Topic: Solved NIC#241 - 1949 Chorlton Special

[nicanary]

What is this old racing car, and what formed the basis of the car?

[nicanary]

Experts?

[richard cuyler]

Enter only from the left hand side if you value your jewels.

[nicanary]

No questions from anyone? At all?

[D-type]

Ok then.  Italian?

[nicanary]

Ok then.  Italian?

Thanks 

Not Italian.

[D-type]

Next try: Australian?

[nicanary]

Next try: Australian?

Not from the Antipodes.

[D-type]

Europe?

[nicanary]

Europe?

Yes.

(I realise now that I had better explain something about the car - I used the best photo I could find for puzzle purposes, but it has occurred to me that this shows the car in later form. It was re-engined when it was restored in more modern times. My puzzle question needs the basis of the original car.)

[nicanary]

Time to put this puzzle out of its misery. Pros?

[serra]

I have this as Chorlton Special with a bugatti 51 base car

[nicanary]

I have this as Chorlton Special with a bugatti 51 base car

And that's exactly what it is.  Built in 1949 by Centaur Developments Ltd , a consortium of James Boothby (of JBM sports car fame), Michael Chorlton and Charles Brookes. The car was powered originally by the engine from Chorlton's Bugatti T51A, but after the car had finished its useful life the engine was put back into a Bugatti (I have no idea whether it was a "real" Bugatti or some sort of bitsa), and an Alta engine was fitted.

The modern photo shows it with the Alta engine - the exhaust manifold for the Bugatti would have been on the other side.

[Allan L]

I remember seeing the Chorlton Alta Special at a VSCC Oulton Park many years ago. It had a twin-tube chassis and, as can be seen in your photo, coil sprung independant suspension, so there was nothing Bugatti about it at that time (early 1960s I think).