Solved - MJW #291 - Denmark Special 1935

woodinsight · February 13, 2011, 04:44:17 PM

What is this car?
Name, who built it and when plus any further information for a point.

woodinsight · February 20, 2011, 03:42:28 PM

Expertise required

woodinsight · March 01, 2011, 05:26:56 AM

Can a Pro solve it?

Allan L · March 01, 2011, 10:23:38 AM

The badge looks a bit like Lagonda, but the carbs and exhaust are together so it's not a Rapier and as it's too small for any other Lagonda perhaps it is a Morris Special. Well the wheels look like Morris 8 or 10 from the mid 1930s.
We don't have so much advertising on our old cars here (and anyway a '30s Morris isn't VSCC eligible) so perhaps it's somewhere like Denmark.

woodinsight · March 01, 2011, 11:09:38 AM

Quote from: Allan L on March 01, 2011, 10:23:38 AM
The badge looks a bit like Lagonda, but the carbs and exhaust are together so it's not a Rapier and as it's too small for any other Lagonda perhaps it is a Morris Special. Well the wheels look like Morris 8 or 10 from the mid 1930s.
We don't have so much advertising on our old cars here (and anyway a '30s Morris isn't VSCC eligible) so perhaps it's somewhere like Denmark.

Allen, you're not going to believe this but you have unwittingly given me the answer somewhere in your reply!
If I tell you the car was originally built in 1935 and rebuilt/renamed just after the war, does this provide you with enough of a clue to give me the later name of the car?

woodinsight · March 01, 2011, 11:11:34 AM

Oh and by the way I'll lock it for Allen until his next reply.

Allan L · March 01, 2011, 01:49:36 PM

Thanks, but all I can find is a reference to Mads Bengtsson who drove "1935 DK Morris 8 Special Sport" 918 c.c. in Copenhagen in 2008
Can't find a picture, but perhaps it's that one?
If not, don't keep it locked for me!

woodinsight · March 01, 2011, 02:11:05 PM

It's not that unfortunately Allen but you'll understand my comment when the answer is revealed in due course.
Open to all again......

woodinsight · March 11, 2011, 01:16:29 AM

Quote from: Allan L on March 01, 2011, 01:49:36 PM
Thanks, but all I can find is a reference to Mads Bengtsson who drove "1935 DK Morris 8 Special Sport" 918 c.c. in Copenhagen in 2008
Can't find a picture, but perhaps it's that one?
If not, don't keep it locked for me!

I have just discovered that this car is based on a 1935 Morris chassis with Ford, Morris and MG mechanicals.
It could well be the same car.
The car was regularly seen at Brighton Speed Trials 1949-1956 and reappeared there 2000-2003.

I'll LOCK it again for Allan_L in case he can identify the present name of the car or what it was called originally.

I have added a couple of photos below -
1. The car in it's original form
2. After being rebuilt/restored in 1999

Allan L · March 14, 2011, 06:38:21 AM

Can't say I know anything more about this car.
918cc is the Morris 8 "E"/SV Morris Minor capacity, Ford 8 being 933 and Ford 10 was 1172. MGs were 847 and 939, so no obvious Ford or MG engine.
It might have an MG gearbox which would be an improvement over the Morris 8, whereas a Ford gearbox would not be.
What I'm rambling on about is that I can see it as a Morris Special but find the Ford and MG mechanicals hard to understand.
Wheels are Morris 8/10 but it might have MG brakes.

Don't lock it for me - I've done all I can!

woodinsight · March 14, 2011, 08:16:36 AM

Okay thanks Allan - I'm sure this is the same car you quoted as the DK Morris Eight Special.
The name I have for it is the Denmark Special - Denmark, not because it comes from that country but named after Denis and Mark Beare who rebuilt it after WWII.
It was originally constructed as the RWG Special by Roy Watling-Greenwood in 1935 as the first of two built by him.
Therefore I'll call this one solved now and award the point to Allan_L

Another view -

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Solved - MJW #291 - Denmark Special 1935