AutoPuzzles - The Internet's Museum of Rare Cars!
Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2018 => Topic started by: nicanary on February 10, 2018, 05:04:43 AM
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What car is this?
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Experts?
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Well I'd say it is an early Maserati 8CTF, except I don't remember seeing one without an exhaust system!
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Well I'd say it is an early Maserati 8CTF, except I don't remember seeing one without an exhaust system!
I'm afraid it's nothing to do with Maserati.
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Looks a professional job, is it from a specialist small company as opposed to a bigger company like Alfa?
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Looks a professional job, is it from a specialist small company as opposed to a bigger company like Alfa?
It was built by a small company. based on a car from a larger company.
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Talbot-Lago base?
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Talbot-Lago base?
No.
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Is it Australian?
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Is kit Australin?
Yes, insofar as the car was built in Australia from a base made in another country.
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I am still trying to work out how many exhaust stubs there are, and how big the car is - it seems smaller than I first imagined. Is it based on an American car?
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I am still trying to work out how many exhaust stubs there are, and how big the car is - it seems smaller than I first imagined. Is it based on an American car?
Nothing American about it as far as I know, but the car is smaller than it first was.
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To ask the obvious: is it Holden-powered?
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To ask the obvious: is it Holden-powered?
No.
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So was it previously a GP car modified to accommodate a smaller engine, and if so was it Italian?
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So was it previously a GP car modified to accommodate a smaller engine, and if so was it Italian?
It was not previously a GP car, and the engine was always the same size. No Italian connection.
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Those wheels look relatively large in relation to the car, and British ...... is there a Riley involved?
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Or an Alta?
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Neither Riley nor Alta. Indeed, not British.
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So base vehicle not British, not American and not Italian - and not Australian. Is it German like the Maybach special?
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So base vehicle not British, not American and not Italian - and not Australian. Is it German like the Maybach special?
Not German.
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Is it based on a Peugeot?
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Is it based on a Peugeot?
No.
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Is it an 8 cylinder engine, or are there 8 exhaust stubs?
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Is it an 8 cylinder engine, or are there 8 exhaust stubs?
It is an 8-cylinder engine.
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French base - Delage or Delahaye?
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French base - Delage or Delahaye?
French base, but neither of the above.
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A Ballot found its way to Australia where it had a long career. Is this it?
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A Ballot found its way to Australia where it had a long career. Is this it?
Sadly not.
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French, Straight 8. Is Bugatti-based too obvious.?
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French, Straight 8. Is Bugatti-based too obvious.?
Not too obvious at all. Bugatti it is, but not just rebodied.
Tell you what, have a LOCK. My initial question was a bit vague, but a point will be awarded for the actual model of Bugatti which provided the base, plus any name involved in its Australian history. I have the builder and the last owner in my notes.
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Is it based on a Bugatti type 37?
Was Doug Whiteford involved?
Please unlock this as I am guessing in the dark and have no real ideas.
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Is it based on a Bugatti type 37?
Was Doug Whiteford involved?
Please unlock this as I am guessing in the dark and have no real ideas.
It's not a T37, and no Doug Whiteford connection.
OK. UNLOCKED and open for all.
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I assume this is nothing to do with the Bugatti-Dodge because information on it was a little sparse. There was however a T57 which was the last Bugatti to race under its own power in the 1957 Australian GP - entered by David Van Dal.
On to a website describing this car as currently having the original TT body, but having previously been shortened and having had a different body, when owned by said Mr Dal. Is this the car?
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I assume this is nothing to do with the Bugatti-Dodge because information on it was a little sparse. There was however a T57 which was the last Bugatti to race under its own power in the 1957 Australian GP - entered by David Van Dal.
On to a website describing this car as currently having the original TT body, but having previously been shortened and having had a different body, when owned by said Mr Dal. Is this the car?
You've solved it. This car was originally a Bugatti Type 57T as owned and raced by Earl Howe and Pierre Bouillon (Levegh) - it was sold to Australia where Paul Hind shortened the chassis by 2'6" (!!) and clothed it with this attractive body. It was purchased by David Van Dal in 1954 and he raced it extensively Down Under until it was finally considered uncompetitive.
As you say, it's now back to its original form (I doubt if the reconstituted full-length chassis is the original) and probably worth a lot more money. Bit of a shame in my opinion - I think it looked very much the part.
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Well thanks to D-type for establishing the key point.
I never found a photo of this car in early 50s trim - do you have any others?
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Well thanks to D-type for establishing the key point.
I never found a photo of this car in early 50s trim - do you have any others?
Sadly no. I obtained this from another well-known website forum. I've never previously seen an image of the car in this form.
Even Bonhams didn't say much about the car's time in Australia when they sold the car at auction - presumably they didn't want people to realise how much the car had been butchered during its career.