Another Christmas Quiz
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Company name please:
"52 years ago on the site of wartime allotments in Hertfordshire and with no more than a small garage to work from, the company of --- was born. Today the company has a turnover in excess of ?--- million and is renowned throughout the world for their high quality vehicles, which are a far cry from the first production model in 1959. However, it was in 1947 as a boy of 14 that --- had his original concept and first experience of building specialist vehicles. At school he was keen on carpentry and with his father they constructed a --- based on a Ford chassis which had been bought for ?40. "When the vehicle was finished, my father sold it for ?200 and since he didn't pay me anything, there was a good profit margin on the deal", --- recalls. There followed for --- and his brother, ---, apprenticeships in aeronautical engineering at De Havillland's in Hatfield where they worked on the wooden frames for Mosquito aircraft. Then came a period of national service as an airframe fitter and engineer with the Royal Air Force. It meant working to a high degree of accuracy in wood and aluminium, experience which were to prove invaluable later in the construction of ---.
With National Service behind him --- decided to put his experience to the test. Armed with confidence but with hardly a penny to his name, he set up business at High Cross with his brother and ---, a vehicle builder. The first --- were built working in the open with illumination provided by electric lights hanging from an oak tree. Planning permission to build a proper factory was turned down by the local authority, but --- and his team struggled on working under almost impossible conditions. Help eventually came through the intervention of the Rural Industrial Bureau which took up the case and finally obtained planning permission for a 40ft x 60ft factory. It was the breakthrough that --- wanted. By 1964 the company was employing six on the shop floor and producing one vehicle a week. Orders came flooding in and by 1970 a paint shop was added, the staff increased to 15 and production had stepped up to three vehicles a week. As each --- left the factory the staff downed tools, rushed to their cars or any vehicle they could lay their hands on and gave a good, long blast on the horn. The company went from strength to strength until a disastrous fire in 1978 completely destroyed the factory and production was badly affected for nine months."
(I have edited this a little to make it a little more difficult - I hope!)
As usual, packet of Smarties to the first correct entry opened.
Tim
"52 years ago on the site of wartime allotments in Hertfordshire and with no more than a small garage to work from, the company of --- was born. Today the company has a turnover in excess of ?--- million and is renowned throughout the world for their high quality vehicles, which are a far cry from the first production model in 1959. However, it was in 1947 as a boy of 14 that --- had his original concept and first experience of building specialist vehicles. At school he was keen on carpentry and with his father they constructed a --- based on a Ford chassis which had been bought for ?40. "When the vehicle was finished, my father sold it for ?200 and since he didn't pay me anything, there was a good profit margin on the deal", --- recalls. There followed for --- and his brother, ---, apprenticeships in aeronautical engineering at De Havillland's in Hatfield where they worked on the wooden frames for Mosquito aircraft. Then came a period of national service as an airframe fitter and engineer with the Royal Air Force. It meant working to a high degree of accuracy in wood and aluminium, experience which were to prove invaluable later in the construction of ---.
With National Service behind him --- decided to put his experience to the test. Armed with confidence but with hardly a penny to his name, he set up business at High Cross with his brother and ---, a vehicle builder. The first --- were built working in the open with illumination provided by electric lights hanging from an oak tree. Planning permission to build a proper factory was turned down by the local authority, but --- and his team struggled on working under almost impossible conditions. Help eventually came through the intervention of the Rural Industrial Bureau which took up the case and finally obtained planning permission for a 40ft x 60ft factory. It was the breakthrough that --- wanted. By 1964 the company was employing six on the shop floor and producing one vehicle a week. Orders came flooding in and by 1970 a paint shop was added, the staff increased to 15 and production had stepped up to three vehicles a week. As each --- left the factory the staff downed tools, rushed to their cars or any vehicle they could lay their hands on and gave a good, long blast on the horn. The company went from strength to strength until a disastrous fire in 1978 completely destroyed the factory and production was badly affected for nine months."
(I have edited this a little to make it a little more difficult - I hope!)
As usual, packet of Smarties to the first correct entry opened.
Tim
Visit www.lotuselansprint.com
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trw99 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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- Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Marcos ....
dont close your eyes --you will miss the crash
Editor: On June 12, 2020, Edward Law, AKA TwinCamMan, passed away; his obituary can be read at https://www.friscolanti.com/obituary/edward-law. He will be missed.
Editor: On June 12, 2020, Edward Law, AKA TwinCamMan, passed away; his obituary can be read at https://www.friscolanti.com/obituary/edward-law. He will be missed.
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twincamman - Coveted Fifth Gear
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twincamman wrote:Marcos ....
I was headed that direction too but Jem Marsh was born in 1930.
Cheers,
Pete.
http://www.petetaylor.org.uk
LOTUS ELAN flickr GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2515899@N20
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/sets/72157624226380576/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/
Pete.
http://www.petetaylor.org.uk
LOTUS ELAN flickr GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2515899@N20
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/sets/72157624226380576/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/
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elansprint71 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Drat ,,,
dont close your eyes --you will miss the crash
Editor: On June 12, 2020, Edward Law, AKA TwinCamMan, passed away; his obituary can be read at https://www.friscolanti.com/obituary/edward-law. He will be missed.
Editor: On June 12, 2020, Edward Law, AKA TwinCamMan, passed away; his obituary can be read at https://www.friscolanti.com/obituary/edward-law. He will be missed.
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twincamman - Coveted Fifth Gear
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I was also going to suggest Lola but they were 50 yrs old in 2008.
Cheers,
Pete.
http://www.petetaylor.org.uk
LOTUS ELAN flickr GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2515899@N20
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/sets/72157624226380576/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/
Pete.
http://www.petetaylor.org.uk
LOTUS ELAN flickr GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/2515899@N20
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/sets/72157624226380576/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16096573@N02/
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elansprint71 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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- Joined: 16 Sep 2003
123
Last edited by GrUmPyBoDgEr on Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Beware of the Illuminati
Editor: On Sunday morning, February 8th 2015, Derek "John" Pelly AKA GrumpyBodger passed away genuinely peacefully at Weston Hospicecare, Weston Super Mare. He will be missed.
Editor: On Sunday morning, February 8th 2015, Derek "John" Pelly AKA GrumpyBodger passed away genuinely peacefully at Weston Hospicecare, Weston Super Mare. He will be missed.
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GrUmPyBoDgEr - Coveted Fifth Gear
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- Joined: 29 Oct 2004
hmm, I was thinking Frank Costin with the references to aircraft, De Havilland and wood. He joined up with his brother Mike and worked with Chapman in those days at Lotus before setting off to make the Marcos & Costin cars later on. So I'll be predictable and go for Lotus, 'cos all the other companies I know of have either already been called, or gone bust !
Brian
Brian
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UAB807F - Fourth Gear
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But...but...Terry got it in one, or maybe two?
See here: http://www.oakleyhorseboxes.com/about.asp
Hence my link:
http://www.e-mode.co.uk/
Cheers - Richard
See here: http://www.oakleyhorseboxes.com/about.asp
Hence my link:
http://www.e-mode.co.uk/
Cheers - Richard
- ardee_selby
- Coveted Fifth Gear
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