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[Steven Wood]

Hi all members ,

I am trying to find the approximate date of my Rochdale Olympic Phase 2R. I think the car is a late model because it has no colour pigment in its fiberglass body . If i can determine when they stopped using the colour pigment it might give me a closer date of production . I have had a email off Paul and his car was registered August 1972 and his car has coloured pigment .

If members could email with the following information for cars between 1965-1975 :

1. What date was it delivered .?
2. What year and month was it registered ?.
3 Has the car got a colour in the fibreglass pigment

HAS ANY OTHER MEMBER'S GOT A ROCHDALE OLYMPIC PHASE 2 THAT HAS NO COLOUR IN ITS GEL COAT?.
Thanks for your help

Steve woodsteven92@yahoo.com

[PaulL]

Hi Steven

I think I may have confused you a little.

My car was not registered until 1974, but the shell was delivered in 1972.
When Paul Narramore was Olympic Registrar some years ago we looked at this and at the time mine was the last shell known to have left the factory and be registered.
The only later shell known is the unused one that is well known to the club.
I believe that has no coloured gel coat which either indicates that yours is later than mine, or that the lack of a coloured gel coat means nothing.

Paul

[Steven Wood]

Paul

I am confused , when i talked to Tony Stanton a few months ago he said that they did stop using the colour pigment on the fibreglass bodies towards the end but he is not sure what date this stopped ?. I will phone Derek tonight to get some confirmation .

It would be interesting to see if any other member has a car that has no colour pigment in the fibre glass body . Anybody got any facts on this issue.

Thanks Steve

[Steven Wood]

Paul

I have just talked Derek Bentley who agreed that it makes sense that the later cars did not have a colour pigment in them .

All members, if you have a Rochdale Olympic dated around the early seventies can you tell me if it has a coloured pigment in the fibreglass body .

Thanks Steve

[zefarelly]

I guess mine was made in 1965, its blue, with a red wing!

[Dave-M]

1972, Red pigment.
Just a thought, if you could specify the colour of the shell with your order, would you have been able to specify a non pigmented shell also?
I seem to remember reading that someone did this as they wanted to paint their shell, cant remember where or when though.
Dave
_________________
Ph.2 Ford 1500 GT
GT with Rochdale Chassis

[zefarelly]

the lightweight had no pigment, which was a mistake!

[Steven Wood]

Members keep contacting me with information but a lot of it is just hear say ? but i do appreciate the information .

I am just trying to process all the facts . Zefarelly if you can find the information about the light weight Olympics not having a colour in its gel coat will you please send it me or tell me where i can find it ?.

The latest car so far that i have had knowledge of is ,delivered August 1972 and registered 1974 .

I have been informed of cars that have been registered later than that date but with much earlier delivery date or delivery date not Known .So far i have not been contacted by any other member who's car has not got a colour in its gel coat ?.

If anybody can give me any contrary evidence please come forward ?.

Thanks Steve[img]

[Steven Wood]

[zefarelly]

ah, ok, must have been a pale colour then, Keith will know.

[Paul Narramore]

Steven

I may have missed an earlier post from you but why are you so interested in when the car was originally produced? Is it unregistered and you are trying to get an age related numberplate?

You mention that much of the information you've received is heresay, well that is a fact of life with these cars. Unlike many other makes, these cars were never given chassis numbers prior to leaving the factory. That task was left to the builder who could pluck any combination of figures/letters out of the sky. Factory records are also very skimpy. Derek has one register which only covers some of the years, I have another which from memory covers 1958-1960.

[Steven Wood]

Paul ,

Yes the car is not registered and i would like to obtain a age related plate ?.

Three points that i am trying to use to get a age related plate are :

1. My car has no colour pigment in the fibre glass shell?. I have talked to a former worker and he said he had not known a car produced without a colour pigment and he worked at the factory up to 1970 . Tony Stanton thoughts on this matter was that the cars without colour pigment were produced at the end of production ?. Only two cars are known to the club ,one that i have and one owned by the club ?.

I have a post on the Rochdale owners web site asking if any member has a car without a coloured gel coat . No other member has a car without a colour in its gel coat ?.

The last car known to the club (purchased not registered )was August 1972 . I have asked Derek to check this and get back to me ?.

If you read any article about the Olympic they all say production stopped 1973 ? but the club say production stopped in 1975 . I have asked Derek to check this .

2. The last car on record (produced)Known to the club was August 1972 and this car has a colour in its gel coat ?. If my car came after this date it must be after August 1972 ?. No car before this date is minus a colour in its gel coat .


3. If no evidence can be found that any car was produced after April 1973 ,my car must be produced before this date ?.1978 thoroughbred gives a comprehensive break down of how many cars were produced each year . He is in the factory and quotes ,he is surprised that no cars have been produced since April 1973.

Giving my car a production date from August 1972 to April 1973 ?. I would like your views on this theory ?.Thanks

Steve

If you want to talk directly about this issue my number is 01709 872378 .

[Paul Narramore]

Steven

I really have nothing useful to add. You've clearly gone into the subject of uncoloured gelcoated Phase IIs more than anyone I know. All this happened over forty years ago, the partners are both dead, and all we can do is make a calculated guess. Frankly I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Just tell Swansea it's 1973 or 1972 or 1970. I don't want to sound disinterested but I feel you are worrying too much about it. It's not that the car was once on the road and you've lost it's number. It will, in effect, be a brand new unregistered car so will probably be awarded a Q-plate or a modern plate, unless you buy the wreck of a 1973/1972/1971 Ford with a registration document and tell Swansea you are rebodying it.

[zefarelly]

I agree with Paul

tell then 1969 or what ever year yyou want andf make sure you don't pay any road tax!