by "McMike" (mcmike)
Published 09/01/2017 at 18:05
by "McMike" (mcmike)
Published 09/01/2017 at 18:05
Tags: Name that car
STARS: 14
This photo has been bouncing around the internet on car message boards for the last two weeks or so, and NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE F...
Original post date - 12/08/15
I believe the first thread was in
PistonHeads
back in November, and other other forums like
VWVortex
,
Coachbuild
, etc have joined in the discussion on their own trying to figure it out.
Now it’s our turn.
This is what I see:
Fiberglass body
Gullwing doors
Flip front bonnet
Front engine
Windscreen is probably from a Hilman Minx
All my searches, no matter how I switch them up always turn up the same five or six kits from the 50s and 60s. Oh, and that I also hate Pinterest.
How the hell did they achieve such a presence with Google image searches?
The image was photocopied/scanned from the book, Buses, Trolleys & Trams byt Chas. S. Dunbat that was published in 1967.
The caption on the page said, “Oxford St. London, 1962.”
I’ve seen people on Twitter ask about it, and I even forwarded a photo to some experts called
Forgotten Fiberglass
, which yes, is one of the sites I always found my self on once I discarded the Pinterest results.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Does anyone have a clue? There were SO MANY fiberglass sports special rebodies in Europe back in the 50s-60s. We just can’t figure out what THIS was is.
Edit - have also sent to to:
And no one seems to know.
Edit - I found these images on the Pistonhead thread. I was thinking about doing this myself.
UPDATE: I picked up the most recent edition of UK’s Classic & Sports Car , (the world’s best selling classic car magazine) and apparently, they reached out to readers to see if they knew what it was.
Not even they have the reach to find the one person who knows what this damn thing is.
"MultiplaOrgasms" (themightymultipla)
12/08/2015 at 11:08, STARS: 1
It’s like an FSO Syrena Sport, except not at all.
"'Wägen, EPA LOL" (wagen)
12/08/2015 at 11:10, STARS: 4
Totally unfounded feeling that this thing has ties to TVR. It just looks like a TVR to me.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
12/08/2015 at 11:10, STARS: 0
#hashtag #boom
"Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
12/08/2015 at 11:12, STARS: 1
Me too!! That was my first thought, and I’m not sure why.
"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror)
12/08/2015 at 11:12, STARS: 0
Looks like a Manic GT.
Probably not but definitely some kind of re-bodied / semi custom / low production kit car.
"McMike" (mcmike)
12/08/2015 at 11:19, STARS: 5
There’s some Sonnett in it, some TVR, some Marcos, some Sunbeam, some Nickri, some Convair, and some Strother MacMinns (below)
The MacMinns has a lot of the styling features of our baby blue mystery, but it also was a dead end.
There were a lot of kit cars that had the words Monza/LeMans/GT/Coupe in them back then.
"davedave1111" (davedave1111)
12/08/2015 at 11:21, STARS: 1
Seems to me to look a lot like a TVR Vixen, but what do I know.
"Sneaky Pete" (trappster)
12/08/2015 at 11:25, STARS: 0
Lambo.
Dude.
"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
12/08/2015 at 11:26, STARS: 1
My initial guess was some Ginetta skunkworks piece. The size, the headlight angle, the long nose, the lack of a window in he b-pilar, the windshield, the gull/GT40-style-roof doors, all seem like Ginetta cues, but it doesn’t add up. It probably is a low-volume kit... but hey, you could argue that Ginetta sort of makes low-volume kit cars, they just happen to assemble them for you...
"Raphael Orlove" (orlove)
12/08/2015 at 11:28, STARS: 1
It reminds me of an Ashley (the front end is very Sabra-esque) but I’d be surprised if they had the money to do up a windshield like that.
"Raphael Orlove" (orlove)
12/08/2015 at 11:35, STARS: 1
hm, maybe it’s one of Peter Pellandine’s other projects? a Falcon or some other one-off?
"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
12/08/2015 at 11:36, STARS: 0
Could it be some kind of an Elva Courier Coupe prototype or one off? Overall it seems just a little off to be one, but with a bit of custom bodywork, it could be. Something about the following makes me think it might be:
"Raphael Orlove" (orlove)
12/08/2015 at 11:52, STARS: 7
Apparently the first year Ashley 750s could be ordered as a coupe with gullwing doors, but supposedly none survived and pics are hard to come by.
“The early hardtops had gull wing doors but it is believed that none have survived.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_(a… #Ashley_750
a very similar (but not exactly identical) car appears to have been one:
http://www.prewarcar.com/postwarclassic…
"m2m, apex detective" (m2m)
12/08/2015 at 12:01, STARS: 5
This will not help much, but here hides Gary Oldman.
"jjhats" (ssaxman)
12/08/2015 at 12:06, STARS: 1
missing the b pillar vent and the doors aren’t sculpted in where they meet the rear wheel fenders. this is very close tho
"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
12/08/2015 at 12:51, STARS: 4
I don’t think our mystery car actually has Gullwing doors. These seem more like the GT40 doors cut into the roof for easier access. Also, with the crazy amount of custom coach builders in Britain in the 50’s and 60’s that almost all had some model that could be this, there’s probably no way we will know for sure. So I’m sticking with my earlier guess of a one off Elva Courier.
"McMike" (mcmike)
12/08/2015 at 13:10, STARS: 0
That’s a possibility, but that rear roof gap looks awful squared off compared to the 62-63 Lola MK 6 (that preceded the GT40)
I belive the Lola (below) was the first car to use those door extensions, and it was produced the same year the mystery photo was taken.
I would have cropped this photo down, but I wanted to leave David Hobbs in it (arrow)
"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
12/08/2015 at 13:13, STARS: 0
Very true, it may or may not be but for some reason I think that they aren’t Gullwing. I think the only people that may know are the ones in the damn thing.
"McMike" (mcmike)
12/08/2015 at 13:16, STARS: 0
If only those women weren’t there! We would could see more of the door/bonnet opening.
"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
12/08/2015 at 13:23, STARS: 1
They just look like the two people that are always in the way of great things!
"RWS Motorsport" (rwsmotorsport)
12/08/2015 at 13:49, STARS: 0
Clearly the confusion is widespread:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rw3-497… See all the comments.
"RWS Motorsport" (rwsmotorsport)
12/08/2015 at 13:51, STARS: 0
Confusion is very widespread. Pistonheads was the next place I looked:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.…
"Jonee" (Jonee)
12/08/2015 at 14:54, STARS: 0
It does look a lot like a Sabra Sport, but it isn’t one. There were a lot of small companies making fiberglass bodies for older, rusted out cars in the postwar years, especially in Great Britain. I guess this is a particularly rare one.
"BringBackTheCommodore" (bringbackthecommodore)
12/08/2015 at 16:16, STARS: 0
It looks like someone took some fiberglass to a Sunbeam Tiger Harrington Coupe:
On the nose, and on the rear quarter windows.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
12/09/2015 at 04:37, STARS: 1
closest i can find is a Marcos.
but i don’t think it will be close enough though.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
12/09/2015 at 04:38, STARS: 3
"coqui70" (coqui70)
02/20/2016 at 20:36, STARS: 3
This looks like some kind of Sunbeam prototype, especially the rear fins and wheel arch lip.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
05/14/2016 at 12:07, STARS: 1
It’s in London so I will say some kind of Marcos kit car... It looks a lot like their type of car. Maybe just a prototype... They’ve done a LOT so....
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
05/14/2016 at 12:10, STARS: 0
I recognise it. I’ve even seen one I think. God damn what was it called...
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
05/14/2016 at 12:21, STARS: 0
Given the wheels, it looks like some sort of Bristol.
"Spridget" (dustbustervans)
05/14/2016 at 12:30, STARS: 0
A modified Sabra sport?
"Spridget" (dustbustervans)
05/14/2016 at 12:48, STARS: 0
Actually, it looks like it was Sunbeam Alpine based.
"xyzabc" (stackofoldwood)
05/14/2016 at 13:09, STARS: 0
It’s a “Bond Equipe GT”.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
05/14/2016 at 14:35, STARS: 2
Sunbeam Alpine with a LOT of body mods.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
05/14/2016 at 16:09, STARS: 0
Judging by how far they go in on going to have to say there is no way those are gullwing doors.
"Gonzo, 50 shades of beige" (docgonzo)
05/14/2016 at 16:16, STARS: 2
So Ashley front-end with Sunbeam-like fins?
Some frankenstein test car maybe...
"In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you" (hoontheangelsing)
05/14/2016 at 16:17, STARS: 0
SAAB Sonnett?
"punkgoose17" (punkgoose17)
05/14/2016 at 20:01, STARS: 0
I think Rapheal is right. It look like an Ashley Sunbeam Alpine Gullwing. The front end is the same as the Ashley 1172; the windshield and doors are the same as the Ashley Gullwing; the rear is very similar to the Triumph Spitfire Ashley GT; and the tailfins / lights and wheels match the Sunbeam Alpine.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
05/14/2016 at 22:34, STARS: 1
this is a sunbeam alpine..... so some sort of early variant??
"OKcarburetor" (okcarburetor)
09/01/2017 at 18:19, STARS: 0
Looks like a Sunbeam Alpine with some trash attached to it. Probably some sort of ancient body kit.
"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
09/01/2017 at 18:47, STARS: 0
He’s a time travelling chameleon.
"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
09/01/2017 at 18:48, STARS: 0
Is it wrong that I like this?
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
09/01/2017 at 18:50, STARS: 0
No , not at all
"JeepJeremy" (jeepjeremy)
09/01/2017 at 18:52, STARS: 1
I thought this was solved on Jalopnik years ago?
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
09/01/2017 at 19:16, STARS: 0
This has me very puzzled because someone ID’d that car correctly back then on some forum and I can’t recall where I saw other pictures of the same model car with the info. This is infuriating.
"xyzabc" (stackofoldwood)
09/01/2017 at 20:30, STARS: 0
Sort of looks like an early 1960's “Sabra Sports Coupe”.
"McMike" (mcmike)
09/01/2017 at 20:37, STARS: 0
For the love of god, please find it.
"McMike" (mcmike)
09/01/2017 at 20:38, STARS: 1
Post answers if you got them. Lot of people are counting on it.
"xyzabc" (stackofoldwood)
09/01/2017 at 21:15, STARS: 0
This isn’t it. the hood scope opening is way too far back...
"JeepJeremy" (jeepjeremy)
09/01/2017 at 21:26, STARS: 0
I could be wrong...but I swear I’ve read about this before. Years ago.
There was a long thread on Jalopnik with peeps making guesses and arguing. But somebody with crazy car knowledge posted “dude, chill out it’s a X made by Y in XXXX model year” (paraphrasing).
I think it was something obscure but it wasn’t earth shattering.
***Like I said, though: I could be wrong
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
09/02/2017 at 03:53, STARS: 1
Did you Frankenstein one into your Spitfire?
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
09/02/2017 at 08:37, STARS: 0
1957 Arnott?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
09/02/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 2
I recall this being solved also. I even thought it was either on web on Jalopnik or in print in Hemmings now dead Sport and Exotic.
"JeepJeremy" (jeepjeremy)
09/02/2017 at 10:54, STARS: 1
I tried searching Jalopnik but typing in “mystery car” brought up more results than I had the energy to sort through.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
09/02/2017 at 11:24, STARS: 1
I went through the same thing. Also went to the Hemmings website to see if it was there and searched maybe 20 issues.
"JeepJeremy" (jeepjeremy)
09/02/2017 at 14:05, STARS: 1
It may be a boutique car or coach built car.
I’m fairly certain that the answer isn’t all that exciting (well, at least in my opinion).
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
09/02/2017 at 17:18, STARS: 1
If I recall it was some sort of low production kit type car of the 60s, but like early TVR type cottage industry stuff.
"JeepJeremy" (jeepjeremy)
09/02/2017 at 17:23, STARS: 1
Totally!
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/04/2017 at 08:05, STARS: 0
Not that I remember but that’s not exactly proof that it didn’t happen and I’ve just forgotten it ;)
"Brian B" (bribyh)
04/13/2018 at 05:08, STARS: 0
Looks like a Saab Sonnet to me.
"McMike" (mcmike)
04/13/2018 at 08:06, STARS: 0
Looks like a Saab Sonnet to me.
It looks “like” a handful of cars.
"CGr" (teokiya)
04/13/2018 at 08:10, STARS: 1
Google by image search took me straight to Arnott’s wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnott_(automobile)
"Rivers17Rules" (rivers17rules)
04/13/2018 at 17:33, STARS: 0
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"Jayvincent" (jayvincent)
03/05/2020 at 21:21, STARS: 0
This story is b ack on top of the Oppo today, don’t we all wish it was 2017 all over again?
"McMike" (mcmike)
03/05/2020 at 21:33, STARS: 0
Someone on Twitter was asking again to ID this car, and I pulled this up earlier to share the URL, but ended up not using it.
Is it on the sidebar, or was it a new post? Weird that all I did was view it.
