Solved: PN #399 -- John Jennison's first special from the 1920s

[pnegyesi]

not based on a Packard

[RayTheRat]

deleted

[Craig Gillingham]

Was this an actual car that was sold in numbers, or a one off?

[RayTheRat]

Is it from a large company like GM?

[pnegyesi]

this was a one-off

[RayTheRat]

this was a one-off

ok, but was the base donor a large company?

[pnegyesi]

a member of the GM family

[RayTheRat]

Pontiac?

[pnegyesi]

no

[RayTheRat]

Chevrolet?

[pnegyesi]

yes

[RayTheRat]

Ames body?

[pnegyesi]

no, this was a one-off built by an Australian individual

[RayTheRat]

I'm gonna have to leave this to Manuel or Craig cuz I'm slightly out of touch with historic one-offs from Down Under.   

[pnegyesi]

the info is available online

[RayTheRat]

Ok.  Since Manuel and Craig seem to be on holiday, I'll try to narrow it down by year. 

Was the base car (the Chevy) built between 1925 and 1930?

[pnegyesi]

most probably yes

[Manuel]

Sorry boys. I am stumped on this one as well.
Tho the steering wheel and the bits I can see under the car scream Ford to me.

Happy New Year to all!!

Manuel in Oz

[pnegyesi]

Clues: the man raced this car in the 1920s but never won a race. So he decided to try his hands on motorboats.
But in the 1930s he built at least one more car

[Craig Gillingham]

This car was built by John Jennison in Salisbury (A Northern suburb of Adelaide), in the late 20's. It's not clear when the photo was taken, from what I can figure out, after 1925.

Regarding what the car was based on, I think the answer that is required is Chevrolet. But, looking at the front on view of the car, that front axle and steering wheel are definitely from a Model T Ford, and by the look of it, the front cross member of the chassis as well; the car could have been made out of some Chev parts. That sump also looks T model, to me.

[pnegyesi]

very well found! Congratulations and two points for you

[Craig Gillingham]

Thank you, it's very kind of you.

[Manuel]

Putting Chev steel disc wheels on T Fords was popular in the good old days as was putting OHV 4 cyl Chev/Olds heads on T blocks [which were side valve] to make them breathe and rev better.
There is not much info around on hi speed parts made in Aus/NZ. They were avail from overseas @ great cost. So some did take the plunge and make them here in very small numbers.

Manuel in Oz

[RayTheRat]

I'm with Manuel.  After seeing the front view, I'm about 99 percent positive that it's not a Chevy frame.  As far as I know, Chevrolet never used a transverse spring...they used twin longitudinal semi-eliptic springs going back to their inception in 1911.  It's one reason the Model T (and the Model A after it) was so popular as a platform for dirt-track jalopies.  With a transverse spring, you could use snubbers to limit the amount of body roll (an early version of the sway bar) which made 'em handle much better than the longitudinal-sprung cars.  And I still gotta agree that the oil pan/bellhousing/transmission looks identical to a Model T's.

The first attached photo shows a Frontenac-head Model T Ford Speedster under construction.  The transverse spring is evident, as is the very large-diameter bellhousing that is characteristics of a Model T.

The 2nd photo shows a Model T Speedster with the same "hallmark" bellhousing and disc wheels.

I'm not arguing for a point, just an accuracy thing.

[pnegyesi]

You may be right. My assumption was based on the fact that the car stands in front of a Chevy dealership