Topic: Solved NIC#37 - 1945 Onslow-Bartlett Riley Special

[nicanary]

Any relation to Ron "Curly" Dryden?

Not that I am aware of.

[nicanary]

 

There's really no need for this one to sit for months in the Pros before the inevitable BH. We've established that it's powered by a Riley engine, and that it's a special based on an other car. There's a site which will give you all the information you need. Who's going to do that little bit of work to solve this?

[Paul Jaray]

Riley Onslow-Bartlett Special

[nicanary]

Riley Onslow-Bartlett Special

Yes! LOCKED for you for 24 hours to finish the puzzle. Very little is known about the car, but when it first appeared it was claimed that the chassis came from another racing car from before WW2. What was this car?

[Paul Jaray]

It may have started life in 1934 as a supercharged 2-stroke engined racing-car, designed by Swiss-born  Dr.Arnold ZOLLER.
 
 

[nicanary]

It may have started life in 1934 as a supercharged 2-stroke engined racing-car, designed by Swiss-born  Dr.Arnold ZOLLER.

Yes.  It had a "did not arrive " at a sprint in 1946, and was observed by none other than Denis Jenkinson at Naish Hillclimb the same year, but there has been no other recorded competition. The Riley 1089cc engine fitted was boosted by a highly-stressed Zoller supercharger, but I have no further information as to why it was supposed to be the pre-war Zoller chassis.

I can only assume that this is what the builder told DSJ. Onslow-Bartlett was well-known as a gentleman amateur driver, taking part in trials and rallies. The Zoller was of similar size and appearance - maybe it was found and "liberated" by British Army personnel at the end of hostilities, and found its way over to the UK. It happened a lot back then in the confusion of post-war life.

Well found. One point.

[Wendax]

The wheel suspensions don't look the same: http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=8756.msg267471#msg267471

[nicanary]

The wheel suspensions don't look the same: http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=8756.msg267471#msg267471

Exactly. The very obvious transverse front leaf spring is missing. I am sceptical about the claim - I can't see how it ended up in the possession of Onslow-Bartlett, and why he would re-configure the suspension system. Maybe there was a misunderstanding when he was asked what the car was - the words "based on" can mean two different things.