Topic: AL 117Sandy Skinner's wooden-bodied Austin Seven

[Allan L]

For a point please tell me the make of this car, who built it in this form and what is unusual about the body.
Sorry about the poor picture, but that's all I can find for now.

[Allan L]

Not many rookies these days so I'll offer it to the experts.

[D-type]

A blind guess.
Austin Seven Special
Built By Colin Chapman
The wings were fixed to rawlplugs so they would be pulled off undamaged if he went too close to a tree

[Allan L]

A blind guess.
Austin Seven Special
Built By Colin Chapman
The wings were fixed to rawlplugs so they would be pulled off undamaged if he went too close to a tree

Yes it is an Austin Seven Special, but built long after Chapman had moved up in the world and the unusualness of the body is rather different from your guess.

[D-type]

Is it a fibreglass body?

[Allan L]

Is it a fibreglass body?

No it isn't

[Allan L]

Moved up again

[nicanary]

I waa thinking maybe it was a Weymann fabric body but is it actually marine ply ?

[Allan L]

I waa thinking maybe it was a Weymann fabric body but is it actually marine ply ?

Plywood certainly and I hope it was marine spec. in view of our climate!
We established it is an Austin 7 special so it's locked for you to tell me who built it in this form.

[nicanary]

I have had no chance to investigate this, and don't know where to start. Please unlock for others to have an attempt.

[Allan L]

Unlocked then.
As a clue I can say that two clubs which attract  Austin 7 owners are 750MC and the Vintage Sports-Car Club and the latter is the one to research!

[Allan L]

Just bumping. . .

[nicanary]

Duple?

[Allan L]

Duple?

No as it's a special which I've noted before.

[Allan L]

Time to move this up again I think

[pnegyesi]

according to Motor Sport magazine this should be called the Skinner's Folly.

[Allan L]

according to Motor Sport magazine this should be called the Skinner's Folly.

Yes, Pal, you are right about that but it doesn't say why it should be called Skinner's Folly and the bodywork described is not what is in my picture. I think you may need the article that P.C.Kippax refers to. . .
Locked for you.

[pnegyesi]

It was built by Sandy Skinner, Editor of the VSCC Bulletin. It has a 1924 registrration
The body and prop-shaft tunnel are of polished marine-three-ply, the pointed tail being metal-lined, while the wooden bulkhead is metal-faced to provide the necessary fire-wall

[Allan L]

That's all correct so another point for you.
Sandy Skinner was something of a special-builder and happy to lend the resulting cars to his friends - not always successfully as Sandy was a small man and built small cars and most of us are taller and many are wider!