Solved - MJW #1185 - Dolphin FJ 1960 (David Latchford)

[woodinsight]

A single-seater from some decades ago - what's the make, what series did it compete in and the year?

[woodinsight]

Moving up........

[woodinsight]

Can the Pro's solve this one?

[nicanary]

Roy Salvadori complains to John Wyer that his Aston Martin DBR4 has nothing like the power they were claiming........

With those wheels, it's got to be 500cc Formula 3, surely?

[woodinsight]

 

Not 500 Formula 3 but a small racing series nevertheless........unusual to see wire wheels in this formula 

[nicanary]

Not 500 Formula 3 but a small racing series nevertheless........unusual to see wire wheels in this formula 

Yes - the 4 exhaust pipes had me confused! Maybe Formula Junior?

[woodinsight]

Not 500 Formula 3 but a small racing series nevertheless........unusual to see wire wheels in this formula 

Yes - the 4 exhaust pipes had me confused! Maybe Formula Junior?

Yes, it's a Formula Junior

[nicanary]

Usually only the Italians were still fitting wire wheels in this era, but the exhausts are the wrong side of the engine for a Fiat. Is it a BMC engine?

[woodinsight]

Usually only the Italians were still fitting wire wheels in this era, but the exhausts are the wrong side of the engine for a Fiat. Is it a BMC engine?

I believe so

[nicanary]

Nobody else is having a go, so I'll plod on. I don't recognise it.

British?

[woodinsight]

Nobody else is having a go, so I'll plod on. I don't recognise it.

British?

Apologies Nicanary - the engine is Ford, not BMC.

Yes, it's British

[nicanary]

It looks a lot like the Evad. Early prototype of that marque?

(BTW my earlier "petite blague anglaise" about the Aston fell flat - the team manager was not John Wyer, but Reg (now squire, 'ere's a nice little racer I found round the back of me lock-up, can do it for a nice price, just for you") Parnell.

[woodinsight]

It looks a lot like the Evad. Early prototype of that marque?

(BTW my earlier "petite blague anglaise" about the Aston fell flat - the team manager was not John Wyer, but Reg (now squire, 'ere's a nice little racer I found round the back of me lock-up, can do it for a nice price, just for you") Parnell.

I enjoyed it - Reg, bless his cotton socks, a man I admired in my youth as an Aston Martin supporter, one of the last of his ilk!

No it's not the Evad but it is a one-off.........

[nicanary]

I feel that his 5th place in the 1953 Mille Miglia was one of the finest performances on foreign soil for a British driver in the 50s, a drive that is overlooked so often because of "The Boy"'s efforts in 1955. Anyhoo..... we digress.

I sort of guessed it was a one-off built by an enthusiast. Did he build any other cars that we might know, such as something for the UK monoposto formula?

Update - I know it's only one question at a time, so ignore the above. Is it the Senior, made in Scotland by the Bertram brothers?

[faksta]

Must have been a very enjoyable car to drive if the driver couldn't stand dancing at the wheel!

[woodinsight]

Let me give you a small clue - it shares it's name with another FJ......

[nicanary]

Elfin ?

[Paul Jaray]

Cheetah?

[woodinsight]

Neither Elfin or Cheetah but one is reasonably close to the name....

[Hiawatha]

Dolphin?

[nicanary]

Dolphin?

Well done! I was going to look at alternative Dolphin cars, but decided against it. Such is life.

[woodinsight]

Dolphin?

Dolphin is correct!
LOCKED for you to pinpoint the year

Bad luck nicanary......

[Hiawatha]

It seems to be rather obscure.. I'll try 1959

[woodinsight]

It seems to be rather obscure.. I'll try 1959

Not 1959 but close enough - it was raced and built? by David Latchford in 1960.
One point for you........

[nicanary]

The car was raced at the 2013 Silverstone Classic by Kevin Musson and was referred to as a Dolphin GBR , presumably to differentiate it from the American-built Dolphin cars. As you say, it was Ford MAE powered.

I've never heard of the car, and I'm guessing that it was not successful in period, and was not raced much. Dave Latchford raced under the Ecurie Dauphin title, and ran a Dolphin-Fiat at the 1960 Monaco F.Junior event, which I reckon would have been one of the US rear-engined cars.