Cool old British Kit cars

Yet another crappy Dutton. The Melos. Same crappy chassis as the Pheaton further up thread, but with a stylisticaly challenged bathtub on top!

Last Dutton from me for now. There were more Duttons, lot's more. Tim Dutton Wooley the founder made so much money that he owned a genuine Lamboghini Countach (see below).

This is the Dutton Leggera. Still basicaly the same car as the Phaeton and Melos underneath but with an attempt to move upmarket on the body. I always kind of liked these actualy. A little less exposed than 7's and things.

Google leads me to belive this is Tim Duttons Lambo.

Another to me good looker. The Marlin a traditional 30's style car. This was cool in that the windscreen surround was actualy a roll bar. Strong good looking car. Not to be mistaken for the Merlin below.

The Merlin. Unlike the Marlin above which had an aluminium body (This was the UK rememebr so it wasn't aluminum) the Merlin had a fiberglass body which was sort of a Morgan knock off, but just never quite looked right to me.

Another 30's style. The NG TF. Based on MG B or BGT running gear with a ladder chassis and fiberglass body. I always liked these and the other NG products.

Last one for now. The NG TC. Based on the TF above but with spotier more agressive styling and cycle wings. Most of these had Rover V8 engines, but still with MGB suspension both ends.

I always had a weakness for the D-Type, unfortunately most kits are built around MG components. Yes, it's sacrilege, but I'm thinking 5.0 or M-5.

^^^^ If that is a kit car, I'll take one.

I also like the Ginetta G4 and the Gilbern Invader.

Ginetta G4

Gilbern Invader

I always thought this one was cool-

A minari, based on Alfa Sud mechanicals.

Even got a brochure when I was in England once.

Really good list, I love odd obsure Brits

IIRC Gilberns were "proper" cars, not kit cars. The only brand of car to be manufacturered solely in Wales, and they have the Griffin/Gryphon in their emblem.

Wow, kit cars are/were quite the industry in the UK! Though I have to say, many of those range from "ugly" to "hideous". Not to say that there aren't some lookers in the bunch, but the balance of them are on the other side of the aesthetic spectrum.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

I mean, seriously. I just ate lunch.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

I mean, seriously. I just ate lunch.

You Bastard, I love those, I tried to buy one before getting my Davrian

Tom_Spangler wrote: Wow, kit cars are/were quite the industry in the UK! Though I have to say, many of those range from "ugly" to "hideous". Not to say that there aren't some lookers in the bunch, but the balance of them are on the other side of the aesthetic spectrum.

Yep, there are certainly some eye-popping shapes out there.

This one is one of the nicer looking ones, just don't tell people there's Skoda underneath:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: You Bastard, I love those, I tried to buy one before getting my Davrian

Yeah, well, you don't like my new flat-black helmet, so what do you know?

Yeah I love looking through British kit car magazines. Our selection over here is sooooo boring.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Yeah, well, you don't like my new flat-black helmet, so what do you know?

It proves I have good taste, especialy as I got your old one

BoxheadTim wrote: IIRC Gilberns were "proper" cars, not kit cars. The only brand of car to be manufacturered solely in Wales, and they have the Griffin/Gryphon in their emblem.

Originally I believe they were kit.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Wow, kit cars are/were quite the industry in the UK! Though I have to say, many of those range from "ugly" to "hideous". Not to say that there aren't some lookers in the bunch, but the balance of them are on the other side of the aesthetic spectrum.

To be fair these are cars from the 70's and 80's. Do I need to start bringing up stylisticaly challenged production cars from that time?

The British kit car scene is still vibrant and strong. Folloeing will be some modern cars.

The Vortex

Gardner Douglas T70 spyder

BDN, and yes that actual car is street legal

Sylva Pheonix

Sylva J15