Henk!! Matra or RB??

[henk4]

Originally Posted by willysjeep

Ja, but the Afrikaans....been here in Africa??

So you immediately believed I could write Afrikaans??

but anyway, based on the yellow/white/black colour scheme of the car, are we not talking Alpine?

[willysjeep]

Originally Posted by henk4

So you immediately believed I could write Afrikaans??

but anyway, based on the yellow/white/black colour scheme of the car, are we not talking Alpine?

That is the original colours in which the car was painted. That became the official Renault racing colours in 1968 in South Africa. I raced it all the time in the same colour and same paint...busy restoring it in the same colour again.

[Matra et Alpine]

yeah, I'd have said Alpine too.
The engine's definately in the wrong place for the d'Jet. So we can put that oen to bed

[Matra et Alpine]

Need to see some pics of the chassis/suspension/engine if we're going to be definitive.
I'm tinking more and more that it's a typical 60s crashed/rebuilt with whatever parts were aroudn and hence the odd, DB, RB, Matra, Alpine, Simca look

[willysjeep]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Need to see some pics of the chassis/suspension/engine if we're going to be definitive.
I'm tinking more and more that it's a typical 60s crashed/rebuilt with whatever parts were aroudn and hence the odd, DB, RB, Matra, Alpine, Simca look

I will post pix of the undercarraige as soon possible. I am currently running a Ren R5 1400 engine in it in order to save the Gordini engine, which is very scarce and expensive in South Africa. The G eng is mothballed.
There were 2 cars in the package that was sold off the track in the 60's as well as 2 complete bodies. The bodies only use 6 butterfly nuts to secure and can be removed in seconds. You only need to remove the steeringwheel, loosen 2 electrical plugs and the speedo and revcounter cables. The body is only a 1 piece unit.

I doubt the fact that this is a car put together from other cars pieces, if you look at the abovementioned.The second car was made roadworthy and because it was so low to the ground it was apparently been destroyed in a bus accident.One of the bodies was converted into a mid engined Volvo race car of which i also have a pic, that i will post.This car also did well in the Clubmans circuit in the late 70's and early 80's.

The last body i tracked down in Durban SA. The guy fitted it to a VW chassis and made a buggy out of it. All the instrumentation dissappeared.The last time that i've seen this buggy was in 1980.

[Matra et Alpine]

hmmm, one piece body now has me thinking kit car.
A body-off pic can readily confirm.
Still searching my French sports/racing car archives --- sadly most of them are books/mags So can take a while.

[henk4]

BTW Willys, is there any visible reference to the word MATRA anywhere on the car?

[Matra et Alpine]

even more so the FIA papers used whilst racing ?
THey should have all the details on manufacturer.

[willysjeep]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

even more so the FIA papers used whilst racing ?
THey should have all the details on manufacturer.

When i bought the car it was registered under SA Clubmans regs as a Matra Renault end the name came over to the classics regs as well. The manuf plate saus Renault and is mounted on the chassis.
I dont think there were kitcars in 1964

Here is the pic on the Volvo car

[henk4]

Originally Posted by willysjeep

Here is the pic on the Volvo car

looks like the most unsafe Volvo in history...
but again does it say: Matra somewhere on your car?

[willysjeep]

No, only the Reno Plate,and that is only a chassis number

[henk4]

Originally Posted by willysjeep

No, only the Reno Plate,and that is only a chassis number

hm, so no real proof of a Matra provenance...might have been conveniently added at a later stage, but maybe M&A will dig up something from the dungeons of French Clubsport archives.

[willysjeep]

There was a stage that i was thinking the Matra side was added because directly from the back, the rearend[back panel] resembles the Djet. But then nobody in SA at that time was supposed to know the Djet. Even today i dont think theres an example in SA
We are waiting for M&A

[Matra et Alpine]

am going to need some body off chassis pics as much detail as possible.
Am afriand I think this might be a one off produced kit around Renault running gear.
Can't find ANY references in Matra hsitoric archives of any race cars of that style.
Am back to thinking kit, possibly body over a single seater perhaps.
Will keep looking blindly, but the chassis woudl give clear pointers to the provenance.

[willysjeep]

it will take some time, but i will send those pix soonest