I saw a special a few days ago and the owner’s grandson tells me it’s for
sale. It seems to made up from a genuine old car and someone has told me it
started life as a Jaguar but I can’t remember seeing one like it. A member of
your group said that some of you would be interested to hear about it.
It has big, chromium headlights and long flowing bonnet. The grandson tells
me that it was made in America and imported into Europe about twenty years
ago and never used. It has the steering on the right. The fenders and hood are
plastic although most of the body is aluminium. I don’t think the alloy type
wheels are original and the engine has recently been polished up and looks
quite shiny, but I’m sure it isn’t the correct type. They have spent a fortune
on having it worked on, I am pretty certain it’s a V8. The rear suspension, I
’m told, is from a seventies Jaguar. It has an automatic gearbox. There are
no maker’s plates that I can find except one that says it was worked on by
Joe’s Hot Rod and Tune Up Shop in Oakland, California. The owner pointed out a
number stamped on the chassis behind the front wheel which I haven’t been
able to see properly but I think it’s something like 39981 but I can’t be
sure. I have to admit it looks better in the pictures than the flesh. I’m told
it will be on Ebay soon. I was given a couple of photographs but I can’t seem
to lay my hands on them at present. I have located one of the engine and have
posted it on the pre-xk section. I’ll try and find the others and get them
on as well.
Bill.
It LOOKS like some bits from an SS100 that have been interferred
with.
And somewhere in cyberspace, I’m sure there’s a V8 Lovers website
where even now, someone is enquiring if anyone knows where his
original sidevalve V8 engine is.
However the chassis number 39981 is far beyond the series and the
39*** series were the later 3 1/2 litre. The grille shown, or what
we can see of it, is from an early car [ 1936/7].
Apart from that one would need to see more pictures.–
The original message included these comments:
number stamped on the chassis behind the front wheel which I haven’t been
able to see properly but I think it’s something like 39981 but I can’t be
sure. I have to admit it looks better in the pictures than the flesh. I’m told
Well, so far we know it has a flathead Ford V8 from between 1932
and 1954, with Edelbrock heads and two single throat downdraft
carbs. This engine would be at home in a '23 T-bucket or Little
Deuce Coupe if the owner was more interested in retro show than go.
Independent rear suspension from 1960s to 1980s Jags is also very
popular with the street rodders.
If you can get the chassis number it might tell us what this once
was.
What country are you in? Some of the characters in your post are
coming out garbled on my screen. Or is it just another AOL problem?–
XK120 FHC, Mark V saloon, XJ12L Series II, S-Type 3.0
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The car was near Lyon in southern France. I am back in the UK but due to go
down again in the middle of next week. I’ll take a camera and get some
pictures for you. Still can’t find the ones I was given.
In reply to a message from Rob Reilly sent Wed 1 Apr 2009:
Yowza All,
Just a note for those into Ford Flatheads....... Ford continued
to make that motor up until the 80’s. The engine was utilized in
NATO vehicles and known for it’s ability to run on just about any
petrol swill a 3rd world country could throw at it.
The newer ones obviously benefit from some better metallurgy
along with an extra head stud that many original owners thought it
should have had in the first place.
A couple of years back a bunch of these were offered for sale
and a some were picked up by hot-rodders on both sides of the
Atlantic.
Later, Bob Lovell--
The original message included these comments:
Well, so far we know it has a flathead Ford V8 from between 1932
and 1954, with Edelbrock heads and two single throat downdraft