Solved NIC#1303 - Turner Ardun sports car

[nicanary]

Is the chassis from a recognised sports car?

Yes. Quite well known.

[D-type]

Still blundering around in the dark:  The chassis is British isn't it.

[nicanary]

Still blundering around in the dark:  The chassis is British isn't it.

Yes, I wouldn't call it low-volume but not a name which most non-car people would know.

[shamrock]

TVR

[nicanary]

TVR

Not TVR.

[D-type]

Tojeiro?

[nicanary]

Tojeiro?

No.

[D-type]

British
Kieft
Healey
Allard
Aston
Jaguar
MG
Connaught
Bristol
TVR
Tojeiro

Who's left?  HWM
Powered by Chevrolet

[nicanary]

Not HWM or Chevrolet.

[D-type]

Kieft
Healey
Allard
Aston
Jaguar
MG
Connaught
Bristol
TVR
Tojeiro
HWM

Who's left now?  Lister?  with  Ford V8

[nicanary]

It's not a Lister, but it is a Ford V8. Sort of.

This manufacturer started out by building a series of individual cars, and turned to mass production a few years later. Not really mass like MG or Austin-Healey, but sizeable quantities.

[FrontMan]

.....which leaves us with two (?) possibilities. I'll have a go with Ginetta.

[nicanary]

.....which leaves us with two (?) possibilities. I'll have a go with Ginetta.

Not a Ginetta.

[mekubb]

Alvis ?

[D-type]

Marcos, with a V8 from a Ford subsidiary,  say Mercury.

[richard fridd]

Kit builder initially?

[nicanary]

Not Alvis, not Marcos, and not a kit-car maker. The engine was a Ford, but it had been modified.

[richard fridd]

Jensen?

[FrontMan]

....or an ELVA with Ardun-Ford hardware?

[nicanary]

....or an ELVA with Ardun-Ford hardware?

Not a Jensen or an Elva, but you are correct - it is a flathead Ford with the Ardun ohv conversion.

Just the chassis to solve.

PS Many apologies - it is a Mercury engine. Sorry to mislead you all.

[FrontMan]

Turner!!

[nicanary]

Turner!!

Yes, it's a Turner, or so the advertisement says.  It has been the subject of debate on another website, where a poster claimed it is chassis #008.  That number was allocated to the one-off Formula 2 car, which still exists. Maybe the single-seater was converted to a sports car, and then changed back to the F2 configuration when racing cars became valuable. I can find no mention of the puzzle car on the comprehensive Turner Register.

PS probably a Rochdale type-C body.

[fromwien]

Jack Turner built his first 'Special' in 1951. With a twin-tube ladderframe and all around independent suspension by transverse leaf springs and lower wishbones. He supplied seven such chassis' to interested parties. The customers then had to source the other necessary components, like gearbox and engine, as also their own bodywork. This one seems to be a Rochdale-body. I am not absolutely sure, to be right in any detail. Cannot find the Turner-book in my library at the moment. As soon as I have found it, you will get some more details.
But, please tell me, why don't you subsum the later 'Turner's' as kit cars? 

[nicanary]

I think most customers bought them fully assembled. They may have been available in knock-down form, but I don't rememeber. I'm referring to the 803 and 950 models.

[Allan L]

I think most customers bought them fully assembled. They may have been available in knock-down form, but I don't rememeber. I'm referring to the 803 and 950 models.

I can say that I helped a friend assemble his Turner BMC in the 1950s - it was supplied by Alexander Engineering, as agents, with their engine tuning mods, but to avoid paying Purchase Tax it was not fully assembled, nor were many similar cars at the time. Later (1966) I was part of a team helping a colleague assemble a Lotus Elan kit.