San Francisco Street Sighting - 1959 Panhard Dyna Z16 Grand Standing

Browsing Flickr has its perks. That's where I first found out that there was a classic Panhard living in the Bay Area. That's all fine and good, but it had to be found if I wanted to photograph it, and the Bay Area is a big place. As it turned out, the owner and I both attended the California Mille this year in San Francisco. So yes, this is one of those cars that I shot very close to a car show, but it is on a public street that was open to traffic and parking at the time. Note the 1970 Citroën Ami 8 Break parked in front. I photographed that car outside the 2011 California Mille.

The Panhard was always an oddball among cars. I chalk much of that up to it being French, and much like other French brands, Panhard was an engineering innovator. The Dyna Z was a lightweight six-seater powered by an air-cooled two cylinder engine. Said engine is accessed by raising the entire clamshell front end. When was the last time you saw a 4-door sedan with suicide doors in the front?

The Z16 Grand Standing was the ultimate iteration of the Dyna Z. This one has been in the U.S. its whole life and bears a 1960 inspection sticker from New York state. Virtually everything on it looks original aside from maybe the paint. The body is in remarkably good shape, though the chrome needs replating. I still can't get past the pouting-lips face that is such a Panhard design trademark. It's funny-looking, but certainly unique. I'm very glad to have found it.