Solved - NEH 4049: TVR P1 Project 5 1962 with DKW engine, designed by Frank Costin

[Carnut]

What's this, by whom, from when and powered by what - for 1 point?:

Remember - solving puzzles using 'Google Search by Image' is BANNED on AutoPuzzles!

[Carnut]

Experts?

[shamrock]

a Costin , designed by Frank Costin , year I will guess 1960 , powered by DKW 

[Carnut]

a Costin , designed by Frank Costin , year I will guess 1960 , powered by DKW

Right so far (including the engine) though the date is not quite right.
But more info is needed for the point, incl who this was for and what it was called.
Locked until your next reply (but I'm going to be away for a while so may not be able to reply very quickly).

[shamrock]

great will dig

[Carnut]

Are you getting anywhere with this one shamrock or shall I unlock it?

[shamrock]

give me a day

[Carnut]

give me a day

You have until midnight tomorrow!

[shamrock]

designed for TVR , built in 1962 didnt reach production

[Carnut]

designed for TVR , built in 1962 didnt reach production

Absolutely right, yes.
I think you deserve the point already, but there is still more to find out so I'll give you the chance before I move this.
What was it called as a project and what were they going to call the 'production' car (which as you say never happened)?
I'll give you a clue: they did use the name in due time..
Still locked!

[shamrock]

TVR TINA

[Carnut]

TVR TINA

Good guess, as this design did indirectly lead to the Imp-engined Tina, since an alternative to the rear DKW engine being considered was the lightweight Climax-derived Imp engine, which of course came about once they had a prettier body to put it in, but the original idea for the name for this project was used on a car that preceded the Tina (look left!).

[Carnut]

I thought you'd want to finish this one off Shamrock?
You've won your point but there's just the final detail of its intended name; I'll fill in the rest (project number).
There's only one name left that would fit!

[pftnbr]

Would it be Costin Ultimate Low Drag Vehicle?

[Carnut]

Would it be Costin Ultimate Low Drag Vehicle?

No, not at all!
I practically gave the answer in my reply #11, but this puzzle is really shamrock's; he's already earned the point for identifying the vehicle but I was just giving him the chance to say the name that the vehicle was to have.  Once that's given I'll fill in the other details.

[shamrock]

trident

[Carnut]

trident

Yes indeed!
TVR's owner at the time, Arnold Burton, thought of the name for this car and then when it didn't get anywhere used it again for the Fioré-designed Tridents of 1965, of which 4 were built (my Avatar shows mine, the No. 3 car) before that too got nowhere after TVR's bankruptcy.  Bill Last of course hi-jacked the design for his Trident series, of which about 85 were built.

The original TVR name for the aerodynamic Frank Costin-designed puzzle car was TVR P1 Project 5; I've given you that because I don't think it's possible to find it anywhere on the net or even in writing and I only know it because David Hives told me (he was of course TVR's general manager and chief engineer back in the 1960s).  He actually drove this car around for a couple of months in 1962 and it gave him the original idea for the Hillman Imp-engined Tina, also designed by Fioré of course.

So it's one point for you!
Well done.

[Quiller]

It's been seen here before  :)

http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=6897.msg87185#msg87185

[Carnut]

That's the same car with the same registration number!
Peter Filby actually called the car Costin Auto Project 5  in his book 'TVR - Success Against The Odds' but that isn't quite the name I understand it was known by at TVR.

[Carnut]

Here's a little more on this car.
I hope Oliver doesn't mind me re-producing this here; he is actually an AP member but I don't think a very active one..