Cart before horse. Have to get it first, then forget about it for a while as other things are completed.
Cart before horse. Have to get it first, then forget about it for a while as other things are completed.
Of course, it's spelled "Randal" on the door.
Thought I saw it had 80 hp with the norton Manx cylinders. Hope you score it. Looks like it still had the front down tubes with a few square tubes tacked on. Definitely needs rescuing before it gets scrapped
Man I hope this pans out...
I was telling Pat I feel like we're in an episode of Chasing Classic Cars with this thing.
Woody wrote: And it might be a Bill Devin body I would buy that for $650 and figure it out later if it was close. Bill Devin with a Devin Panhard:
Woody- GREAT EYE!!!
Did you happen to find that picture, or just know that it existed? It's so close to the shot in the ad that it's pretty clear what it is- between the body, and the frame parts you can see.
This site is awesome.
I hope you can get it, pat. Would make an incredible submitted article for CM.
BTW, IF you get this car- there's a writer in another vintage racing magazine that may be able to really help you- he's a major enthusiast of old HP cars, and knows quite a bit about Panhards, too. He even raced one at Bonneville a few years ago.
And his article is very much about finding old treasures like this one.
Hope the folks don't mind the crossover.
One more thing about the restoration- it would be cool to have a reader basically do a similar restoration as CM did on the Tornado Typhoon. And given the dis-belief of people of the challenge, and what the competitors are capable of doing- it would be an amazing display of skill and budget. Plus an amazing display of people helping find parts.... (just like the challenge)
Here's a registry page that will help. That blue and silver car started in a similar state, apparently.
wonder if you could get the owner of one of the other ones to pull a 3d scan of the nose for you. (being that they are apparently in France). From there you could grid out and sculpt a mold for a new nose.
Me: I would be doing everything possible to make it vintage accurate. You could make something faster from scratch with little to no effort, let it be a period piece.
Quite the long registry list eh?
Everything i find is quoting 3 known to exist. It's mind blowing that Andy posted the link, Woody had it ID'd within minutes, and it's almost literally right up the street from me. I've found figures of 6-12 were produced. Stuff that rare doesn't end up here.
The suspense of needing to go finish my job today is going to eat me alive.
In reply to patgizz:
So much for productivity. Unless the goal is to search for Panhard, Devin, and a combination of the two.
Apexcarver wrote: wonder if you could get the owner of one of the other ones to pull a 3d scan of the nose for you. (being that they are apparently in France). From there you could grid out and sculpt a mold for a new nose. Me: I would be doing everything possible to make it vintage accurate. You could make something faster from scratch with little to no effort, let it be a period piece.
100% agreed here sir joseph of the red hair clan.
I have platforms for all out speed and crazy swaps and this year's challenge car will blow minds. I have never had anything worth making correct. This is a car to make correct, or get into the hands of someone that can if i am not able to. That's a huge motivator for me, because i know someone out there would chop out everything, stick a small block in it and glue the VW nose on the front
I don't know how to embed videos, so 13 seconds of inspiration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob4VgI8NXCY
Need to go find some actual vintage magazines- Sports Car Illustrated, Sept 1955
Devin’s Kit Kar: (Sports Car Illustrated, September 1955)
Until recently the really “potent competition machinery has reached well up into four figures and often lapped over into five without batting an eye. Most competitors in sports car races were either content to go along with the high tariff or watch the Maseratis., OSCA’s, and the like wistfully from the cockpits of their MGs or Jaguars, with no very great hope of acquiring one of the other machines.
Caption From Article: From The Chassis Clockwise, The Engine, Cast Body, And Finished Car. The Devin Kit Can Come Full Cycle At Home.
Bill Devin, an enterprising designer and now manufacturer from Fontana, California has come up with a solution for most of this daydreaming with a car that could make “someday” a reality. Devin, using Panhard components, has come up with a diminutive bomb that can and does take on 1100cc OSCAs and hold them. The car can do pretty well with the 1300 variety. All this for just over $2000 – if you want to assemble the components yourself.
On top of all this, the car is docile in every day driving and, due to the Devin seat design, comfortable on extended cross country jaunts. The instrumentation is complete. All in all, the car belies the price of $2850 delivered, assembled, ready to run.
The kit components are considerably less, if you want to bolt the car together and due to the careful preparation of the components this is about all that is necessary. The body, primed for painting, with windshield, dash, headlights, and all hardware along with a pair of seats, padded and covered in Naugahyde, lists at $750. This will fit any 85 inch wheelbase chassis and weights only a fraction of similar body shells. The chassis with either the 745 or 850cc engine is $995 with a supercharger running $195 extra.
The only other component you need is the framework for mounting the body shell. That is $195 and you’re in business for $2135 and a few hours work.
The specifications are enough to make any mouth water, to wit:
Weight – approximately 950 lbs
Front wheel drive
Rack and pinion steering
Independent front suspension with two transverse leaf springs
Trailing arm rear suspension with six adjustable torsion arms.
Adjustable Houdaille shock absorbers
4-speed transmission
Lockheed hydraulic brakes
Choice of gear ratios
Hood (front half of body) instantly removable for accessibility
850cc engine – bore 85mm, stroke 75mm
745cc engine – bore 79.5mm, stroke 75mm
Piston speed 2500 fpm at 5100 rpm
Valve diameter – intake 40mm, exhaust 34mm
Engine Specifications:
The engine is the Panhard 2-cylinder (flat twin) giving simplicity, sturdiness and perfect balance
Overhead valves inclined at 45 degrees in hemispherical combustion chambers
Ball and socket pivoted rocker arms
Aluminum alloy tubular pushrods with steel inserts
Roller cam followers, steel rollers, aluminum tappets
Special patented valve gear with torsion bars and pressure lubricated needle bearings
Roller bearing rods and mains
Variable compression ratio
One that sold at Fantasy Junction as some time. Nice pics of the car
patgizz wrote: Quite the long registry list eh? Everything i find is quoting 3 known to exist. It's mind blowing that Andy posted the link, Woody had it ID'd within minutes, and it's almost literally right up the street from me. I've found figures of 6-12 were produced. Stuff that rare doesn't end up here. The suspense of needing to go finish my job today is going to eat me alive.
There's got to be more than three- this site- http://www.spiritracerclub.org/devin-constructeur-de-kit-carrosserie-us/
Shows 4 of them, and the one at Fantasy Junction isn't in that group.
Looks like there are 5 of them with pretty recent pictures someplace.
Man this is exciting! Anxiously awaiting the outcome!!
:: refresh to see how early Pat leaves work ::
alfadriver wrote: I don't know how to embed videos, so 13 seconds of inspiration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob4VgI8NXCY
Le me help you
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ob4VgI8NXCY
I am always amazed at the level of knowledge of the hive. You still at work Pat?
couple of those show some chassis detail and body detail without the nose on it that should help with positive ID (although, knowing the era and type of car, some variation would not be unexpected)
Billy; its more research capability than knowledge. Many of us live for researching this crap!
I wonder if it will be exhibition class only at the Challenge...
Since he hasn't responded lately, should we assume Pat is still working or did he leave to go look at the thing?
Pat is my hero. Good father, family man, own boss, and goes all over getting awsome stuff for cheap.
I love this place....
You'll need to log in to post.
