February Quiz

[trw99]

This may sound familiar to us from all those glowing road tests on Elans. However, this description is not of an Elan, or indeed of a Lotus. Can anyone identify the year, make and/or model of car?

"The ..?.. itself, is in the fullest measure the diehard enthusiast's car. It can give the sheer joy of driving, performance and handling as it does, and becomes almost a living entity under the drivers exact control. He feels a new mastery over the machine, and over the road itself.

In the course of the years the main design has not altered appreciably. From the first moment of reacquantaince with the make after a long interval, its remarkable personality impresses itself upon one. It is so completely the true, 'no frills' sports machine, and is either liked better than any other for certain major qualities or rejected as 'impossible', according to the point of view.

One does not need to drive at anywhere near the maximum to obtain a striking average speed, for this car can maintain practically a set rate. That figure can be between 60 and 70mph on a main road, there being no need to slacken appreciably for bends, and the car holds speed just as the driver wishes up gradients. Third can always be used as an alternative to top, even for several miles on end, as over a winding or up-and-down section, or, again, for high speed passing.

An outstanding point is the steering, which is higher geared than on any other production car today, needing less than one turn from lock to lock. It is phenomenally quick in response to the wheel, and also has strong caster return action. In ordinary driving the car is hardly steered at all in the literal sense; slight pressure one way or the other on the wheel takes it round curves, accurately to an inch or two and close in to the road edge."

Told you it sounded familiar!

So, anyone any answers?

Tim

[1964 S1]

Lotus Seven

[reb53]

"However, this description is not of an Elan, or indeed of a Lotus."

So, not a Seven then......

Ralph.

[robcall]

Original mx5/miata?-that'd be what-1989?

[Elanintheforest]

That was either written in the 1930s, althought the speed seems a bit high for that, or it was written by Leonard John Kensell Setright in the 70s, who always used more words that seemed to be required!

Trouble is, he goes on about the car's ability to get up a hill effortlessly, which is a very pre-war consideration. And then, less that one turn lock to lock.....sounds like a full blown race car.

I think I'm going to have to go for something like a Morgan Aero Sports, circa 1932.

Mark

[richardcox_lotus]

1 turn from lock-to-lock ? I would say Gordon Murray's / Chris Craft's Rocket.

[trw99]

Mark is closest so far.

Two hints then: pre- war and British



Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Chain drive Fraser-Nash....

[SADLOTUS]

Evenin' all,

Just the thing for the snowbound.

At first I wanted to say Frazer Nash LeMans Replica - but has to be prewar, then, a Bugatti of some sort - but has to be British.

How about a 1932/3 MG K3 Magnette? 125 bhp, 110mph,

Pipped! As Elanintheforest says: Chain gang Frazer Nash - TT replica?

[trw99]

Amazing what a bit a snow does! No time to work so .....

Well done you two! Have a packet of Smarties each. The road test appeared in The Autocar in 1937 of a short chassis Blackburne engined Frazer Nash TT Replica.

And I would love to have one! Yeha for the chain gang.

Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Hi Tim
Too easy...or a lucky guess!!!!

Mark

[1964 S1]

bumpa bumpa