Author Topic: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)  (Read 803 times)

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Offline nicanary

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Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« on: November 25, 2018, 06:28:00 AM »
I'm sure we've had this car before, but I can't find it, and it's interesting anyway. What is it?
« Last Edit: December 16, 2018, 01:23:48 PM by nicanary »
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline nicanary

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Re: NIC#1006
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2018, 07:15:51 AM »
Experts?
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline D-type

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Re: NIC#1006
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2018, 12:18:00 PM »
Parsons-Maserati?
Duncan Rollo

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Offline tobytwirl

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Re: NIC#1006
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2018, 12:21:38 PM »
It's the Aston-Butterworth NB41 in a party dress. It was previously a Cooper T20 based F2 single seater with the flat 4 Butterworth engine, but after being sold by builder Bill Aston, it gained a Climax engine and a Maurice Gomm body, et voila ....

Offline nicanary

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Re: NIC#1006
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2018, 01:22:02 PM »
It's the Aston-Butterworth NB41 in a party dress. It was previously a Cooper T20 based F2 single seater with the flat 4 Butterworth engine, but after being sold by builder Bill Aston, it gained a Climax engine and a Maurice Gomm body, et voila ....

Yes. I thought you'd solve this pretty quickly. It was built in 1957 on the orders of Dickie Metcalfe.

I'm not quite sure how to headline the puzzle - it's often referred to as an Aston-Butterworth but it has a Climax engine!
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline D-type

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Re: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2018, 05:42:55 PM »
On a side note: did the Aston-Butterworth have a Cooper chassis or was it a Cooper copy?  I've seen both said by reputable authors.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2018, 05:51:56 PM by D-type »
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Offline nicanary

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Re: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2018, 07:22:08 AM »
On a side note: did the Aston-Butterworth have a Cooper chassis or was it a Cooper copy?  I've seen both said by reputable authors.

Both David Hodges and Mike Lawrence reckon it was a "near copy".
I must be right - that's what it says on Wikipedia

Offline D-type

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Re: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2018, 09:59:14 AM »
On a side note: did the Aston-Butterworth have a Cooper chassis or was it a Cooper copy?  I've seen both said by reputable authors.

Both David Hodges and Mike Lawrence reckon it was a "near copy".
However, Doug Nye in Cooper Cars (p66) says it had a "Mark I-type Cooper-Bristol frame".  Hence my confusion.  Now, "Type" might mean copy - or it might mean the real McKoy.  Or it might mean DCN wasn't sure.
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Re: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2018, 12:54:22 PM »
Doug isn't often wrong. Plus he had access to all sorts of factory records when he wrote his Cooper book. (When I say all sorts, I mean whatever records the Coopers kept in period - i.e. not much......) I'd put my money on Nye if I had to.
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Re: Solved NIC#1006 - 1957 Aston Climax (nee Butterworth)
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2018, 05:44:57 PM »
Apart from the word "type" that DCN inserted.  Is it his tactful way of saying it was a copy of the Cooper chassis? 
Duncan Rollo

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