Mystery Car... Seab Prototype?

[Jonathan Poll]

Dear All

Like Marcus I have come late to this discussion. Whilst it has a sachs engine and a flipper bonnet, it does not make it a SEAB Prototype. What other evidence is there that it is a SEAB. It could just be a self build using available components, Sachs engines were used in many French Sans Permis vehicles.

Having said that it does look a very interesting vehicle using plywood as a monoque body structure.

Is this vehicle locked within the Poll estate or was it found on the internet. More details would be of interest.

Chris Thomas

We found it on the internet, we didnt really care about the car, we just wanted the engine, even if we have a load spare, you can never have enough
My dad has 7 schmitts, he still went for a couple recently ! (the early one and my one)

It's now at our house, just under the roof, we havent even removed it from the trailer. The engine is not seized, we got it turning over with jump leads. It also has a schmitt ignition lock, which is worth over 150 quid! (couple recently ended at abvout 180 quid and where broken).

The model is going quite well now, finished the boot completely now, its all painted, just drying now.

It doesnt have a Seab bonnet, since Seabs are not metal. It looks more olike a KV bonnet, but is different.

The guy said he got the car from his grandfathers, who worked in a factory, the seller had a Flipper in his garden aswell, but were not really interested. He said he got both from his grandfathers, and they where in his factory. The seller said it was a Seab prototype, its all the info I have. As I said its still on the trailer, we havent looked fpor any chasis plate or anything.

It really looks factory built. A few badly made bits though, it has a moded schmitt exhaust, home made mudguard etc.

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Jonathan

It sounds more schmitt than flipper. What is the front suspension like? is it like the Donkey or some other arrangement?

Chris Thomas

[Rob Dobie]

Hi Chris,  The correct spelling is Donky without the 'E'.  It's not Eeyore. 

[Stuart Cyphus]

 Whilst it has a sachs engine and a flipper bonnet, it does not make it a SEAB Prototype. What other evidence is there that it is a SEAB. It could just be a self build...

 ...we didnt really care about the car, we just wanted the engine.

  ...but we're not really interested.

 These sort of comments from people always alarm me. I remember when Frankenschmitt & the Likeness Monster turned up, most comments were of the "oh it's horrible, yuk yuk yukky!" & "It's got such & such a bit worth robbing off it"  OK so this thingy may or may not be homemade, but that still does not mean it should not be permitted to live. After all, it's existed this long & someone went to the trouble of making it. Who knows what plans the builder had until we've checked every last avenue & then some. My main point of arguments are cars such as the EEC Workers Playtime (as point of example). It was almost certainly a one-off or two at the most, & as good as homemade. Yet nobody here today will deny it its place in the bubbledom Book of Evolution. But the EEC Workers Playtime almost certainly no longer exists, because some person in history did not concider it worthy to keep it alive.....

[Big Al]

Hi Chris,  The correct spelling is Donky without the 'E'.  It's not Eeyore. 

What about the 'FlipSchmitt'.

The engine should give something away as to how 'home made' it is. If it is just a Sachs lump lifted out of something else then Eeyore wins. If it is a blend of Sachs parts not normally seen together then there is more chance it is something a bit more professional. Lucky old Christopher Robin.

If the engine is not required at Poll acres I expect it will remain a whole novelty for the foreseeable future as it is certainly a talking point. I have had various specials over the years and it is always difficult to know what to do with them as generally they have very limited appeal/use/engineering integrity. Critical acclaim does not make for a sensible vehicle. So things like MUG 1, The Sir Nobby Special and so on were dismantled for the parts to keep the remaining donor classics going. That is clearly related to value and most of these oddball specials have none making them always prone to being broken up. The only answer is for the whole machine to be purchased into a collection for an interventionist price.

I am for ever presented with the odd, the ex racer and the modified and how you value such things is always a topic of great debate by those interested. In just the last month I have dropped out of two machines open to purchase, a little raced sports racer and a Goggo based machine, as my calculated budget is less than a chum wishes to pay. Both machines will almost certainly have to be altered to be used and I fear the amount of work is underestimated as it is effectively development engineering. That time/money has to be reflected in the final machine and what it is to do unless you wish to collect static useless machines as display items or running white elephants. I preferred to not take the risk in a difficult and degrading market and plumped for the safety of known machinery last Wednesday. Though the way Schmitts are not selling even that might be the wrong thing to have done.

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Rob, Stuart, Al and Jonathan

Sorry for spelling Donky incorrectly.

I am with you Stuart. It has been created by somebody with a lot of care and for a purpose and while I personally would like to know more about it and would like to see it preserved. It is not mine to decide one way or another.  If it is a SEAB prototype, what would it have developed into and what can we learn from it. If it was a home build, what was in the mind of the builder.

I think that prototypes are sometimes just as interesting as the final production vehicles.

Chris Thomas

[richard]

why dont you all show us a SEAB , or at least tell us what one is , and we can voice an opinion on this 

[Barry]

Here is my SEAB Flipper.

[Rob Dobie]

As my usual computor with all my photos in it has been dismantled for work going on in the mansion. Here is a scan of Rumcar News, Autumn 2006 showing Jean's Mk I and my Mk II and Donky.

[richard]

ok thanks - got it now heard of Donky and Flipper but not SEAB - unfortunately not my thing . like the engine though

[Jonathan Poll]

ok thanks - got it now heard of Donky and Flipper but not SEAB - unfortunately not my thing . like the engine though

My dad didnt know SEAB, I had to explain to him that it was the company who made Flipper, took a few minutes for him to understand

We will let you all know if we find any markings on the chassis once its off then trailer. Maybe this weekend?