Den Tanner RIP

[tombs]

RIP Den Tanner, the previous owner of Kit Car Magazine and Pilgrim Sports Cars (home of the Sumo replica Cobra kit) has sadly passed away.

I worked for Den for 13 years on Kit Car Magazine. Very sad news indeed, lot of respect for Den, knowing him he'll be up there telling the big guy how to improve the place, RIP fella.

[Wacky Racer]

Very very sorry to hear this, a very clever inventive man who sold hundreds of Pilgrim Cobra Kits, he had his faults but was a larger than life character. I used to enjoy his banter on here.

[MEEJA]

Just found out about Den.

Very sad news.

I remember many years ago having to keep a very close eye on his posts in here... those times were fun and games.

I always got on with him really well though.

RIP

[gtmdriver]

Not always the most popular person and he made some ill advised business decisions later in life but still a major contributor to the kit car industry as both a constructor and a journalist.

Sorry to hear he's gone and my sympathies go out to his family and friends.

[Wacky Racer]

MEEJA said:

I remember many years ago having to keep a very close eye on his posts in here... those times were fun and games.

Yes they were.....Happy days.

(Nice to see you are still around Adrian)

[MEEJA]

Wacky Racer said:

(Nice to see you are still around Adrian)

Likewise mate... I still wander n now and again!

[Skyedriver]

Not sure how I got involved but he had me proof reading articles for the mag at one point....

Always sad to hear of a personality passing...

[eliot]

was it him with an interest in urr,umm hydroponics?

[Equus]

eliot said:

was it him with an interest in urr,umm hydroponics?

Indeed it was.

I did think that 'ill advised business decisions' was quite a euphemistic description!

[MEEJA]

eliot said:

was it him with an interest in urr,umm hydroponics?

Yep. He went to the big house for that...

[gtmdriver]

Equus said:

Indeed it was.

I did think that 'ill advised business decisions' was quite a euphemistic description!

Just trying to be nice :-)

[Westyman]

an intersting (and often controversial) character, love him or loath him, Den did a massive amount to promote and
popularise our industry. A true individual and great British eccentric, sadly, we'll probably never see the like again.

RIP Den.

[Tempest_5]

I only met him once but I thought he was a decent bloke. It was at the the Earls Court motorshow at the end of the eighties and I was wanting to do a kitcar.

My first love in things automotive was the Cobra. I went around the various stands with kits at the show but being an impoverished final year engineering student none of them wanted to talk to me, apart from Den that is. He let me sit in the Sumo and was enthusiastic about what I wanted to do. A complete contrast to the other manufacturers. The only other lot that spoke to me were Caterham.

I ended up building a Westfield 2 years later which was ultimately better than a Cobra for how I like to drive . Better on my wallet too.

I still have affection for the Sumo and all that Pilgrim did though. You need characters in life or it would all be dull.

[eliot]

was it his front suspension design that used what looked like a track-rod end as the upper supporting link for the front upright ? That never seemed right to me.

[Paul-427]

eliot said:

was it his front suspension design that used what looked like a track-rod end as the upper supporting link for the front upright ? That never seemed right to me.

No that was the Python, nothing to do with the Pilgrim Sumo.