boulogne car body help needed

[Archivist]

The initial photo I posted and the 2 I will add to this post, were taken at Le Mans, some weeks after their outing in Boulogne. It is quite reasonable to assume that small changes were made to the cars in light of their earlier experiences. I do like the photos that Austin posted, particularly the first, which I hadn't seen before. The private family collection of Lou Kings is soon to be posted on the Archive web site, that includes the second photo, which I think is quite well known. It also includes some others taken at the same time. I will post up a note when that collection goes live. In the meantime, here are the other 2 photos of the Le Mans entries..

   

   

[Greig Smith]

The only way the driver could possibly get behind the wheel is from the passenger side & then scoot across... I'm 5'10" and fit into any & every Seven, but I think this would be an extra challenge.... that said I'm more than prepared to try <grin>

Tony at the risk of Grandmothers & eggs, what we did for our single seater was to take the side view of the Kaye Petre replica and scaled up the body based on the known size of the 19" wheel. Yes ours isn't identical, but rather an evocation although the profiles are remarkably close.

I'd do the same for the Bologne car & now that Austin Harris has kindly posted the picture from the side, you can measure the wheel & work from there. It's definitely going to be easier than re-creating Slippery Anne !!

Looking at the 2 cars above, #12 & #13 - the aero screens are different shapes and the hooter has moved on #13 which also has a spare wheel & a dash top mounted rev counter a-la Slippery

Go with the rounded aero screens & do incorporate the mount for the spare wheel - it'll be a conversation piece, but make it detachable to keep the clean line racer look

Aye
Greig

[Henry Harris]

More superimposed numbers?

   

   

[Mike Costigan]

I don't think the images are manipulated, Henry; the cars have just come from Boulogne and my guess is in removing the earlier race numbers some of the body colouring has also been removed. The Le Mans number style is consistent with other entries.

[Tony Betts]

Do we know what numbers they raced at boulogne.

The 2 looks like it had a 5 behind it, and the 3 looks like it had a 6 behind it.

Loving the pics, thanks to those who have put them on.

Tony.

[Archivist]

I think if the numbers were superimposed, the 'scars' on the bodywork would not have been visible in the applied numbers.

[Malcolm Parker]

As regards the floorpans of the Boulogne racers, I would hazard a guess that they started with a production tourer steel floor and bulkhead.  These were the first racing bodies built by the Works on the seven chassis, so it would make sense to start with the production floor and bulkhead. It would be easy to modify the floorpan by narrowing the two main floor sections.  I believe there is a photo of one of the cars when it rolled during the race which might provide some useful evidence of the floor construction.

[Tony Betts]

Thank you malcolm,

The pic would be good.

I found a picture earlier of Steve's car. Looks like he has a wood floor with a metal propshaft cover.

The bulkhead is open to the petrol tank. So not a full steel bulkhead.

That sounds sensible to me, but I do get picky on detail. And if it's should be an all steel floor, that's what I'd go with.

Also a question on bodies, one looks like it has dope over the bulkhead. The other two look like ply covered???

Thanks tony

[Monsdonnet]

  Waite.jpg (Size: 123.74 KB / Downloads: 244)

From Gallica BNF..... 29/4/23 Monza..... .

[Chris Garner]

Tony,

In the Boulogne GP car 8  was given 31, crewed by Waite and Depper
                            car 12 was given 35, crewed by Kings and Brockas
                            car 13 was given 36, crewed by Cutler and Hall

Car 35 overturned injuring Kings. His place was taken by Roddis at Le Mans and who is pictured as the driver in car 12.