So what this mystery CL car of the day?

Any ideas about this thing? (other than its a mess)

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/5467615587.html

No mystery, its exactly what the ad says. A Beach MK4 sports racer, using a VW type 3 pancake motor and a custom built chassis.

edit hmm, doesn't seem they were built with VW motors so maybe not but it sure does look like one.

Would look a little like this if someone didn't hate it so much

Didn't beck make a kit car similar to that?

It's not a Beach Mk4. The Beach is mid-engine, not rear-engine, has a chine-line above the grill around to the wheelwells, and does not have scoops just forward of the rear wheelwell.

Here's the ad car:

Here is a Beach Mk 4:

I think it is whatever this contraption is, but I don't speak French:

Notice the rounded nose, rear scoops, and wider driver's compartment. Zink apparently made dozens of VW-based sports racers. It may be a Zink MK. III

http://www.racingsportscars.com/make/Zink.html

here's one of the zink mk3s - edit, this one may have slightly one off body work.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Any ideas about this thing? (other than its a mess) http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/5467615587.html

Somebody needs to build something like that (WRX based?) for the Track Day Challenge...

This is a Kellison-bodied VW pan sports racer, which supposedly started life as a clone of the EMPI Crusader nose called the Kellison VSR:

The VSR had a few different bodies over the years, if it is one of those, it would be really cool and rare. Here's the only early one I've found:

johndej wrote: here's one of the zink mk3s - edit, this one may have slightly one off body work.

I put a lot of work into that zink. Such a cool car. Front suspension was triumph based. Rear uprights were custom alloy castings but used triumph axles, hubs and bearings.

I think the car in the ad is indeed a beach that was hacked with VW power at some point. Look at the rear valence and you can see where it was cut away for engine clearance but still retains the bulk of the beach shape.

I also see that it is on widened Fiat wheels. I am betting it started out as a mid engined 600 based car. The 750cc sports racer class used to be popular and that drive train was not uncommon. They flipped the transaxle over to run it in a mid engined configuration.

I am also probably alone in this, but I see the beach in the ad as a viable candidate for a vintage racer restoration. Strip it, send the chassis off to be blasted and put it back to a period correct layout. I would go Fiat myself but that is just because I know them so well.

The zink required almost that much work and it wasn't hard or particularly time consuming. There isn't a lot to one of those cars. The Zink sold for about 30k without an engine. Just a Ford Kent block bolted to the Hewland gearbox.

I couldn't be sure, but is that the gas tank ahead of the front wheels?!?

I'd take a $900 chance on that.

DWNSHFT wrote: I couldn't be sure, but is that the gas tank ahead of the front wheels?!?

yes it is, gas tanks have always been known for having great crumple zone characteristics

Woody wrote: I'd take a $900 chance on that.

i'd take a $400 chance on it, but of course..

Bud Bourassa's Jaco Scorpion

H Mod Jaco chassis found on http://sports.racer.net/index1.html

Similar body but not chassis, no other info

If he wasn't already attempting to salvage a hopeless Lotus, this would be a good job for GRM's head honcho Tim.

That's a pretty neat start to something amazing.

In reply to fasted58:

Wow, that has to be it!!!

jstein77 wrote: If he wasn't already attempting to salvage a hopeless Lotus, this would be a good job for GRM's head honcho Tim.

Well you always need a project in waiting.

It would fit on the ramp truck nicely.

Javelin wrote: In reply to fasted58: Wow, that has to be it!!!

It is Fiat based too!

If this thing wasn't 2600 miles away I would have left to get it yesterday morning when it popped up in my fB feed.

Front looks pretty close too. Front duct had to been closed up but the windscreen footprint looks spot on. Rear engine hump appears to been modified to flat as seen in rear shot in previous CL pic.

Back in that day it was prolly nuttin' to swap a body out for another chassis. Wish there was more information on this. That's really sweet lookin'

Beach, Zink, Kellison or Jaco; for $900 asking that's a lot of potential. If I wasn't as far away as possible in the lower 48 I would be looking to pick it up, and maybe that gold Trans Am too.

Here are some more pics of the Zink

Period race photo. The look we shot for

period chassis pics

The chassis

The body was a mess when we got it. Someone cut arches into the rear clamshell and then it was repaired very poorly

I really think this era of sports racer has some of the most beautiful designs

60's era, no log book mentioned but maybe number stamped roll hoop? Prolly too old to track down.