Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

David Kipling · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 23

I'm trying to identify the original make and model that was cannibalized for the body of a 1960s English stock-car.

It was assembled in the mid 60s from a scrapped vehicle that would have been late 50s or very early 60s.

The body has a louvred rear engine lid, with distinctive hinges, and at first I thought Fiat 600, but Fiat 500s and 600s always had a generous space between the "runs" of louvres, for a licence plate. And 500s did not have those hinges.

It is no Renault I ever saw.

Most of the cabin and rear were from the same original car. If someone could have a guess, I would be very grateful.

It has to be from a rear-engine car. Here is na link to the only photo I have.
http://www.oldstox.com/images/ellard%20query.jpg

I still think "Fiat", but it's not.
Question

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Photo:

RJ
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D4B · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK

Bits of it from Renault 4CV perhaps:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=renault+4cv&biw=1536&bih=708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=5LOGVI64JoT6Uvflg8gN&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

I think those are VW wheels so maybe a beetle power unit?

Peter
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David Kipling · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 23

D4B · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK

Fiat 600 Multipla?

David Kipling · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 23

[quote="D4B"]Fiat 600 Multipla?

That is CLOSE, except for the darn licence-plate gap that doesn't seem to be there on the stock car.

The Multipla has 14 louvres, but there are only 8 p the stock car.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

I guess the on the stock car the wheels are fitted wrong way around to give a wider track.

Peter

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vitesse · Joined: 03 Jun 2013 Posts: 561

I think it is definitely a 600 saloon rather than a multipla. The Mulitpla's back rear window comes down and meets at a point. On a 600 saloon it doesn't it sort of flattens off as it does on the stock car.

As for the vents, I think the original picture foreshortens the impression, so as to make the vents appear nearer together. If you look at the hinges on two pictures Steve posted you will see what I mean. Hopefully. As for the number of them, it could have been modded to reduce the number of them for some reason or it could be a derivative? The 600's were built by a number of different companies in Europe like SEAT.

Tony

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

I agree about the Fiat rear door but the the Multipla wheels and rear drums are totally different to those in the photo.

Peter

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vitesse · Joined: 03 Jun 2013 Posts: 561

David Kipling · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 23

As you pointed out before Peter they are fitted the wrong way round on the stock car, also they are much larger than the original wheels, hence the wheel arch being chopped off. Could be traction again or simply gearing to give it a more oomph!!!!

Tony[/quote]
Again I wish to thank the prompt and POLITE respondents to my query (not all car forums are so hospitable to oddball enquiries). Yes, most drivers reversed their rims to slightly widen the effective track.
Yes, I understand that "foreshortening" in the photo may well disguise a licence plate gap, and it may also tend to show the cover as being flatter thanit was in three dimensions

If Fiats were built by a variety of contractors, yes, the louvre count may have varied.

The distinctive shape of the rearmost part of the side window is definitely Fiat 600 design. I will try to contact the original builder again. I have since found that 600s were built and sold as early as 1955 --- I'd not known that --- and so a well-worn 600 may well have been scrapped by around 1960-61.

Thank you all againb, I am most grateful and appreciative.

I will keep my eyes on the thread, in case

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

Hi David,

I fully accept the use of Fiat body panels but I would suggest that the builder of this car will not have mated a Fiat engine to the rather obvious VW Beetle 5 stud brake drums and hubs. If you are using VW hubs and drums then you are most likely using a VW transaxle and engine.

Peter

p.s. The Beetle wheel that I pictured above is mounted on a front brake drum. The rears were as in your photo and not knobbly.
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D4B · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK

Peter, is it not possible that the wheels on the stock car could have been Renault 4CV? Here's a Renault 4CV wheel:

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

The Renault wheels are similar but the drums don't fill space behind as in David's photo.

Peter

Difficult to find a photo without hub caps.

See: https://images1.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2008-04/02/7656366-1-3.jpg&width=640&height=480&halign=l0&valign=t0&autosizefit=1

and

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