What's this, who built it, what powers it and from when does it date? For 1 point:
ANYONE FOUND GIVING ANSWERS OBTAINED BY USING GOOGLE SEARCH BY IMAGE MAY BE BANNED FOR AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD!
Experts?
4 wheel-drive?
Quote from: Carnut on February 15, 2013, 07:21:29 AM
Quote from: nicanary on February 15, 2013, 07:02:42 AM
4 wheel-drive?
Not that I am aware of, no.
It's just that the rim widths are the same front and rear. At first glance it looks like a prototype Maserati T63, but I'm pretty sure it's British. The pic looks like an early-season demo to the press - is it British?
Costin Nathan Astra RNRI 1969?
Is it a Crossle 9S? In which case it was built by John Crossle about 6 miles from my home - powered by a Ford twin-cam and built circa 1964.
Nomad MK2, powered by a BRM engine?
Neither a Crossle nor a Nomad..
Rejo?
DRW?
Landar R6 1000C?
Neither DRW nor Landar..
I'm pretty sure it's not, but Brabham BT8?
Quote from: nicanary on February 15, 2013, 10:41:16 AM
I'm pretty sure it's not, but Brabham BT8?
No, it's not a Brabham.
Aurora BMC Special (with BMC engine) '1965?
Quote from: dzima1985 on February 15, 2013, 02:41:31 PM
Aurora BMC Special (with BMC engine) '1965?
No, not that!
Is this a one-off, or from a low-volume manufacturer?
Quote from: nicanary on February 16, 2013, 05:17:45 AM
Is this a one-off, or from a low-volume manufacturer?
Like many racing car makers of the time they made a number of cars, but probably no two were the same..
Attila?
Merlyn?
Alexis Sports Racer?
It's neither a Merlyn nor an Alexis!
I hate this. Sigh. It's circa 1963/65, and small sports-car racing was still popular in the UK. It's not a Lotus,Lola or Elva. It's not all the marques we've proposed. It's not a Felday, Willment or Parnell. This is clutching at straws - Emeryson?
Quote from: nicanary on February 17, 2013, 11:30:11 AM
I hate this. Sigh. It's circa 1963/65, and small sports-car racing was still popular in the UK. It's not a Lotus,Lola or Elva. It's not all the marques we've proposed. It's not a Felday, Willment or Parnell. This is clutching at straws - Emeryson?
At least you're right on one score: it's not any of those you've mentioned (including Emeryson)!
Date is about right..
Gripping on by my fingernails here....... Milmor?
Quote from: nicanary on February 19, 2013, 06:07:32 AM
Gripping on by my fingernails here....... Milmor?
Frayed knot, no..
Astra?
Are those BRM wheels?
Went through the alphabet in my head last night, and came up with Martin. ?
Quote from: nicanary on February 21, 2013, 04:55:46 AM
Went through the alphabet in my head last night, and came up with Martin. ?
Maybe you were dreaming?!
Not Martin..
Gizza clue. My head hurts.
(This is my specialist area (don't laugh at the back). I know zilch about coachbuilders, I'm lost with German taxis of the 20s and one-off concept cars (i.e. pipedreams) from Eastern Europe, but I do pride myself on motor sport of the 50s/60s. And I'm lost on this one, although the photo rings a bell in what's left of my grey matter).
Quote from: nicanary on February 21, 2013, 08:16:32 AM
Gizza clue. My head hurts.
(This is my specialist area (don't laugh at the back). I know zilch about coachbuilders, I'm lost with German taxis of the 20s and one-off concept cars (i.e. pipedreams) from Eastern Europe, but I do pride myself on motor sport of the 50s/60s. And I'm lost on this one, although the photo rings a bell in what's left of my grey matter).
Ok then, since this one is moving up to the Professionals tomorrow if it remains unsolved, and they will probably give it fairly short shrift, I'll give you a clue.
This car still exists today, but it doesn't look much like it did in the puzzle photo...
Your hint was gratefully accepted, but didn't help much. What DID help was a feeling about the Birrells and Ecurie Ecosse. I thought the front looked remarkably like the Ecosse-Buick coupe, and searched my Gauld history. And then there was light.
It's the original Tojeiro-Ford as converted by Stan Sproat in 1966 to spyder form, and subsequently written-off by Bill Stein. Power was the ubiquitous Ford 289 4.7-litre V8. The car was converted from one of the original coupes, the work being started in 1965, but I reckon not finished till '66. (The photo had me fooled because the car looks much smaller without paint).
Yes, you've got it.
It started out life as a Tojeiro-Buick, chassis no. TAD 1/63, but was converted to an open car with a Ford 289 V8 for Le Mans 1964 and the chassis was renumbered TAD 1/64. As you say, it was totally destroyed by Bill Stein (see the story below) and rebuilt back to the original Tojeiro-Buick, so it was very short-lived as the puzzle car, which is probably why you didn't find it easily! Below are pictures of the car as it is today, but there's also another photo of it as the open-topped Ford-engined car.
A bit of the story:
QUOTE
Ecurie Ecosse owned more than one Tojeiro but the one you are talking about was the Tojeiro-Ford. It started out as a Tojeiro-Buick Coupe and then the engine was changed to a Ford V8 and was raced by Jackie Stewart amongst others. At the meeting you talk about Ecurie Ecosse had cut the roof off the car to convert it into a Spyder and it was driven by Bill Stein a young Scot who was racing for Ecurie Ecosse at the time. I was standing on the infield when the accident happened and it was horrendous as the car literally folded up when it hit the bank. Bill was trapped for at least fifteen minutes whilst the race continued and then in order to get him out of the car the car had to be pulled apart. Bill was badly injured and though he made a good recovery he still has problems with his legs. Bill lives in Spain today but occasionally returns to Scotland to meet up with his friends.
UNQUOTE
Ecurie Ecosse Tojeiro-Ford for sale