Martin's new (old) company
Discussion
Former Ginetta Cars boss, Martin Phaff……………is about to return vehicle production with the launch of another famous specialist vehicle marque – Clan Cars, and is working on a brand new model called Clan Cruiser.
The new Clan factory is based in Sheffield, and the Cruiser has been designed by Clan’s experienced technical director, Andy Dawson. The prototype Cruiser should start testing in May and there will also be a race version for a new one-make race series.
Power for the Cruiser comes from 1.8-litre K-series engine, which, now officially renamed N-series and made in China. The Clan version will develop 275bhp.
The early seventies Clan Crusader was one of the kitcar industry’s great vehicles. The company were founded in 1971 by a group of Lotus engineers, Paul Hassauer, Brian Luff and John Frayling (McCoy founder, Arthur Birchall, was also involved in the production process, too).
Based in a state of the art factory in Washington, Tyne & Wear, the Crusader’s power came from a Hillman Imp Sport engine and the company were making around five cars per week. In 1972 a Crusader was crash-tested at MIRA.
A variety of problems including a dodgy economy, a miners strike and the introduction of VAT did their bit to chip away at the company’s resolve and they ceased trading in late 1973, not before a healthy 350 had been sold.
A brief return in the eighties in Northern Ireland didn’t last long. For information on the original Clan marque and models, there is an excellent owners club at www.clanownersclub.com
Martin tells me that the Cruiser will be available in kit form although final package specification and pricing has yet to be finalised. He has revealed though that fully built cars will be available from around £14,500 with one-make racers from around £18,400.
For more information on the ‘new’ Clan Cars visit www.clan-cars.co.uk (soon to be 'live' I'm told) or call 0114 236 5900
That could be interesting!
The new Clan factory is based in Sheffield, and the Cruiser has been designed by Clan’s experienced technical director, Andy Dawson. The prototype Cruiser should start testing in May and there will also be a race version for a new one-make race series.
Power for the Cruiser comes from 1.8-litre K-series engine, which, now officially renamed N-series and made in China. The Clan version will develop 275bhp.
The early seventies Clan Crusader was one of the kitcar industry’s great vehicles. The company were founded in 1971 by a group of Lotus engineers, Paul Hassauer, Brian Luff and John Frayling (McCoy founder, Arthur Birchall, was also involved in the production process, too).
Based in a state of the art factory in Washington, Tyne & Wear, the Crusader’s power came from a Hillman Imp Sport engine and the company were making around five cars per week. In 1972 a Crusader was crash-tested at MIRA.
A variety of problems including a dodgy economy, a miners strike and the introduction of VAT did their bit to chip away at the company’s resolve and they ceased trading in late 1973, not before a healthy 350 had been sold.
A brief return in the eighties in Northern Ireland didn’t last long. For information on the original Clan marque and models, there is an excellent owners club at www.clanownersclub.com
Martin tells me that the Cruiser will be available in kit form although final package specification and pricing has yet to be finalised. He has revealed though that fully built cars will be available from around £14,500 with one-make racers from around £18,400.
For more information on the ‘new’ Clan Cars visit www.clan-cars.co.uk (soon to be 'live' I'm told) or call 0114 236 5900
That could be interesting!
Bl**dy heck! I knew he'd left Ginetta but there is no way he could have set this up that quick - got to have been working on this for some time imo.
As for the name, I thought COC owned the rights to everything to do with Clan as there is an ongoing plan to build one with a Pug engine. Perhaps it's just the 'Crusader' name?
Bit like Tornado Cars who make GT40 replicas, no one in the 'real' Tornado Cars (British kit car maker in the 50s,60s,70s,80s) club know how/why they used this historic name (however, they do add 'Sports' in between).
As for the name, I thought COC owned the rights to everything to do with Clan as there is an ongoing plan to build one with a Pug engine. Perhaps it's just the 'Crusader' name?
Bit like Tornado Cars who make GT40 replicas, no one in the 'real' Tornado Cars (British kit car maker in the 50s,60s,70s,80s) club know how/why they used this historic name (however, they do add 'Sports' in between).
If he'd bought that Nina he'd have called it the 'Real McCoy' 
The McCoy was the name of the Mini-engined (even Metro!) 'Clan', built by one of the original Clan founders (all ex Loti people) mentioned at the top of this thread, Arthur Birchall.
If you're 'ex' Loti, publicity is assured - remember the Clan euphoria as if it was something all new and unheard of? Rivals? None. Ginetta G15 - what's that? Later, after fiddling homologation numbers Clan went to the wall.
The McCoy was, well, imo, awful. Birchall (if I recall) said at the time it put the pleasure back in motoring
or something like that.
Do you know he even designed an estate version!
'NO! NO! NO! I'm not going home in that!'
The McCoy was the name of the Mini-engined (even Metro!) 'Clan', built by one of the original Clan founders (all ex Loti people) mentioned at the top of this thread, Arthur Birchall.
If you're 'ex' Loti, publicity is assured - remember the Clan euphoria as if it was something all new and unheard of? Rivals? None. Ginetta G15 - what's that? Later, after fiddling homologation numbers Clan went to the wall.
The McCoy was, well, imo, awful. Birchall (if I recall) said at the time it put the pleasure back in motoring
or something like that. Do you know he even designed an estate version!
'NO! NO! NO! I'm not going home in that!'
Hi All - firstly I've never been on a gassing forum or anything similar ... so hope this works
Secondly, I better add that my name is Martin Phaff - and I was alerted to the story about Clan late last week by MotorSport News and later the same day by Autocar - both magazines kindly pulled the story as soon as I had explained that there was no truth in it
I do not know who's fabricated the spoof but I assure you it's fabricated, though a great idea apart from the new model name
If anyone wants me at anytime no prob, e-mail me at martin@vulcanplus.com
And lastly, James Grayley if you're reading this your G20 coupe looks absolutly brill, bring it down to one of the PlayStation British Sportscar races - I'll find tickets
cheers Martin
Secondly, I better add that my name is Martin Phaff - and I was alerted to the story about Clan late last week by MotorSport News and later the same day by Autocar - both magazines kindly pulled the story as soon as I had explained that there was no truth in it
I do not know who's fabricated the spoof but I assure you it's fabricated, though a great idea apart from the new model name
If anyone wants me at anytime no prob, e-mail me at martin@vulcanplus.com
And lastly, James Grayley if you're reading this your G20 coupe looks absolutly brill, bring it down to one of the PlayStation British Sportscar races - I'll find tickets
cheers Martin
Edited by bscc on Tuesday 31st March 08:09
Martin,
I copied the story from www.totalkitcar.com who seem to be quoting you directly... Might be worth speaking to them.
Invitation accepted.
I copied the story from www.totalkitcar.com who seem to be quoting you directly... Might be worth speaking to them.
Invitation accepted.
Later on there was the Clan Crusader as well don't forget - powered by the Alfa boxer engine. Always thought it was quite neat myself.
Martin - if thats your own private mobile number you might to remove it from here, you never know what nut cases are scouring the interweb !!
Just a thought thats all
You could leave your email on here then people could contact you through there.
Martin - if thats your own private mobile number you might to remove it from here, you never know what nut cases are scouring the interweb !!
Just a thought thats allYou could leave your email on here then people could contact you through there.
That would be the Clan Clover (early 80s).
That got some really bad press - I still have the front page (I think) Daily Telegraph where they called it a death trap - actually using those words!
So the Martin Phaff Clan company is a spoof - whoever did it hasn't got a very good sense of timing - it's April 1 tomorrow!
I said above a new car could not be possible in that time frame.
James, when I read your opener I (mistakenly) took it that you got it from the horse's mouth! I know I was never a Martin fan, but you say you copied it from TKC? Steve Hole is a good friend so he should know where it eminated from.
That got some really bad press - I still have the front page (I think) Daily Telegraph where they called it a death trap - actually using those words!
So the Martin Phaff Clan company is a spoof - whoever did it hasn't got a very good sense of timing - it's April 1 tomorrow!
I said above a new car could not be possible in that time frame.
James, when I read your opener I (mistakenly) took it that you got it from the horse's mouth! I know I was never a Martin fan, but you say you copied it from TKC? Steve Hole is a good friend so he should know where it eminated from.
dandarez said:
I still have the front page (I think) Daily Telegraph where they called it a death trap - actually using those words!
If it was in the papers it must have been true! 
The Clan Clover was a really nice car I was sorely tempted and would have bought one had I not already built another kit which I did a real live crash 'test' on, rebuilt it and drove it everyday for 11 years!
In this case the story was enough to finish Clan Clover off. The rear suspension one side was something like an inch out to the other side!
Will see if I can find it.
Clan was always a troublesome story, even the original company. Probably why a book has never appeared on this marque.
It was Ginetta in early 73 who said the Clan should not be eligible for racing as there was no way they had built 500 Clans for homologation.
Clan's MD told the press at the time:
'Some people think we have cooked the figures, but it is simply not true.' 'They don't want us in production sports car racing, so they seem intent on causing trouble.'
'That is what happens when people try to cause trouble. It damages our business prospects...'
History showed the truth (when Clan went bust) of the production run - something around 320.
Will see if I can find it.
Clan was always a troublesome story, even the original company. Probably why a book has never appeared on this marque.
It was Ginetta in early 73 who said the Clan should not be eligible for racing as there was no way they had built 500 Clans for homologation.
Clan's MD told the press at the time:
'Some people think we have cooked the figures, but it is simply not true.' 'They don't want us in production sports car racing, so they seem intent on causing trouble.'
'That is what happens when people try to cause trouble. It damages our business prospects...'
History showed the truth (when Clan went bust) of the production run - something around 320.
Oh I know Rich Heseltine's book covers the story (or part of it, none of what I mentioned about the homologation row is included though).
Other books have brief summaries of the company but only one, Chris Rees' British Specialist Cars, mentions the Ginetta G15 - 'very much its (Clan) rival.'
Note: Peter Filby's excellent 1974 book 'Specialist Sport Cars' the omission of Clan Cars Ltd - always meant to ask him why?
Even when Clan was launched, Autocar - who simply raved about the Clan - if I recall correctly, never once printed nor referred to the Ginetta G15. Yet Clan in its infancy had been given by Chrysler (who had taken over Rootes) the complete Ginetta G15 parts list (which had taken Ginetta an age to research). The Walkletts were not pleased. Chrysler said they did not realise any wrong had been committed since Clan had apparently already gone over a G15 in some detail!
When I mentioned the homologation you have to be aware that Clan 'were' homologated by the RAC (Motor Sports Division) and even when it was pointed out about the incorrect production figures, they (the RAC) still would not rescind the homologation.
It took an appeal to the FIA in France - then Clan were kicked out!
Other books have brief summaries of the company but only one, Chris Rees' British Specialist Cars, mentions the Ginetta G15 - 'very much its (Clan) rival.'
Note: Peter Filby's excellent 1974 book 'Specialist Sport Cars' the omission of Clan Cars Ltd - always meant to ask him why?
Even when Clan was launched, Autocar - who simply raved about the Clan - if I recall correctly, never once printed nor referred to the Ginetta G15. Yet Clan in its infancy had been given by Chrysler (who had taken over Rootes) the complete Ginetta G15 parts list (which had taken Ginetta an age to research). The Walkletts were not pleased. Chrysler said they did not realise any wrong had been committed since Clan had apparently already gone over a G15 in some detail!
When I mentioned the homologation you have to be aware that Clan 'were' homologated by the RAC (Motor Sports Division) and even when it was pointed out about the incorrect production figures, they (the RAC) still would not rescind the homologation.
It took an appeal to the FIA in France - then Clan were kicked out!
Edited by dandarez on Friday 3rd April 00:10
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