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1955 Hill Climber...


Guest Stonefish

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The wheel hubs are Dunlops, so I think you can narrow it down to being British. The roof line and side windows look to me to be a Mark 1 Lotus Elite (Climax). Judging by eye, the wheel base looks about right. Just that it's had a bit of the front end reworked. If you squint your eyes, it even looks like a bit of a Lotus badge on the front.

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Guest Stonefish

thanks for everyone's input...this has been a real stumper, for sure! I'll see if I can find out where in Canada this is, I'm helping another historian solve this one.

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I think a Healey would be close, at least something British. It's not a big car, only Sprite size. If it's a custom built body, then it maybe more difficult to identify.

There is a book written on Australian built sports cars, but I don't recall seeing anything similar to this in it.

Edited by Craig Gillingham
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Guest Casper Friedrich

A British kit-car. Coupe body have some hints of Lotus Elite, but didn't it come a couple of years latter on the market?

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It does not look like any Healey that I'm familiar with. As far as I know, the Tickford and the Elliot were the only enclosed Healeys. Both were saloons, not coupes. The grille on the car is close, but not the same. Also, I think all of the, non Austin, Healeys had disc wheels

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The badge on the hood is probably for the fiberglass manufacturer of the body. It is round with scalloped edges, and appears to have a diagonal black line over a fancifully scripted "R". However the image is much too grainy to be sure of anything except the shape of the badge.

The hood line is VERY low for a front engine car, so I doubt it's a commonplace Britsh sports car like an MG or Triumph. If this weren't 1955 my guess would be a Bugeye Sprite under that body, but in 1955 it's likely a Crosley chassis (Hotshot, Super Sport, etc.) or possibly a Jowett Jupiter with a shortened wheelbase.

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I googled the hillclimb and found only a brief reference to it and no photos so that did not help. I find the seam in the front fender and the window line reminds me of something but nothing I check out matches up. I've looked at Jowett, Sunbeam, Lotus, Saab, etc. It must be a kit car or a home made project.

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Ramblings,,,,Ron and Eve White ran the CMA,,motorcycle club,,,Mosport in planning stage maybee,,,Harewood airport circuit was fun,,there was car club too but we didnt mix much,,There are a few old timers around but most dont do computer,,,

can someone bridge the gap here,,

Guilbert Bureau of Montreal was very helpful filling gaps some time ago,,,pres of old car club,,,forgot name,,aaah,,,

And dont forget the anglfiles in the maritimes,,,Cheers,,,Ben

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Stonefish

again...thanks to all that have looked in on this thread. The fellow I'm helping with this (you may have seen it in a recent Hemmings Sport & Exotic zine) found this ad in an early 60's publication. He thinks this car is related....

post-49045-143138899194_thumb.jpg

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Guest Stonefish

The car is actually a "two off"!

It is a fiberglass body mounted to a 1949 MG TC chassis. It was designed by Duane Wright of Ottawa and the build was assisted by driver Bryan Rowntree. The car was "written off" during a towing incident. The second car, in the ad, was Wright's car…where-abouts unknown.

post-49045-143138912893_thumb.jpg

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