Sorry for the small photo. What is this car, and who is driving it?
Experts?
Based on a Jaguar XK120/150? That looks like a West Bristol registration number, so probably a UK car?
Quote from: richard cuyler on July 06, 2014, 01:43:28 PM
Based on a Jaguar XK120/150? That looks like a West Bristol registration number, so probably a UK car?
I'm afraid I don't know the origin of the registration plate - but it's not based on a Jaguar of any sort. And it's not a British marque.
Australia ?
New Zealand?
This is actually a difficult puzzle. I think it might need the Pros.
From Europe?
Quote from: serra on July 21, 2014, 03:32:19 AM
From Europe?
Yes. Car and driver both from Europe.
Are the car and the driver from the same country?
Quote from: serra on July 21, 2014, 06:00:45 AM
Are the car and the driver from the same country?
No.A small clue - the driver was "road-testing" the car for a magazine.
Ah yes now I know what I'm looking for 'tis our old boozing mate John Bolster driving it, isn't it?
Must have been testing it for Autosport, in that case as it was that mag. he wrote for.
Quote from: Allan L on July 21, 2014, 07:10:51 AM
Ah yes now I know what I'm looking for 'tis our old boozing mate John Bolster driving it, isn't it?
Must have been testing it for Autosport, in that case as it was that mag. he wrote for.
Spot on! It is indeed the irascible JVB, but that's all I know. I also believe (although I don't know for sure) that he is driving this car in order to provide a report to Autosport readers. Hence the temporary road plates.
LOCKED for you. Any idea what it is he's driving?
That's not a registration plate that looks British at all, whether temporary or permanent.
Was it in the UK?
Quote from: Carnut on July 21, 2014, 08:20:52 AM
That's not a registration plate that looks British at all, whether temporary or permanent.
Was it in the UK?
It's actually locked for Allan Lupton! But to help everyone - I don't know where the photo was taken.
Oops sorry.
For some reason I thought I was looking at the Solved board, so I wasn't actually asking the question with a view to progressing towards a solution!
It may be locked for me but so is my brain!!
You said it isn't a British car and I agree it's not a British registration no., not even a trade plate as they never got to such a hugh number anywhere, let alone Monmouthshire!
Putting two and two together to make 17 let me say that WO was the registration for the Wolfsberg district of Kärnten (Carinthia) in Austria. In the years from 1946 Ferdinand Porsche and his office were in Gmünd, also in Kärnten, and the car does appear to have Porsche trailing arm front suspension.
That's more or less it as I cannot think of a Porsche design with a twin-cam engine in the front.
In that case it may just be that JVB is testing a car from somewhere else on the Grossglockner pass which starts at Heiligenblut in Kärnten.
You're being all too technical for me, Allan. I wish I could help with the reason for those "trade" plates, but I don't know what they signify. This car has no connection with Germany.
I'm getting nowhere so please unlock it!
I did have a bound run of Autosport for the Gregor Grant (& John Bolster) period but as I sold it 35-40 years ago at least I can't spend the next year hunting through them!
So we know it's not a British or German car so is it Italian?
Quote from: Allan L on July 24, 2014, 04:50:00 AM
I'm getting nowhere so please unlock it!
I did have a bound run of Autosport for the Gregor Grant (& John Bolster) period but as I sold it 35-40 years ago at least I can't spend the next year hunting through them!
So we know it's not a British or German car so is it Italian?
OK. Unlocked and open for all. Not an Italian car, but there is a connection with Italy, namely a town called Bazzano.
It is a French manufacturer's plate, and the car should be a Gordini.
Quote from: Wendax on July 24, 2014, 05:11:36 AM
It is a French manufacturer's plate, and the car should be a Gordini.
I knew I'd gone too far with that clue! Yes, it's a Gordini. LOCKED for you to tell me which model.
I think it is the T32.
Quote
I knew I'd gone too far with that clue!
Don't worry, I already figured out that it was a French plate and had ruled out the postwar Bugattis. So Gordini was my next best guess which just was confirmed by your generous hint.
Quote from: Wendax on July 24, 2014, 05:16:11 AM
I think it is the T32.
Quote
I knew I'd gone too far with that clue!
Don't worry, I already figured out that it was a French plate and had ruled out the postwar Bugattis. So Gordini was my next best guess which just was confirmed by your generous hint.
A very , very, well-deserved point. You even showed me the magazine cover which I imagine contained John Bolster's test report on the car. It is indeed the T32, Amedee Gordini's last desperate attempt to stay in GP racing. It's been a previous puzzle, but I thought this stripped chassis would make a good puzzle. The wonderful collection of 8 exhaust pipes are sadly not visible.
John Bolster had of course been a decent driver himself before his big accident, and manufacturers were presumably happy enough to let him drive their cars for test reports. Whether Amedee Gordini could understand his Anglo-Saxon language is another matter. Allan Lupton will know what I'm talking about!
PS That looks like Montlhery.
If you want to pay £4.75 for a copy (of a 1/6d magazine!) there's one on eBay at present.
More photos from Schlumpf collection