On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 09:25:41 +0300, you wrote: >Competent photography - but lack of captioning is frustrating. How can one >identify a Clenet Continental without captions?
Yes, I know I should have included captioning. I really wish I had the full documentation for the Hunt Special, which can be seen in images 3 and 4. Seems it was built for a wealthy rancher who absolutely *had* to have reliable transportation over the rutted Baja California cart paths to get sixty miles to town to see his doctor. It was a matter of life or death for him to see his doctor regularly, so he commissioned this original Baja off-roader, which successfully traversed the "roads" in the area now used for serious Baja off-road racing. It was the epitome of excellence in small-shop design, engineering, machining, and assembly. Everything was manufactured at the Hunt's own machine shop except for the crankshaft, which was farmed out because the shop was very busy with other work at the time. I think it was built in only a year. It was a convertible like some of today's exotic SUVs - the back passenger end was removable, and when it was taken off the car became a flatbed truck suitable for hauling cargo. The forward engine compartment does not contain the engine - there's nothing but empty storage space in the hood area behind the radiator. The engine is under the front seat, utilizing horizontally opposed cylinders. The suspension has huge amounts of clearance and travel, and has a nifty built in safety arms which allow the car to continue even if it breaks a leaf spring. I tried a Google search for more info about this car, but came up empty. -- John Mustarde www.photolin.com
