barrett's no.387 - 1961 Avia (Triumph Herald base) by Armat ltd

[barrett]

What is this car, which firm built it and when?

[barrett]

Experts?

[el_monty]

Any Gilbern connection?

[Carnut]

Triiumph-based?

[barrett]

Nothing to do with Gilbern, but it is Triumph-based

[Carnut]

Made by an established builder of glass-fibre cars based on Triumphs, like Bond?

[barrett]

no, not by an established manufacturer. I suspect this was the only car they built.

[Carnut]

It has a 1963 Kent registration, so is that when and where it was built?
Is it possible to find the answer on-line or are 1963 car magazines needed?!

[barrett]

It is from Kent, from its earlier than 1961.

I don't think it's available online. It took a lot of effort to find the picture, after I heard a rumour of its existence. It is mentioned in other sources, but I believe this is the only picture that was published, in a contemporary magazine...

[Carnut]

Ah - the registration number must be 8 MKE then; I read it as 8 WKE.
8 MKE is a September 1960 issue.

Was ait made by someone well-known in the specialist car world?

[barrett]

I have never heard of this company other than in relation to this car. Well known it aint...

[galrot]

Do you know if the company made the body themselves?

[barrett]

I believe so. It's certainly not an 'off the shelf' body and only ever featured on this particular car

[barrett]

Pros

[hermanoto]

Tornado Thunderbolt 1960, Triumph engined.

[barrett]

It's not a Tornado, or any other 'known' maker

[pnegyesi]

What do you suggest? How should we approach this? Are there any clues online which will aid us finding this elusive company?

[barrett]

I don't think there is anything online, certainly not this image

[gte4289]

It took a lot of effort to find the picture, after I heard a rumour of its existence.

I have never heard of this company other than in relation to this car. Well known it aint...

After hearing a rumor that a company you'd never heard of built a car 60 years ago, you put in a lot of effort to find an image of that car. Was there something particularly unique about the company or the car that captured your interest?

[barrett]

It took a lot of effort to find the picture, after I heard a rumour of its existence.

I have never heard of this company other than in relation to this car. Well known it aint...

After hearing a rumor that a company you'd never heard of built a car 60 years ago, you put in a lot of effort to find an image of that car. Was there something particularly unique about the company or the car that captured your interest?

I think it's been three years since I was active on this site! Let's see if we can get some of these solved.

There is nothing remarkable about this car whatsoever. I was interested to find out more simply because I had never heard of it before, but it is listed as a proper make in the most famous automotive encyclopaedia.

As a clue, I'll say it appears near the start of the alphabet, if you want to go through make-by-make...

[gte4289]

1961 Avia by Armat Ltd

[barrett]

That's it, well done!

[gte4289]

Thanks!