Discussion
I was chatting with a chap at Abingdon airfield day on Friday when the subject of the Unipower GT came up. "Hillman Imp drive train", quoth I confidently. "Oh no" sez he, "Mini 'A' series, surely". Some Googling seems to confirm his view, unfortunately.
I worked in Perivale at the time the car was being made by Unipower Transmissions (I think it was called) and I was sure I remember having a brochure from the factory in which it was described as being based on the Imp underpinnings. Does anybody have an accurate history of these cars? Maybe it was changed one from the other.
I worked in Perivale at the time the car was being made by Unipower Transmissions (I think it was called) and I was sure I remember having a brochure from the factory in which it was described as being based on the Imp underpinnings. Does anybody have an accurate history of these cars? Maybe it was changed one from the other.
GTRene said:
just came across this one, while looking for something else :-) a Unipower GT and a Interceptor
Wow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ReyQjj-T0&t=...Equus said:
Another thread resurrection, but if the OP is still around, a definitive history of the Unipower is now avaliable:
LINK
No Imps involved.
Yes, still here Equus! Thanks for the link. LINK
No Imps involved.
As an aside, neither of the two cars in the photograph registration numbers are still current.
Edited by motco on Tuesday 21st February 12:41
motco said:
As an aside, neither of the two cars in the photograph registration numbers are still current.
According to the book (which includes a register of the cars built) OYF80F is now in Switzerland (and it was a factory demonstrator, in Sherwood Green, with a Jack Knight 5-speed gearbox).Equus said:
motco said:
As an aside, neither of the two cars in the photograph registration numbers are still current.
According to the book (which includes a register of the cars built) OYF80F is now in Switzerland (and it was a factory demonstrator, in Sherwood Green, with a Jack Knight 5-speed gearbox).
Read all about it here
motco said:
I learned not to assume that rare cars like this aren't necessarily non-existent based on their registration number when I tried to find GKN47D. That was the registration of a one-off Lotus Europa (aka Lotus 47) with a Rover v8 engine built by GKN in the 1960s. I worked for the company at the time and saw it once or twice. Apparently it found its way across the Atlantic and has since virtually disappeared. The Europa always appealed to me and the 3.5 litre engine was the icing on a very nice cake.
Drifting off topic, the GKN Europa was discussed on the Europa forum this year and a few current photos posted;http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?to...
b2hbm said:
Drifting off topic, the GKN Europa was discussed on the Europa forum this year and a few current photos posted;
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?to...
Thank you for the link. I did a bit of poking around yesterday and that page looks familiar; maybe I passed through on my quest? http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?to...
I believe Andy Hedges was involved at some point, I have a feeling that it was he who sold the company, Universal Power Transmissions as it then was, to Piers Weld-Forester. I had met Piers in 1968 when we were both racing at Mallory Park, he had the first modified works Unipower there and was having problems which my two techies sorted for him. He never forgot that and for '69 he decided to do the four European endurance classics, Le Mans, Nuremburg 500km, Spa 1000km and the Targa Florio and he offered me a seat in the team which I jumped at, unfortunately there was also a contribution towards the costs involved which, for domestic reasons, was beyond me. As it turned out he had a pretty awful summer so I didn't miss out on much! We kept in touch but after his wife, the lovely Georgina Youens, died in the 1973 Paris DC10 air crash he became increasingly involved in racing motorcycles and ultimately lost his life at Brands Hatch in October '77. He was a charismatic character and the Unipower was a really neat design, just a shame the story wasn't have a happier one.
LuS1fer said:
The Clan Crusader was Imp-engined.
Closer in appearance to the Unipower, so was the Davrian.It does intrigue me that certain cars (the Unipower being one of them) become quite valuable, while other, superficially similar and equally competent cars remain cheap:you can still pick up Davrians and GTM's (and Clans and Ginetta G15's) for very little, where the Unipowers are now fetching big money.
Equus said:
Closer in appearance to the Unipower, so was the Davrian.
It does intrigue me that certain cars (the Unipower being one of them) become quite valuable, while other, superficially similar and equally competent cars remain cheap:you can still pick up Davrians and GTM's (and Clans and Ginetta G15's) for very little, where the Unipowers are now fetching big money.
Good point, i've always loved these British small-engined sports cars, such lovely driving experiences being light and immediate with their low-inertia small-capacity engines (generally) being a joy to give a work out. A Unipower GT would be in my dream garage, such a cool project - a G15 would have a space too!It does intrigue me that certain cars (the Unipower being one of them) become quite valuable, while other, superficially similar and equally competent cars remain cheap:you can still pick up Davrians and GTM's (and Clans and Ginetta G15's) for very little, where the Unipowers are now fetching big money.
Never knew about the Lotus 47 getting a Rover V8, a friend of my father's had a 47 in the late-60s and clubraced it with firstly the original 'Twink' and secondly a FVA, I feel i'd prefer the FVA to the V8
bumskins said:
Never knew about the Lotus 47 getting a Rover V8,(...)
More info in this thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff