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1935 Morris Eight Series I Tourer Clown's 'Calamity Car'

1935 Morris Eight Series I Tourer in Anoop and the Elephant, Movie, 1972 IMDB

Class: Cars, Convertible — Model origin: UK

1935 Morris Eight Series I Tourer Clown's 'Calamity Car'

Pos: 00:04:41 [*][*][*][*] Vehicle used a lot by a main character or for a long time

Comments about this vehicle

AuthorMessage

dsl SX

2020-05-31 01:05

[Image: 04-41calamitycar.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarb.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarc.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycard.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycare.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarf.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarg.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarh.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarj36-28.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycark.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarl.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarm.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarn.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarp.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarr.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycart.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycaru.jpg] [Image: 04-41calamitycarv.jpg]

[Image: 04-41calamitycarw.jpg]

This should be easy, because (cue drum roll) it is "the world famous Calamity Car". More gadgets than the James Bond DB5, but some shocking panel gaps. If BXO 868 means anything (which it might as there was some filming on public roads) it was London, April-May 1935. Would it be easier to build something like this on a van chassis than a car??

johnfromstaffs EN

2020-05-31 11:42

Reference to thumb 3 shows what could be torsion bar ifs. (Morris Minor van? Does that steering wheel suit?)

Front engine, rear wheel drive, floor gearchange.

It would be more suitable to use a van chassis were the source vehicle only available as a monocoque in saloon form. Were the source vehicle prewar and British, either the saloon or van variant would have a chassis.

From the available images, it has not been possible accurately to count the wheelstuds. (Later view on bigger screen suggests 4.)

BXO was one of those types of plate that could be bought cheaply, since the letters are not frequently encountered as initials, (Barrington Xavier Oliphant, perhaps?). The front plate looks as if it has 7 character spacing and a modern font, possibly belying the 1935 date of the series inasmuch as it may not have had an original connection to the chassis.

Without a better view of the oily bits, it would be difficult to conclude that this is anything other than a cobbled up collection of junk. British small cars did not generally have ifs in 1935, with the exception of Morgan, and the BSA Scout which had fwd which is not a feature here. It’s about the right size for a Morris Eight, but that’s not totally right either. Maybe a European small car?

-- Last edit: 2020-05-31 12:59:09

Sunbar UK

2020-06-02 21:55

I believe the bulkhead/scuttle, most of the door aperture, windscreen and instruments plus dash header rail all look like a Morris Eight Series I Tourer.

-- Last edit: 2020-06-02 21:56:41

johnfromstaffs EN

2020-06-02 22:00

I did think the same as well, but the problem of the front suspension caused me to ignore it.

Sunbar UK

2020-06-03 12:16

I'm way out of my comfort zone with pre-war suspension details however, this is the Morris Eight Series I...

[Image: cc02.jpg]
(Flipped left-right to compare it with the clown car).

Compares well with the movie car's suspension I think. Rigid axle and lever-type damper look right. The curved upper detail is the flex brake hose.

-- Last edit: 2020-06-03 12:18:05

johnfromstaffs EN

2020-06-03 14:07

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10503/lot/16/

For comparison.

dsl SX

2020-06-03 14:37

:king: Good work, gang! Lashings of ginger beer and a bag of sherbet dib-dabs all round.

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