I visited the Classic Car show yesterday at the NEC in the UK, and was truly fascinated by this made in 1948 by the Healy car company. It is one of two survivors of 17 made, to me it just looks "factory Hot Rod" as it sits fairly low with swoopy bodylines. The Healy car company in partnership with Austin built the prized Austin Healy 3000, and it's founder was a well known racer and record breaker, Resto gallery link http://www.classicrestorations.org.uk/gallery_large.php?id=11&offset=0
I have seen some shooting breaks equiped with a folding seat on the side near the rear wheel. I beleive the term was applied to automobiles used for ferrying shooting parties from the estate house to the hunting grounds, tpically had places for gun racks, secure ammunition storage, a place for a couple provisions baskets, (sandwiches and brandy that sort of thing) and a place or places for a hound or two. I wondered if the exterior seat was for a shooter or merely for the help in charge of the dogs so he didn't mix with the guests. Looks to be for sale http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160591131241+&viewitem=#v4-39
Maybe borderline off topic for the HAMB, but that is a cool looking car from a company with a great racing heritage. Another "hot rod"/race car builder that made a shooting brake was Allard, maker of the famous Chrysler or Caddy powered J2. Here's an interesting website that includes many shooting brakes and vintage American woodie wagons. http://hem.bredband.net/lisselbo4/SHOOTING-BRAKE/index.htm
I didn't know it was for sale, but the gentleman I talked to on the stand looked a bit odd when I mentioned Hot Rod his take on the matter was "based on a Sporty chassis, coil sprung suspension and good handling" not the 1940's sleeper that crossed my mind. The craftsmanship and build quality was superb, appologies for being a bit O/T here but I thought it was a great car that should be shared.
Don't see how a 40's Woody can be off topic. Especially one that is basically hand built in an old aircraft component factory. Using English wheels, planishing hammers and cabinet making craftsmanship, not to mention chassis, and suspension fabrication. And if I haven't missd the mark a the motor were heated up Riley engines. Perhaps the crate motor of the day. These guys sound like hot rodders to me. Here's some wiki stuff. The cars mainly used a tuned version of the proven Riley twin cam 2.4 litre four cylinder engine in a light steel box section chassis of their own design using independent front suspension by coil springs and alloy trailing arms with Girling dampers. The rear suspension used a Riley live axle with coil springs again. Advanced design allowed soft springing to be combined with excellent road holding. Lockheed hydraulic brakes were used. When it was introduced in 1948 the Elliott saloon was claimed to be the fastest production closed car in the world and was timed at 104.7 mph over a mile. Unusually for the time the body was tested in a wind tunnel to refine its aerodynamics. Looks like the car you posted was based on a roadster Guess it needs wire wheels..........
Seeing this makes me wonder to what extent Posie may have been inspired by shooting brakes when he built his Extremeliner. (personally I prefer the Healey)
There were a lot of "shooting brakes" custom built on expensive chassis in those days. For one thing, a "commercial vehicle" was exempt from the Purchase Tax on new cars, the tax was 33% later raised to 66% of the car's retail price. Commercial vehicles also paid lower road tax (license fees) and could be written off your income tax. And if you were a farmer you could buy tractor gas tax free. England was really squeezing blood out of a stone in those days and cars were a luxury they loved to tax the hell out of. So all these dodges could save a lot of money. Just by having a joke station wagon body put on a sports car chassis.
I also tend to think that the Healy or the Allard to a lesser extent were the inspiration for the Extremeliner.
I was informed by one of the gentlemen manning the Healy stand, that Healey only produced one chassis design, and that all the bodies were built to suit! roadster, saloon, shooting brake etc.
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