Mystery Car

Robert Emslie

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mystery_car_19_07_13

Mysteries come in many sizes. Some of them are small, like what did I just dig out of my ear? Others are huge, as in could our entire existence – the whole universe – be just an atom in a molecule in a wad of some unidentifiable matter just dug from some alien giant’s ear?

The weekly Mystery Car falls somewhere in between those two extremes. This week, you’ll need to correctly identify: the make, model, likely engine  – heck, it’s sitting right there- and the year range of our masked stranger. Come to think of it, you have to do that every week. Oh well, at least that’s one mystery solved. In that case, you should probably get working on this one.

Image source: ©2013 Hooniverse/Robert Emslie, All Rights Reserved

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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34 responses to “Mystery Car”

  1. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    I'd be happy if I could just identify that goiter welded onto the side of the engine. Pressurized carb cover? Exhaust? Intake? Water jacket? Is that whole thing just a big supercharger?

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      Heat exchanger?

      Reply
      1. Batshitbox Avatar
        Batshitbox

        Yeah, good guess. With the distributor wires going where they are, I'm thinking this is a flat four air cooled engine. I had considered it could be a rear engine, but that looks like a clutch or brake master cylinder, not sure now…

        Reply
        1. RegalRegalia Avatar
          RegalRegalia

          No, front engine, the upper corner shows a fender that would be pretty dubious for a rear fender IMHO.

          Reply
          1. Batshitbox Avatar
            Batshitbox

            Not too dubious on a boat tailed car with semi-detached fenders. Like if this thing had a rear engine. And fenders. And was red.
            <img src="http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1920-1929/1928-Ford-Model-A-Boattail-Speedster-Rear-Parked-1024×768.jpg&quot; width=350>
            Now I'm starting to go back to pressurized intake. I'm maybe imagining a gap between that casting and the 'block', and a hint of shadow suggesting an intake boot.
            But who the hell put the distributor on the other side of everything? What's driving it, way over there?

          2. RegalRegalia Avatar
            RegalRegalia

            All good points, at least half over my engineering-inept head, but rear engine boat tail? If that IS the case this becomes the coolest mystery car ever featured.

  2. CABEZAGRANDE Avatar
    CABEZAGRANDE

    Wow, this is the first one where I don't even begin to know where to start looking. This one has me completely stumped.

    Reply
  3. B72 Avatar
    B72

    On the right hand side, there is a rubber tube leading to what could be a frame rail. Lotus was famous for doing stuff like that.
    The quality of the castings looks to me like it puts it somewhere between the 30's and the 60's.

    Reply
  4. Giordi Avatar
    Giordi

    Lotus X?

    Reply
  5. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
    Irishzombieman☆

    Feels Saab-ish to me, but I can't say why.
    Disclaimer: I know nothing about Saabs.

    Reply
  6. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Don't know the car, but I did find this: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1208364@N23/pool/341… A Flickr group of nothing but pictures of engines in cars. I'm still looking.

    Reply
    1. RegalRegalia Avatar
      RegalRegalia

      From that flickr group I think we're looking at a straight four from a prewar car.
      edit: I feel a paradox between the pre-war argument and the general shape of the fender in view, no way that metal is that old.

      Reply
  7. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    Right-hand drive, 4 cylinder, front engined, radiator air vented to left, red, water-jacketed exhaust – a small displacement Italian sport-racing car from the late 50's – early 60's. That's all I got.

    Reply
    1. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      Water cooled exhaust? Evidently they do that on boats, but performance motorcycle exhausts are wrapped to keep 'em hotter.

      Reply
      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        Wouldn't they be wrapped to keep the rider's legs or engine cooler, instead of to keep the exhaust hot? I mean, I'm sure that in theory the hot exhaust could be used for additional propulsion but I don't think any motorcycle manufacturers are currently doing that.

        Reply
      2. mac350 Avatar
        mac350

        True – marine engines typically use raw water cooled exhaust manifolds. Hot rodders have used pipe wrap to insulate manifolds for performance reasons. Ford's ecoboost 3 cylinder 1 liter engine has a water cooled exhaust manifold (designed into the head) for better economy. But as far as the mystery car, you know as much as me.

        Reply
  8. Lotte Avatar
    Lotte

    Hey Rob! Can we get an official ruling on this? http://hooniverse.info/2013/05/17/mystery-car-132/
    I think it just HAS to be what kyle_a_m guessed, and it had been driving a few of us crazy…
    As for this one, uhh…well, I wish Tonyola was still here…

    Reply
    1. dead_elvis Avatar
      dead_elvis

      I wonder what ever happened to Tonyola, anyway?

      Reply
    2. RegalRegalia Avatar
      RegalRegalia

      Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Robert Emslie Avatar
      Robert Emslie

      Soon.

      Reply
      1. kyle_a_m Avatar
        kyle_a_m

        Well, that's…mildly ominous.

        Reply
  9. Rover1 Avatar
    Rover1

    Perhaps one of the Etceterinis, http://www.ferrariexperts.com/etceterini.htm

    Reply
  10. Giordi Avatar
    Giordi

    That engine looks much like an Austin Seven's, modified. Like a twin cam one. And that air box looks english to me.

    Reply
    1. RegalRegalia Avatar
      RegalRegalia

      Looks like it came from a centrifugal fan to me.
      <img src="http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/ec-centrifugal-fan-8479-2337631.jpg&quot; width="600">

      Reply
  11. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    I'm prettyI sure this is a Mercedes 150H, built in 1934 to 1936, with a water cooled 1498cc engine. I can't find a full picture of the motor but I recall that the radiator was in the back and was cooled by a squirrel cage fan.

    Reply
    1. Robert Emslie Avatar
      Robert Emslie

      Take a bow. You are correct!

      Reply
  12. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    Here's a picture of the motor of the Mercedes 150H from benzworld.org
    <img src="http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/vintage-mercedes-benz/438448d1334557435-mercedes-benz-original-photos-mb-150h-motor.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  13. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    Here's a picture of the car. At first it threw me off because it didn't look like a rear drive car. But the more I looked at it the more it looked German. This pict is from autoweek.com
    <img src="http://www.autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20101006/COLLECTOR/100609837/PH/1/8/1934_Mercedes-Benz_150_Sport_Roadster.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
    1. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      Hot damn. If you're not right then there's two of these beasts out there. And it's a rear engine boat tail. I was on the right track, but couldn't catch the right train. I GIS-ed for boat tails, and a few Mecedes came up, but it's an ocean of Auburn Speedsters in between them.

      Reply
    2. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

      Good work mac! I'm pretty sure it's this one: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101518774…

      Reply
      1. mac350 Avatar
        mac350

        From what I remember there is only one of these in existence and it's owned by Mercedes and they had it restored in their restoration center in California.

        Reply
  14. Giordi Avatar
    Giordi

    Well done Mac350. Now what about last week's mistery car?

    Reply
    1. mac350 Avatar
      mac350

      Thanks – but last week's mystery car is a tough one. I know I've seen it somewhere but I my mind's a blank.

      Reply
  15. Ice Age Village cheats Avatar
    Ice Age Village cheats

    Hi there i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace, when i read this
    article i thought i could also make comment due to this good paragraph.

    Reply