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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2018 => Topic started by: nicanary on July 10, 2018, 04:55:25 AM

Title: Solved NIC#958 - 1970 Protocross racing Hauts de France
Post by: nicanary on July 10, 2018, 04:55:25 AM: What was the name of the racing series in which these cars competed, and what was the engine?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on July 31, 2018, 10:58:13 AM: Experts?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on July 31, 2018, 06:46:47 PM: European?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 01, 2018, 05:13:38 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on July 31, 2018, 06:46:47 PM
European?

Yes.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: D-type on August 01, 2018, 10:46:47 AM: Francais?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 01, 2018, 12:21:30 PM: Quote from: D-type on August 01, 2018, 10:46:47 AM
Francais?

Oui.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 01, 2018, 07:00:09 PM: Not 2cv powered ….?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 02, 2018, 04:40:18 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 01, 2018, 07:00:09 PM
Not 2cv powered ….?

Almost amazingly - no!
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 07:37:58 AM: Panhard?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 02, 2018, 08:38:04 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 07:37:58 AM
Panhard?

No.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 10:39:59 AM: Renault campus?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 02, 2018, 12:00:01 PM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 10:39:59 AM
Renault campus?

Renault -yes. Campus - no.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 01:56:48 PM: So this is not the French Formula 4?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 02:06:37 PM: There does seem to have been a Formula 3 based on 750cc - Renault 4cv, Saab etc. Is this it?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 02, 2018, 02:19:18 PM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 02, 2018, 02:06:37 PM
There does seem to have been a Formula 3 based on 750cc - Renault 4cv, Saab etc. Is this it?

It's not F4 or F3, but much more an unofficial class of racing. However, you have stumbled on the engine used.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 05, 2018, 09:38:14 PM: hmmmm …. nothing is emerging from my google finger. Is this unofficial series purely for Renault 4cv powered single seaters?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 06, 2018, 06:21:09 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 05, 2018, 09:38:14 PM
hmmmm …. nothing is emerging from my google finger. Is this unofficial series purely for Renault 4cv powered single seaters?

They were all built with that engine, yes. Later versions used a Dauphine engine.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 06, 2018, 03:08:53 PM: Are they circuit racers - as opposed to rally cross type racing.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 06, 2018, 04:26:04 PM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 06, 2018, 03:08:53 PM
Are they circuit racers - as opposed to rally cross type racing.

I don't know much about the races, but from the name I'd say it was a form of rallycross.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 08, 2018, 03:42:41 PM: Epreuves de racer?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 08, 2018, 04:04:03 PM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 08, 2018, 03:42:41 PM
Epreuves de racer?

Not that.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 10, 2018, 10:58:12 AM: Does it have the words racer or Renault in it?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 11, 2018, 04:05:59 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 10, 2018, 10:58:12 AM
Does it have the words racer or Renault in it?

Neither. The 4CV engines were used simply because they were freely available, and although the machines took part in races, they were not circuit races as we know it, more offroad in nature.

The image comes from a French language site ;).
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 18, 2018, 07:46:15 PM: Perhaps it's my French, but I cannot find any reference to this. Would the year help - !963?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 19, 2018, 05:41:50 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 18, 2018, 07:46:15 PM
Perhaps it's my French, but I cannot find any reference to this. Would the year help - !963?

My notes suggest a date a few years later than that . Tell you what, since this is proving problematic, it's 1970.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 19, 2018, 08:09:22 PM: Anything to do with Formeco?
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: tobytwirl on August 19, 2018, 08:13:32 PM: Ha ... Formeco got me in. The series was called PROTOCROSS!!
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: nicanary on August 20, 2018, 04:01:08 AM: Quote from: tobytwirl on August 19, 2018, 08:13:32 PM
Ha ... Formeco got me in. The series was called PROTOCROSS!!

Well done ! I don't know much more about it - the photo is from 1970, and the events were held in the Hauts de France region, up near the border with Belgium. I think it was just a bunch of friends who built and raced these cars, rather than being a formal ratified series.

Perseverance again TT ! I like it.

PS 200 points and rising.
Title: Re: NIC#958
Post by: oko94 on August 20, 2018, 04:39:48 AM: Quote from: nicanary on August 20, 2018, 04:01:08 AM
I think it was just a bunch of friends who built and raced these cars, rather than being a formal ratified series.

Exactly. Later on it became the formal Autocross championship.