1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

[guru_1071]

that looks great, its a credit to you

[arnaud-offroy]

http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMC-Austin-Mini- ... 3ccaa49b56

[ronie]

Thank you very much!

[ronie]

I received the press photos of the "Strandwagen" today. Attached on the back is a note with a small explanation of each photo.



The chap leaning on my car (sic), is none less than Graf Wolfgang Von Trips, just a few months before his death, on the 10th September 1961.

[JC T ONE]

I received the press photos of the "Strandwagen" today. Attached on the back is a note with a small explanation of each photo.
The chap leaning on my car (sic), is none less than Graf Wolfgang Von Trips, just a few months before his death, on the 10th September 1961.

This explain why the photos were in Germany .

[ronie]

Μaybe you could help me identify these chaps.
Is it:
a) a period hack (John Bolster type)
b) BMC bigwig
c) member of BMC engineering team
d) old racing driver
e) John Cooper?

He seems very happy...




and what about this fella behind Sir Alec? He looks like BMC managment type..

[ronie]

I can finally see the end.

I got the car back from the bodyshop all polished up and shiny. I drove it to the uphostery shop to have some details sorted and tomorrow I will fit the windscreen.

The only things left are:

1) sort out the horn and indicator function. I believe some parts are worn missing from the slip ring assembly. My electrician will have a look at it tomorrow. I might need your help in case I need parts.

2) fit the remanufactured rear bumper. I currently have an Elf unit fitted.

3) I have the suspicion that the car overheats. I measured it with an infra red thermometer gun after a run and it read close to 100 Celsius around the top of the radiator and thermostat. It might be a dodgy thermostat or waterpump? Don't know yet.

4) Get my Historic Vehicle licence plates so I can drive it legally.

Through extensive research and quite some luck I managed to track down the first owners son. An elderly gentleman living in Athens and believe it or not, a Beach Car owner himself.
We will meet later this month and I will show him the car.

[ronie]

Two years after it was removed, the Beach car is now fitted with a windscreen again. It makes a huge difference on the road, even at modest speeds.









Another thing I noticed today that I drove the car is that I need to watch sharp right turns. There is nothing keeping me on my seat and the painted wicker is hard and quite slippery.

Clockwise Oval Racing with the Beach car should not be attempted!

[InimiaD]

Can't be many bits of the jigsaw left now.

At least with the windscreen in place you can drive the car with a big smile on your face without the risk of getting a mouthful of winged insects.

To cure falling out of the car scenario why not sew some velcro to your trousers / shorts.

[Nevsmini]

Beautiful car! And it's in a country with great weather where she can be enjoyed to the fullest. Tasty restoration!

[NotNormal]

Great car, great resto.

You must feel very proud knowing you've saved a piece of history

[slowboy]

lovely lovely car , really nice job

[ronie]

Nearly there. Very few thing to do now.

[ricardo]

Unbelievable John!

[999 ORX]

Looking GREAT!!

One quick question, should the SU carb dashpot damper be brass? And not plastic? I was just thinking with the age of it that it probably would have had one?

[ronie]

...no idea abouy the brass dashpot damper. Will look into it. Cheers.

[Tim]

Its fabulous.

Tim

[tedmcedd]

Stunning.

You've done it proud!

Ed

[ronie]

Today I took the car to its first ride to a Classic Car meeting in front of an old marble stadium, where the 1896 Olympics were held.











The car was very well received.Most people had never seen one, and kept asking whay it was?

The car behaved flawlessly on the way there and back, the weather was incredible and overall it was a jolly good day out.

[JC T ONE]

Its strange suddenly to see it in town traffic, and beside other cars

The Surf board on top of the Renault, would have looked SOOO much more right on your roof

Did you get the missing part for the columm / horn ring ?