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Author Topic: Solved: Name That Make #3 - 1947 Wiles-Thomson  (Read 1447 times)

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Offline ftg3plus4

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Solved: Name That Make #3 - 1947 Wiles-Thomson
« on: April 27, 2009, 05:33:00 PM »
I've been poking around the 'net looking for pics of obscure makes. How obscure? You tell me!

Sorry for the fuzzy quality... could not find a better version.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2015, 04:39:09 PM by Paul Jaray »
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline ftg3plus4

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2009, 07:47:16 AM »
OK, my cars are lonely. Time to move to Experts!
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline ftg3plus4

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2009, 05:11:43 PM »
I'm surprised the Experts didn't get this one. Did I actually manage to pick a hard one?

Pros, you tell me!
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline hugo90

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2009, 12:26:25 AM »
Is it a Datsun?  I see some details, like the front corners and the folding top that remind me of a Datsun picture that I, of course, cannot locate.
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Offline ftg3plus4

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2009, 08:14:02 AM »
Nope, sorry. Wrong country, BTW. (And remember, this is not an obscure model of a famous make, but a fairly obscure make.)
« Last Edit: May 11, 2009, 10:10:00 AM by ftg3plus4 »
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline Paul Jaray

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2009, 02:35:57 PM »
I was looking for something completely different, when I found this picture on the Beaulieu:
can't believe it's the same car!
Is this the australian Thomson, built by Jack Thomson in 1947-1949?
« Last Edit: January 05, 2015, 04:40:37 PM by Paul Jaray »
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Offline ftg3plus4

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Re: Name That Make #3
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2009, 03:17:42 PM »
Actually, it's the Wiles-Thomson, as seen on the sign in your picture. Good job!

This was supposed to be an Australian "people's car," but apparently only two prototypes were built.
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline Paul Jaray

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Re: SOLVED: Name That Make #3 - 1947 Wiles-Thomson
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2009, 03:34:27 PM »
You are right. Here's what is on the Beaulieu:

THOMSON (AUS)  1947-1949
Wiles Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Mile End, South Australia.

In 1938-39 Jack Thomson built a small 4-seater tourer not unlike an Austin 8 in appearance, powered by a 700cc 2-cylinder 2-stroke engine. He was aided by Harold Clisby, who had built a Villiers-powered runabout for his own use in 1927, and made a quad-cam V6 Formula One engine in the 60s. Only one of the prewar cars were made, but in 1947 Thomson designed a chassisless 2-seater tourer which was taken up by the Wilers brothers who had made a fortune with army field kitchens. Known as the Wiles-Thomson, it was powered by a completely rebuilt DKW 2-stroke engine which drove the rear wheels via a 3-speed gearbox. The body was considered to be ugly, and Wiles Engineering made two more cars with more attractive lines in 1948-1949. They then dropped the project, but Thomson started work on a further car, a sports tourer with cutaway doors and a Ford Ten engine. He was still at work on this when He died in 1952, and the car was completed by his son-in-law Doug Giles. This still exists.
 
 
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Offline ftg3plus4

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Re: Solved: Name That Make #3 - 1947 Wiles-Thomson
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2009, 06:25:04 PM »
Here's the full picture. Note the misspelling of "Thomson" in the caption. (No wonder I was having such a hard time finding anything about this car...  ;) )
« Last Edit: January 05, 2015, 04:41:24 PM by Paul Jaray »
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"May I submit 'Utopian Turtletop'? Do not trouble to answer unless you like it."
-- Marianne Moore, suggesting a name for what would become the Edsel

Offline Paul Jaray

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Re: Solved: Name That Make #3 - 1947 Wiles-Thomson
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2015, 04:42:35 PM »
Quote from: ftg3plus4 on May 14, 2009, 03:17:42 PM
Actually, it's the Wiles-Thomson, as seen on the sign in your picture. Good job!

This was supposed to be an Australian "people's car," but apparently only two prototypes were built.
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=29711.0
There is the other prototype ;)
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