The Banana

The "Difazio/Creasey Experimental Prototype" that became known as the Banana is a miracle of survival. I persuaded Jack Difazio of Frome to build it, using Jack's patented 'centre-hub' front suspension. It was the vehicle in which the basic lessons of FF set-up were learnt. Usually by crashing. Later it was owned by the journalist Paul Blezard who is proud to have crashed it several times more. Initially it also ate driveshafts and engines. Later it just ate engines. This is a rare picture of it before any of these things happened.(80KB jpg)

This is the Banana, photographed in 1997 after everything had happened to it. That's engine number four, front hub number two, driveshaft number three and, pretty obviously, bodyshell number one. The rear of the chassis has however been boxed to eliminate flex and fix the driveshaft problem. It's now owned by Aircraft Engineer Bob Winsper. (94KB jpg)

And in early 1998, after its first visit to my workshop. There's a new lighter bodyshell and a frame stiffening modification that's cured the engine eating problem, together with a new fuel tank and systems tidy-up. It's also got the right suspension struts at last. This is engine number six. (70KB jpg)

Detail shot of the Banana cockpit, the fuel tank is new and the new chassis rails can be seen running either side of the central carburettor, inboard of the cylinders. We used the large Valeo sticker because Valeo make great lighting products (Used to be Cibie) and also we thought that the green clashed rather nicely with the yellow.(56 KB jpg)

Last event of 1998, the Banana appears with new matching tail section. Built using the fabricated sheet technique, just like the nose, the requirement was for better cockpit environment and proper luggage space.(203KB jpg)

Surprisingly Bob discovers that it goes faster as well. This is the first time since 1981 that this vehicle has had so many new components on it at once. (172KB jpg) 

History The Banana Early Prototypes Voyagers 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Last update 23rd. October 1999. comments etc to ingrid oesten

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