Author Topic: Solved - NEH 3990: 1952 Cooper-MG rebodied by Jack Hacking 1953  (Read 553 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
What's this, from when, when does the body shown date from and who fitted it - for 1 point?:

Remember - solving puzzles using 'Google Search by Image' is BANNED on AutoPuzzles!
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2015, 05:13:20 AM »
Experts?
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Willie McCrum

  • Expert
  • *
  • Posts: 383
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 85
  • Name That Car!
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2015, 12:14:22 PM »
Turner ?

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2015, 02:20:46 PM »
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2015, 04:37:40 AM »
Professionals?
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2015, 06:59:51 AM »
I don't know.

It's not roadworthy (no headlights) so it must have been built solely for racing. The air intake for the carbs suggests MG XPAG or Riley. I'll go for the MG - the seating position looks high so it could be based on a TD.
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2015, 07:59:26 AM »
I don't know.

It's not roadworthy (no headlights) so it must have been built solely for racing. The air intake for the carbs suggests MG XPAG or Riley. I'll go for the MG - the seating position looks high so it could be based on a TD.

It does have an MG XPAG engine, yes.
Plenty more information still required though!
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2015, 08:10:19 AM »
Is it a Lester chassis?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2015, 09:16:13 AM »
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2015, 05:31:58 AM »
Buckler?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2015, 07:54:41 AM »
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2015, 08:44:17 AM »
Is the chassis from a well-known maker, or a one-off?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2015, 09:43:14 AM »
Is the chassis from a well-known maker, or a one-off?

Well-known..
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2015, 07:25:38 PM »
Is the base a Lotus Mk6 ?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2015, 07:40:57 PM »
Is the base a Lotus Mk6 ?

No, not a Lotus at all.
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Allan L

  • Feature Writer
  • *
  • Posts: 4824
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 414
  • Forum Host in Vintage!
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2015, 05:23:14 AM »
Rather a long time ago (1958) a friend had a Leonard-MG which was much that shape, although not as tidy. Is it one of Lionel Leonard's cars?
Opinionated but sometimes wrong

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2015, 06:59:26 AM »
Rather a long time ago (1958) a friend had a Leonard-MG which was much that shape, although not as tidy. Is it one of Lionel Leonard's cars?

I don't like profiting from the clues of others, but this has got me thinking. Lionel Leonard built his last car in the garage of Luxury Motors, owned by Chris Bristow's dad. Chris got his dad to buy the car before it was finished, thus starting his (tragically brief) career.

That was 1956. Is this it?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2015, 01:40:01 PM »
No, it's nothing to do with Lionel Leonard.
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #18 on: May 10, 2015, 02:16:21 PM »
Doesn't leave much. Jack Hacking had a Cooper-MG which he fitted with an all-enveloping body in 1954. Is this that car?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #19 on: May 10, 2015, 03:21:04 PM »
Doesn't leave much. Jack Hacking had a Cooper-MG which he fitted with an all-enveloping body in 1954. Is this that car?

Yes it is!
Apparently he got it originally in 1952 and put this body on in 1953, but my hair-splitting seems to be a little unpopular...!
It was registered LLV 1 and I'll post a picture of it later wearing that number.
Well done!
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18736
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 657
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 3990
« Reply #20 on: May 10, 2015, 04:21:32 PM »
Doesn't leave much. Jack Hacking had a Cooper-MG which he fitted with an all-enveloping body in 1954. Is this that car?

Yes it is!
Apparently he got it originally in 1952 and put this body on in 1953, but my hair-splitting seems to be a little unpopular...!
It was registered LLV 1 and I'll post a picture of it later wearing that number.
Well done!

Whoops, posted without any narrative!

Doug Nye mentions the car in his superb history of Cooper, but does not give specific dates. Anthony Pritchard's excellent book says it was owned by Peter Reece in 1951/52, then by Jack Sears in 1953, and then raced by Hacking with the new body in 1954. Sorry I didn't answer all your questions, but I couldn't find any more about this car on the net.

Thanks for the point.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2015, 04:26:59 PM by nicanary »
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: Solved - NEH 3990: 1952 Cooper-MG rebodied by Jack Hacking 1953
« Reply #21 on: May 10, 2015, 07:16:02 PM »
It's always difficult to argue dates..
According to my information the car was sold new to Peter and Jack Reece in 1952, J.P. (Jack) Hacking acquiring it in 1953 and fitting the all-enveloping body the same year.  But I really wouldn't put my life savings on that being correct, though it was from a very good and reliable source.
You definitely gave enough information for the point!
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40958
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
  • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: Solved - NEH 3990: 1952 Cooper-MG rebodied by Jack Hacking 1953
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2015, 05:12:33 AM »
Here's the un-modified puzzle photo:

Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars