Nicola Dare's Special Alpine

[Jay Laifman]

Many years ago, I saw pictures of a fantastic Alpine in the UK SAOC's Alpine Horn magazine, issue 118, October 1998. I was never able to find the owner. With today's scanner, I was able to figure out it was driven by Nicola Dare.

Does anyone know her or the car? Here are the pictures from the Horn.

FWIW, I seem to recall back then that I found out it was a custom job, the windshield frame and everything was replaced by a custom made frame, and the roof was from another car - a Datsun/Nissan rings a bell, but that's probably wrong.

 

[Chuck Ingram]

Many years ago, I saw pictures of a fantastic Alpine in the UK SAOC's Alpine Horn magazine, issue 118, October 1998. I was never able to find the owner. With today's scanner, I was able to figure out it was driven by Nicola Dare.

Does anyone know her or the car? Here are the pictures from the Horn.

FWIW, I seem to recall back then that I found out it was a custom job, the windshield frame and everything was replaced by a custom made frame, and the roof was from another car - a Datsun/Nissan rings a bell, but that's probably wrong.

Jay

You could be close.When I was building my car I did look at the Datsun coupe roof.it was close but the windshield rake was way off.I settled for the Plymouth Arrow roof.windshield rake was almost perfect.I had to narrow it by 4 inches and shorten 10.5 inches.the shortening was done in 2 places to match

 

[Jay Laifman]

That's ironic. I had someone tell me years ago that the Arrow and Cricket were the continuation of the Rapier Fastback, which was the continuation of ... the Alpine.

 

[65beam]

alpine

the fast backs came on to replace the series alpine in 1968. they share only the engine of the alpine. the arrow also has a different chassis to the alpine. the cricket came after the fast backs. it was a rebadged sunbeam avenger.

 

[RootesRooter]

The fastback Rapier/Alpine GT/Alpine Coupe was built on the same platform as the Sunbeam Arrow/Hillman Hunter. They were all considered part of the "Arrow Range." The Plymouth Cricket/Hillman Avenger came later and had nothing in common with either the Arrow Range or Series Alpines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootes_Arrow

 

[65beam]

alpine

the arrow was put on the market at roughly the same time as the series 5 alpine. the fastback did not come along until the series 5 production stopped. the fastback was the only two door body built of the eleven different models in the audax range. it did not share the same frame rails and body of the other versions. the other versions shared a lot of the same body panels but the fastbacks did not share even the same front fenders and hood of the other models.

 

[GlennB]

I have seen this car in a fellow SAOC member's garage quite recently - about 18 months ago. Out of politeness I'd have to ask if he wants his ownership of it to be known or if he wants to reply himself. I'll send him the link to this post. GlennB

 

[Jay Laifman]

Really!!!? Well even if he doesn't want to come forward, please tell him t hat I think that is the most beautiful Harrington ever (even though I recognize it is not a Harrington). But the lines all work right. The tail is not droopy. The roof does not bubble up funny. The rear quarter windows flow to a nice point, a la Aston Martin DB5 Gt. The back slopes to a nice conclusion, not an odd abrupt end. Just love that car. So huge kudos to him for the work.

 

[alpine_64]

Glenn,

If he doesn't mind being contacted... or posting on the forum i would love to see some pictures of the engine. When the car was for sale in maybe 2004/05 i remember it was fitted with SU carbs.. i'd love some better pictures of the engine setup.

 

[Jay Laifman]

13 years later. GlennB, does he still not want to share about his car?

 

[SoCal'beaming]

Jay ... your a regular romantic .. fes' up! ,, D......

13 years later. GlennB, does he still not want to share about his car?

 

[puff4]

I would bet serious money that the roof on that Alpine was sourced from a Bond Equipe GT4S, which was a fiberglass British car that was produced around the same time as that car, and as such would have been readily available.

 

[SoCal'beaming]

Kevin that 1st. one ..it's the eyes on it ... second? .. ya gotta' love a 'pine of .. most favor's .. reminds of the after... There's more..

... David

 

[puff4]

Kevin that 1st. one ..it's the eyes on it ... second? .. ya gotta' love a 'pine of .. most favor's .. reminds of the after... There's more..

... David

Oh, I'm aware of the great many options available to 'cover' the Alpines. But when I saw the one Jay posted, I immediately recalled an acquaintance's Bond, and when I checked, the two were nearly identical - slope, arc, side window profiles, etc.

The Bond Equipe was built on a Triumph Herald chassis, and you can see that even the doors, windscreen, and sills are clearly retained from the Herald, unmodified. The only fiberglass bits are the roof, bonnet and rear panels.

 

[alpine_64]

Oh, I'm aware of the great many options available to 'cover' the Alpines. But when I saw the one Jay posted, I immediately recalled an acquaintance's Bond, and when I checked, the two were nearly identical - slope, arc, side window profiles, etc.

The Bond Equipe was built on a Triumph Herald chassis, and you can see that even the doors, windscreen, and sills are clearly retained from the Herald, unmodified. The only fiberglass bits are the roof, bonnet and rear panels.

I used to have the photo of the rear of the alpine special.. and i think Kevin has nailed it

 

[cdk84]

I wish I knew more about the owner. Fifteen or twenty years ago I tried to purchase that car.

I also wanted to learn about the driver, Nicola Dare, because I believe we are ( fairly ) closely related. My father’s and brother’s middle name is Dare, which —if you recall your Colonial history— bears some significance on this side of ‘the puddle’.

One reason I wanted to learn about Ms Dare is that she was entered at a race in the UK that included Rosemary Smith, who was a featured guest. Nicola, in this car, was showing Rosemary the back of her Special for the early part of the event, and was told, sub rosa, to back off so Rosemary could win. I’ve never heard about the full unfolding of that event, but was fascinated by the car, Nicola’s driving acumen, and the back room monkey business, if that all were true.

In those days I didn’t have much wherewithall to acquire cars, but wish I had pursued this one.

I served as a consultant on the restoration of Bob Avery’s Harrington, or what was left of it after it was rebodied and was offered first refusal on that car. I knew where a lot of the original parts for that car could be found and wanted to reunite the car with the trailer and Ford sedan that was used to two the Harrington to Sebring from New Hampshire, where it had been ‘developed’ by D&H Motors.

The level of development of that car was another interesting story, but for another thread.

Good luck learning more about this car. It’s a very attractive vehicle, and I hope to see it and meet Nicola Dare before another 13 years pass by.

Now I’m restoring the Harrington Alpine that has eluded me for so Very Long.

Very Best, All,

David Kellogg

 

[alpine_64]

. I knew where a lot of the original parts for that car could be found and wanted to reunite the car with the trailer and Ford sedan that was used to two the Harrington to Sebring from New Hampshire, where it had been ‘developed’ by D&H Motors.

The level of development of that car was another interesting story, but for another thread.

David Kellogg

@cdk84. . Start that thread before the infromation fades from memory