Another mystery car

Author
Discussion

Blackpuddin

17,472 posts

213 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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Hooli said:
Carsie said:
Looks like a Reliant Sabra to me

As long as they did a fastback version.
with round rear wheel arches wink

threespires

Original Poster:

4,363 posts

219 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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The rear wheel is very close to the passenger area.




crostonian

2,427 posts

180 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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threespires said:
The rear wheel is very close to the passenger area.
I still think it could be Frogeye based. The wheelbase and position of the rear wheels are similar, that they have had to use another screen as a standard Frogeye screen wouldn't be easily adaptable to a hard top and the front over riders look like they're off a Frogeye too. The C-pillar looks like it could have been inspired by the Maserati Ghibli, similar style of cut out.

The shut line to the left of the ladies head is in a similar position to the bonnet opening of a Frogeye, is the front a one piece clamshell? I think the front door shut line is hidden behind the lady and the one we can see is for the bonnet.

Edited by crostonian on Tuesday 17th November 22:03

threespires

Original Poster:

4,363 posts

219 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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Some good points there

john2443

6,395 posts

219 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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crostonian said:
the front over riders look like they're off a Frogeye too.
No, they're a different shape, the ones in the pic are about the same width all the way up and down, Frog fronts and rears were narrow at one end than the other.

Stigproducts

1,730 posts

279 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Other thoughts mostly stolen from other people
-rear fins ; harrinton alpine

- another shout for rear engined but the Imp special site has nothing similar
- front screen reminds me of a cresta PA rear


The Surveyor

7,584 posts

245 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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It's not a Simca, they didn't have the full-front bonnet but they do have a similar 'alpine' wing / fin profile.

My first thought was that it looks like a Saab Sonnet, but that it does look very much like a Sabre Sports, especially given that it has the same wheel-trims as some of the early pictures. After much searching, I've found a Convair kit-car with a similar 'screen profile and lift-up gull-wing doors, but the rest of the car looks nothing like.

Strangely, whist most of the Ford based specials are usually fugly, this one looks very nicely proportioned so it seems strange that there are no details on the 'web.

threespires

Original Poster:

4,363 posts

219 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Hugo a Gogo

23,383 posts

241 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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very close, but edge of wheelarches and the back of the door toward the rear arch look different

eldar

22,817 posts

204 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Hugo a Gogo said:
very close, but edge of wheelarches and the back of the door toward the rear arch look different
Door shut lines and rear side windows don't match either.

Roy C

4,192 posts

292 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Similar, but not quite the same.

I still suspect that it could be a modified Ashley body, as it has elements from the Ashley 1172 Roadster (and the Sabra).

dryden

361 posts

177 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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This was probably the inspiration for the Ashley, This has quality coach work, look at the fit of the gull wing doors. the forward slope of the headlight apertures on the wings is very Italian, something like a Siata, or Abarth. I have seen this before but cannot remember. will go Googling........

wibble cb

3,773 posts

215 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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Don't think its frogeye based, the rear wheel/door relationship is too close, the hub caps look to be rootes as well.


lowdrag

13,035 posts

221 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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My first impression is a Bond Equipe. But I'm wrong.

Electron

605 posts

227 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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This is my Ashley shell ..



The bonnet is similar but the blue car seems sufficiently different in lots of ways ....

The tubs are different as the doors on the blue car have the rear wheel arch cut out.

The Ashley Midget also has squared off doors and the windscreen surround is different ..

http://www.sherwoodrestorations.co.uk/portfolio/pr...

Another contribution describing what it isn't ...

Edited by Electron on Thursday 19th November 16:22

530dTPhil

1,390 posts

226 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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There used to be a red Ashley just like yours in the front garden of a bungalow on the A38 in Woodford north of Thornbury. I had a Reliant Sabre Six at the time; the similarity between the bodyshell shape was quite surprising.

Sorry for the mini thread hijack; no further ideas on the mystery car.

Electron

605 posts

227 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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More Hijack - The Reliant grew out of the Ashley and is an indirect descendant via the Israeli Autocars Sabra.

I did notice this .... "One particularly noteworthy Ashley, an 1172 hardtop, was WUV 19 used by the sales manager. This had been finished to a very high standard with metallic blue paint..... "


ashlam

5 posts

141 months

Friday 20th November 2015
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Hi Guys,

I would say a definite NO to it being anything from the Ashley Laminates stable, pity the Registration No. is not in view it might have helped.

To see all the Ashley Model styles have a look at websites:

http://ashleylaminatesltd.weebly.com

Hey Electron, have you restored your Ashley 1172 any further than shown in your photo, if so I would like to add more to my website (Please contact me via my website page), as for Ashley WUV 19 its also a NO. (see photo)


Old Merc

3,567 posts

175 months

Friday 20th November 2015
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This car is bugging me??? Harrington Alpine is the nearest,but I bet its not. Something tells me its a one off special.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

134 months

Friday 20th November 2015
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Old Merc said:


This car is bugging me??? Harrington Alpine is the nearest,but I bet its not. Something tells me its a one off special.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/12172/lot/123/