Solved - MJW #333 - HG Sports 1959

woodinsight · March 14, 2011, 09:19:13 AM

My apologies for the poor quality of the photo but it is the only known image of this small sports car.
I only know the name of the builder and the year therefore a point for that and any additional information/images would be very welcome.

woodinsight · March 20, 2011, 05:50:21 AM

Expertise needed

woodinsight · March 28, 2011, 08:04:48 AM

Pros?

Carnut · April 08, 2011, 11:05:50 AM

British?

woodinsight · April 08, 2011, 11:57:40 AM

It is indeed from the UK

Carnut · April 08, 2011, 12:09:06 PM

Anything to do with Cooper?

woodinsight · April 08, 2011, 12:19:00 PM

Nothing to do with Cooper AFAIK.
The car was offered as a 'sports car kit' and the company was based in Wales.
This is the only known photo of the car and possibly the only one built.

Carnut · April 08, 2011, 02:40:56 PM

Quote from: woodinsight on April 08, 2011, 12:19:00 PM
Nothing to do with Cooper AFAIK.
The car was offered as a 'sports car kit' and the company was based in Wales.
This is the only known photo of the car and possibly the only one built.

Gilbern related?

woodinsight · April 08, 2011, 03:26:43 PM

Not Gilbern
I think it was another Ford based car of that early era of kitcars.

Allan L · April 08, 2011, 04:41:06 PM

Davrian moved to Wales but built nothing looking like this normally. Who can say if they made just one like this?
However they used GRP, whereas this body looks metallic to me.

woodinsight · April 09, 2011, 12:33:25 AM

Quote from: Allan L on April 08, 2011, 04:41:06 PM
Davrian moved to Wales but built nothing looking like this normally. Who can say if they made just one like this?
However they used GRP, whereas this body looks metallic to me.

Not Davrian and I don't know whether it was alloy or GRP.

As an additional clue the car/company comprised simply two letters......

faksta · April 09, 2011, 12:51:10 PM

AB Special is the only thing that comes to mind.

woodinsight · April 09, 2011, 01:06:37 PM

Quote from: faksta on April 09, 2011, 12:51:10 PM
AB Special is the only thing that comes to mind.

Not that one.
Really very obscure I think.

faksta · April 09, 2011, 01:25:00 PM

VS Riley? Or was the engine Ford as well?

woodinsight · April 09, 2011, 02:09:12 PM

Quote from: faksta on April 09, 2011, 01:25:00 PM
VS Riley? Or was the engine Ford as well?

Not that either.
I doubt if this car was ever used in competition but I could be wrong there.
I believe it is Ford-engined but I can't confirm that.

The company was named xx Sports Car Developments, Dinas Powis, Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Allan L · April 10, 2011, 05:07:53 AM

Well as there was a company called HG Sports Car Developments which made a Ford 1172 engined car AFAIK, that is perhaps the one.

woodinsight · April 10, 2011, 01:48:14 PM

Quote from: Allan L on April 10, 2011, 05:07:53 AM
Well as there was a company called HG Sports Car Developments which made a Ford 1172 engined car AFAIK, that is perhaps the one.

That's the car!
Your second point of the evening...
The very brief source of the puzzle car -

Carnut · April 10, 2011, 07:08:06 PM

Brilliant!
Quite how Allan L found that is a total mystery.
I have several reference books which include most British rarities but none of them mention this car at all!
Must be worth at least 10 points!!

Allan L · April 11, 2011, 04:56:28 AM

Quote from: Carnut on April 10, 2011, 07:08:06 PM
Brilliant!
Quite how Allan L found that is a total mystery.
I have several reference books which include most British rarities but none of them mention this car at all!
Must be worth at least 10 points!!

I wouldn't normally admit it, but this was the result of an internet search once the location clue had been given. As there is a large proportion of total bo*****s posted on the net (mainly from ignorance, rather than deliberatly misleading rewiting of history) I would normally check anything I found elsewhere - to an extent offering HG as the answer was that checking process.

Carnut · October 25, 2017, 01:01:01 PM

Here is the ad that's mentioned in woodinsights reply #16, which provides a better picture of the car:

News:

Solved - MJW #333 - HG Sports 1959