GN V8 (Work In Progress)

GN V8 GP Special (work In progress)

An update on the GN V8 piece that was started as a demonstration at the Wiscombe Hill Climb earlier this year. This piece will be on display at the Prescott Hill Climb in August (the picture doesn't really do it justice). Whilst doing this piece I have been finding more out about this wonderful machine while looking for reference pictures, here's what I found out:

The car is a GN/JAP Grand Prix, year 1908/1919 owned and built by Richard Scaldwell (please correct me if I'm wrong). www.prewarcar.com gave this great description in 2006 after seeing it at the Prescott Hill Climb:

"The low car seems equally flimsy and scruffy at first sight, but when you are getting closer you see a grand piece of art in which thousands of hours and tons of creativity have been invested. The detailing is incredible and gives an overall impression the car has escaped from Harry Potter's latest... Here some specs: modified wooden chassis in GN style. Air cooled 5 litre V8 engine ( aero JAP ?) with everything exposed. The alloy coachwork organically evolves from the radiator shell along the cowl and unfolds into two staggered seats. The driver and co-driver are squeezed into something like a miniature steam loc engine room. From there we proceed to the back of the car, a kind of rivettted 'goats' rear end which accommodates to carry two saddle bags."

The engine is an original Jap V8 rather than 4 v twins bolted together, the same engine was used by E.T. Willows to power his airship which flew from Cardiff to Crystal Palace on August 6th 1910. The engine can be seen in the Shuttleworth Collection. More info on the engine can be seen here:

http://gasballoon.com/V8JAP.htm