dw1603

Not really obvious from the image but the Alken D2 has suicide doors too. Apropos of nothing.

Yeah, I was sure it was a Porsche, but then I also thought Autoquiz 479 was an Auto Union, so what do I know?

I thought it was the work of Dutch Darrin, he did the Flintridge Darrin which was Auto Union based. He was also also commissioned to design a prototype for the Dyna Panhard, which was very similar to this. If you screw you eyes up a bit, it is reminiscent of the Kaiser Darrin too. Once again, I wasted a lot of time on a wild goose chase searching for a “Darrin Porsche” which does not exist, but eventually chanced on the Alken D2. Lucky me!

Hi Michael, I can’t claim credit for finding this one, I gave up looking and did an image search. Dave.

Yep, that clue would have worked if I hadn’t already capitulated.

I’ve got a part built Italeri WLA stashed away and I have been thinking about doing a bobber for years. You might just have given me the push I need to get it done! Love your build, and I might steal a few ideas too.

The Lane Museum has saved my bacon a time or two, including this one. I’d love to visit for real one day.

Yeh, “fanny pack” made us chuckle too.

Two nations divided by a common language?

Unfair advantage?

You have to expect the dick Infront to do the unexpected, so even though I’ve been there too, no sympathy.

I think this thing had lots of potential, it was properly engineered and I suppose more expensive than the “buggy” type competition (of which there was plenty). The VEMP military project probably failed on political grounds, nothing new there then.

What did you go for Keith? When I saw those sun visors I thought they must be Australian, they built Vauxhalls there and had a couple of unique models. Came as quite a surprise to find that it is British and factory too, I don’t remember ever seeing one in the day ( but I was pretty young) I did have a 1959 PA Cresta Estate in the early 70’s. That was based on the car in the background of the pic. One of these, apparently Her Majesty The Queen had one too.

I think it is a brilliant idea. Dave

I was convinced it was some sort of Australian Mitsubishi.

Oh boy, this is frustrating. It looks very familiar, but I can’t quite get it, trouble is I have become fixated on one particular manufacturer and can’t seem to get beyond that. Need to leave it alone for a while then come back to it. (Sunday 23 Feb) Monday 24 Feb about 23.30, looked again and it is so obvious! How could I not have got it straight away? Too clever for my own good I reckon.

Totally new to me as well.

Well I failed dismally on this one, though some of the search terms I used should have got me close to it. Maybe, deep down, I just didn’t want to know what it is. Oh boy, it is gruesome!

OK, I have given up, I’ll wait for the reveal.

I think you will find that the Munch Mammoth used an in-line air cooled 4 cylinder overhead cam engine made by NSU. ?

Hi Bill, The Kadett B and the HB Viva were definitely related (cousins?) but I’m not sure that I would agree that the Kadett was the progenitor of the badge engineered Viva. They were both designed to the same GM spec, but in those days there was much rivalry between Vauxhall and Opel. They ostensibly shared a floor pan, but one was metric, the other Imperial (American) In my experience, there wasn’t a lot that would interchange between the two. This all changed with the next generation Kadett C (GM World car), Vauxhall introduced a limited range called the Chevette. They managed to make it uglier than the original but still used their own mechanicals, which differed from the Opel stuff. Still not a lot of interchangeability as I discovered when restoring an Opel C Coupé. The Grommet may have been Viva based, but there were a lot of Opel influences in the styling, which caused me to waste a lot of time too. Dave

I had a total failure on this one, well done Michael!

I think you have beaten me this time Michael!

Production cars tended to corrode at an alarming rate in those days, it was quite usual to find good mechanicals and trim housed in a rotten body shell. A magnet was essential kit when buying a used car.

Hi Shay, Where?