Solved -PJ81- Essex Arrow S-X Magbody 1953

[Paul Jaray]

Know what it is?

Please, respond below and let us know the make and model designation of the car posted here.

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Thanks!

[gilescooperuk]

Something with a Jaguar XK120 base - the roof and doors look like one.

[Paul Jaray]

No Jaguar in there...

[faksta]

The man is familiar, or just looks like that...

[Paul Jaray]

I would be surprised, but I just can't tell...

[K5ING]

S-X Magbody from Essex-Arrow Ltd., England, circa 1953 or so. 

It's mounted on an Allard chassis and uses a Mercury engine, and gets it's name from the magnesium body that weights only 132 pounds. 

The man in the picture is R.J. Cross, managing director of the company. 

[Paul Jaray]

Correct!
That's the car and here's another view:
(This was pretty hard to find, 2 points for you!)

[K5ING]

Thanks Paul.  Believe it or not, it's been in my "puzzle repository" for awhile now but you beat me to the posting of it.  Good find!   

Here's the rest of it, with your permission. 

[faksta]

It looks even better from the side.

[woodinsight]

Make, model, year and who the coachbuilder was for a point

[Paul Jaray]

It's a nice pic of a repost!
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=7542.0

[Arunas]

Was it ever made in series?

[woodinsight]

It's a nice pic of a repost!
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=7542.0

I didn't find this car on a search before I'd posted it but I'd like to clear up exactly what this car is.

According to my source, David Kinsella of the Allard Owners' Club, guru on all Allard matters -

"This two-plus-two coupe was built on an extended J2X chassis by Essex Aero Ltd. of The Airport, Gravesend, Kent in 1952." (the firm made fuel tanks and other parts for the de Haviland Mosquito during WW II).
"Like the standard J2X, the Aero's chassis 2224 had a divided front axle with forward radius rods, de Dion rear axle, coil springs, hydraulic dampers 12-inch Lockheed brakes with Alfin drums with air scoops and 16-inch wire wheels."
"Claimed to be the first car body built entirely of magnesium alloy (DTD 118A) the 16 gauge panels, and the 12 gauge pillars and supports achieved a remarkable saving in weight. The bare shell, without front seats and floor, but with doors, grille and luggage locker floorweighed only 140 lbs. Taken at the point of balance, a foot or so back from the screen pillars, the body could be held aloft by one man. The 20-gallon fuel tank weighed 15.5 lbs. compared with 39.5 lbs in steel and the front bumper was a mere 8 lbs. Torsion boxes ran beneath the door openings and argon arc welding was used throughout."
"Location on the chassis was by six high tensile steel bolts in Silentbloc rubber bushes, which in conjunction with a plug in electrical connections, allowed the body to be lifted off  for any extended servicing to the running gear. A large bonnet gave access to the engine and radiator. The instrument panel controls and front seats remained with the chassis when the body was lifted off and so it was possible to test drive the car in stripped form. Even with full trim, spare wheel, radio and Clayton heater, the Aero was 6 lbs lighter than the J2X with Chrysler engine"
"The black and grey Aero was first powered by a 3.9-litre Mercury V-8 fitted with Ardun ohv heads. The gearbox was a four speed Cotal."

The car was later repainted red by a Mr. A.E. Freezer. After trouble with the Cotal gearbox, a Chevrolet V-8 engine with GMC automatic transmission was fitted. Later owned by Gerry Auger of the Allard Owners' Club it was restored and fitted with a twin-carb Chrysler 'Fire-Power' engine.

I think this car should be retitled an Allard J2X with an Essex Aero body 1952.

[woodinsight]

Was it ever made in series?

Purely a 'one-off'.....

[Paul Jaray]

Thank you for the extra info.
Here's what I've got:

[woodinsight]

Interesting!
Essex Arrow or Essex Aero?
I'll dig about a bit and see if I can come up with some more information.

[Carnut]

Interesting!
Essex Arrow or Essex Aero?
I'll dig about a bit and see if I can come up with some more information.

I understand it's Essex Aero.
This car now belongs to a Jerry Thurston who has restored it after acquiring it in 2001.
BUT - according to him the magnesium body was removed about 20 years ago and fitted to an Allard saloon.
The body pictured in woodinsight's puzzle is said to be the replacement body fitted to the chassis that originally had the magnesium body!  I don't know what the original body looked like, but reading the articles they say that is the mag-bodied car, so maybe the two bodies looked identical? In any case the pictures look to me as though they date from the 1950s and I don't believe they can be the replacement body fitted only 20 years ago..  Those aren't 1990s photos!

[DeAutogids]

Seems a fire hazzard?

[Quiller]

a higher res pic...

[pnegyesi]

One more view