Topic: SOLVED: Djetset #512 - Lea-Francis Francesca saloon prototype

[Djetset]

What is the make and model name of this car for a point?

[Djetset]

The Rookies are resting, so up to the Experts.

[mymokke]

American?

[barrett]

This is the prototype Lea-Francis saloon designed by (I think) Trevor Fiore in the late 60s. This was the last project undertaken by Lea-Francis after the failure of the Lynx

[Djetset]

Locked to Barrett until your next reply, to finish the puzzle off with the model name of this Lea-Francis prototype.

[barrett]

I'm afraid without access to my magazines I'm not going to be able to complete this. As far as I know it's not on the 'net.

Please unlock it for everyone else

[barrett]

Okay, how about this: The other Fiore proposal at the time was for a sports car which was called the Francesca, did the saloon also carry this name?

[Djetset]

I'm keeping this locked for you again Barrett as the Saloon was derived from the Francesca, but went under a different name (which if I'm honest I can remember, so I will double-check when I'm at home this weekend).  I feel another point looming for you though 

[barrett]

Well, I can't find any mention of this on the internet so you can unlock it... in the unlikely event this is still unsolved in a couple of weeks then I'll pick up the point then

[Hezza]

I'm going from memory here but I believe this was to have been called 'Crusader', with a two-door GT version to follow as Crusader II. The saloon prototype was reasonably far along and featured a BMC in-line 'six' although a Chrysler V8 was to have powered the production car (apparently). The Francesca was never built although a chassis (essentially from the Lynx) was dispatched to Moretti in Turin for the Fiore body to be made. By the time it got there the order had been cancelled.

[Djetset]

Away from home at the moment Hezza, but I have a feeling you are correct, so this is locked to you until I can confirm.

[Djetset]

Gosh, but the story behind the proposed Lea Francis saloons is very confusing, but it transpirers that Barrett is correct with the Francesca so gets the point. 

The Crusader that Hezza mentions existed as a four-door saloon design proposal, but was never built.  A styling model of a two-door Crusader GT Coupe was made, but the full-size car was never built, so sorry Hezza!

[Carnut]

Gosh, but the story behind the proposed Lea Francis saloons is very confusing, but it transpirers that Barrett is correct with the Francesca so gets the point.  

The Crusader that Hezza mentions existed as a four-door saloon design proposal, but was never built.  A styling model of a two-door Crusader GT Coupe was made, but the full-size car was never built, so sorry Hezza!

So they used the name again?!
Very oddly, having had the original Fiore colour painting of the first Francesca in my hand,  he actually captioned it "Lea-Francis Francesa".  Whether that was mis-spelling of Francesca or whether it was indeed intended to be Francesa I don't know.  However, have a meeting scheduled with Fiore next summer so I will ask him!

[Hezza]

Erm, the four-door Crusader was built! Sort of. It wasn't finished, or likely ever ran as the firm was in receivership when it was still at the prototype stage, but I've located a copy of The Lea-Francis Story by Barrie Price and the chassis is pictured with its Austin engine in situ. Another shot clearly shows it with a partially completed body. And it's captioned 'Crusader'... In fact there's a page relating the story behind it. I'm 99 per cent sure the shot you used is of the Crusader although I'm not overly fussed either way. Just thought I'd mention it.

[Allan L]

Yes well the Francesa/Crusader/Corsair saga has a number of versions, most poorly documented, so if Djetset can get a definitive view from Fiore we in the Lea-Francis O.C. will be suitably grateful. The contemporary newspaper article which I have, but can't easily find, about the Francesa shows a strangely angular device with outside exhaust pipes.
Barrie Price includes three photos of the Crusader saloon between the two editions of his book, the first edition showing the truly appalling rear chassis frame design (including the exhaust pipe welded through a tubular chassis crossmember and strangely discontinuous tubular sidemembers) and the rather better i.r.s. which used wishbone forgings from the normal production Lea-Francis i.f.s.

[Hezza]

Now I'm really intrigued! I hope there's more out there on this car. Also, it's great to hear that Mr Fiore is still about as he produced some glorious designs along the way.

[Carnut]

the Francesa shows a strangely angular device with outside exhaust pipes.

That's the convertible dating from about 1961, which was only ever a design on paper of course, although Fiore did repeat it almost identically but with proper exhausts for his TVR Trident.

It has featured on AutoPuzzles:

www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=9338.0