> Did you ever ID that mystery car in Alabama that looked like a Cobra
> with a 4 cyl Biltmore A130 engine? Forgive my ignorance, but I've
> never heard of a Biltmore engine; anybody know more?
>
> Rob "I love a mystery" Reilly
I was going to write again when we knew for sure. We're not 100%
certain, but every indication is that it is a steel-bodied Ace, with
an engine transplant. This is a surprise, since everyone seems to
think that all the Aces had aluminum bodies. None of the books we've
checked mention steel bodies either. The owner now has the contact
info for the ACOC (thanks again, Roland). They'll no doubt be able
to tell him for certain.
As to the Biltmore engine, you're not alone in your ignorance. The
name rang a very tiny bell when I first heard it, but I haven't been
able to resolve the reference. Everyone knows that all Aces had
6-cyl engines, either A.C.- or Bristol-designed, but then everyone
knows that all Aces had aluminum bodies, too, right?. So who knows,
it might be an early prototype with the original engine. This
wouldn't really make sense, since A.C. had been using the same basic
6-cyl engine design since the 1920s. Why would they suddenly use a
4-cyl? I think I'll post to rec.autos.antique asking about the
Biltmore.
The next meeting of the local Britcar club is Aug 2. The owner is
planning on attending, and bringing some pictures of the mystery car.
At that time we should know for certain. I'll write again then.
--
T.J. Higgins | tjhiggin@ingr.com | (205) 730-7922
Intergraph Corp. | Mapping Sciences Division | Huntsville, AL, USA
|