Another mystery car
Discussion
What a fascinating thread. Just my two penn'orth;
The wheeltrims will be key in solving this by identifying the base car. I don't think those Spridget aftermarkets are tall enough to match this car (or this car is tiny) whilst aping the style. They remind me of something French and Le Mans inspired, hence what I think is that little raised section in the roof to make room for a helmet.
The body obviously draws on many contemporary influences and may be a one off for a very rich customer or stalled prototype. Again thinking Le Mans. If done over here Williams and Pritchard spring to mind instantly. There are so many talents of the era that have passed away recently, Peter Kirwan Taylor, Len Terry, Ron Hickman, Jem Marsh etc all would have been great to ask. Anyone else from the motor industry a possibility who would remember?
Of all the details of similar period cars that Harry Webster Zebu saloon has got to have the most closely modelled front lamps. Every other detail is just not quite something else.
Does anyone speak French well enough to post on Forum Auto?
http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-mythiques-ex...
A massive collection of oddball cars on there in the "Anciennes" section
The wheeltrims will be key in solving this by identifying the base car. I don't think those Spridget aftermarkets are tall enough to match this car (or this car is tiny) whilst aping the style. They remind me of something French and Le Mans inspired, hence what I think is that little raised section in the roof to make room for a helmet.
The body obviously draws on many contemporary influences and may be a one off for a very rich customer or stalled prototype. Again thinking Le Mans. If done over here Williams and Pritchard spring to mind instantly. There are so many talents of the era that have passed away recently, Peter Kirwan Taylor, Len Terry, Ron Hickman, Jem Marsh etc all would have been great to ask. Anyone else from the motor industry a possibility who would remember?
Of all the details of similar period cars that Harry Webster Zebu saloon has got to have the most closely modelled front lamps. Every other detail is just not quite something else.
Does anyone speak French well enough to post on Forum Auto?
http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-mythiques-ex...
A massive collection of oddball cars on there in the "Anciennes" section
Edited by Loose_Cannon on Wednesday 30th December 13:34
Edited by Loose_Cannon on Wednesday 30th December 13:41
Loose_Cannon said:
What a fascinating thread. Just my two penn'orth;
The wheeltrims will be key in solving this by identifying the base car...
I don't think so, they are standard off-the-shelf period accessories; I think these were Stadium products. The only interesting thing about them is that they look to be bigger than the usual 13", so probably indicate side-valve Ford underpinnings.The wheeltrims will be key in solving this by identifying the base car...
vernonderby said:
I don't think so, they are standard off-the-shelf period accessories; I think these were Stadium products. The only interesting thing about them is that they look to be bigger than the usual 13", so probably indicate side-valve Ford underpinnings.
I agree that the wheeltrims are irrelevant and that the wheels are bigger than 13".I'm not sure why you think 13" was "usual" in the 1960s. That was so for Spridgets, Spitfires and late Rootes jobs but TRs, SP250s earlier Rootes Sunbeams/Singers/Hillmans and MGAs were on 15" and I'd say this car is most likely to be on 15"
V41LEY said:
Haymarket have obviously picked up on my idea a few pages back to do this. Does this mean they know the answer ?
Nope. I've been speaking to James E about this for ages, and it's been planned to go in the mag for some time. That said, nobody knows what it is yet. The image has been published far and wide on the internet, but hopefully a mention in print (however small) might be picked up on by someone who knew this car in period.I won't be surprised if this is the only image of the car that still exists, and I'll be even less surprised if it remains a mystery forever.
-Ed
Roy C said:
As I said before, only the screen of the Ashley 750 gull wing appears similar to the mystery car.
So far only small elements of its body show any similarity to other designs, so I think we may be dealing with a completely bespoke bodyshell.
I agree as far as I know my orange car is not an Ashley ( Ashley I think had removable hard top with gull wing doors on early ones) So far only small elements of its body show any similarity to other designs, so I think we may be dealing with a completely bespoke bodyshell.
galro said:
Nice effort, but I suspect the shutline at the lower end of the door was placed higher up like this (black line). That would look more natural and more gullwing-like.
The Killeen Cars - http://tardis.dl.ac.uk/Mercia/killeen_book/node8.h...
Looks very similar
The story of Tom E. Killeen
and his K-Series cars.
next up previous contents
Next: K5 (several, 1962-63) Previous: K3 (?,?)
K4 (?, 1959)
K4 had a rear engine transverse mounted between rear wheels and immediately forward of hub line, the idea later developed into K7. This drawing for a family car dates from 1956.
drwg3_car_small.jpg
During the design of the K4 in 1959 a new idea was patented by Killeen. [details?] The headlamps were specially treated to remain legal but also save weight and help the aerodynamics. They were inside the body, pointing upwards, and the light was reflected from pop up mirrors. This system saved some 13 pounds over an equivalent system with pop up lights. It was subsequently used in both the K7 and K9 designs.
MatthewBarnett said:
There's a name I've not heard for many years, thanks for the reminder.I've read through the whole thread and was dying to add something useful but I'm stumped if I can think of something that hasn't already been thunked.
Looks to me like there's a centre fuel cap mounted a long way back on the car; might this give any further indication as to what it's based on?
Looks to me like there's a centre fuel cap mounted a long way back on the car; might this give any further indication as to what it's based on?
A search on 1960s vehicles with centre fuel fillers lead me to SImca that through a lot of near-random clicking found this:
From: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simca_Spor...
That I think goes under (another) 'close but no cigar' - certainly the screen and wheel trims bear a close resemblance.
From: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simca_Spor...
That I think goes under (another) 'close but no cigar' - certainly the screen and wheel trims bear a close resemblance.
Edited by Dr G on Saturday 2nd January 12:09
If you have a look at the front, there looks to be one there as well (a seam) ...
I'm not convinced they ARE seams though ...
Just my opinion but The frames of the gullwing doors look to be very flimsy, maybe meaning the glass (Perspex?) was bonded in to give strength and don't open ... ala a Piper ...
Which all takes us no further forward I know!
I'm not convinced they ARE seams though ...
Just my opinion but The frames of the gullwing doors look to be very flimsy, maybe meaning the glass (Perspex?) was bonded in to give strength and don't open ... ala a Piper ...
Which all takes us no further forward I know!
Edited by uk66fastback on Sunday 3rd January 02:59
Astacus said:
This bit puzzles me.
I am not sure how to interpret it. If its a seam, then the car could at least be based on a steel vehicle. On the other hand it strikes me a bit too large to actually be a seam.
This looks like the photograph has been touched in to provide some definition, same with the front.I am not sure how to interpret it. If its a seam, then the car could at least be based on a steel vehicle. On the other hand it strikes me a bit too large to actually be a seam.
Some of the posts on this thread have been a waste of time, some have been astute, and some have used logic and rationality. Unfortunately we're still no nearer an answer, and this post of mine will not particularly help.
However, have a gander at this - the Repco Record from Australia, powered by a straight-six Holden. Fins-check. Cowled headlights -check. Wraparound screens front and rear -check. Pity it's not THE car.
However, have a gander at this - the Repco Record from Australia, powered by a straight-six Holden. Fins-check. Cowled headlights -check. Wraparound screens front and rear -check. Pity it's not THE car.
nicanary said:
Some of the posts on this thread have been a waste of time, some have been astute, and some have used logic and rationality. Unfortunately we're still no nearer an answer, and this post of mine will not particularly help.
However, have a gander at this - the Repco Record from Australia, powered by a straight-six Holden. Fins-check. Cowled headlights -check. Wraparound screens front and rear -check. Pity it's not THE car.
Nice one - I've not seen that car before..However, have a gander at this - the Repco Record from Australia, powered by a straight-six Holden. Fins-check. Cowled headlights -check. Wraparound screens front and rear -check. Pity it's not THE car.
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