Author Topic: Solved - NEH 1871: Home-built electric car on 1930s Vauxhall chassis  (Read 2359 times)

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Offline woodinsight

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #25 on: July 25, 2012, 07:17:34 AM »
Morris?

Offline Carnut

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #26 on: July 25, 2012, 07:29:47 AM »
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline woodinsight

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #27 on: July 25, 2012, 09:44:28 AM »
Standard?

Offline Carnut

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #28 on: July 25, 2012, 10:11:15 AM »
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Offline Tom_I

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #29 on: July 25, 2012, 02:24:57 PM »
Those brake drums look too big for a medium-sized car. Could it be based on a truck chassis?

Offline woodinsight

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #30 on: July 25, 2012, 02:54:12 PM »
Moving through the well-known UK makes - next on my list is Vauxhall?

Offline Carnut

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #31 on: July 26, 2012, 04:24:32 AM »
Moving through the well-known UK makes - next on my list is Vauxhall?

Yes - Vauxhall chassis it is!
So now all that's needed for the point and a move to 'Solved' is a description of what the car actually is.
I'll lock it for woodinsight for 24 hours since you've got the correct chassis..
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Offline woodinsight

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #32 on: July 26, 2012, 08:41:18 AM »
Well Vauxhall was a lucky guess but I have to say I really don't know any more about this strange-looking car.

If I just give you my observations on what I can see and a guess on dates - that might lead to the solution.
My immediate thought is that the car is based on a pre-WW II Vauxhall (or could it be a Bedford van/light commercial?).
I say that because the driving position seems quite high.
Secondly I would say the wheel diameters are smaller than what one would expect on a pre-war car.
Perhaps the car was built during or just after WW II as the bodywork seems fashioned from any metal available at the time.
My other thought is that I find it strange how the bonnet (hood) opens in that fashion and there appears to be a lot of wires visible but no sign of the top of the engine.
I would guess the car is powered by some type of alternative engine/fuel owing to the constraints of the day.

Those are merely observations and I could be way off beam.
Please open it up again if I'm wrong.

Offline Carnut

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #33 on: July 26, 2012, 08:56:21 AM »
You're on the right track.
We'd already established that it was a pre-war chassis plus the fact it was a Vauxhall.
So what about the engine?
It's not a conventional petrol engine as you say.
It's a post-war home-built car with no (known) name so there's just that bit of info to fill in - its motive power.
Still your puzzle.
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Offline woodinsight

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #34 on: July 26, 2012, 09:38:02 AM »
The only other thing I can think of, owing to all those electric leads is that it's powered by some heavy duty batteries?
Performance must have been on the sluggish side though if that's the case......

Offline Carnut

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Re: NEH 1871
« Reply #35 on: July 26, 2012, 10:59:19 AM »
The only other thing I can think of, owing to all those electric leads is that it's powered by some heavy duty batteries?
Performance must have been on the sluggish side though if that's the case......

Indeed it is an electric car!
So let's call it solved, and here's the original picture:

« Last Edit: July 26, 2012, 11:04:26 AM by Carnut »
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Offline sixtee5cuda

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Re: Solved - NEH 1871: Home-built electric car on 1930s Vauxhall chassis
« Reply #36 on: May 01, 2015, 12:45:24 PM »
More information on this car.  Nice to have something more than "1930s electric Vauxhall".  :)

Offline Allan L

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Re: Solved - NEH 1871: Home-built electric car on 1930s Vauxhall chassis
« Reply #37 on: May 01, 2015, 02:21:30 PM »
That last photo looks a bit like an attempt at perpetual motion ;D
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