TVR Sports Saloons ?? RGS Atlanta

[Electron]

Just reading up on some "stuff" and came across an article on the RGS Atlanta bodyshell ...

"Trevor Wilkinson used this shell to clothe three TVR chassis, the cars being sold under the TVR Sports Saloon name."

Does anyone know any more about this ??

[Astacus]

Filby says that TVR offered RGS atlanta bodies as well as an open version of an RGS body. they also offered Rochdate C Type bodies and Microplas Mistral. I think it was the Mistral that eventually donated two bonnets to form the front and rear portions of the original open sports.

I don't know whether any cars are still in existence, that were produced between between TVR2 and the open sports. It would be really interesting to find out. I think I am right in saying there is at least one TVR open sports still about

[Roy C]

The correct name is RGS Atalanta.

Trevor's car was registered GFV866, with a 1200cc Austin A40 engine.

There is a picture of the car here: http://www.tvr-car-club.co.uk/images/archives/trev...

There's more history of Dick Shattock's RGS Atalanta cars here: http://www.rgsatalanta.com/

[prideaux]

Here is a photo of a rare piece of paper from that ere sent to me last night from the Night shift thanks David another copy of this recently sold on the Bay for nearly a third the cost of the original car in the 50s very special piece of memorability.





Maybe others have more information that can help us all learn some more

A

[Electron]

Wow !! That brochure came from a rocking horse ...

Klaus made me aware of the Microplas links - I was unaware of the other options.

This is the text lifted from the Fairthorpe Club Magazine - crediting Derek Bentley but also his typo on the name :-)

"RGS Atlanta were a pre war company, based in Staines, Middlesex and building specialist sports cars. Up to the outbreak of the war in 1939 about 20 cars had been produced.

Dick Shattock purchased the remains of the company in 1949 and started to offer kit versions of the pre war car. These comprised chassis and suspensions only, no body being supplied. He then began investigating using GRP to produce a bodyshell. He approached North East Coast Yacht Building and Engineering Company Ltd (Necolam) of Blythe, Northumberland, who were already moulding GRP boats.

In early 1953 they produced a car body for Dick Shattock and this was sold under the RGS name (Richard G Shattock), making it the first GRP car body to be produced in this country.

One of the RGS bodies was displayed on the Bakelite stand at the 1953 Plastics Exhibition as the Bakelite Company had provided the moulding resins.

The shell was an open version and available for wheelbases of between 7‟ 6” and 9‟ and track widths of between 4‟ and 4‟ 8”. Later the shell was available for wheelbases of up to 11‟ 6”, making it adaptable to most chassis. By December 1953 a hard top was also made available. The full body set, comprising three parts retailed for £168.

Trevor Wilkinson used this shell to clothe three TVR chassis, the cars being sold under the TVR Sports Saloon name.

[alphaone]

prideaux said:

Here is a photo of a rare piece of paper from that ere sent to me last night from the Night shift thanks David another copy of this recently sold on the Bay for nearly a third the cost of the original car in the 50s very special piece of memorability.

Maybe others have more information that can help us all learn some more

A

Great bit of history, thanks for sharing it.

[Grantura MKI]

prideaux said:

alphaone said:

prideaux said:

Here is a photo of a rare piece of paper from that ere sent to me last night from the Night shift thanks David another copy of this recently sold on the Bay for nearly a third the cost of the original car in the 50s very special piece of memorability.

Maybe others have more information that can help us all learn some more

A

Great bit of history, thanks for sharing it.

Its really David Grantura MK1 that you need to thank as its his copy and his IT skills don't match his Restoration Skills
So Thanks Again David
A

You can't expect me to do everything, now can you?
Cheers,
D.

[oliverb205]

Just to add that Alan Shattock, son of RG (Dick) Shattock is currently writing a book about his Father's Atalanta cars, and is trying to track down GFV866. e has a website with more info at www.rgsatalanta.com

Oliver.

[Hansoplast]

It doesn't fit exactly in this Atlanta story but it is part of the story around TVR.

Possibly some of you know the car.

Hans

[thegamekeeper]

About 20 years ago the Open Sports car (the one with the external hinges) was for sale at auction at the Classic Car Show at the NEC. Philips had put a totally ridiculous reserve on the car. They had based their valuation on advice from a TVR specialist but couldn't name one!

I bid the £5000 opening bid but nobody else bid. The lot was withdrawn but the auctioneer refused to discuss a private treaty so the car returned home.

After the auction someone came chatting to me about "old" TVRs. It turned out he was a specialist in another marque (please note the spelling of "Marque"). He said that he had the body shell of a TVR Sports Saloon in his workshop. After some discussion he agreed to let me go and have a look at it. His business was only 15 minutes drive away from me. The shell was indeed GFV but he didn't want to sell it. I have spoken to him many times, usually at historic race events and it's still hanging up in the corner of his workshop exactly where it's been for more than 40 years.

[prideaux]

thegamekeeper said:

About 20 years ago the Open Sports car (the one with the external hinges) was for sale at auction at the Classic Car Show at the NEC. Philips had put a totally ridiculous reserve on the car. They had based their valuation on advice from a TVR specialist but couldn't name one!

I bid the £5000 opening bid but nobody else bid. The lot was withdrawn but the auctioneer refused to discuss a private treaty so the car returned home.

After the auction someone came chatting to me about "old" TVRs. It turned out he was a specialist in another marque (please note the spelling of "Marque"). He said that he had the body shell of a TVR Sports Saloon in his workshop. After some discussion he agreed to let me go and have a look at it. His business was only 15 minutes drive away from me. The shell was indeed GFV but he didn't want to sell it. I have spoken to him many times, usually at historic race events and it's still hanging up in the corner of his workshop exactly where it's been for more than 40 years.

That was a shame it would be lovely to see one in the flesh even just a shell
A

[Electron]

So not a TVR but similar ..

http://www.classic-auctions.com/Auctions/23-07-200...

Thanks to Martin Collins ..

[alphaone]

It also has info about the sale of the notch back on that site
http://www.classic-auctions.com/Auctions/24-09-199...

[TSP3]

Text from the Rochdale Owners Club Magazine - credit Derek Bentley Registrar.

I suppose that in view of the relatively short distance of some 50 miles separating Rochdale from Blackpool
that over the years there would have been some interaction between Rochdale Motor Panels and TVR.
Before TVR produced their own bodies Rochdale Motor Panels were supplying fibreglass sundries to them.
The first entry in the Rochdale Motor Panels ledger appears on 28th June 1955 when 461bs resin,
3oz accelerator, 2 bottles of catalyst and 1 roll of mat were supplied to TVR. Then on 4th July 1955
1 field pack and a further 3oz accelerator were also supplied.
A Type ‘C’ shell was also supplied in July and presumably this is the car that appears not only in
RMP's literature, but also in Peter Filby's TVR book 'Success Against The Odds'.




A Rochdale-bodied TVR chassis awaits completion inside the Beverly Grove workshops.


On 13th September an Type 'F' shell was also supplied, so presumably there were at least two early
TVR chassis clothed with a Rochdale body.




This is a Type 'F' shell but not the TVR one.


Does anyone have information on these 2 cars or know where they are now?


Regards Tony Stanton, Compiler of the Rochdale Olympic History Archives.

Edited by TSP3 on Friday 9th May 06:42

Edited by TSP3 on Thursday 22 May 16:46

[Grantura MKI]

Love the upper picture...very much like a Ferrari with the wing treatment. Many thanks for sharing this bit of history.
Best,
D.

[anonymous-user]

We have a mint original version of that TVR brochure signed by Trevor, wonder what that's worth?

[TSP3]

The aluminium bodied John Coombs /Les Leston's Connaught ASLR was damaged at Aintree a nearby race meeting
and was taken to Rochdale Motor Panels for repair, and while been repaired they took a moulding from it and
sold shells from the mould as the Type-C.

Alex McMillan who was well into racing in those days went in one day to Rochdale Motor panels and said
"Here's a picture of a Ferrari, I've got this F2 Cooper, can you make this into a Ferrari look-alike?"
So Rochdales made a aluminum shell for that, then took a moulding from it and sold shells from the
mould as the Type-F.

Regards Tony Stanton, Compiler of the Rochdale Olympic History Archives

[Terminator]

TVRMs said:

We have a mint original version of that TVR brochure signed by Trevor, wonder what that's worth?

Probably worthless, but I'll take it off your hands for a fiver.

[Electron]

Sorry probably not really the TVR Classic Forum bit this looks so much like the Rochdale.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/192566,13494...

[heightswitch]

Electron said:

Sorry probably not really the TVR Classic Forum bit this looks so much like the Rochdale.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/192566,13494...

Very Very famous car built and driven by a hero of mine. Ex WW2 Tank commander and fantastic race engineer and driver. His biography is a very good read.

N.