WTF is this ( non shite content )

[Rusty Pelican]

Wondering if anyone on here has any clue what this car is seeing as theres some really knowledgeable people on here 

From an old book on Trams & Trolley's, caption is just "Oxford St. London, 1962". 

[tooSavvy]

... I'll wager Plastic/Ford Pop chassis - made in OLDHAM!

 

TS

[midnite]

looks a bit jensen a bit daimler sp250, the doors look like they open with part of the roof attached.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

At first I thought possibly Reliant Sabre or even a Sabra but then realised it's absolutely tiny, so I think TooSavvy could be on the right lines , maybe even Austin 7 .

The only thing is it looks far too well proportioned for a 50's/60's special, although hasn't Barret got a pretty little Kitcar/ Special ? He's probably your man for this.

[eddyramrod]

I agree, I think it'll turn out to be a kit on a Ford Pop chassis, or similar.  The hubcaps look Sunbeam Rapier to me, as does the windscreen (Rapier rear screen?).

[carlo]

Hmmm, interesting one.  Could be an Ashley, British 50s glassfibre special as the wing line looks similar:

 

 

But there's something French looking about it, even the front number plate looks French?

[carlo]

Although the hubcaps look similar to these, and that's often a clue:

 

 

[HMC]

Interesting motor, obscured by Hilda's head are what appears to we reverse rake windscreen pillars, and some thought has gone to cabin ventilation what with those extraction ducts. Very well thought out for its time.

[Station]

Possibly AC/Frua/Sunbeam.

[John F]

It's got a bit of Sunbeam Alpine to it, but the front end and the rear side bits where the windows should be are wrong.

 

Did someone do a kit version?

[anonymous user]

Wait for Barrett, he'll get it in seconds.

[HMC]

If you look above the windscreen it looks almost like a seam on the roof continuous with the door - a targa top before porche populised it?

[tooSavvy]

.... am I missing 'gullwing' doors?

 

TS

[mercrocker]

Its got Frank Costin's name all over it but I cannot place it as being one of his.....Looks far too well thought out to be a proprietary kit of the time.   If those rear wings were moulded from a Sunbeam Alpine's I wouldn't be surprised - same as that screen which looks like an early Alpine hardtop rear window.   Surely, though, that would distort far too much to be useable?   The wheel trims are Styla aftermarket ones I believe.  Its bloody interesting, can't wait to find out what it is!

[scaryoldcortina]

Back screen from a SIII minx was popular with the ford special builders..

 

I don't recognise it at all though.

[Inspector Morose]

Closest thing I can work out is a cheetah, an American kit based on the corvette. Totally wrong wings but the overall silhouette and gulling doors with that large air vent behind it look about right.

 

I wonder if someone saw one in a mag and made a copy based on a British chassis?

[michael1703]

Nikri alpine ?

[phil_lihp]

It has a bit of a Marcos look about it.

[Paul Dupart]

Wheels look Daimler Dartish 

[carlo]

I'm fascinated by this and hope someone knows what it is, must have thousands of books on cars but have not got a clue.  It almost looks too exotic for a British special, may even have been a complete one-off custom build for someone very rich.  And just happened to be photographed for a book!

[Junkman]

Closest thing I can work out is a cheetah, an American kit based on the corvette. Totally wrong wings but the overall silhouette and gulling doors with that large air vent behind it look about right.

 

I wonder if someone saw one in a mag and made a copy based on a British chassis?

 

If you mean the Bill Thomas Cheetah, it was neither a kit, nor based on the Corvette, nor bearing any resemblance to the car in question.

[scaryoldcortina]

Someone very rich woudn't have a 7/10 special though. I think more likely talented home designer makes mundane mechanicals into swish sports car.

[michael1703]

Are they gull wing doors?

[carlo]

Are they gull wing doors?

 

Do look like it don't they.  That number plate looks foreign too.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

The bonnet is very low and the rear window is fixed with what looks like a panel below it, could it be rear engined?

It could be a foreign special on a Renault 4CV or Fiat 500 base.

[barrett]

Crikey!

 

Well, I have no idea what that is whatsoever. I can tell you what it's not, though, and that's anything thats been mentioned so far. It's not a production car and I am 99 per cent certain it's not an off the peg special body (I think I have records of all but two of the proprietary bodies available in the UK now. Slim chance it could be one of those two, I guess)

 

I would suggest entirely home built on Ford chassis (looks a bit long for an A7). There were plenty of these being made, but few I've seen are anywhere near the quality of this. The flared arches in particular would be very difficult to do in GRP in your shed. It could even be an ally body.

 

I reckon the only hope of finding out what it is is to read every copy of Practical Motorist published between 1956 and '62 and see if it pops up in there. Or somebody reads this thread and remembers their uncle Dave making it. Annoying, but I am gradually getting used to the fact that some cars will simply never be identified now so much time has passed. Which is a shame, considering all the work that somebody put into this just for it to slip totally into obscurity forever.

 

I'll pass this pic to some more knowledgeable folks than me and see if they can come up with anything.

[Inspector Morose]

If you mean the Bill Thomas Cheetah, it was neither a kit, nor based on the Corvette, nor bearing any resemblance to the car in question.

Details, details. Yes the cheetah was a purpose built car, but take those bubble arches off, replace them with flatter sides. So far? Look how the rear wheel arch cuts into the doorway (got to be gulling as there's no visible door handle at the rear of the door along with the shut lines deep into the roof) yup the rear wings are all wrong too but there are clues that seem to me that it was, at least inspired by the cheetah.

[Inspector Morose]

A front end with vertical bumpers too are pretty uncommon for a special. It's the gull wing doors that will give it away in the end, I'm sure.

[barrett]

Any chance you could post the cover of the book? I'd like to get a copy and try for a better scan if possible

[tooSavvy]

Mmmmmmmm.....

 

... in at the off - there's a first - & 'gull wing' doors!

 

TS