Shamrock car

airnwater

I have some info on these, have seen bit on wikipedia...
Have seen one at mosney show..

Anyone know of any more ?......or anyone have any more info.
or good stories about them ??

Max_Damage

Weren't they built in Kerry, or somewhere back in the 50's?

I remember watching something about them years back on that rubbish Irish version of Top Gear, Drive.

They had the engine from an Austin in them, the Americans didn't like them because they were too small, and the Brits didn't like them becasue they looked too American, and thus the company failed.

There isn't many around at all now, about 2 or 3 left in the world?

TomMc

Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan

http://www.castleblayney.ie/html/news/newsdtl.asp?newsid=207

http://www.celtic-connection.com/around/around2006_04_07.html

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050321/FREE/503210705&SearchID=73243149673505&template=printart

Silvera

Didn't Top Gear also do a piece on the Shamrock?

There is a page about the Shamrock in Richard Hammond's book 'Car Confidential' (which I bought recently).

I also recall seeing a green(!) Shamrock taking pride of place in a photo (or film?) of the annual St Pats parade in a small US town:)

The biggest problem with the car was/is the weedy Austin engine .....and the lack of support by the govt for any local car makers.

TigerTim

There is a guy who lives near Killarney who has one in his collection. I've never seen it but believe its a minter. He also rallies a beautiful historic Mini Cooper.

T.

Mahatma coat

Ah yes Classic Irish car design, take the worst features of both American and british cars and couple them together badly.

Seriously tho wouldnt you have loved to have seen that design meeting

"ah shur we can get an aul deal on some bodies from detroit and miley there swears he's got a mate in Austin can send us engines"

"that is austin Texas right Miley?"

green-blood

only 3 left on the planet as fara as I know

It was built in Dundalk and then production moved to Monaghan. Its a giant 50s american wings and all apeng glassfibre body mounted on (I think) Ford Pop running gear,silly narrow track and all...

awful

MercMad

Didn't they toss the remaining unbuilt glass fibre bodies into a local lake ! I remember hearing that, maybe its an urban myth !

Hifive

Came across one of those Shamrocks in a shed in Kilkenny about 10 years ago, A ridiculous looking thing, looked like someone had put a 50's Chevy body on a milk float chassis!

Max_Damage

I wonder how much they would go for?

Mr. Presentable

http://www.answers.com/topic/shamrock-car

Lough Muckno. Fibreglass wouldn't have perished, would it?

Silvera

Photo I took of ZV-reg Shamrock at Mosney Show in 2000 ........

Max_Damage

nipplenuts wrote:

http://www.answers.com/topic/shamrock-car

Lough Muckno. Fibreglass wouldn't have perished, would it?

I'm going fishing!

carchaeologist

1960 Shamrock 2-Door Convertible Coupe



The Shamrock Automobile Company was established by an American businessman, William K Curtis. The aim was to produce these large luxury cars in Tralee, Kerry Ireland, for export to the US market. This 1960 Shamrock, is one of only four known to exist.

Shortly after production began, design flaws became apparent. Although the fiberglass-bodies car was big and heavy, it used a relatively small Austin A55 1.5 liter engine, which limited performance. The A55 also provided the transmission and suspension. Also the rear wheels were shrouded by body panels and could not be removed (for flat tire repair for example) without dropping its axle. The car used fiberglass body panels and was styled as a four seat, two door, coupe with removable hardtop. The wheelbase was 98 inches.

Production of up to 10,000 cars a year was talked about but eventually, only ten complete cars were produced during the six months before production ceased. After the factory closed, the unused parts were apparently dumped into the local landfill.

The car is now very rare, and only four are believed to be still in existence: three in Ireland — one each in Castleblayney, Killarney, and Drogheda — and one in Reno,Nevada.

Anyone know anything about the supposed cars in Ireland?

DaveCol

There was also one that used to appear at shows around Wexford a few years ago. I think someone posted a photo of it on here a few months ago

gfwd

Shortly after production began, design flaws became apparent.

Yup, it was ugly.

Silvera

I photographed a Shamorck at Mosney Car Show a few years ago.....complete with 'ZV' plates.

Top Gear also featured the one in Drogheda about then years ago. I recall them opening the garage and revealing it, and one of the presenters driving it around local roads...and complaining about it.

Richard Hammonds book 'Car Confidential' has a pic and a few details of the 'ZV' reg Shamrock I photographed at Mosney.

carchaeologist

Silvera wrote: »

I photographed a Shamorck at Mosney Car Show a few years ago.....complete with 'ZV' plates.

Top Gear also featured the one in Drogheda about then years ago. I recall them opening the garage and revealing it, and one of the presenters driving it around local roads...and complaining about it.

Richard Hammonds book 'Car Confidential' has a pic and a few details of the 'ZV' reg Shamrock I photographed at Mosney.

I wonder where it came from,as its on ZVs.Thanks for that silvera.

Satrastar

I remember that episode of Top Gear (the old format).

The whole tone of the segment quite offputting. They were presenting the Shamrock as the pinnacle of Irish engineering, and completely mocking it.

But then the Shamrock was not very well engineered. It was a huge car whose wheels were lost underneath the car with a gutless engine. It didn't handle well, and apparently wasn't built very well. It doesn't seem surprising that it didn't last...

It was the Shamrock Louth if I remember correctly.

The car wouldn't start and the owner had to hit something in the bonnet with a hammer to get the car to start. The bonnet didn't close very well due to poor panel fit too.

rugbyman

Not often you are wrong carcheologist, but I believe the shamrock was built in Castleblaney

regards,
rugbyman

PanhardPL

rugbyman wrote: »

Not often you are wrong carcheologist, but I believe the shamrock was built in Castleblaney

regards,
rugbyman

Carcheologist is not wrong. The firm was started in Tralee.

The Shamrock was a car produced in Ireland for a brief period during the 1950s.

The business was established by an American businessman, William K Curtis in Tralee, Co. Kerry, but was moved to Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, before production began. The aim was to produce a large luxury car model for export to the US market.

Shortly after production began, however, design flaws became apparent. Although the car was big and heavy, it used a relatively small Austin A55 1.5 litre engine, which limited performance. The A55 also provided the transmission and suspension. Another problem was that the rear wheels were shrouded by body panels and a rear wheel could not be removed (for puncture repair for example) without dropping its axle. The car used fibreglass body panels and was styled as a four seat, two door, coupé with removable hardtop. The wheelbase was 98 inches (2487 mm).

Production of up to 10,000 cars a year was talked about but eventually, only ten complete cars were produced during the six months before production ceased. After the factory closed, the unused parts were dumped into the local Lough Muckno.

The car is now very rare, and only four are believed to be still in existence: three in Ireland — one each in Castleblayney, Killarney, and Drogheda — and one in Reno, Nevada.

G Luxel

Is it the only Irish car ever?
Will there be any 50th anniversary celebrations?
Is there anyone out there who worked in the Shamrock factory?
And why would all the unused parts be dumped in the local lake? The Irish Motor Industry goes from bad to worse...

carchaeologist

Thank you Mr Panhard.

Is it the only Irish car ever?
Will there be any 50th anniversary celebrations?
Is there anyone out there who worked in the Shamrock factory?
And why would all the unused parts be dumped in the local lake? The Irish Motor Industry goes from bad to worse...

I doubt it the only irish car ever,and there isnt really much to celebrate really is there?

I havnt heard of anyone that worked in the factory,though i posted the same post on the tralee thread to see what happens.

Iv never heard of lough Muckno,is it near castleblaney?

Pagoda113

Chambers manufactured car's in Belfast back in the 20's. I don't know a lot about their history though.

The photo attached was taken in 2002 in the Museum in Killarney.

trevorbrady

there was an unfinished one (the story went that it was pulled from the lake) in "Barry's Tyres/Bargaintyres" in Kilmaganny, Co. Kilkenny about 7-8 years ago. At the time I had heard of them but never seen one and had a great chat with the shop owner about it. He has since moved it on but anyone looking to find out more info he might be a good place to start.

It might be car no. 5. Who knows?

colm_mcm

wasn't this car featured on that (awful Irish) Drive programme?

Hifive

I saw the one in the shed in Kilmoganny (Kilkenny) a few years ago.
Heres a previous thread about them from 07.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=52789131#post52789131

MorrisCooper

There is a Shamrock project owned by a well-known old car enthusiast just outside Killarney in white but it's unlikely to see the light of day for a long time.

Other Irish manufacturer: TMC in Wexford

G Luxel

The car is so ugly that it looks more appropriate on the set of The Flintstones. It looks more at home on a cartoon strip, something like Batman or one of those syndicates black and white heavy prints you would see in a newspaper.

2 Espressi

Shamrock Trivia: No two cars were identical, the fibreglass bodies all used slightly different grilles, headlight positions, etc.

w123

MorrisCooper wrote: »

Other Irish manufacturer: TMC in Wexford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMC_Costin

I remember seeing one of these in the States in the mid eighties, it was green and looked like a real race car from the 50's, nice I thought.

Here's a pic

http://www.tmc-costin.de/9254.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*

On mature reflection nice front, shame about the rear. Not unique in that regard...

Blue850

I found a letter in a 1972 Motoring Life from a Mrs Farrell, in Bilboa Co Carlow who had a lhd Shamrock reg AZH 394.

carchaeologist

Blue850 wrote: »

I found a letter in a 1972 Motoring Life from a Mrs Farrell, in Bilboa Co Carlow who had a lhd Shamrock reg AZH 394.

Nice detective work!Thats a 1964 Dublin number,wonder why its LHD?Have you a scan of the letter?

Max_Damage

colm_mcm wrote: »

wasn't this car featured on that (awful Irish) Drive programme?

Yep. Had the video of it, but threw it out unfortunately.

Max_Damage

Well, you could consider the DeLorean as been Irish. Well, sort off....

carchaeologist

Max_Damage wrote: »

Well, you could consider the DeLorean as been Irish. Well, sort off....

And the Titanic....hmm..bit of a trend here i think..:pac:

G Luxel

Ive a magazine, think its Motoring Life from a few years back and it shows a Shamrock being driven on a St Patricks day Parade in Dublin in the 1960s.

There is also a book on the Irish Motor Industry, published in the 1980s, I dont know the name of it but it has a De Lorean on the cover and there is 2 pages on Shamrock, including 2 pictures taken in the 60s.

Max_Damage

Well, the DeLorean and Shamrock were probably the only two 'proper' Irish manufacturers out there.

carchaeologist

G Luxel wrote: »

.
There is also a book on the Irish Motor Industry, published in the 1980s, I dont know the name of it but it has a De Lorean on the cover and there is 2 pages on Shamrock, including 2 pictures taken in the 60s.

Is that called Wheels and Deals by John o Donovan?I just took that out now and it has a piece on page 40 about the shamrock indeed.Only a few lines though.No new info other than what has been posted already.

overdriver

The white convertible's quite pretty in a 50's USA way.

RS1700T

I recall seeing a white one on display at the RDS Horse Show (I thought the the engine BMC was very small for such a large car) , threr was a blue one around Dublin in the late 70s IIRC.

DarenO

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/105221/76933.JPG

Here's the two that i've seen, we could start a register as it wouldn't take long to find the history of ten cars

Max_Damage

DarenO wrote: »

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/105221/76933.JPG

Here's the two that i've seen, we could start a register as it wouldn't take long to find the history of ten cars

The Shamrock on the below picture is quite old, judging by the tax and insurance disc in the window of it (1995 by the looks of it).

Wonder where it is now?

The reg. on the above one in the picture isn't on Cartell.

Ballykine43

I remember a Shamrock that was in Dublin when I was a student in the early 60s. Light green and parked in Rathgar near the Orwell Road junction. Chassis was wooden. Looks hideous now but then it sat with another American styled car, with fin tails etc and was of its time.

Chambers: see http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=2729. And I have been invited to the homecoming/relaunch of another one late August. 1929 saloon, and the owner, (whose name is Chambers), has had a trailer specially built as he wants to display it in Dublin and other venues in the South. Don't know where or when but I'll pass the info when I get it.

G Luxel

carchaeologist wrote: »

Is that called Wheels and Deals by John o Donovan?I just took that out now and it has a piece on page 40 about the shamrock indeed.Only a few lines though.No new info other than what has been posted already.

Trying to think, as i dont have the book myself, but it has a delorean on the cover with open doors I think, and there is also a chapter on the bubble car made by Shorts in Northern Ireland called the Noble. There should be 2 pages on the Shamrock with two pictures, one of the rear and another of the side view but its a long time since I saw the book.

carchaeologist

G Luxel wrote: »

Trying to think, as i dont have the book myself, but it has a delorean on the cover with open doors I think, and there is also a chapter on the bubble car made by Shorts in Northern Ireland called the Noble. There should be 2 pages on the Shamrock with two pictures, one of the rear and another of the side view but its a long time since I saw the book.

Its not the same book so i think.

Ballykine43

Chambers Car last of its line manufactured 1929.
I promised to update on the relaunch. Pagoda supplied the photo https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/92735/84247.JPG from the Killarney motor museam some time ago. The car is now back in ownership of the Chambers family in the family home and has been MOTd. Unfortunately a leaking radiator has had to be sent for a rebuild. This is how it is as of today.

carchaeologist

Apologies to root out an older thread,but this video clip is appropriate to it.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=68702

Ignore the first 37sec :rolleyes:

Run_to_da_hills

About 40 seconds into this 1961 Spring Show clip shows a promotion for the Snamrock car.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=68702

I Was VB

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

About 40 seconds into this 1961 Spring Show clip shows a promotion for the Snamrock car.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=68702

10 seconds of car, 70 seconds of a early foot fetish porno


*fap fap fap*

Run_to_da_hills

I Was VB wrote: »

10 seconds of car, 70 seconds of a early foot fetish porno


*fap fap fap*

They are all grannies now.