Trainspotting

Hunter Safari was a unique trim for the Australian market, can you imagine anything mightier than this grocery-getter?....

Thanks to Russell for this correction: Safari wasn't really a trim level. Chrysler Australia used to market station wagon (estate) versions of their cars as "Safari". So all Hunter wagons/estates were Safaris regardless of trim.

Paykan Lowrider#15

Grand Luxe

Pure Poshness...

Aged Shiraz

Shiraz, Iran. Photo by: zerega

Hunt & Hunter

Ok... James Hunt didn't actually drive a Hillman Hunter, sorry to disappoint you handful of Hunt fans out there ;) Hunt was behind the wheel of a Camaro!

You can watch this absolutely Brilliant 8mm footage of the "1973 Avon Motor Tour of Britain" HERE.

Paykanvilla

This photo is from a brilliant set by: Mehrdad Naraghi

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

.... and Bang!

Focal Point

The number of newly imported cars in Iran has increased sharply in the recent years; you can get a taste of what you can buy these days over there in this blog: PersianCars. Don’t worry though there are still thousands of Paykans wandering around every day.

Photo by: amirsnaps

At A Glance:

Paykan Centrifuge

:-@

Footnote: In recent years in order to combat with Tehran's Air Pollution, they converted thousands of Paykans to accept LPG.

Singer Pickup

Nice try mate! But you didn't have to go through all the trouble, they are still making the Paykan Pick-Up in Iran! ;)

Post Update: It turned out that this car was originally a Singer Gazelle! With the Hunter MKIII front-end fitted at some point in it's turbulence life.

Paykan Benz#2

Iran 1 : 0 Germany ;)

Thanks to Ashkan for the picture, it was hanged in a cafe somewhere in Tehran.

Dog Beds

Nice looking Humber Sceptre MKIII, photos by mickyman13

Paykan Lowrider#14

Thanks to my dear friend AmirPaykan for the pictures!

Royal Agricultural Show

The good old Hillman Hunter became "Chrysler Hunter" by the end of its life, some 10 years after Chrysler bought Rootes Group. Chrysler throw everything at the car then, the GLS front grille, newer bumpers and updated interior, it was the last attempt trying to sale even more of the decade old platform. Shortly after though, Chrysler sold Rootes to Peugeot and that was the last chapter of once the 3rd largest car maker in the UK.

I would love to know how many of these Chrysler Hunter they managed to sell. But if their target customers were at this agricultural show in Kenilworth, then the answer is not too many!

Mudwall Paykan

Photo by Navid Reyhani

MOT Optional

These guys are having way too much fun out there!.........

Extremetrifle: On Boxing Day 2002, an unsightly collection of MOT failures gathered in a pub car park in Britain. What followed was the ultimate banger challenge. They said it couldn’t be done...they were nearly right...

4,000 miles across nine countries, 2 continents and the Sahara desert...oh and an unmarked minefield for good measure...

Cars costing £100 or less, MOT optional. No support crew, no back up.

Sad & Sadder...

I took the top picture on my last visit to Iran about two years ago, I just felt so sorry for the poor old Paykan. Then few days ago my dad send me the second picture... I couldn't believe it, it was the same car! Now being abandoned... ;(

Ceauşescu's Paykan

Apparently this Paykan was a gift from Mohammad-Reza Shah to Nicolae Ceauşescu. It has Romanian registration; B is for Bucharest.