29 replies to this topic

[8vAlan]

the testing team developed the false front, nicknamed the "orange box". The idea was to make the ADO15 look more like an A30/35 and divert speculation away from what it really was

found this on the AD015... is it wrong??

[minimarco]

the testing team developed the false front, nicknamed the "orange box". The idea was to make the ADO15 look more like an A30/35 and divert speculation away from what it really was

found this on the AD015... is it wrong??

what craig was saying was that the orange box was not only a disguise

actually, the orange boxes were far from simply disguised minis.

also,

"developed the false front...to make the ADO15 look more like an A30/35 and divert speculation away from what it really was"

the false front part was for disguising, not the other engine development bits

Edited by minimarco, 14 September 2007 - 06:42 PM.

[8vAlan]

ahh i see, sort of a double entendre?? so to speak?

[CharlieBrown]

Oh my an educational topic on theminiforum, whatever next!!!

Cheers for the pics very interesting stuff.

[THE ANORAK]

the testing team developed the false front, nicknamed the "orange box". The idea was to make the ADO15 look more like an A30/35 and divert speculation away from what it really was

found this on the AD015... is it wrong??

I've actually wondered weather this is true or not myself. the name "orange box" is supposed to have come from the fact they were painted orange, nothing more, nothing less.
I'm not sure about the A30/35 style grille. it's certainly not a false front as it's clearly part of the structure of the car, however i don't believe that there was ever a real possibility that the car would ever look like this. it is a completely different style to the earlier Mock up non running prototypes, these were much more like the final look of the mini (even XC 9003 is more like the mini). i think it is possible that the development team made the "orange boxes" look different because they knew they would be used on the public roads. I'm sure they realised that the design would probably need some changes as a result of the testing and therefore the "fake front ends" would not become a hindrance to them.
as soon as the second batch of running prototypes were made, they went straight back to a more "mini" styled front end, so yes i suppose you could say that the statement is true but maybe they should have worded it differently ???

"the running test bed was diliberatly styled differently to the final design to help keep the project a secret"

[stevesmini]

I like the second picture is that a young longman at the wheel also on special alloys

[Bec]

Those pictures are ace! Thanks Anorak

[THE ANORAK]

I like the second picture is that a young longman at the wheel also on special alloys

according to the caption its a guy called Malcolm Leggatt and if you stand on your head you can just see the word LEGGATT on his helmet

[stevesmini]

indeed you are correct do you know year of the picture i can then work out what track it was on

[THE ANORAK]

OUCH!!!! lol

can i see a bracket there though, holding the exhaust into position?

i think you may be right

there's no date on the second photo but the same car appears in another photo with the same race number and it says it's from the 1275cc class of the 1977 Leyland challenge

[Elisha-The-Cooper]

more more more !!! they intregue me

x

[THE ANORAK]

more more more !!! they intregue me

x

there should be about three more topics like this somewhere in the pages of the mini chat section. they all start "fascinating photos"


heres one of them

and another... click

and another...click

Edited by THE ANORAK, 14 September 2007 - 08:09 PM.

[Mini_Rob]

Great pictures Very interesting

[Bungle]

i think the 4 door long wheel base car could of been popular

[Pie]

espeially for the bungle clan. Their like the dingles really, they just spring up everywhere lol