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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2013 => Topic started by: pnegyesi on August 18, 2013, 08:34:22 AM

Title: Solved: PN #533 -- Paul Flament's Formeco
Post by: pnegyesi on August 18, 2013, 08:34:22 AM
Please identify this racing formula for a point
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on August 25, 2013, 05:33:01 AM
Experts?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on September 01, 2013, 06:51:37 AM
Professionals?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: nicanary on September 01, 2013, 07:22:45 AM
VW based sans doubte. But why paired occupants? That's more like USSR style racing. Was it an off-road form of racing ?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on September 01, 2013, 08:12:04 AM
VW-based, sort of off-roader
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: nicanary on September 01, 2013, 08:54:24 AM
Quote from: pnegyesi on September 01, 2013, 08:12:04 AM
VW-based, sort of off-roader

"Sort of" off-roading is intriguing. Some for of motorised orienteering ?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on September 01, 2013, 08:55:25 AM
Okay, it was off-roading, let's stick to it
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: nicanary on September 01, 2013, 09:57:13 AM
Total guess - Strandrennen ?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on September 01, 2013, 10:01:49 AM
no. So let me rephrase my earlier "sort of off-roading" comment. These racers both on- and off-road
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: faksta on December 09, 2013, 06:22:08 AM
They're pictured on sand here, as far as I can see?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 09, 2013, 04:02:04 PM
yes - and welcome back Faksta
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: faksta on December 10, 2013, 07:41:37 AM
Thank you! :)
I'm so curious about these cars... From you said about racing both on and off-road, the first idea that comes to my mind is rallycross. Maybe some specific formula for rallycross then?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 10, 2013, 11:51:31 AM
not rallycross
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: nicanary on December 10, 2013, 11:54:24 AM
Vee-Cross ?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 10, 2013, 12:27:42 PM
Beg your pardon?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: nicanary on December 10, 2013, 12:42:24 PM
Quote from: pnegyesi on December 10, 2013, 12:27:42 PM
Beg your pardon?

;) I thought it might be some form of rallycross for VW-based cars, so I made up a name. Like Formula Vee, but for a different type of car.
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 10, 2013, 02:14:43 PM
You are in the right direction with made up names. It is about the Formula it was envisioned.
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: faksta on December 12, 2013, 01:47:03 PM
Was it a British formula? BP banners behind are the main reason I'd think so.
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 12, 2013, 03:33:56 PM
not British
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: Wendax on December 12, 2013, 04:54:47 PM
Dutch?
Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: Tom_I on December 12, 2013, 06:23:48 PM
I think this is the French Formule Économique or "Forméco". The cars were developed in the late 1960s by a garage owner called Paul Flament in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France, initially as a way of recycling accident-damaged Volkswagens.

The floorpan was shortened, and a lightweight two-seater buggy style body fitted, with steel roll cage. I think it was initially seen as an instruction vehicle for young drivers interested in racing, but it was found to perform well on the beaches and sand dunes in the area, and became popular for racing in those conditions. I don't think it took off in a big way, and seems to have disappeared around the time of the oil crisis in the early 1970s.


Title: Re: PN #533
Post by: pnegyesi on December 12, 2013, 11:43:58 PM
A perfect answer