Plywood Chassis. The Costin Nathan Imp.
Benonymous - 11/6/10 at 07:19 AM
We were winding Dominic up on his build thread about his wooden mock up parts and I recalled this car.
The colour of this one isn't very attractive IMHO but it is a beautiful car. The Costin/Nathan Imp or GT
The centre section of this design was plywood treated with resin to make it weather proof.
This chassis is in need of a big dose of TLC but you can see the basic structure.
Part of the body work was aluminium and part GRP.
The front section carries the plywood right forward to the suspension pickup points as you see.
Here's a nice period cutaway of the open top varient. I think the open top was the Imp and the FHC was the GT.
I love Frank Costins designs and this one most of all. It embodies everything I like in a car: Light, simple and aerodynamic.
Humbug - 11/6/10 at 07:23 AM
Interesting...
Shame they didn't treat the rear frame with something 
fha772 - 11/6/10 at 08:06 AM
Oooooooo, I like that!!
Benonymous - 11/6/10 at 08:06 AM
Yeah. I think the rear space frame has had it, especially the rear torsion bar!
MakeEverything - 11/6/10 at 08:17 AM
nice find, though a full rebuild IMO.
Do you have the rest of the bodywork?
Mal - 11/6/10 at 10:08 AM
Is the fuel tank second, behind the radiator in the crumple zone?
blakep82 - 11/6/10 at 12:09 PM
er, is there any metal at all in the centre section?
Dingz - 11/6/10 at 12:47 PM
The early Marcos were plywood (as in costin) and the latter Amigo which had vauxhall running gear was wood based too. Ran at Le mans
BenB - 11/6/10 at 02:32 PM
It looks to me like someone's got a pretty car and sat on it 
iank - 11/6/10 at 03:08 PM
Marcos GT is another pretty plywood car.
http://www.britishracecar.com/AndySeward-Marcos-GT.htm
Benonymous - 12/6/10 at 03:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
nice find, though a full rebuild IMO.
Do you have the rest of the bodywork?
Sadly this is not my car Richard. I think it's mostly complete from the thread I was reading that contained the photos. The front and rear clip
were GRP. Based on the condition of the car they might be past saving. if the car was stored in a humid environment, the GRP may have suffered
osmosis which would render it into a wet cardboard state. The panels seen in the pictures are aluminium.
That Marcos GT is nice too but I prefer the Imp GT with its lovely low arched guards.
[Edited on 12/6/10 by Benonymous]
britishtrident - 12/6/10 at 08:27 PM
Problem with plywood is crash resistance, In his early days Jackie Stewart had a bad experience with a plywood Marcos.
Mark Allanson - 13/6/10 at 06:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Problem with plywood is crash resistance, In his early days Jackie Stewart had a bad experience with a plywood Marcos.
I understand he got a few splinters
When plywood box sections are then laminated, they become exceptionally strong - I think the Mantula had this arrangement in the 70's
captkenn - 6/8/13 at 06:09 PM
I owned a Costin Nathan GT - it was the oe entered for the BOAC 1000 km at Brands Hatch in 1971 and was used in club racing after that.
[Edited on 6/8/13 by captkenn]
ceebmoj - 6/8/13 at 06:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Problem with plywood is crash resistance, In his early days Jackie Stewart had a bad experience with a plywood Marcos.
I understand he got a few splinters
When plywood box sections are then laminated, they become exceptionally strong - I think the Mantula had this arrangement in the 70's
My Mantula is a steel chasis, I don't think any where wood. The earlere volvo powered cars are woden. You can spot them by the uneven loverors on
the bonner and no flair on the rear arch.
Mark Allanson - 18/8/13 at 09:56 AM
I have uneven loverors on my bonner too
Mark Allanson - 18/8/13 at 09:57 AM