The Car Challenge

[Siani]

phpu5ukKDAM.jpg (25.67 KiB) Viewed 494 times

Is this a better picture?

[PeteC]

I think it's the last generation of the Ford Thunderbird, produced between 2002 and 2005. Not made any longer to my knowledge. Personally I hope they resurrect them once again. An historic model to be sure, right up there with the Mustang and Corvette. Pete

[Siani]

I think it's the last generation of the Ford Thunderbird, produced between 2002 and 2005. Not made any longer to my knowledge. Personally I hope they resurrect them once again. An historic model to be sure, right up there with the Mustang and Corvette. Pete

Yes it is a Thunderbird
It is absolutely beautiful! I could not put the other pictures I took as the personal number plate would have given the game away V8THU The car is mint. The seats are recovered in turquoise blue leather and matching steering wheel

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phps2fXCoAM.jpg (15.22 KiB) Viewed 484 times

phpu5ukKDAM.jpg (25.67 KiB) Viewed 484 times

[Siani]

I think it's the last generation of the Ford Thunderbird, produced between 2002 and 2005. Not made any longer to my knowledge. Personally I hope they resurrect them once again. An historic model to be sure, right up there with the Mustang and Corvette. Pete

Yes it is a Thunderbird
It is absolutely beautiful! I could not put the other pictures I took as the personal number plate would have given the game away V8THU The car is mint. The seats are recovered in turquoise blue leather and matching steering wheel

phpQalVzFAM.jpg

phps2fXCoAM.jpg

phpu5ukKDAM.jpg

Out of interest, I emailed the garage to find out how much the car is up for sale at. I just got this reply...the price is in UK pounds
"hi
its my own personal car it is a limited edition special order colour and only 10000miles from new, one of only a few cars imported to the uk.
the price is 26995.00.
let me know if of any interest to you "

Don't think Mr S will let me have it Shame really as I have a scarf that matches it exactly!

[Frank Hovis]

As GLCQ got me thinking of cars I thought I might resurrect the car challenge.

This picture is obviously clipped and blurred but Google Images has become so good even this small part will find you the answer straight away, so can we have some educated (or otherwise) guesses first?

What is this and what is it a part of?

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[Dannie Boy]

The jet engine fan of the Batmobile?

[Frank Hovis]

This is from an era before the Jet powered Batmobile.

[PeteC]

Some sort of early amphibious car?

[Frank Hovis]

Not amphibious, although this design gave a huge improvement in the wet.

[Frank Hovis]

Here is a 'small' clue.

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[Dannie Boy]

Looks like a young Bernie Ecclestone but if it is, I'm none the wiser?

[Frank Hovis]

It is a young Bernie Ecclestone, he used to work for a famous racing team.
This picture might help further, the guy on the left mostly.

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[Dannie Boy]

Well that's Nikki Lauder so it must have something to do when he drove for Brabham if it's linked to Bernie Ecclestone, but still not sure what the picture is - more investigation required!!

Brabham BT46B – the "fan car"[edit]

[Frank Hovis]

Yes, Niki Lauda, Yes Brabham and Yes something to do with when he drove for them, in fact it's something to do with what he drove in for them.
Around this time you might have seen Mario Andretti wearing a skirt !

[Frank Hovis]

Yes, missed your edit before I posted. The Brabham BT46B.
Designed by Gordon Murray when Bernie Ecclestone ran Brabham and driven by Niki Lauda in it's one and only race; the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix. It finished first by a margin of 34 seconds.
The fan was designed to get around the rules that there could be no movable part of the car primarily designed to increase downforce, Murray designed it as a radiator fan, driven from the gearbox, which had the side effect of producing huge amounts of downforce by forcibly sucking all the air out from underneath the car.

For those of us who have forgotten what watching Grand Prix in the 70's was really like, here is the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix in it's entirety complete with Lotus ground effect cars and the Brabham BT46B. The commentary is Austrian and the quality is as you'd expect from the 1970's. Some of the names bring back fond memories of F1's past.