Classic Kit Cars - The Filby Files. Now with Stevens cars on P4

[jonny69]

My silly wedge side suggests I'd have a crack at a Silhouette GS70, a SETA/ZETA or a Charger 2.

I didn't see anything on Dutton. They made quite a few really awkward-looking kits in the [insert correct decade]. A teacher at school had I think a Sierra, painted dayglow yellow with the archetype white Wellers and overly tall cheap radials. Also Jago, they must have turned out a fair number of Geeps and T buckets.

[RetroMotoring]

I can't believe I'd forgotten this one:

Syd Mead GP Nova Custom Kit Car XKL947J - photo by Retro-Motoring
 

Syd Mead GP Nova Custom Kit Car XKL947J - photo by Retro-Motoring
 

Syd Mead GP Nova Custom Kit Car XKL947J - photo by Retro-Motoring
 

Wonder what happened to it?

[JeeExEll]

I like this one. Looks to be a Starcraft based on a Mk5 Cortina. The front end needs more imaginative work but it's all fibreglass so you can make of it what you want. Maybe something like a Lambo Miura flip-front with pop up lights. The current effort scores a 1/10 but it'll do for today.

3 wheels on this side. Bonus.

Overall, it's an impressive display of fibreglass and bodyfiller. I'd sleep in it.

[Slowsilver]

1 hour ago, JeeExEll said:

I like this one. Looks to be a Starcraft based on a Mk5 Cortina. The front end needs more imaginative work but it's all fibreglass so you can make of it what you want. Maybe something like a Lambo Miura flip-front with pop up lights. The current effort scores a 1/10 but it'll do for today.

3 wheels on this side. Bonus.

Overall, it's an impressive display of fibreglass and bodyfiller. I'd sleep in it.

Remember seeing one of these some years back and chatting to the owner, who had just finished building it. They have the middle axle driven and the rearmost axle is simply another Cortina back axle, but unpowered. He said that the first time he drove it into a field it got stranded on the outer four undriven wheels with the two driven centre ones spinning helplessly. I think he either fitted softer springs to the rear axle or harder (estate) springs to the driven axle to stop it happening again.
 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Rear were indespension units.

 

[garethj]

Is it your lucky day or what?  I’ve got some more things for you fibreglass fetishists?

There are some gems in here and there’s more detail too.  There’s probably stuff about all of these on the internet now but I didn’t know most of this existed!

The Ginetta concept model that looks like a Lola T70 is cool but for maximum shite points there’s a Gilbern with a mid mounted Maxi engine.  It’s photographed on a trailer, natch.

[garethj]

[garethj]

[Bfg]

Specialist Sports Cars by filby

Although a little superficial - it looks an interesting book, I'll look out for that. Thanks. 

Glad to see the Sotherby Special (Ogle's Aston Martin).  A friend of the family worked for Ogle Design and did a little work on developing that car.  I saw it in their build workshop as a fifteen-year-old schoolboy and was awestruck by it.  I think a whole book might well have been written about it.  It was such a brilliant car and full of the latest (at that time) ideas on super-car design and construction,  including some clever but practical innovations like the brake lights reflecting how heavy the braking was, and if I recall also air conditioning and GPS  (..in 1972).  Most likely seeing this car in the flesh (and part dismantled as it was still being finished) was an inspirations to become a designer myself. The other was the frustration of fitting a new bypass hose on an 850 mini  ..when I knew "for f$%k sake,  even I could design it better than that ! "  

I'd also like to learn more about Frank Costin as well.  I worked alongside his son for a short time (..holiday job) and get the impression that he was a very clever cookie, unsung, and always pushed to the sideline by stronger personalities like Chapman.   Actually, if any budding author is reading this - I'd like to see a book dedicated to the brilliance of the design engineers who for a thousand reasons never made centre stage.   

[Bfg]

.

As for me..  well,  following redundancy from Steven Design (Cipher sports car).. I set myself up in business making fibreglass products. My somewhat naive idea was that (as an industrial designer) I would design new products and then also be able to produce them.  I was sort-of capable as a mechanic, including wiring, could weld, and with the fibreglass - I could develop a whole range of products.  

Of course the reality was that I first had to pay the rent - so needed to make and sell things quickly.  So, because design and development, and then finding a sales outlet takes time - I had to make other people's panels.   One of my first commissions was with Hadyn Davies, making for him the nose and wings for the Burlington Arrow < here > and his SS  ..an "Unashamed Morgan copy for those who can't wait seven years for the real thing." (David Vivian,  Motor, Oct 1, 1983) which Morgan took objection to ..with legal action.  Hadyn was talented though ..both as a designer and as a very personable businessman.  He had to drop the SS but he had re-conceived the 1940/50's idea of building things from plans, and in this case it meant his cars. Mostly based on the Triumph Herald, Vitesse or Spitfire chassis, his cars were not really a kit, but rather a set of plans with the availability of fibreglass panels and a few steel brackets.

Another ongoing commission was to make RHD dashboards and centre console panels for Porsche 911 conversions. The company, based in Birmingham, would go to Germany to buy older LHD Porsche 911's and then bring them back and convert them to RHD.  I think it was quite a lucrative business for a while.  I did manage to make a few products of my own design though. A "best seller" was a motorcycle top-box specifically aimed at motorcycle couriers.  It was squarish and very robustly made, good weather seals and big enough to take an A3 sized parcel. 

Of course following on from being involved in the Cipher I was still keen on specialist cars, so it was of interest when Nigel Whall wrote to me and asked to meet him at Newark kit-car show.  As a fibreglass consultant for a tanker-trailer company, he had built a special which used the Citroen Ami-8 motor. The fibreglass body tub sat squat and was shaped like a shiny black beetle (..the bug, not the VW). It sat on its own chassis. The swinging arms were from the Citroen but if I recall the suspension itself was home brewed from Indespension trailer bits.  Its bench seat was the rear seat from the Ami, without any framework, and I think its front seats provided enough matching vinyl to cover the dashboard ! The instruments were also Ami-8.  The headlamps were two pairs of spot lamps.. one pair for the main beam the other for dipped.  The spare wheel sat in slot moulded into the beetle's bum (an idea borrowed from the Healey Silverstone). 

                   

As can be seen it was rough but still a great fun looking car.  Nigel had a thing for the Bugatti type 35 which he says was an inspiration. ..the wheel trims perhaps.

Nigel was selling the 'Lomax'  fibreglass ; body tub, front end panels with cycle wings, and wheel trim mouldings, and a few photocopies of how his own car had been assembled ..and otherwise left customers to do the rest themselves.  However, he was at that time trying to build a three-wheeler version, on a Citroen Dyane chassis, with its two rear swinging arms turned inwards.  So actually a four wheeler but the wheels were close enough to qualify for license and taxed purposes as a three wheeler. 

Being busy as a consultant and often working away from home, he didn't have time to finish it, nor to develop it, nor to deal with customers. With my background in car design (with the Cipher) and also supplying Burlington with GRP panels ..would I become a partner and develop a kit, produce it, and market the Lomax.?  

He came down to my workshop in Birmingham and after the initial shock that I had just started up and was working on my own, he offered ..and we formally signed up as an equal partnership.  I'd finish the three wheeler and use that as a demonstrator, until I built my own, and then as soon as I was able I'd take over the moulding work too.

          

^ Painted Bugatti blue and Nigel driving, with a young myself as the bearded passenger..  Tom Lucas (author) was a keen customer who many years later based this book on interviews with Nigel.  Let's just say that some of Nigel's facts are not quite the same as my own, nor those of Brian Mumford (who took over from me).  But as they say - it's the victors who write history.  I thought at one time to write to Tom, to put matters straight - but then thought what the hell, it's water long ago under the bridge  ..bollocks to it. 

Anyway, the body tub (by way of the almost straight door cutout) had been lengthened for more cockpit room (another 5"  I think) and the slot for the spare wheel had gone. Instead it had a number plate 'box' moulded on the back ..just big enough to provide clearance for the two rear tyres of the 3-wheeler conversion. That same mould was then used for both 3 and 4-wheeled cars.  I hated that ugly detail, so for the next mould - the body was lengthened again.  If I recall correctly the scuttle panel was lengthened some 2", and the thorax extended by 3".  

From this I built a green demonstrator (photographed below) and at the same time developed the Lomax as a proper kit car package, based on the Citroen A-series chassis. The suspension was lowered by reversing the standard suspension springs (longer link arm from the back moves to the front) and then moving the rear axle forward. The chassis / suspension mods were therefore very easy.  Oh yes I also had an aluminium fuel tank made, which freed up a space within the 'beetle bum' as a storage cubby-hole (access via behind the seats).  

While at it - the engine bulkhead was modified, to loose its dedicated battery shelf in favour of it being symmetrical for right or left hand drive kits ..and be much cleaner looking.  I developed a set of tubular mudguard and headlamp mounting brackets, and the exhaust system - which were offered in primer or chromed.   I lowered the alternator, altered the air filter, and developed a lower oil filler / breather to fit under the bonnet. Then redesigned the three bonnet / nose / chassis cover panels to be a single panel ..for neatness in panel fit, and much easier engine access.  During these mod's we moulded in a return flange for the oil cooler opening and I reshaped the scoops under the flat-twin's cylinder heads ..for better air flow and cooling.  Our panels were now offered self-coloured in gel-coat (choice of 52 Ryland colours) so the customer didn't face the cost of painting the finished car.

           

                                       

As soon as we had a 'package' to offer for sale, I produced a new brochure and also build instructions, and got in touch with the magazines and exhibited at shows. Part of our agreement was that I handled all the enquiries and sales. It was a busy time for a one man band.  I took over fibreglass production but with car body sized moulds and panels I needed much more space.  Going from a 245 sq.ft starter unit,  I rented a 1500sq ft workshop in Livery Street ..under the arches of Snowhill Station, Birmingham.  I recruited and trained employees, starting off with a government "youth-training" lad - Clive Bailey and a young lass ..to speed up our replies to enquiries. Neither had previous work experience. Clive had never worked with fibreglass before but proved a quick learner and really good employee.  His attitude was conscientious and as a result his work was really good.  Years later he invited me to his wedding.

  ^ the diminutive Lomax 3-wheeler with its newly developed windscreen and wet weather gear, exhibited next to the Jaguar Copycat.  No carpets nor spikey fence on our stand !

We offered an array of 'period' accessories from the headlamp stone-guards and the leather bonnet strap, to aero screens, mirrors and bullet side lights, to motorcycle exhaust silencer, and then the interiors and weather gear, and also Ami-super floor gear changes and Citroen GS round instruments, and wood rimmed steering wheels.  The customer then had the choice of ; buying the most basic kit and doing the rest themselves or simply selecting any of the options off the price list.  They could of course just take the basic kit and then come back, as n' when their pocket money permitted, to buy any other bits they needed or liked.

And so it went on., with lots of development & costs, long hours, very many customer enquiries to answer, and their visits to see & test-drive the cars and learn all about the build process. And/or otherwise just to drop in for a nose, a chat and to kick tyres.!  There were also a number of events throughout the year ..to which I invited owners to be part of it and exhibit their cars too. 

We did extremely well at the shows, and with editorials in the Citroen clubs and kit car magazines, but Nigel managed a coup when he attracted the interest of the TV show Top Gear.  I don't know perhaps 20 seconds ..showing a quirky speeded-up fun sequence of a 2cv pushed into a shed, car doors and wing panels then flying out of a side door, and then the garage opening ..and out drives a gleaming new Lomax.  That 'advert' cost nothing ..but the nationwide publicity was worth £-tens-thousands.     

The problem was that although my "fibreglass" business had grown to six full time employees, plus myself and my girlfriend Jacquie, we couldn't produce the kits fast enough. The moulds were not up to it.  He wasn't directly involved in running the business but Nigel was quick on the phone wanting to know how many were sold, being delivered ..and to give me an ear bending for being behind.  Add to this he now had spare time on his hands, could smell success, and had an ambition to conquer Europe. The Lomax had attracted the interest of a Dutch couple who sought to be an agent. But the first tangible thing I knew about was an order for six kits with accessories and a date promised by Nigel for delivery.  I seem to remember this was for x2 off-white,  x2 post-office red, and x2 jet black sets of grp bodies, plus the brackets, interior trim kits, weather gear, etc.  And because of the importance of this (Nigel's first) European agent ..their order was to be prioritized before existing UK customers.

In an effort to catch up - I then made the untimely mistake of employing an 'experienced' fibreglasser ..whose standard of work was not up to producing a high quality gel-coat finish for a car (He had been a supervisor* in a workshop producing industrial and bus mouldings). Two or three body mouldings were scrap, but as each took three or four days in the mould to produce that put us back even further in completing orders.  Largely because of this we missed the imposed deadline on the Dutch order, I think by two or three days, which I guess meant they had to reschedule their travel arrangements. Nigel was vehemently condemning when he phoned me. 

I understand he (using subcontractors) had made five or six bodies over a three year period before I was involved. And starting from nothing we had supplied something like sixty kits in nine months.  In addition I had designed, made, sourced, ordered and supplied the brackets and windscreens, interior trim packages and weather gear ..and all the pretty shiny options - all of which added to the business's profit line.

And to tell you the truth ;  it's not easy to produce flawless gel-coat finished car bodies, in different colours, using a single mould, when working under a Victorian railway arch - so things have to be done very pragmatically. And aside from many other considerations, like dust from trimming panels ; that means taking the time to make sure the mould, bucket and brushes were thoroughly clean.  The following week, once Nigel had calmed down and heard me out - he seemed to understand, and said he had a couple of lads who would moonlight from the company he was consultant to, who could help out.  And so we produced a spare set of panels, which Nigel passed on to them ..to make a second set of moulds from. 

The following Stafford kitcar show we attended with six cars on the stand - the biggest exhibitor in the show.  But in the another hall was Nigel Whall with his new partner, an unsuspecting Brian Mumford on their own Lomax stand (Brian had designed and built the Mumford Musketeer 3-wheeler using Vauxhall Viva power).  I was out.  Nigel had conceived the Lomax and so copyright law was on his side,  and I had no experience of business partnerships. 

In retrospect it was very unkind to customers ..and to Brian, but my knee jerk response to the court injunction was to state that everything I had designed and developed for the Lomax was of my copyright - and that he / they could not use anything of it.!  Not a single photograph, no text, nor the build instructions, no bracket, not the weather protection ..nor even might they use any of  'my' suppliers !  - NOTHING. 

This period in my life was c.1983 - 4.  I was 26-year-old.  Had six employees to pay wages to,  lots of work-in-progress and suppliers with outstanding bills to pay,  and the rent on a large city-centre workshop to meet. I had two choices : 1.) close the business and lay everyone off,  or  2.) try to find something else to make and sell ..very quickly.     

. . .

. .

.

More on that next time.

Bfg.

 

[garethj]

More please, that’s an extraordinary story 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Always thought the broadspeed GT was a great looking car even though I've only ever seen photos of one.

[garethj]

Here are a few handy links to the Stevens Cipher.

Stevens-Cipher

This delicious coupe version was up for sale a few months ago, I think it's even prettier than the open top

Sportscars by Stevens

Did the Cipher help inspire the MX5?

Sporting Reliants site

[xkjagnz]

I've had 3 kitcars (yes I'm a glutton for punishment), none of which appear to be mentioned in your book
A Ginetta G26

an NCF Diamond (The factory demonstrator no less (was still shit))

and an Aristocat 120

will see if I can find photos later

[Alusilber]

1 hour ago, garethj said:

This delicious coupe version was up for sale a few months ago, I think it's even prettier than the open top

 Want! ?

[Bfg]

1 hour ago, xkjagnz said:

I've had 3 kitcars (yes I'm a glutton for punishment), none of which appear to be mentioned in your book.

... and an Aristocat 120

Someone who came to look at my Scimitar, which I had for sale at that time, suggested I might trade it against his Aristocat.  But if I recall it had a Cortina engine in it, and he wanted cash on top of the value of my nice condition SE6.   I still look out for them, but I know it'll never happen because I've always preferred the XK150's style (which to my knowledge nobody ever made a kit of) ..and to build one well enough for me to be happy with it - would cost much the same as buying an authentic classic car (albeit not an XK.) in already very nice condition. 

Mind you a few years before that, I very nearly bought Wildcat  kit-cars (..the actual business) simply because I love the Jaguar low-drag coupe..

[Squarepegroundhole]

Anything on Rickman? I have an unexplored itch for a Ranger.

[Mally]

I also had an itch for a Ranger, I scratched it.

Lasted about 6 months, rarely used it.

Better engineered than a Dutton, but I had a lot of fun in Duttons in the early days for very little expense.

[xkjagnz]

8 hours ago, Bfg said:

Someone who came to look at my Scimitar, which I had for sale at that time, suggested I might trade it against his Aristocat.  But if I recall it had a Cortina engine in it, and he wanted cash on top of the value of my nice condition SE6.   I still look out for them, but I know it'll never happen because I've always preferred the XK150's style (which to my knowledge nobody ever made a kit of) ..and to build one well enough for me to be happy with it - would cost much the same as buying an authentic classic car (albeit not an XK.) in already very nice condition. 

Mind you a few years before that, I very nearly bought Wildcat  kit-cars (..the actual business) simply because I love the Jaguar low-drag coupe..

Mine was xj6 based, the biggest issue i had was it had the little flyscreens instead of a proper windshield which made it really impractical

[jonny69]

On 9/12/2019 at 7:02 PM, quicksilver said:

I suppose there's a combination of factors that pretty much killed the kit car.

• Lack of suitable donor cars. Old favourites like Beetles, Minis and Sierras are too valuable to chop up now and on modern cars the mechanical and electric bits you need for a kit tend to give up before the bodywork.
• Tougher regulations - SVA, crash test standards etc. are much more difficult for small companies and DIY builders to comply with. 
• Canbus electronics - imagine trying to recode all the bits you've taken off the donor car(s) and make them work together
• Maybe just a general lack of interest in building the things.  

I'd like to put forward an argument that the scene is pretty strong these days. I was at the Goodwood revival this weekend and the replica scene is definitely fighting fit. I think SVA/BIVA/IVA has actually created a tick-box platform that makes it easier to register a kit with no quibbles, as long as it has all the things present to pass the test. There was no shortage of Cobra, GT40 or Jag replicas being built, right up to high-end copies of the originals. I wanted to say the market has probably shifted due to the additional costs of the test and the fact that most of the kits and replicas seen were extremely well finished, but that was probably skewed somewhat by being at a premium event like Goodwood. I'd be interested to see a present day kit car show to see what's there. I think the parts market has changed too. Back in the day you used a complete donor car, like you say, but you can get most of these parts now brand new in the back of a catalogue. I think people use secondhand parts where they need them, but buy a lot new.

[Mally]

Exactly this.

The Market used to start at £1000, plus a £50 escort.

The Market now starts at £10,000? Plus parts mainly have to be brand new.

There's no way it's easier than tho old days though.

MOT, few cobbled together receipts, equals brand new reg.

My Dutton Sierra was on the road for £1,300. Xreg Brand new*.  Drove it 2 years, sold for 2K.

 

[martc]

On ‎9‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 1:55 PM, RetroMotoring said:

I can't believe I'd forgotten this one:

Syd Mead GP Nova Custom Kit Car XKL947J - photo by Retro-Motoring

Wonder what happened to it?

It was MOT'd until 28/5/19!!! Perhaps they have now decided it's exempt...

[garethj]

On 9/15/2019 at 10:18 PM, xkjagnz said:

I've had 3 kitcars (yes I'm a glutton for punishment), none of which appear to be mentioned in your book
A Ginetta G26

an NCF Diamond (The factory demonstrator no less (was still shit))

and an Aristocat 120

will see if I can find photos later

I had a Ginetta G26 too.  Here’s what my files come up with 

[garethj]

 

[xkjagnz]

12 hours ago, garethj said:

I had a Ginetta G26 too.  Here’s what my files come up with 

Mine was cramped, horrible and kept snapping propshafts, most notably just outside Lockerbie when I was driving from Andover to Rosyth

This was nicer

[Bfg]

 

^ That Aristocat is really very nice !      And on an XJ6 ..I could definitely live with that.

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Fascinating stuff here, it's an intriguing world that's far too easy to dismiss.

A specialist sports car I saw recently which I couldn't immediately see mentioned in that book:

Strada 4/88: https://www.influx.co.uk/cars/the-strada-survivor/

[Skut]

13 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Fascinating stuff here, it's an intriguing world that's far too easy to dismiss.

A specialist sports car I saw recently which I couldn't immediately see mentioned in that book:

Strada 4/88: https://www.influx.co.uk/cars/the-strada-survivor/

Stradas are cool. They were fully built cars I think and did very well on their Mira crash test. Made in Saxmundham which is all I can remember about them. 

I rather like Panda based Fireflys. It would make more sense to have built one of these than spend a million years welding the Y10. 

[Snipes]

Not quite a kit as they were factory built and type approved but I do like a G32. Most literature I can find about them indicates they were pretty woeful when new but they seem to have a following amongst the hill climb brigade.

[Timewaster]

On 9/10/2019 at 5:30 PM, vulgalour said:

  The Boler T-Bone, on the other hand, is probably best left not discussed

Thanks a lot Vulg!

I zoomed in to see what the car looked like, and dear God!

 

My eyes!