Costa Rica or California? Adventurous motorists pose a mystery...

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Readers send us some interesting pictures from time to time, and we're always pleased to be asked for help with solving a mystery car puzzle, but few pictures have us scratching our heads quite like this one does. It's come to us via Jeff Perkins, who came across it while travelling in Costa Rica.

The first question is whether or not it was actually taken in Costa Rica at all. We're inclined to think not. The setting certainly doesn't look like the tropical rainforest which covers almost the entirety of the country. As Jeff surmises, California is a distinct possibility, with the fallen tree presumed to be a giant sequoia. What other kind of tree could be large enough to function as a makeshift road for four good-sized touring cars? If it is a giant sequoia, or giant redwood, tree, that would mean the location could only be the mountains of California, most probably somewhere in Yosemite National Park.

Most of interest to us, though, is the identity of the cars. All of them look to be of American manufacture, and we're hoping that some of our readers might be able to shed some light on their identity. The job is not an easy one when there were so many different manufacturers in existence around American during the Brass Era, such as Thomas, REO and EMF, to name but a few, most of which never made it beyond the 1930s, if indeed they made it that far.

From the fact that the second car has a painted rather than a brass radiator, we would think that the photo dates from no earlier than 1914. We wonder if that particular car might be a Dodge. Whatever it is, it seems to be the newest car in the shot. As for the others, we're afraid we really haven't a clue, so it's over to you. Do your best...

Words: Zack Stiling
 

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