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Puzzles, Games and Name That Car => Solved AutoPuzzles => 2012 => Topic started by: Carnut on October 29, 2012, 06:47:21 AM

Title: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: Carnut on October 29, 2012, 06:47:21 AM
For an easy Rookie point identify this car and from when it dates:

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Title: Re: NEH 2186
Post by: thehotstepper on November 02, 2012, 06:02:43 PM
1960 Austin-Healey X230.

Man, I need to find something to do on Friday nights...
Title: Re: NEH 2186
Post by: Carnut on November 03, 2012, 05:57:23 AM
Yes - I said it was easy!
Apparently a factory prototype, slightly wider than the 3000 of which it was obviously a development.
Title: Re: NEH 2186
Post by: Wendax on November 03, 2012, 06:31:02 AM
Yes - I said it was easy!
Apparently a factory prototype, slightly wider than the 3000 of which it was obviously a development.
Unfortunately it is not that easy! In May of this year there was a very detailed article (9 pages long) in the German Oldtimer Markt magazine about this car. The author comes to the conclusion that this is not X230, but another works prototype from 1959, the X300 (chassis number is 012 X300).
Title: Re: NEH 2186
Post by: Carnut on November 03, 2012, 02:34:52 PM
Yes - I said it was easy!
Apparently a factory prototype, slightly wider than the 3000 of which it was obviously a development.
Unfortunately it is not that easy! In May of this year there was a very detailed article (9 pages long) in the German Oldtimer Markt magazine about this car. The author comes to the conclusion that this is not X230, but another works prototype from 1959, the X300 (chassis number is 012 X300).

Oh - interesting!
Do you have any pictures of the real X230 then by any chance?
Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: Carnut on November 03, 2012, 02:42:40 PM
I did find this period picture/article which refers to this car as the X300, produced by Jensen.
It doesn't look the same as my puzzle car at all - note the lights under the headlights particularly and the different bonnet.
If this is the X300 what's the puzzle car?  Still the X230?
Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: Wendax on November 03, 2012, 02:57:30 PM
I did find this period picture/article which refers to this car as the X300, produced by Jensen.
It doesn't look the same as my puzzle car at all - note the lights under the headlights particularly and the different bonnet.
If this is the X300 what's the puzzle car?  Still the X230?
According to the article mentioned above the Jensen picture shows the X230.
Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: Carnut on November 03, 2012, 04:26:23 PM
I wonder who is right.
If you can read the caption it's quite specific what it is and apologises for the poor quality of the photo; only a few unofficial photos were taken as Donald Healey hated the car and had the wings removed and crushed before any proper photos were taken..
I'll try to find about more out from A-H sources.
Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: sixtee5cuda on November 03, 2012, 04:36:25 PM
A previous article (not sure of the source) indicated this car was mostly constructed out of discarded X230 components.  Mr. Healey also wrote a letter indicating this car was definitely not X230.
Title: Re: Solved - NEH 2186: Austin-Healey X230 (or X300) Prototype - 1960
Post by: Carnut on November 04, 2012, 12:37:32 PM
My guess is it's neither.
It would appear the prototypes didn't survive so this is probably something knocked up relatively recently masquerading as the X230..