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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2016 => Topic started by: nicanary on October 25, 2015, 12:12:33 PM

Title: Solved NIC#488 - Maserati/Simca "Mecanica Nacional" race car
Post by: nicanary on October 25, 2015, 12:12:33 PM
What is the car, and who is the driver?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on December 16, 2015, 04:14:21 AM
Experts?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: Willie McCrum on December 16, 2015, 05:40:24 AM
Arzani Volpini ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on December 16, 2015, 05:47:29 AM
Quote from: Willie McCrum on December 16, 2015, 05:40:24 AM
Arzani Volpini ?

I agree that it looks like one, but your guess is way out!
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: Willie McCrum on December 22, 2015, 08:51:31 AM
Might there be an old Maserati hiding in there somewhere ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: Willie McCrum on December 22, 2015, 11:27:54 AM
Maserati 4CLT modified  by Plate ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on December 22, 2015, 01:43:39 PM
Quote from: Willie McCrum on December 22, 2015, 11:27:54 AM
Maserati 4CLT modified  by Plate ?

I'm pretty sure it's not that, but there is supposed to be a Maserati connection. I have very limited information about this car, just what it was called in a race entry and the name of the driver.

Maserati was part of the car's name. Not enough for a lock, I'm afraid.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: Willie McCrum on December 22, 2015, 04:02:41 PM
I think I'm out on this one....Unless, of course it's a 'Burano Maserati' from the movie 'The Racers'. That's where the Plate cars ended up apparently...
Don't think so though.  The nose isn't quite right....
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on December 22, 2015, 04:42:59 PM
Quote from: Willie McCrum on December 22, 2015, 04:02:41 PM
I think I'm out on this one....Unless, of course it's a 'Burano Maserati' from the movie 'The Racers'. That's where the Plate cars ended up apparently...
Don't think so though.  The nose isn't quite right....

Nothing to do with that.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 06:13:45 AM
Easy for the Pros.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 09:58:02 AM
Maserati chassis with a non-Maserati engine, or maybe the other way round ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 10:33:18 AM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 09:58:02 AM
Maserati chassis with a non-Maserati engine, or maybe the other way round ?

I admit I don't know much about this car. I will use my personal judgement to answer this question - I suspect the only part of the car which is Maserati is neither of the above! It MIGHT have a Maserati engine, but I doubt it.

Sorry to be so vague. I know the name of the car which was used for race entries, and that is what I expect as an answer together with the driver.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 10:52:41 AM
Was the driver European ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 11:16:16 AM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 10:52:41 AM
Was the driver European ?

No.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 11:16:56 AM
Australian driver ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 12:28:58 PM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 11:16:56 AM
Australian driver ?

No.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:31:53 PM
North American driver ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 12:42:02 PM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:31:53 PM
North American driver ?

No.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:43:16 PM
South American driver ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 12:44:26 PM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:43:16 PM
South American driver ?

Yes!
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:45:40 PM
From Argentina ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 12:56:19 PM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 12:45:40 PM
From Argentina ?

Not Argentina.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: D-type on January 13, 2016, 01:05:00 PM
Berta?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 01:06:06 PM
Quote from: D-type on January 13, 2016, 01:05:00 PM
Berta?

Nothing to do with him/that marque.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: D-type on January 13, 2016, 01:48:55 PM
If the Maserati connection isn't engine or chassis, is it the body?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 02:04:46 PM
Quote from: D-type on January 13, 2016, 01:48:55 PM
I the Maserati connection isn't engine or chassis, is it the body?

That's what I believe. As I've said before, I'm not entirely sure of the constituent parts of this car, but there are aspects of its appearance which makes me think it's not much of a Maserati.

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful - all I can say is that this image is available on the internet.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 05:09:14 PM
Is the driver from Brazil ?
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 05:11:50 PM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 05:09:14 PM
Is the driver from Brazil ?

Yes!
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 13, 2016, 05:26:10 PM
IMPORTANT INFORMATION. I have now found out more about this car - apparently the chassis is supposed to be from a Maserati. I thought just the body panels had been adapted from one.

So it's partly Maserati, partly something else.  The size of the chassis and the seating position for the driver suggests to me that this is a 4CM or 4CL  of some kind. Sorry to have inadvertently  misled you all.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 05:32:46 PM
Driver : Aroldo Louzada
Car : Maserati/Simca 2.432cc or 2.898cc
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: nicanary on January 14, 2016, 04:21:10 AM
Quote from: oko94 on January 13, 2016, 05:32:46 PM
Driver : Aroldo Louzada
Car : Maserati/Simca 2.432cc or 2.898cc

Yes, that's the car! Well solved and I admire your persistence. It was built for Louzada to race, but at this stage it had been sold to Ayres Bueno Vidal - it's pictured at Interlagos in 1964. I'm quite happy to award you the point because I made a few errors and this didn't help anyone.

According to my source, it's a Maserati chassis powered by the engine from a Simca Chambord. It was made to take part in the South American "Mecanica Nacional" races. As I said in an earlier post, the size of the car and the wheels made me think it was based on a Simca- Gordini, with body panels adapted from a Maserati 250F, but I was wrong about the Simca part of the solution.

My apologies to anyone who was misled by my answers.
Title: Re: Solved NIC#488 - Maserati/Simca "Mecanica Nacional" race car
Post by: Allan L on January 14, 2016, 04:38:25 AM
Since the Chambord was one of the ex-Ford France descendents, its engine was a sidevalve V8 of some 85 h.p. which would not have been first choice in Europe for many racing cars.
Title: Re: Solved NIC#488 - Maserati/Simca "Mecanica Nacional" race car
Post by: nicanary on January 14, 2016, 05:09:27 AM
Quote from: Allan L on January 14, 2016, 04:38:25 AM
Since the Chambord was one of the ex-Ford France descendents, its engine was a sidevalve V8 of some 85 h.p. which would not have been first choice in Europe for many racing cars.

;D. I suppose it's possible they fitted a proprietary ohv conversion and breathed on the whole shebang, but I get your point. It just shows that the money and facilities just weren't there in South America at this time - we still saw old 50s front-engined racers in the UK but they were taking part in club meetings in the "end-of-the-day" libre race. In the southern hemisphere they made do with what they could lay hands on.
Title: Re: NIC #488
Post by: oko94 on January 14, 2016, 07:52:44 AM
Quote from: nicanary on January 14, 2016, 04:21:10 AM
Well solved and I admire your persistence.

Thank you but I solved it quite quickly compared to many, many other puzzles so my persistence wasn't really put to a severe test with this one !