« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Solved - NEH 4111: Lincoln Zephyr Special racer  (Read 696 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Solved - NEH 4111: Lincoln Zephyr Special racer
« on: June 05, 2015, 08:08:11 AM »
What's this, from when and how is it powered- for 1 point?:

Remember - solving puzzles using 'Google Search by Image' is BANNED on AutoPuzzles!
« Last Edit: July 19, 2015, 10:32:50 AM by Carnut »
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2015, 05:26:51 AM »
Experts?
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2015, 04:26:06 AM »
Up to the Pro's...
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2015, 06:10:27 AM »
I'm sure I saw it...American?
Logged

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2015, 06:14:55 AM »
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 06:10:27 AM
I'm sure I saw it...American?

Yes, from the USA.
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2015, 06:17:32 AM »
Race car?
Logged

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2015, 07:31:55 AM »
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 06:17:32 AM
Race car?

That's what it was built as but whether it ever actually raced I'm not sure!
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2015, 07:33:55 AM »
Was it the only one built by them?
Logged

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2015, 08:57:30 AM »
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 07:33:55 AM
Was it the only one built by them?

I believe so, though the builder's name seems to be unknown.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2015, 09:03:22 AM by Carnut »
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2015, 09:02:59 AM »
Is it named after it's builder or has it a specific name?
Logged

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2015, 09:04:22 AM »
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 09:02:59 AM
Is it named after it's builder or has it a specific name?

It's named only after the car's original engine.
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Online oko94

  • Master
  • *
  • Posts: 18996
  • Country: fr
  • Puzzle Points 1364
  • Investigator
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2015, 09:24:06 AM »
Ford Flathead engine ?
Logged

Offline nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18668
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 655
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2015, 09:25:51 AM »
Is it rear-engined?
Logged
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2015, 09:49:06 AM »
Quote from: oko94 on July 17, 2015, 09:24:06 AM
Ford Flathead engine ?

No.

Quote from: nicanary on July 17, 2015, 09:25:51 AM
Is it rear-engined?

Not exactly right description but it's not front-engined either!
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2015, 09:51:22 AM »
Quote from: Carnut on July 17, 2015, 09:04:22 AM
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 09:02:59 AM
Is it named after it's builder or has it a specific name?

It's named only after the car's original engine.

Just to clarify, it was named after the car in which the original engine was fitted rather than the engine itself.  Sorry for the confusion.
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18668
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 655
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2015, 10:17:59 AM »
Thanks for the clue. It doesn't help me - I'm starting to think the car is more modern than it looks. The steering wheel certainly looks old, but if we assume that the engine configuration is the same as the donor car, then it must have been made in the 1960s or later.

Porsche 914 donor?

Disregard the above. That was a stupid post! I'll start again - is the engine in the puzzle car in the same position as it would have been in the donor car?
« Last Edit: July 18, 2015, 05:40:40 AM by nicanary »
Logged
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #16 on: July 18, 2015, 08:33:24 AM »
No it isn't!  You can never assume anything on AutoPuzzles of course..

No Porsche connection.
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18668
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 655
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #17 on: July 18, 2015, 08:46:44 AM »
Chevrolet power ?
Logged
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #18 on: July 18, 2015, 11:00:38 AM »
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #19 on: July 18, 2015, 03:27:25 PM »
Quote from: Carnut on July 17, 2015, 09:51:22 AM
Quote from: Carnut on July 17, 2015, 09:04:22 AM
Quote from: Paul Jaray on July 17, 2015, 09:02:59 AM
Is it named after it's builder or has it a specific name?

It's named only after the car's original engine.

Just to clarify, it was named after the car in which the original engine was fitted rather than the engine itself.  Sorry for the confusion.
I think it's a big clue but can't figure it out.
You wrote 'named after the car' and not after the engine...it has to mean that we are looking at a XXXXX Special, where the missing part is a particular model that featured a particular engine, right?
There's nothing in the book about Jupiter's specials, or NSU and Porsche, that are the books I reviewed not long ago.
I'm still sure I saw it not long ago.
Was the model we are looking for 100% from the States?
(not in Harold Pace's Vintage American Road Cars either, unless it's not pictured there...)
Logged

Offline 4popoid

  • *
  • Posts: 4621
  • Country: us
  • Puzzle Points 679
  • Also sprach Zarathustra
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #20 on: July 18, 2015, 06:28:59 PM »
Found it!  I don't regularly get involved in one-off racing cars, especially those built after WWII, but, having established that this car was American built and was named after an American car and its engine of the same name, I decided to give this one a try, and got (very) lucky.  The only US car model, that I could think of, whose engine bore the same name as the car was the Lincoln Zephyr.  A quick Google of "Lincoln Zephyr Special" led me to a blog, and there it was.  According to the blog, this is the: 1941 Lincoln Zephyr Special Racecar, built in the USA, but now under restoration in the UK.  I have not found a build date, but it seems to be associated with SCCA racing in the early 1950's.   
« Last Edit: July 18, 2015, 10:11:25 PM by 4popoid »
Logged

Offline Paul Jaray

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 22326
  • Country: it
  • Puzzle Points 2073
  • MVP
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2015, 07:52:14 AM »
Very lucky indeed.
No one told it was an american engine and the obvious guesses in that direction (Ford Flathead or Chevrolet) received a no...but you not only had the right intuition it was an american engine (I initially discarged the idea because the 1st engine I could think of was a V8 and it is not easy to spot a model famous for its V8)...but also a V12!
I was going in the opposite direction with Crosley, Corvair or similar, but again, not knowing it was an american engine, there were still a lot of models around the world famous for their engine and used for race in the USA...why not a TR Special from Triumph, TC/TD from MG and so on...
...and finally I know now where did I saw it...in the same page where was the Diggen's roadster.
Logged

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: NEH 4111
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2015, 10:23:47 AM »
Sorry I ever got the chance to reply to your post PJ, as 4popoid got another Lucky Strike so gets the point!

Here are a couple more pictures and a drawing of what they would have liked the car to look like..
As 4popoid says it seems the car did participate in SCCA racing in the 1950s but how it got over here I have not idea; it is being restored over here but quite a job I would have thought..
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars

Offline nicanary

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 18668
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 655
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: Solved - NEH 4111: Lincoln Zephyr Special racerl
« Reply #23 on: July 19, 2015, 10:30:00 AM »
And it truly is mid-engined in this case. Just look where the motor is (as I understand it, this is a "slave" motor until an appropriate Zephyr engine can be sourced), it's dead centre. It makes you wonder where the builder got the idea from, as it's so far ahead of its time.

My next step was going to be offering a list of US engine makers, but I got beaten to it.
Logged
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline Carnut

  • Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 40957
  • Country: gb
  • Puzzle Points 423
    • YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: Solved - NEH 4111: Lincoln Zephyr Special racerl
« Reply #24 on: July 19, 2015, 10:46:08 AM »
Quote from: nicanary on July 19, 2015, 10:30:00 AM
And it truly is mid-engined in this case. Just look where the motor is (as I understand it, this is a "slave" motor until an appropriate Zephyr engine can be sourced), it's dead centre. It makes you wonder where the builder got the idea from, as it's so far ahead of its time.

My next step was going to be offering a list of US engine makers, but I got beaten to it.

Yes, apparently the 'slave' engine is a Ford Flathead.
The picture looks to me like it was taken in the States.
The car has only came to the UK fairly recently but is being restored here.
Logged
Interests in life:  Cars, cars, cars - oh and ..er..cars
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »