Joao Gois #23 - SOLVED: 1959 Ariel Custom Wood Car

[Joao Gois]

Hello everyone. Here's another puzzle from yours trully. I'll need you to give me the make and model of this car but also which engine it uses, since apart from its body, it's the most intersting thing on the car.

Good luck then!

[fnqvmuch]

i like the peugeot steering wheel but i suppose you mean the ariel four square - some discussion as to the wheels and shock absorbers being not citroen but renault - or peugeot...

[Joao Gois]

That's not the name I got from my sources... And you haven't answered completely to my request 

Oh, and welcome to AutoPuzzles!

[Anton]

Tyrane I by Friend Wood?

[fnqvmuch]

according to auction room a custom built in '59 -  the'52 ariel vin is registered in missouri  

[Joao Gois]

according to auction room a custom built in '59 -  the'52 ariel vin is registered in missouri 

So...? I never said it wasn't Ariel... but the rest isn't correct. And:
"I'll need you to give me the make and model of this car but also which engine it uses, since apart from its body, it's the most intersting thing on the car." 

[Joao Gois]

Tyrane I by Friend Wood?

Nope

[fnqvmuch]

i like the peugeot steering wheel but i suppose you mean the ariel four square - some discussion as to the wheels and shock absorbers being not citroen but renault - or peugeot...[quote


That's not the name I got from my sources... And you haven't answered completely to my request 

Oh, and welcome to AutoPuzzles!


according to auction room a custom built in '59 -  the'52 ariel vin is registered in missouri 


So...? I never said it wasn't Ariel... but the rest isn't correct. And:
"I'll need you to give me the make and model of this car but also which engine it uses, since apart from its body, it's the most intersting thing on the car." 

thank you for your welcome joao, it'll be most interesting to see your sources' make and model and be corrected on the parts i got wrong; '52 ariel four square ( should be square four, i guess ),  peugeot wheel, etc, etc.
of course this 'example' differs ( wooden't it ?) from the september 1956 mechanix illustrated - by pix of the 6th protoype, apparently - 'speedball special' in parts used: (not early 4cv or 750 - 'aussiefrog' members have it renault dauphine or late 4cv (update - now someone recognises suspension and wheels including  steering -,  as like his '62 floride ! ) with maybe citroen 2cv wheels, 'snails' say peugeot ),  also other details like year of motor ( head, exhausts ), transmission, suspension, brakes, instruments, the popup and turning headlights, highset tail lights etc etc ...
how do you define make, model and correct provenance of components for an unnamed boatbuilder's '59 realisation of a general arrangement from diy plans in a '56 magazine?
steven

[Joao Gois]

thank you for your welcome joao, it'll be most interesting to see your sources' make and model and be corrected on the parts i got wrong; '52 ariel four square ( should be square four, i guess ),  peugeot wheel, etc, etc.
of course this 'example' differs ( wooden't it ?) from the september 1956 mechanix illustrated - by pix of the 6th protoype, apparently - 'speedball special' in parts used: (not early 4cv or 750 - 'aussiefrog' members have it renault dauphine or late 4cv (update - now someone recognises suspension and wheels including  steering -,  as like his '62 floride ! ) with maybe citroen 2cv wheels, 'snails' say peugeot ),  also other details like year of motor ( head, exhausts ), transmission, suspension, brakes, instruments, the popup and turning headlights, highset tail lights etc etc ...
how do you define make, model and correct provenance of components for an unnamed boatbuilder's '59 realisation of a general arrangement from diy plans in a '56 magazine?
steven

I think you're confusing a bit between the engine's origin and the name with which it's registered in the DMV. That's the actual name I need. And FYI, "Ariel Aquare 4" is the name of a rather rare motorbike from which it took the engine. That's why I'm not accepting that name.

What I'll do is suspend any other guessing for 24h. If until then you give me the registration name, the point is yours.

[fnqvmuch]

pass.

[Anton]

Speedball Special, or in this case  "Ariel Square Four Powered Speedball Special"

Accompanying text from where i stumbled upon it:

In the September, 1956 issue of Mechanix Illustrated, directions for a lightweight, wooden speedster powered by a motorcycle engine caught the eye of some deranged boat builder on the west coast. Here's the result: a modified version of the Speedball Special. Best news? It's for sale. The car was originally built in 1959 and is equipped with an impossibly rare 1952 Ariel Square Four motorcycle engine, a smooth-running four-cylinder 1000 cc engine able to push out about 42 HP. That might not seem like much, but when driving the sequential four-speed and with a weight of only a mere 750 lbs this little wooden car has got to be a rocket.

I have saved the link, if I get permission from the politeness gurus, I'd post it.

[Joao Gois]

According to the auction's press release, that's not the name of the car. It states it's a modified version of the Speedball Special but it's not listed as such... Sorry 

[Anton]

1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, then?

And here's what the auctioneer's site sez:

1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, One of A Kind, Street Legal

You know, it's pretty tough to find the actual name of something that hasn't got an actual name but rather a number of descriptives.

[Joao Gois]

1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, then?

And here's what the auctioneer's site sez:

1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, One of A Kind, Street Legal

You know, it's pretty tough to find the actual name of something that hasn't got an actual name but rather a number of descriptives.

Yeah, that was quite the name I was looking for. I'm not saying you're not correct with the other names you provided but I tend to believe in registrations... nonetheless, as I said the point is yours. Although I find the manufacturing date inadequately given as 1952. That's the original motorcycle VIN registration date, which passed to the car, but this Wood Car was only built in 1959.

[fnqvmuch]

clarify for me please, joao 
"...the name with which it's registered in the DMV. That's the actual name..."
is
" 1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, then?"
or
"... what the auctioneer's site sez: 1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, One of A Kind, Street Legal..."
is
"... quite the name I was looking for. "
although given
"... I tend to believe in registrations..."
i assume the former.
only asking because i don't know how to access the dmv myself, so if you could also advise me on that for future reference i would be grateful... 
steven
ps -  cheers, anton ...

[Joao Gois]

clarify for me please, joao 
"...the name with which it's registered in the DMV. That's the actual name..."
is
" 1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, then?"
or
"... what the auctioneer's site sez: 1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car, One of A Kind, Street Legal..."
is
"... quite the name I was looking for. "
although given
"... I tend to believe in registrations..."
i assume the former.
only asking because i don't know how to access the dmv myself, so if you could also advise me on that for future reference i would be grateful... 
steven
ps -  cheers, anton ...

The VIN registration sates the car as "1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car". That's why I "tend to believe in registrations", because in case of unknown manufacturers, that's the legal designation of the car, right?

I can't access the DMV registration but I had access to this car's registry through the auctioner. So for me, unless someone can provide any other proof, that's the name of the car.

[fnqvmuch]

joao, while conceding it is your point to award, and anton is welcome to it, i would like to make some points of my own.
Q. "... the make and model of this car but also which engine it uses ..."
A 1.  "... ariel four square ..."
"... not the name I got from my sources... And you haven't answered completely ..."
A 2." ... custom built in '59 ... '52 ariel vin ..."
"... So...? I never said it wasn't Ariel... but the rest isn't correct ...."
A 3. " ... '52 ariel four square ( should be square four, i guess )...september 1956 mechanix illustrated...'speedball special' ... an unnamed boatbuilder's '59 realisation of a general arrangement from diy plans ..."
"I think you're confusing a bit between the engine's origin and the name with which it's registered in the DMV. That's the actual name I need. And FYI, "Ariel Aquare  4" (sic)  is the name of a rather rare motorbike from which it took the engine. That's why I'm not accepting that name.
What I'll do is suspend any other guessing for 24h. If until then you give me the registration name, the point is yours."
A 4.  " pass."
which - i did. 
" According to the auction's press release, that's not the name of the car. It states it's a modified version of the Speedball Special but it's not listed as such ..."
"... that was quite the name I was looking for. I'm not saying you're not correct with the other names you provided but I tend to believe in registrations ..."
"The VIN registration sates (sic) the car as "1952 Ariel Custom Wood Car". That's why I "tend to believe in registrations", because in case of unknown manufacturers, that's the legal designation of the car, right? I can't access the DMV registration but I had access to this car's registry through the auctioner. So for me, unless someone can provide any other proof, that's the name of the car."
Joao,  i come here for fun, not to be mean and picky, but,Yeah that was quite the name ( you ) were looking for ... however ( i ) think you're confusing a bit between ... the auction's press release ... and the name with which it's registered in the DMV...which would be a shame ...because in case of unknown manufacturers, that's the legal designation of the car, right?
i doubt it is actually registered ... since apart from its body, the most intersting (sic) thing (s) on ... the auction's press release... for me, unless someone can provide any other proof,...were:
One of A Kind... ( six other examples in 1956 ) Street Legal ...  ( surely not now ) Modern Mechanics Magazine article ... ( Mechanix Illustrated)
ultra rare 1952 Ariel Square Four ... ( Mk I 1949-53, 3922, Mk II 1953-58, 3828, All Models - 1931-58 = 15,641 and, FYI, not what we call rare in australia )
and suspension was taken from a Citroen of the era ( try Renault )
maybe we should get a life, no?
respectfully, steven

[Otto Puzzell]