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Rochdale Olympic History Archive

 
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Dave-M
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Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 377
Location: Yorkshire, England

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 9:30 am    Post subject: Rochdale Olympic History Archive Reply with quote

Tony,
Can you tell me more about the "Rochdale Olympic History Archive" that You and Derek Bentley are compiling.
It sounds an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in our cars.
How can it be accessed?
Will it be available on this forum?

Regards, Dave
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Ph.2 Ford 1500 GT
GT with Rochdale Chassis


Last edited by Dave-M on Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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TonyS
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Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 230
Location: Worcestershire

PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:54 pm    Post subject: Rochdale Olympic History Archive. Reply with quote

Hi Dave,

Back in the 1990s, Paul Narramore started on a card ex-system a record by registration numbers the details of all known Olympics. This was inherited by Derek when Paul left the club.
Derek transferred this info to an A4 loose-leaf folder to take to Shows and he also gave me a copy to use when I went to Shows.

At a later date, I transferred this information into a Word Document on my computer, this made it easier to update and cross-reference.
From this information, I thought I would try and find the history of every Olympic made. This has snowballed into a record of any information on Olympics from Magazines, Books and the Internet.

All Derek's records and my records are in the Archive, as an example, there are copies of 500+ adverts of Olympics for sale in the 1960s and 1970s plus over 300 adverts for sale from 1980 to 2019.
The Rochdale Olympic History Archive is properly now the most complete record of anything to do with the Rochdale Olympic.
( The Archive does not cover Maintenance, Mechanical Work or Bodywork.)
Anything that Derek or I write about the Olympic in Magazines, Books and on the Internet, on Forums or Facebook etc is recorded in the Archive.

We work hard with a lot of hours of research to make the Archive as accurate as possible, but Derek and I always say with anything we write, if anyone knows of anything different please let us know
so we can check your information out and correct the Archive if required and if you know of any new information please let us know so we can add it to the Archive.

Archive information can be accessed through Derek or me by anyone who has a good reason for needing the information. Recently the Archive has been in use with Nick Smith, Malcolm Fisher, Les Brown,
Doug Jones, Anders Bilidt, Stuart Milne and Simon Taylor the Journalist.

I have asked if we can have an Olympic Archive section in the Forum, but I have not received an answer yet. The Archive is far too large to place on the Forum, but I can place on items of interest there and members could ask questions on the Forum.
The Data Protection Act can cause a few problems at the moment.

We have recently started a new archive on the "Racing History of Rochdale Bodied Cars" this covers Olympics and Early Cars.

Regards, Tony and Derek.
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TonyS
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Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 230
Location: Worcestershire

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:49 am    Post subject: Rochdale Olympic History Archive. Reply with quote

ROCHDALE OLYMPIC HISTORY ARCHIVE

Rochdale Olympic Statistics.

ROC members who attend shows and car events are often asked these 3 questions as regards Rochdale Olympics.
a) How many were made? b) How many still exist? c) How many are on the road?
The main problem to answering these questions is that there are no true complete records, except the early RMP factory ledger given to Paul Narramore by Harry Smith.
This covers the period 1960 to June 1962. It would be so helpful if we had the following ledgers, but the whereabouts of these later ledgers is unknown.
It has also been useful when members have sent Derek or myself copies of any RMP correspondence and very useful are copies sent of an Olympic sales invoice.

a) How many were made? The estimated figure quoted by Peter Filby in one of his early Kit Car magazines after a visit to Harry Smith in Rochdale, are 250 Phase I and 150 Phase II = 400. This is a good guideline figure;
we do not think that there were more cars made than this figure it is more likely a little less were made.
Note:- The Olympic Database records the number of bodyshells made and not the number of cars made. This is because some cars have had more than one bodyshell over time.

b) How many still exist? Of the estimated 400 the database shows 145 survive, split down to 82 Phase I, 54 Phase II and 9 Phase IIR.

c) How many are on the road? It is difficult to know with Olympics scattered around the world how many are on the road, the database shows 27. Below is a list of registration numbers of the Olympics we believe are on the road.
If your car is on the list and not on the road or if your car is on the road and not on the list please let Derek or Tony know.

Phase I :- 886 WTF – BPL 125 (now ZG66667) – 475 UYN – 779 CUG – 886 WTT –
279 CWD – WFV 812 – 499 YUT – 531 DFU – 46 XKX – 7830 TD – MFO 123 –
152 AWR – 291 FLM – 9557 LJ

Phase II :- 902 DUF – BNC 849B – 966 SJH – 3620 KM – CTO 289B – AAW 840A
94-83-BH – ELX 628C – SBH 75D – JDK 523F (now HG R 967H)

Phase IIR :- PWR 277E (now URE377) – PAX 44

The big problem with compiling an Olympic Database arises from lack of chassis numbers as these were never allocated by RMP, but added to the vehicle's documentation upon initial registration.
The RMP factory ledger has a reference number for each bodyshell made and some owners used this reference number as the chassis number, whereas others relied on their own initials, birthday date or other random combination.
Also, the ledger does not contain the registration number allocated to the car.
Each entry in the ledger is a master copy of the sale order, the build sheet for the Kit/bodyshell and the final invoice. It gives order date and deposit paid, together with a list of required options, ie:- type of engine, gelcoat colour,
number of petrol tanks and if just 1 which side fitted and extras like heater and bumpers, etc. Subsequent payments were then added and finally details of a delivery or collection date.
As we only have the early ledger this only covers part of Phase I production up to June 1962, but gives us a great deal of interesting statistics.
For the period of June 1962 to 1977 when the moulds were sold to a group of FSCC members we have to rely on information supplied by current and past owners of Olympics.
The following are, therefore 'best estimates’ based on information collected by Derek and myself over the past 40+ years of involvement with Rochdale Olympics.

1960 to June 1962.

The RMP factory ledger shows 139 invoiced bodyshells made, plus we know of 3 without an invoice. Total 142 bodyshells and of these 14 are pre-fire bodyshells with the smaller bonnet.
Of the 128 post-fire bodyshells 4 are lightweight.
Of the 142 made, 90 were complete kits and 52 were just a bodyshell.
61 survive. 71 are lost. 10 have been destroyed. 17 are abroad. 3 are LHD.
We can match 86 to a registration number and 13 are on the road.
We also know the gelcoat colour :- Red = 76. BRG = 24. Lt Blue = 15. Ivory = 5. White = 5. Dark Blue = 4. Gray = 4. Cream = 3. Vellum = 1. Yellow = 1. Clear = 1. Unknown = 3.
Total 142.

June 1962 to 1977.

We have 122 bodyshells with 34 matched to an invoice no and 118 by a registration number
We have another 39 Phase I with one a lightweight, plus 142 from the ledger make 181 Phase I on record with 82 surviving.
We have 72 Phase II with one a lightweight on record with 54 surviving.
We have 11 Phase IIR on record with 9 surviving.

Total

We have 264 Olympics on record, of which 103 were complete kits and 64 were just a bodyshell. Of these, 145 survive. 98 are lost. 21 have been destroyed. 37 are abroad. 9 are LHD.
We can match 205 to a registration number and 27 are believed on the road.
To the best of our knowledge, this is a list of countries where Olympics are or were located :-

England (212) – Wales (7) – Scotland (5) – Ireland (3) – Germany (9) – America (5) –
Canada (3) – France (5) – Holland (4) – Australia (3) – Sweden (3) – Belgium (3)
- Switzerland (l) – Singapore (1) Total = 264.

As you can see from the above statistics Derek and I have researched a lot of interesting Olympic information over the years. Thank you to all the members/ex-owners of Olympics who have sent us valuable information in the past.
To the other members/owners please think hard about sending us details on your car; we need to record it before it is to late. The details we would like are registration and chassis number, engine fitted, gelcoat colour and
later sprayed colours, name and address and dates of past owners, copy of old log books, copies of RMP correspondence, copies of photographs and anything of interest. In return, we will send you a copy of the database for your car. Thank you.
Contact details for any member who wishes to send me details on the history of their Olympic.

Tony Stanton. rochdale-olympic@talktalk.net or 01527-402367.
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Last edited by TonyS on Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:11 pm; edited 8 times in total
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keith hamer
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Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 312
Location: Ellesmere Port

PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:17 am    Post subject: Olympic Reply with quote

In the interest of accuracy, WFV 812 is also 'on the road', 2481 AW is finished but currently in storage, not on the road, WWK 51K is almost finished and should be taxed very shortly.

WGH 364R is currently undergoing a full restoration.
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TonyS
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Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 230
Location: Worcestershire

PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:52 am    Post subject: Rochdale Olympic History Archive. Reply with quote

Thank you, Keith, for the above information.

The archive now updated.

Regards, Tony.
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Anders Bilidt
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Joined: 31 Mar 2018
Posts: 17
Location: High Peak

PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tony and Derek, hats off to the both of you!!

I know and understand just how time consuming work like this is. It's a gift to the whole classic car community that we have enthusiasts like the two of you who invest their time and passion into vast archive work like this. Thank you!

As soon as anything changes with the status of my own Phase 1 (Reg. 926 FWR), I'll make sure to keep you updated. Don't hold your breathe though... Wink
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Anders.
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TonyS
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Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 230
Location: Worcestershire

PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 6:56 am    Post subject: Olympic Phase II in America. Reply with quote

I have just discovered a new find 1963 Olympic Phase II in Missouri, America.
It has been in a barn for over 20 years and looks in good condition. More info when I know more.
This car is not known to the Rochdale Olympic History Archive.



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Dave-M
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Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 377
Location: Yorkshire, England

PostPosted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:49 am    Post subject: Archive Reply with quote

Tony,
I am about to search for information regarding the Original owner/builder of my car.
I have relevant info from the second owner onwards. I am the third owner.
Just wondering if you could post here any of the details you hold in the archive regarding my Olympic.
Obviously I will let you have any fresh information I find so you can update the archive.

Thanks in anticipation, Dave
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