Shamrock car

I Was VB

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They are all grannies now.

The older the drum.......

fpm

I'm from near 'Blaney, and you're right about them being put into the lake, my dad remembers seeing half-finished cars and parts being pushed into the lake/marsh behind where the plant was.

carchaeologist

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055610163
Three page thread here!

carchaeologist

dutchcat

fpm wrote: »

I'm from near 'Blaney, and you're right about them being put into the lake, my dad remembers seeing half-finished cars and parts being pushed into the lake/marsh behind where the plant was.

They should have pushed the finished one's in too

unkel

carchaeologist beat you to it, Run_to_da_hills

carchaeologist wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055610163
Three page thread here!

Merged into one big Shamrock car mega thread!

68deville

was it true that you had to drop the rear axle in order to change the wheel???

Run_to_da_hills

68deville wrote: »

was it true that you had to drop the rear axle in order to change the wheel???

Thats what it says, Wiki dose not tell lies.

Blue850

Holy thread resurresction Batman but a letter in this month's Irish Vintage Scene about Shamrocks has me rooting round the 'net and...
Wiki says only 1 Shamrock in the USA...

Harbor City, California


Seattle


and the guy with the green one has another non runner

but wait it gets better

Shamrock sales brochure:D

carchaeologist

^Tom Heavey will explode with excitement at the sight of that Brochure!

Carazy

Article found on web in MotorTrend September 1959

The Irish T-Bird

Prototype of new four-passenger sports car, to be produced in Tralee, County Kerry for the American market, bears a strong resemblance to the Ford Thunderbird, but is to sell for half the price.

Bearing the fitting name of Shamrock, the prototype of a new four-passenger sportscar was recently introduced to the American public by a 27 year old Californian of Irish descent. Starting into production in the early fall, the fiberglass-bodied car will be available at a proposed price of $2495.

About two years ago, William Curtis, present managing director of Shamrock Motors, Ltd., was visiting his wife’s family in Ireland. That’s where he got the idea “…to help the country and its people.” Looking for a favorable prospect to manufacture, he thought cars the most promising.

After 16 months of intensive work, the prototype seen here was completed. He than set up a 40,000 square foot plant to produce it. Within six months he hopes to be employing 2400 workers. Plans are to ship 3000 cars to the U.S. next year, with the bulk of them going to Southern California.

The fiberglass body sits on a ladder-type frame. Engine, transmission, suspension and other mechanical components are from an Austin A-55. Total weight is said to be only 1910 lbs. Performance from the 53-bhp engine should be adequate but not outstanding. Fuel economy should be good.

Carazy

Carazy

All above and below courtesey of Geoffrey Hacker's research.


Erin Go Beep: Shamrock Press Release
Los Angeles, California: May 24th, 1961

Ireland’s first production car, the Shamrock 5 passenger sports convertible makes its U.S. debut at Los Angeles, California. The car is in limited production at Castle Blaney, County Monaghan, Eire. Curtis, head of Shamrock Motors, Ltd., near Dublin, has announced that the entire production of Shamrocks is slated for the U.S. at a price to complete with the compacts. The car will make its first West Coast public appearance at the Los Angeles Home Show May 25 to June 4th, 1961

Carazy

And the photos from the above press release

Carazy

And some pictures/info of the cars that are left that I have found.
(10 were supposed to have been built)
Register of Shamrock Cars
America
One car was wrecked in a crash in New York according to Dick Midkiff

1)Dan Holms', Seattle
Dan Holms' Shamrock led the 2010 Seattle St.Patricks Day Parade and is/was for sale (PM for details)


The Shamrock automobile was built in Castleblaney, County Monaghan by Shamrock Motors Ltd. in 1960 . The one-piece molded fiberglass, four-seater convertible, which looks like a cross between a 1957 Thunderbird and a Studebaker Hawk, was built on a ladder frame with a 98-inch wheelbase. Owned by Dan Holms of Seattle, this is one of only 4 Shamrock Autos still around. Wearing its original paint, the odometer shows just more than 10,000 miles.










2)Dick Midkiff (Harbor City, California) HCB563 13,000miles (Owner of another one for restoration No.7)
Origionally white(as all were) but sprayed candy flake green

Carazy

The ones which were registered in Ireland

3) ZV3216 Paddy Byrne from Drogheda (Owns another one also (2002) and says one exists in Killarney)
Car which appeared in Top Gear












4)EZE705(Pic thanks to DarrenO)


5)EMI634(Pic thanks to DarrenO)


6)AZH394) (Pic thanks to Blue850)

swarlb

Ironic that the car 'made in Ireland'....is LHD and carries a ZV plate...

Blue850

The green one belongs to a man called Dick Midkiff in California. He has 2 of them. Well he had in 2002

LA Times article from 2002 about him and the Shamrock

I've been in contact with Dan Holmes in Seattle, he's done a lot of work on that car. It came from the Harrah collection in Las Vegas.

Blue850

Did this one survive? It was in Carlow in 1972.



Another shot of the green one in California

68deville

EMI 634 is sitting outside in a field last time i looked,could even be missing
its windscreen by now

carchaeologist

68deville wrote: »

EMI 634 is sitting outside in a field last time i looked,could even be missing
its windscreen by now

How long ago was that?
There's one in Killarney afaik, anyone know the reg of that one?

Blue850

I've the reg KZE 157 written down in some notes as belonging to a Shamrock, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got it from:rolleyes:

bijapos

68deville wrote: »

EMI 634 is sitting outside in a field last time i looked,could even be missing
its windscreen by now

Where and when was that if you don't mind me asking. A car like that, whatever its looks, performance etc deserves to be saved.

At the very least it should be taken out of the field into the dry before more damage is done to it.

TigerTim

carchaeologist wrote: »

How long ago was that?
There's one in Killarney afaik, anyone know the reg of that one?

There is one in a shed in Killarney, owned by a well known Mini rally man.
Never seen the car, though, but he told me he has it stored.

T.

MercMad

This is terrific info lads, best I've seen !

The car is butt ugly though, even worse with the hardtop, first time I've seen that. The US ones look quite a bit better with the chrome/SS bumpers and trim fitted !

68deville

bijapos wrote: »

Where and when was that if you don't mind me asking. A car like that, whatever its looks, performance etc deserves to be saved.

At the very least it should be taken out of the field into the dry before more damage is done to it.

It was still there as of two months ago about 5 miles outside enniscorthy

Gmin

I saw the one outside Killarney about 10 years ago and it was a white one.Knowing the man who owns it I would be quite certain that it is still there.I hope to call to him over christmas so I will ask him about it.

GL scrappy

Same one as on the previous page, scanned from a photo taken at some car show way back

I had wondered about the zv reg too, must have traveled a bit?

standing

hi there i'm trying to find the shamrock car near enniscorthy can you tell me where it is? i live up near gorey and would love to see it..?
thanks

G Luxel

not sure about the looks of the Thunderbird but it definitely appears to have early 50s Nash Rambler from the front. That same ugly front seems to have also come from the early Reliant Regal......
http://www.3wheelers.com/regal.html

Capri

http://jalopnik.com/5893940/erin-go-vroom-the-delorean-and-irelands-two-other-cars

Blue850

GL scrappy wrote: »

Same one as on the previous page, scanned from a photo taken at some car show way back

I had wondered about the zv reg too, must have traveled a bit?

Theres an article on Paddy Byrne and this Shamrock in the latest edition of Irish Vintage Scene, he has 2 Shamrocks and ZV3216 will be at Terenure, weather permitting.

w124man

Was there not a car called a 'Silver Streak' made in Ireland?

kev1.3s

I think it may be the silver stream you are talking about?

w124man

kev1.3s wrote: »

I think it may be the silver stream you are talking about?

Thats the one! I saw it in the Museum in Killarney. Was that not Irish built?

carchaeologist

The Silver Stream had Kildares first registration IO1 if i remember rightly, i think it stayed in Ireland after the auction, though i dont know where it went to. One serious motor!

red sean

carchaeologist wrote: »

The Silver Stream had Kildares first registration IO1 if i remember rightly, i think it stayed in Ireland after the auction, though i dont know where it went to. One serious motor!

Did it feature on a postage stamp at some time?? or am I dreaming?
Centenary maybe???

Silvera

The 'Silver Stream' was built near Kilcullen, Co. Kildare around c.1907.

It was on display in the museum in Killarney until its closure some years ago. It was subsequently purchased at auction in the UK by an Irish collector. (I presume its locked away somewhere in a private collection in Ireland?)

It does indeed bear Co. Kildare's first registration plate - 'IO 1'
And it did feature on a postage stamp in 1989...I have a couple of sets of same tucked away

Blue850

A couple of Shamrock photos found on the net

Ballykine43

The Shamrock was at Terenure yesterday. Have a look at Blue 850s photos in the Terenure thread.

Blue850

Blue850 wrote: »

I've the reg KZE 157 written down in some notes as belonging to a Shamrock, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got it from:rolleyes:

I found "KZE 157" ,theres a photo of it in this book. Photo was taken in Castleblayney in the 60's

MegAnne

Blue850 wrote: »

A couple of Shamrock photos found on the net

That is my Dad on the left! William Curtis

kev1.3s

Wow! was you're father involved in the shamrock project?

MegAnne

Thank you all for the great information on the Shamrock car.
My father is the "American" William Curtis who designed this car.
I was born in Ireland in 1961, the same year the Shamrock Motor Car factory was closed.
I have much documentation on the Shamrock; i.e. original photographs, newspaper clippings, order forms, sales inquires, drafts of prototypes, costs associated with various parts for the car, accounting ledgers, etc.,etc.,etc.
I was thrilled to see all the posts about my father's Shamrock.
Thank you all so very much!

kev1.3s

Could you post some of that info? Would be great to get some insider info.

Odelay

Welcome to boards.ie MegAnne, would also love to hear more information about the car and your Dad.

Blue850

Welcome to boards and the long running Shamrock thread, Would love to see some more info on the Shamrock's history.

MegAnne

Yes, I will be happy to dig through these boxes and share the information with everyone. It may take a few days to organize, and thanks for your interest.

My dad always said the Irish people were the friendliest people in the world, and hard workers to boot. He was disappointed when he had to close the factory down.

Looking forward to adding the long running Shamrock thread. Some of the paperwork is amazing to read. So pleased I found boards.ie today (:

ba_barabus

MegAnne wrote: »

Yes, I will be happy to dig through these boxes and share the information with everyone.

You've just made my WEEK:)

kev1.3s

You're certainly going to make this thread and shed some light on the shamrock mystery