Photo: autowp.ru
Holland is not a country well known for their automobile manufacturing. There's Spyker, an old factory that used to make Mitsubishi Colts up until recently and the DAF factory in Born that makes the 2014 MINI hatch. That's about it, but if we delve a bit deeper into the past, we find vehicles that are far more interesting and original.
In 1948, a car called the Gatso 400 Sport came out of Holland, a lightweight speedster that used Ford's flathead V8 engine of the time. The engine was chosen because it was simple and parts were available worldwide.
From a 3.9-liter block, the Gatso produced 120 hp at 400 rpm and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) at 2000 rpm. This was sent to the rear wheels via an unsynchronized 3-speed manual.
A strict two-seater open-top car, the Gatso had a number of distinctive features. It was born from the world of motorsport. It had an additional headlight in the middle that was designed for endurance racing series like Le Mans. The fairing also created the necessary clearance for the V8's powerplant's carburetors, which would otherwise have protruded from the hood.
With the exception of the small doors and the hood, all the body panels were welded together into one smooth piece to reduce drag. A tarp and side windows were available as extras which you had to install by hand if it started raining.
It's believed that only two were made in this configuration. One was sold to Felix Endrick, a Swiss Olympic champion two-men bobsleigh. Soon after buying it, he back the country's mountain-climb race champion, but diesel at the end of the year in a bob-sleigh accident.
The other car. was sold Dutchman Aad Tops who emigrated to South Africa and is believed to still be in that country.
From a 3.9-liter block, the Gatso produced 120 hp at 400 rpm and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) at 2000 rpm. This was sent to the rear wheels via an unsynchronized 3-speed manual.
A strict two-seater open-top car, the Gatso had a number of distinctive features. It was born from the world of motorsport. It had an additional headlight in the middle that was designed for endurance racing series like Le Mans. The fairing also created the necessary clearance for the V8's powerplant's carburetors, which would otherwise have protruded from the hood.
With the exception of the small doors and the hood, all the body panels were welded together into one smooth piece to reduce drag. A tarp and side windows were available as extras which you had to install by hand if it started raining.
It's believed that only two were made in this configuration. One was sold to Felix Endrick, a Swiss Olympic champion two-men bobsleigh. Soon after buying it, he back the country's mountain-climb race champion, but diesel at the end of the year in a bob-sleigh accident.
The other car. was sold Dutchman Aad Tops who emigrated to South Africa and is believed to still be in that country.
Google News