Unknown kit car - any ideas?

[Ali_D]

I have managed to acquire (or will do in the next month or so) a kit car that 'needs a bit of work'. The only thing I know about it is its based on a triumph spitfire. I have seen it (but only in a walked past it while visiting my brother a year ago so memory a bit vague way) and its a 2 seater fibre glass bodied thing which (very vaguely!) resembles a baby cobra.

Any ideas as to what it is or links etc would be appreciated . Also any spitfire tuning sites might be handy, although getting it running will be the first priority.

thanks

[Mark B]

Possibly a Gemini by Autotune. I know of them made out of Escort stuff, but they may have also been made with Triumph parts. Good luck with it.

[Ali_D]

I don't think it was a gemini - I've just looked on their web site. I've also looked up triumph based kits on totalkitcars.co.uk but again don't recognise anything. The one thing I seem to remember was that it didn't have any doors - this may be my memory playing tricks on me but if not that would surely make it a fairly rare feature for this sort of car.

I may just have to wait until I get it and I can give it a good going over. I'll keep you all posted and will undoubtly have more questions!

[Chris_N]

Sounds like it could be a Vincent Hurricane. They do look quite Cobra-like, as you say.

If so, lot's more info here ...

www.vincenthurricane.co.uk/index.htm

There was one featured in Triumph World magazine (Issue No. 47 December 2002/January 2003) that had been modified with a six cylinder engine (a la GT6) and supercharger. You could get a back issue here ...

https://baden.ipl.co.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?nextform=/chp/backissues.html&mag=trw

Chris

[Ali_D]

OK I've got it now - and the 'bit of work' is rather a big bit. So its on ebay [url]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2442227477[url] but I've still no idea what it is. Anyone care to take a look at the piccy's on ebay and have a guess (feel free to bid while your there too! ).

>> Edited by Ali_D on Friday 14th November 11:04

[chris_n]

OK so it's not a Vincent Hurricane. I've no idea what it is!

[Incorrigible]

Any idea how much of the triumph body is used ?

The reason I ask is the the rear suspension trailing arms bolt onto the body not the chassis so any chopping about of the sills is going to compromise the strength of this

Shame you haven't got the time or space to do it, but a good decision I feel. Body off would be the only sensible way to attack the restoration

I used to be a welder/painter at a Triumph restoration place so if you need any more info mail me through my profile

[grahambell]

Hard to say for certain from the pic on Ebay, but looks like a Moss Mamba from around the mid-eighties.

Doesn't have the standard Mamba windscreen (which looked crap anyway) and the Mamba did have doors with old Mini external hinges, but someone could have built it differently.

Don't think they ever made many.

[Ali_D]

cheers Incorrigible, the whole floorpan including sills seems to be used so I assume its all bolted to that - the floor really is rotten as a pear though, you can stick your finger through it should you want to. If it had just needed a little welding I'd have been driving around in it by now but its a serious job I'm afraid.

[Spyderman]

I think it could be a Moss! Can't remember the model, but possibly a Monaco?
It was designed for Spitfire or Herald chassis and was modelled on the Lancia Spyder (or was it Alfa? sorry my memory is going. Old age )
It is the front grill that stands out in my memory.


Terry

Pipped to the post!


>> Edited by Spyderman on Friday 14th November 15:00

[Incorrigible]

Ali_D said:

cheers Incorrigible, the whole floorpan including sills seems to be used so I assume its all bolted to that - the floor really is rotten as a pear though, you can stick your finger through it should you want to. If it had just needed a little welding I'd have been driving around in it by now but its a serious job I'm afraid.

Not that serious, you should be able to do all the welding on a spit (ie every panel) in a couple of days a side, as the wings etc aren't used here less than 3 days for the lot I reckon

But as you haven't got anywhere to do it it's fairly accademic

[chris_n]

Incorrigible said:

Not that serious, ... ... less than 3 days for the lot I reckon

Maybe for a man whole can make a nice TVR out of a pile of torn fibreglass. More like 3 years at the rate I work!

[jgmadkit]

This is a Moss Mamba



Very similar so it could be. The car on ebay looks heavily modified though compared to this one.

John

<a href="http://www.madabout-kitcars.com">www.madabout-kitcars.com</a>

>> Edited by jgmadkit on Friday 14th November 19:53

>> Edited by jgmadkit on Friday 14th November 19:54

[Ali_D]

Thanks folks - all very interesting. I knew someone here would know what it was!!