Author Topic: opperman unicars how many are there left  (Read 9881 times)

richard

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opperman unicars how many are there left
« on: July 29, 2014, 02:38:30 PM »
just a quicky how many are still in circulation ? i have never seen one on the road , was the blue one at jeans roadworthy ? the green one belonging to the stephenson family thats on loan to the collection came with a few bits extra . George Stephenson , who built his Unicar ,once travelled over to north wales to salvage some parts from one wrecked in a crash . the spare unicar wheels now at jeans tell us why the car might have crashed ........
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Jim Janecek

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2014, 04:08:42 PM »
I know Ken Weger in the USA has one. 
The red/creme one that was in the BW collection was apparently sold to Russia.

blob

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2014, 07:02:51 PM »
One was auctioned at the 2006 Ramgate motor museum auction, not sure if it's the same car that ended up in Bruce's collection though.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ramsgate_Motor_Museum



« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 07:52:37 PM by blob »

Jim Janecek

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2014, 08:54:25 PM »
One was auctioned at the 2006 Ramgate motor museum auction, not sure if it's the same car that ended up in Bruce's collection though.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ramsgate_Motor_Museum

The auction was actually June 30-July 1 2005 and I have a record of taking a photo of the one in the BW collection December 2005 so it may very well be the same vehicle. Neither have any serial number listed or license plate.

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/c1959-opperman-unicar-two-door-coupe-4532776-details.aspx

Big Al

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2014, 09:19:24 AM »
George Stephenson , who built his Unicar ,once travelled over to north wales to salvage some parts from one wrecked in a crash . the spare unicar wheels now at jeans tell us why the car might have crashed ........

Sorry, am I being thick. What is wrong with the wheel?

Two reasons the Opperman Punicar had handling issues, as I understand it.
One was that it featured no diff on the rear axle, about 3 foot long. So on cornering one wheel would be forced to break grip. If the inside then one handling characteristic, if the outside, a differing characteristic. This in a vehicle that on form could actually go quite fast. I drove one, eer, can a car be schizophrenic? For worst handling possible in a fourwheeler place that rear end with a Nobel front end, You will have a car that refuses to change direction!
Two was that the hubs used to fail. Really handy seeing as they needed to be good and strong to counter the effects of the odd handling. They didn't.
Add into the pot some were sold for home build and thus had the potential to be put together badly and you have a classic ditch finder.

Certainly one went to Ken Wager and one into Canada via Mario Palma. Not sure if the two dead ones locally, both with broken hubs, still reside where I located them or the 'going to do them up's' have sold or croaked first. There comes a point its not worth following up and you leave the letters to do the talking to the executors. 

Cannot recall where one of mine came from but the other was bought after the Leek Auction with most of the stock as Mr Wall got a bit carried away bidding against an underwhelmed lot of punters, oh dear, how sad, never mind! (not that any auction house does such a thing of course.......). The Groomfondle car was stolen from me, back in the day, last seen heading toward Essex, home of the dodgy deal.
Oh dear! Will we ever know the number of Opperman as the dodgy boys have been involved. Que double numberplates, split cars, clones and ID sales. All for an extra fiver but schtum. Its all a bit like the Groomfondle Bonds. All sold in Britain but disappeared in the main and apparently I sold them abroad according to the Bond MI5 department, so that say a lot about enthusiasts I think.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2014, 09:29:33 AM by Big Al »
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Bob Purton

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2014, 11:24:19 AM »
And there was me thinking the home of the dodgy deal was in Oxfordshire! ;)

Stuart Cyphus

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2014, 02:26:52 PM »
 I can think of seven, being;

1, the Green Brian Stephenson car currently in Hammond Collection

2, the blue one from the Opperman famly.

3, the one in Automuseum Story, ex Mike Shepherd.

4, YFG 843, currently owned by Ken Weger. (seen below and Weston Park 1996) This is the Leek Auctiion car hoovered up by Alan Hitchcock.

5, XWT 532, the ex SMCC/Tony Marshall car which is the car currently in Canada after passing through Alan Hitchcock, who bought it from Leo Weager. (seen below in one of the Hitchcock sheds in 2002)

6, the maroon one, VYJ 669 (An age-related number) formerly of the Bubblecar Museum (seen below)

7, the Bruce Weiner red/white car, possibly now in Russia.which possibly was the Ramsgate/Sharpe Collection car

 Black Groombridge car still to be ran to ground...
« Last Edit: July 30, 2014, 02:31:19 PM by Stuart Cyphus »

marcus

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2014, 03:40:46 PM »
Nice looking cars, shame the were so bad to drive.
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Bob Purton

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #8 on: July 30, 2014, 05:27:53 PM »
But can we be sure that they were?

richard

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2014, 06:11:36 PM »
sorry al perhaps it's not that clear on the photo - the only one jamie took - there is scarcely ANY tread left on either front tyre , what you see is of a minimal depth .
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

marcus

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2014, 06:18:24 PM »
To me it looks like the tyre has also been unevenly worn, so it has become conical, not good!
Just remember: as one door closes behind you, another slams in your face

Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2014, 06:32:00 PM »
According to a road test in Motor Sport, the rear wheels were supposed to be fitted "inside out" but dealers were apt to turn the wheels the other way to improve appearance. They described driving the car as "impressive", at least for short periods.
Malcolm
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richard

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2014, 06:37:38 PM »
well the late Brian Stephenson built his car from a kit and "modified " the steering and rear axle quite a bit i gather . For many years it was the main , only ? , family car and at least one of his sons learned to drive in it . In all Brian covered over 50,000 miles in it , many of them towing the racing go-kart , on a towbar and trailer , that was also his hobby
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2014, 06:40:50 PM »
Here's photos of the two from the open day.
Malcolm
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marcus

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Re: opperman unicars how many are there left
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2014, 07:15:58 PM »
Back in those days Road Test Reports useddescriptive  language very carefully. Criticism was only ever implied or hinted at in rather polite terms. Words like "impressive" might imply that the muttering rotter* was "impressed" in comparison to a far worse vehicle, or "impressive in a straight line" or even   that it made an impression which was noticeably bad!

I have not driven one  so cannot comment on it beyond what I have heard from those who have driven them; also without seeing the full article I cannot judge exactly what the scribe meant by "impressive". Words like "Superb, good, indifferent, poor and dire" are clearer!
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