Page 7 of 9

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:18 am
by guru_1071
that looks great, its a credit to you

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:52 pm
by arnaud-offroy

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:30 pm
by ronie
Thank you very much!

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:11 am
by ronie
I received the press photos of the "Strandwagen" today. Attached on the back is a note with a small explanation of each photo.

Image

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.

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:17 am
by JC T ONE
ronie wrote: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 .

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:27 pm
by 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...


Image

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

Image

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:27 pm
by 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.

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:09 pm
by 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.

Image

Image

Image

Image

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!

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:14 pm
by 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. :P

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

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:41 pm
by Nevsmini
Beautiful car! And it's in a country with great weather where she can be enjoyed to the fullest. Tasty restoration!

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:03 am
by NotNormal
Great car, great resto.

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

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:03 pm
by slowboy
lovely lovely car , really nice job :D

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:37 pm
by ronie
Nearly there. Very few thing to do now.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 5:04 pm
by ricardo
Unbelievable John!

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 5:43 pm
by 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?

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:57 pm
by ronie
...no idea abouy the brass dashpot damper. Will look into it. Cheers.

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:52 am
by Tim
Its fabulous.

Tim

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:54 pm
by tedmcedd
Stunning.

You've done it proud!

Ed

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:10 pm
by 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.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

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.

Re: 1961 Beach Car prototype restoration

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:43 pm
by JC T ONE
Its strange suddenly to see it in town traffic, and beside other cars 8-)

The Surf board on top of the Renault, would have looked SOOO much more right on your roof 8-)

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