I've just been looking at the latest edition of Classic Cars - a UK mag. -
and found a few interesting articles.
The new Mazda MX-5 has more British links than just it's heritage, it's
prototype was designed by a small Engish firm called IAD based in Worthing,
West Sussex - a small sea-side town where I was born!
More relavent to this group was an article on a 'missing' Triumph sports
car. In the late sixties, just after the new TR6 and Stag models, Triumph
started work on two moncoque cars. 'Bullet' was to be a 2 seater Targa-top
and 'Lynx' was a 2+2 hatch-back. Originaly, prototypes were designed by
Michellotti but it was later decided to go for a Longbridge-designed 'Bullet'
now a hardtop because of expected US safty standards, to be produced as the
TR7.
The 'Lynx' was picked up again in the 70's and was to have a longer wheel-base
of 1 foot. However, just as production was about to start at the Speke plant
in Merseyside a strike was called as a new chairman was brought in. It ended
in the closure of the plant and with it went the 'Lynx'.
The original Michellotti TR7, in my opinion, was a much more classic design.
It was similar to the production version but without the familar molded
sweep in its flanks, it had much more rounded sides and had raised top
corners ending in indicators.
The TR7 sides were lost in the final prototype of the Lynx, instead having
a sculptured recess around the sides and rear - similar to the Rover SD1.
It was to be powered by the Rover 3.5 engine rather than the Triumph unit
in the TR7, giving it an estimated perfomance of 130 mph - 120 mph in the
states. Imagine a TR7, make it a foot longer with a hatchback from the
top of the rear window to its tail, give it a curved recess along its
sides and you had their planned flagship and Triumph's last designed sports
car.
As I'm mentioning prototypes, I saw a photo in a recent edition of 'The
Courier' - the magazine for Herald chassis derivative cars: Heralds, Vitesses,
Spitfires, GT6s etc in the UK - of a Triumph Fury. It was to be a monocoque
version of the Spitfire. It was very similar in looks to the Mk4/1500 but
has more rounded sides and a front which was a cross between the Spit bonnet
and that of more subtle Stingray. A lovely looking car but abandoned because
of the cost of development. Only one prototype remains.
Well, one more day of work left until a two week vacation. Should give me
time to put a Spitfire carb setup in my Herald and see to a few bits of
rust. I'll try and get my hands on an application form for this years RAC
Norwich Union Car rally. Over 1500 1904-1970 cars starting at seven points
around England and meeting up at Donnington!
Bye, Steve.
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