Identify My Kit Car Please!!!
Discussion
Hi All
Can any kit car guru's identify what kit this is?
It is based on a '72 VW Beetle, and i'm currently rebuilding it.
i Purchased it blind, and shouldn't have as it needs lots of welding/repairs, but these are now underway!
In the meantime i am trying to find out what the hell it is? Reg doc lists as 'Proto Flyte Kestrel' which brings up absolutely bugger all in a google search!
I believe it was built in the late 80's.
I cant find any identifying numbers on the shell at all...
Help!
Thanks, Matt![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/GEl5QyVR.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/s7Q7zRCl" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/s7Q7zRCl.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/s7Q7zRCl" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/s7Q7zRCl.jpg)
Can any kit car guru's identify what kit this is?
It is based on a '72 VW Beetle, and i'm currently rebuilding it.
i Purchased it blind, and shouldn't have as it needs lots of welding/repairs, but these are now underway!
In the meantime i am trying to find out what the hell it is? Reg doc lists as 'Proto Flyte Kestrel' which brings up absolutely bugger all in a google search!
I believe it was built in the late 80's.
I cant find any identifying numbers on the shell at all...
Help!
Thanks, Matt
My money is on it being from the short lived Carisma Engineering:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisma_Engineering
"Andrew Charles Hobbs and Glyn Ford founded the company in 1989 in Sandy, County Bedfordshire. They started with the production of automobiles and kits. The brand name was Carisma. Later, Andrew Charles Hobbs and Rosemary Hobbs were the directors. [3] 1992 ended the production.
Scorhill Motors of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey continued the production while maintaining the brand name. In total, about 37 copies were made"
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisma_Engineering
"Andrew Charles Hobbs and Glyn Ford founded the company in 1989 in Sandy, County Bedfordshire. They started with the production of automobiles and kits. The brand name was Carisma. Later, Andrew Charles Hobbs and Rosemary Hobbs were the directors. [3] 1992 ended the production.
Scorhill Motors of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey continued the production while maintaining the brand name. In total, about 37 copies were made"
bobbo89 said:
My money is on it being from the short lived Carisma Engineering:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisma_Engineering
"Andrew Charles Hobbs and Glyn Ford founded the company in 1989 in Sandy, County Bedfordshire. They started with the production of automobiles and kits. The brand name was Carisma. Later, Andrew Charles Hobbs and Rosemary Hobbs were the directors. [3] 1992 ended the production.
Scorhill Motors of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey continued the production while maintaining the brand name. In total, about 37 copies were made"
I can't see the OPs picture (work system won't show it) so I'm assuming this looks something like an SS100, hence the Carisma suggestion, but IIRC the Carisma was only ever offered using the Ford Cortina as a donor, so the Beetle references don't really make sense, unless I'm mistaken somewhere.https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisma_Engineering
"Andrew Charles Hobbs and Glyn Ford founded the company in 1989 in Sandy, County Bedfordshire. They started with the production of automobiles and kits. The brand name was Carisma. Later, Andrew Charles Hobbs and Rosemary Hobbs were the directors. [3] 1992 ended the production.
Scorhill Motors of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey continued the production while maintaining the brand name. In total, about 37 copies were made"
Frankthered said:
I can't see the OPs picture (work system won't show it) so I'm assuming this looks something like an SS100, hence the Carisma suggestion, but IIRC the Carisma was only ever offered using the Ford Cortina as a donor, so the Beetle references don't really make sense, unless I'm mistaken somewhere.
Hmm, think you may be right. Cant remember where I found the link between this and Carisma but there was one somewhere....
Puddenchucker said:
Give that man a cigar!PurpleTurtle said:
Can't help I'm afraid but intrigued - is the engine still hanging out of the back?
If so, what's under the bonnet, the boot?
Answering my own question, it is! If so, what's under the bonnet, the boot?
https://www.allcarindex.com/auto-car-model/United-...
Somewhat tail-happy in the wet with the lack of Beetle bodyshell weight, I would imagine!
YES MATE!!!!!
That's the puppy.
Amazing work guys, didn't expect a result that quickly. Now i need to just get her back in shape and back on the road... already ditched the horrid yellow wheels, and got some lovely spokes hubcaps that fit!
Thank you very much. Keep any other info coming.
Super rare so worth ££££'s i hope!!!
Thanks, Matt
That's the puppy.
Amazing work guys, didn't expect a result that quickly. Now i need to just get her back in shape and back on the road... already ditched the horrid yellow wheels, and got some lovely spokes hubcaps that fit!
Thank you very much. Keep any other info coming.
Super rare so worth ££££'s i hope!!!
Thanks, Matt
matt-3gmnb said:
YES MATE!!!!!
That's the puppy.
Amazing work guys, didn't expect a result that quickly. Now i need to just get her back in shape and back on the road... already ditched the horrid yellow wheels, and got some lovely spokes hubcaps that fit!
Thank you very much. Keep any other info coming.
Super rare so worth ££££'s i hope!!!
Thanks, Matt
Out of interest are either of the cars pictured yours? Both showing the reg so its a possibility....That's the puppy.
Amazing work guys, didn't expect a result that quickly. Now i need to just get her back in shape and back on the road... already ditched the horrid yellow wheels, and got some lovely spokes hubcaps that fit!
Thank you very much. Keep any other info coming.
Super rare so worth ££££'s i hope!!!
Thanks, Matt
matt-3gmnb said:
Hi All
Neither of the cars pictured are mine... different reg plates, and different headlights.
This info is great, and very appreciated but still a bit of a dead end! Google returning no other hits other than this one site with just the 3 images..?
The search continues..!!
I think the headlights might well be the same except that yours has the cowl missing. There may well be other photos out there, but wrongly titled or untitled. I think half of the GT40 pics out there are actually replicas, including the one on the FORD GT Wikipedia page!Neither of the cars pictured are mine... different reg plates, and different headlights.
This info is great, and very appreciated but still a bit of a dead end! Google returning no other hits other than this one site with just the 3 images..?
The search continues..!!
Hi Matt
I think our family car in the 1970s/80s was the Beetle your kit car is based on. I typed the reg number of our Beetle (my parents sold it in 1986 I think) - XTT 395K - into the DVLA site, at random, and up came the info that it's now registered to a Kestrel kit car. Quick search later took me to your query on Pistonheads. Given there's pretty much no other info on the Kestrel, I'm putting 2 and 2 together and thinking that you might have the very same car. If so, I'm pleased it's still going - my parents bought it new in 1972 - I was born in 1974 - and it was our family car until 1986 - that's the last time I saw it. Amazing journeys around the UK - when I was about 6 we went from Devon to Scotland and back, roofrack piled high, towing a wooden dinghy filled with loads more clobber.
Anyway, I hope the restoration is going well and the car is working for you. The kit car version looks amazing - pretty glamorous compared to the original.
Here's a photo of the Beetle in 1975 in Sidmouth, Devon where we lived - the little kid in the photo is my now 47-yr-old brother.
Cheers
Ian
I think our family car in the 1970s/80s was the Beetle your kit car is based on. I typed the reg number of our Beetle (my parents sold it in 1986 I think) - XTT 395K - into the DVLA site, at random, and up came the info that it's now registered to a Kestrel kit car. Quick search later took me to your query on Pistonheads. Given there's pretty much no other info on the Kestrel, I'm putting 2 and 2 together and thinking that you might have the very same car. If so, I'm pleased it's still going - my parents bought it new in 1972 - I was born in 1974 - and it was our family car until 1986 - that's the last time I saw it. Amazing journeys around the UK - when I was about 6 we went from Devon to Scotland and back, roofrack piled high, towing a wooden dinghy filled with loads more clobber.
Anyway, I hope the restoration is going well and the car is working for you. The kit car version looks amazing - pretty glamorous compared to the original.
Here's a photo of the Beetle in 1975 in Sidmouth, Devon where we lived - the little kid in the photo is my now 47-yr-old brother.
Cheers
Ian
Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff