Another mystery car

[piper]

Incredible that this still remains a mystery with all the knowledge on hear, I have searched and searched, trawled the Internet, gone through all the 1960’s Nd 70’ s Motorsport magazine ads, all my books but nothing. I thinK the motoring press needs to get involved i.e. the Classic car magazines in the U.K. and Europe, this thread could be used as the catalyst to promote the cause.

I

[Doofus]

piper said:

Incredible that this still remains a mystery with all the knowledge on hear, I have searched and searched, trawled the Internet, gone through all the 1960’s Nd 70’ s Motorsport magazine ads, all my books but nothing. I thinK the motoring press needs to get involved i.e. the Classic car magazines in the U.K. and Europe, this thread could be used as the catalyst to promote the cause.

I

The classic press already have been involved.

[TonyRPH]

piper said:

Incredible that this still remains a mystery with all the knowledge on hear, I have searched and searched, trawled the Internet, gone through all the 1960’s Nd 70’ s Motorsport magazine ads, all my books but nothing. I thinK the motoring press needs to get involved i.e. the Classic car magazines in the U.K. and Europe, this thread could be used as the catalyst to promote the cause.

I

I think that anybody who might have known what this car was is probably either long gone now, or past the point of remembering anything of it.

I guess there's a remote possibility that children associated with the designer / builder may still remember something of it, but it has to be borne in mind that even said children would likely be 70+ now.

[threespires]

Yes, it's amazing that nobody can offer any info on this car, despite the picture having been seen worldwide.

I've just noticed the original picture has disappeared on the opening page, so I've uploaded it again and here too.

[uk66fastback]

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

[threespires]

uk66fastback said:

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

OK, thanks.
Something I've always found curious is the front wheel. There doesn't appear to be much room for the wheel to turn.
The rear axle arrangement is interesting, what kind of springs could it have? Its very close to the cockpit.
So the mystery continues.

[threespires]

Is the passenger window showing a reflection of the woman in red?

[Doofus]

uk66fastback said:

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

This thread repeatedly dives into this, or a similar, rabbit hole. Whether or not you can see the driver through the window is absolutely irrelevant. Likewise a reflection of the lady in red.

[threespires]

True, just an observation.
Whats your opinion on the steering lock or rear axle arrangement?

[Doofus]

threespires said:

Whats your opinion on the steering lock or rear axle arrangement?

My opinion is than the steering lock was poor, and the rear suspension was rudimentary.

It's obviously a one-off special that didn't make production and remained unique. Consequently I suspect those engineering shortcomings weren't addressed.

[uk66fastback]

Doofus said:

uk66fastback said:

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

This thread repeatedly dives into this, or a similar, rabbit hole. Whether or not you can see the driver through the window is absolutely irrelevant. Likewise a reflection of the lady in red.

Of course it's irrelevant. It's just my opinion. In the absence of any more ideas there's precious little to discuss on this thread, but you had to find something.

[Doofus]

uk66fastback said:

Doofus said:

uk66fastback said:

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

This thread repeatedly dives into this, or a similar, rabbit hole. Whether or not you can see the driver through the window is absolutely irrelevant. Likewise a reflection of the lady in red.

Of course it's irrelevant. It's just my opinion. In the absence of any more ideas there's precious little to discuss on this thread, but you had to find something.

It wasn't a personal slight, and I apologise if I offended.

[Pantechnicon]

uk66fastback said:

I’m convinced that isn’t the driver you can see in his white shirt and dark suit, but a reflection of the building on the corner to the photographer’s right. The white line outlining the bottom of the rear wing behind the wheel of the mystery car was a common manual retouch to continuous tone pics back in the day, although nothing else about the car itself looks ‘false’ or retouched.

With regard to the manual retouch you mention is that also what I am seeing around the front valance as well?
And if so why do I not see it anywhere else in the photograph such as the sill area of the ford van?
If the photographer wasn’t deliberately photographing this car why did this car get the touch up.

[uk66fastback]

Pantechnicon said:

With regard to the manual retouch you mention is that also what I am seeing around the front valance as well?
And if so why do I not see it anywhere else in the photograph such as the sill area of the ford van?
If the photographer wasn’t deliberately photographing this car why did this car get the touch up.

Interesting point. Surely though, if this car was the subject of the pic, why have people walking between the camera and the car? Unless it was one of many and this one was chosen for the book, or was the only tranny that survived etc ... isn't it in a book about buses anyway? It's been so long ...

[threespires]

[Loose_Cannon]

Pantechnicon said:

With regard to the manual retouch you mention is that also what I am seeing around the front valance as well?
And if so why do I not see it anywhere else in the photograph such as the sill area of the ford van?
If the photographer wasn’t deliberately photographing this car why did this car get the touch up.

I've been thinking this since page 2.

[Yertis]

threespires said:

Can’t decide which typeface you prefer? Use both!

[SAB888]

threespires said:

Yes, it's amazing that nobody can offer any info on this car, despite the picture having been seen worldwide.

I've just noticed the original picture has disappeared on the opening page, so I've uploaded it again and here too.

I haven't read all 92 pages so apologies if this has been suggested already, but are there any photo credits in the book? If there are, it may be worth contacting the photographer/publisher to see if there were any other photos taken at the same time which may give a different view of the mystery car.

[RDMcG]

The first publication the Dunbar book with the photo was 1967, so that would likely mean the pic was 1966 or earlier given the lead time to collect the pics, research and write. I cannot find anything about the author.

[CanAm]

A bus expert dated the photo at around 1962 early on in the thread.