By Robert Emslie
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
Kamil Kaluski
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?
Heat exchanger?
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…
No, front engine, the upper corner shows a fender that would be pretty dubious for a rear fender IMHO.
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" 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?
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.
Wow, this is the first one where I don't even begin to know where to start looking. This one has me completely stumped.
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.
Lotus X?
Feels Saab-ish to me, but I can't say why.
Disclaimer: I know nothing about Saabs.
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.
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.
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.
Water cooled exhaust? Evidently they do that on boats, but performance motorcycle exhausts are wrapped to keep 'em hotter.
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.
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.
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…
I wonder what ever happened to Tonyola, anyway?
Thank you!
Soon.
Well, that's…mildly ominous.
Perhaps one of the Etceterinis, http://www.ferrariexperts.com/etceterini.htm
That engine looks much like an Austin Seven's, modified. Like a twin cam one. And that air box looks english to me.
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" width="600">
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.
Take a bow. You are correct!
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" width="600">
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" width="600">
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.
Good work mac! I'm pretty sure it's this one: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101518774…
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.
Well done Mac350. Now what about last week's mistery car?
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.
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.