doretti Posted October 29, 2021 Report Share Posted October 29, 2021 Among the images in the Rainbow Archive, circa 1954, is this photo. What is the ladies name and what make is the engine? Thanks in anticipation of your help. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted October 29, 2021 Report Share Posted October 29, 2021 Sabrina ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted October 29, 2021 Report Share Posted October 29, 2021 7 minutes ago, Steves_TR6 said: Sabrina ? Too early. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 29, 2021 Report Share Posted October 29, 2021 17 minutes ago, Steves_TR6 said: Sabrina ? She was a blonde Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Any more info or context to the picture ? what is the rainbow archive ? presume European engine / pic? looks like a twin cam ? italian ? alfa ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) Most hits from Google for "Rainbow Archive" are about LBGT life, not engines. Google image search saw the woman and her dress and offered only "Vintage clothing" and women's faces. until I cropped the pic, when it recognised an "engine" and offered every bloody engine that has appeared on Google. Tin Eye works differently and looks for a picture that is as similar as possible to the original, but that found nothing, so we need some context and a hyperlink to the original that you have seen, Doretti. Meanwhile, that engine compartment on the back wall is from a VW Beetle, and it could be the same engine in it. But I don't know of and can't find a longitudinally fitted, in-line, twin-cam engine fitted to a VW. It has a distinctive and to my eye unusual parallel entry for the spark leads that might cause a lot of misfires! John Edited October 30, 2021 by john.r.davies Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuzanneH Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) I found this reference to Frank Rainbow by Alec Pringle back in 2007, perhaps this will help. Edited October 30, 2021 by SuzanneH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doretti Posted October 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 The title "Rainbow Archive" was given many years ago to my personal collection of images, digitally copied from early 1950s Kodak stereo transparencies. Among the stereo slides, loaned to me by the late Helen Rainbow, are photos of Dorothy Deen, Frank Rainbow and Ken Richardson taken in the UK, France and the USA. Ken Yankey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) Then I'm afraid you are on your own, Doretti! But the engine as a VW mod may be worth pursuing! Try postng on PistonHeads? There is some encyclopaedic knowledge there, and they like a 'What's this' puzzle! John Edited October 30, 2021 by john.r.davies Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doretti Posted October 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Thanks for your help John - I'll try posting the image on the PistonHeads forum. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Lwt me, do it for you, Doretti - I like good puzzle too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 (edited) Doretti, As I said, they are good on PistonHeads! I was pointed not to a VW, but a Renault 4CV - also rear engined and with a very similar engine cover shape, so I may hope to be forgiven! - and to one Roger Boudot, who built a TwinCam head for the Billancourt engine fitted to that model. That engine's design made it impossible to increase it's capacity very much, so Boudot sought other ways to increase power, possibly inspired or enabled by its alloy cylinder head. Certainly he achieved a cross-flow design that Triumphs could have done with, but it may not have been successful, as Renault persisted with the single-cam Ventoux variant from Gordini that went into the Dauphine. This is the Billancourt And this the Boudot Twin-Cam head version See: https://www.aronline.co.uk/opinion/essay-bmc-vs-renault-the-engine-story/ And the Wiki article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Billancourt_engine But the lady? She must remain a mystery, as ladies should. John Edited October 31, 2021 by john.r.davies Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doretti Posted October 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 (edited) John - thanks for your help in solving the Renault 4CV engine puzzle. Could this associated image also be a Renault with a non-standard engine? Ken Edited October 31, 2021 by doretti Amended text. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 Now that looks like the back end of a Dauphin, which did not have a twin cam as standard (perhaps the Gordini version did ?) Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 Gordini stuck to the single camshaft for his Ventoux sport variant engine. Or so the Wiki says. JOhn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 29 minutes ago, Lebro said: Now that looks like the back end of a Dauphin, which did not have a twin cam as standard (perhaps the Gordini version did ?) Bob. It is a Dauphin but not any of the engines they used even in Gordini versions. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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