Saw An Unusual Car The Other Day!

I'm curious as to what make it was. Unfortunately, I was driving so couldn't take a photo! So I'm going to have to try and describe it.

From the back it looked something like the 1920's/30's American cars with the boot door that drops down.

From the front it had a split, fairly upright, screen (the divider appeared to be in bright metal) and the radiator grill looked very much like a Rolls Royce grill. Where Rolls Royce have their 'Spirit Of Ecstacy' emblem it had a peculiar emblem. I've quickly scribbled a wobbly attempt at what I remember it looked like. Sorry it's so wobbly!

It was positioned from front to back with the left hand part of this picture being at the back.



Any ideas!

 

Chrysler PT cruiser? Morris Minor split screen?

 

Could be a Chrysler PT cruiser, but they don't have a split screen as far as I know:

 

Was it a modern car Shiney? i.e. a recent number plate?

 

John, I didn't get a chance to look at the number plate .

The car was easily as big as the one in your picture but a totally different outline. It was much more square, the back was vertical with the lower half extending out slightly (like an area with a drop down boot lid). The windscreen was virtually vertical, a longish bonnet but not very long with the shape of the bonnet reminiscent of the types where you opened them by lifting the sides.

The design was like the 1920's or 30's cars but it appeared to be in spotless condition so could have been a modern replica. The vertical boot had a plaque on it that was at least 18" square with some engraving on it.

It definitely had a powerful engine. I came up behind it going up Dunmail Raise which is a long steep hill with two lanes going up. Most cars go up it at about 45 mph but I was in a hurry (on the way to a restaurant) and overtook most of the cars at 60+. As I passed the car it pulled out and came charging past the other cars and kept up with me all the way to Keswick with no trouble at all. You need a pretty powerful engine to do that on an uphill stretch. I only caught the glimpse of the bonnet emblem when I turned off the road and he kept straight on. It was definitley similar to my sketch.

 

Sounds more like a custom car then, I just googled them and no two look the same, most are based on old 1940/50s cars, some american some british. That sketch doesn't ring any bells, sorry!

 

Thanks, Jiffy, but it had a shorter bonnet, was a 4/5 seater and no running board.

Klefti, it looked almost too good to be a kit car - too big and too good a finish!

 

Thanks Sheal but it really did look like a Rolls Royce from the front.

 

Now you're just trying to get me confused!