Mystery kit car - can anyone identify?

Arthur Dent · April 01, 2009, 05:44:22 PM

The owner only knew it as a MG Kit Car. He seemed to think MG Mini but I suspect that is not the name. Its got an MG rear axle and an early MGB engine (without the id tag). A mystery. The fiberglass seems to be a decent quality. The frame is definitely different than the Magenta - its coil overs at the front, live axle and leaf springs at the back. The frame is a big beefy one.

Arthur Dent · July 27, 2009, 04:27:14 PM

moved up for the pros

Ultra · September 28, 2009, 03:00:55 PM

Guys this is more than a puzzle. No one anywhere seems to know what this car is. Please, gentlemen, help us figure it out.

Arthur Dent · September 28, 2009, 03:22:09 PM

more pictures too http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/sets/72157622432704588/

ImpishGrin · December 30, 2009, 04:18:36 AM

There's no use keeping this puzzle here without any pics.

Paul Jaray · December 30, 2009, 04:24:24 AM

Fixed!

gilescooperuk · December 30, 2009, 02:36:07 PM

Quote from: Arthur Dent on September 28, 2009, 03:22:09 PM
more pictures too http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/sets/72157622432704588/

That link takes you to a private flickr page....

Tackitt · December 30, 2009, 02:39:22 PM

The rear trunk looks like it was actually designed to accommodate a VW.

gilescooperuk · December 30, 2009, 02:45:47 PM

Tackitt - I think you're right about the VW link. In which case the body was not designed for the chassis it now sits on.

I would be tempted to say something like a magenta chassis with another body bolted on.

Of course we need some dimensions now to try and get things aligned?

Ultra · January 05, 2010, 02:57:44 PM

I am sure Arthur will be by with more details soon....

Arthur Dent · January 05, 2010, 06:08:42 PM

I might have the wheelbase still but I sold off the actual car a couple months ago. The front and rear track where standard MGB. The rear lid does look very VW rear engine inspired. Not sure if it was a kit that gave front or rear engine options. This photo seems to indicate a bit of a hack job.

I think I've got those permissions set so anyone can see them now.

Djetset · January 06, 2010, 07:18:46 AM

It looks like a Bremen to me, a late 1970s VW-based kit car made in the USA.

Arthur Dent · January 06, 2010, 09:34:13 AM

The Bremen Mini Mark? Similar but not sure its the same thing. Looks similar to a lot of things. I do wonder if it was a prototype car that never made it to production or a nicely done home build.

Arthur Dent · January 09, 2010, 04:56:20 PM

Wheelbase is rather short 83" or 2108mm

Ultra · March 02, 2010, 12:16:44 AM

Have we found an unsolvable AutoPuzzle?

Otto Puzzell · March 02, 2010, 03:50:50 AM

Dunno - he's sent these pics to Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, too. Fittingly, they appear in the current issue, which features a Lotus 7 on the cover.

So, AutoPuzzles community - especially you kit-car aficionados - are you going to let Hemming's audience show us up?

Arthur Dent · April 27, 2010, 05:43:53 PM

I never did hear anything back from Hemmings either

I sold this a while but the new owner has it up for sale again.

Otto Puzzell · January 02, 2011, 07:40:55 AM

Time for the Black Hole?

Arthur Dent · January 02, 2011, 11:55:15 AM

I think so

whcgt · March 12, 2011, 02:29:57 AM

I will hazard a guess, that this is a one off prototype by Silver Star Industries, Lethbridge, Alberta. Dave_7 alluded to this being a possiblility. What I really want to learn about, is the orange mystery kit car that appears to be VW based(I see 8 spoke EMPI wheels,4 on 130 mm bolt pattern, so must be on an i.r.s. chassis). It was also purportedly made by Silver Star Industries. I wonder if it uses a VW Karmann Ghia windshield, it looks that way anyhow. It looks as though the Sportee Monno GT used a VW beetle windshield, but I don"t know for sure.

Arthur Dent · March 12, 2011, 10:41:54 AM

Dave_7 is my Flickr user name. I talked to the owner of the orange one. We where thinking about a trade at some point. He said it was built by Silver Star Industries. Google for that name is hopeless due to Silver Star light bulbs. I haven't heard anyone who knows more.

whcgt · March 12, 2011, 03:54:23 PM

I wonder what kind of information, might be in the archives of the Lethbridge public library; about Silver Star Industries? Might be the key to unlocking these vehicles. Really like the style of the orange car, especially from the front. The back is not quite as refined & looks like rear vision might be problematic.

Arthur Dent · March 12, 2011, 04:35:27 PM

The is quite good. The rear is typical VW kit car fare. The local library has nothing but I might try the local museum (might be too recent for them).

whcgt · March 12, 2011, 05:09:45 PM

Hmm, I hope you are able to get the car, maybe make a mold of the body? If you make a new body from what is there, I'll trade ya a raked windshield Invader GT for one!

Pelland · March 12, 2011, 06:34:09 PM

Quote from: whcgt on March 12, 2011, 02:29:57 AM
I will hazard a guess, that this is a one off prototype by Silver Star Industries, Lethbridge, Alberta. Dave_7 alluded to this being a possiblility. What I really want to learn about, is the orange mystery kit car that appears to be VW based(I see 8 spoke EMPI wheels,4 on 130 mm bolt pattern, so must be on an i.r.s. chassis). It was also purportedly made by Silver Star Industries. I wonder if it uses a VW Karmann Ghia windshield, it looks that way anyhow. It looks as though the Sportee Monno GT used a VW beetle windshield, but I don"t know for sure.

Sorry folks I can't help with the white car, but the orange car is indeed VW based using a full length VW Beetle floorpan. In 1972 Beaujangle Enterprises of Manchester England imported a car from the US that looks identical with the exception of the holes in the front. In their wisdom they modified the bodyshell to sit on a Beetle floorpan that needed to be shortened by 5 inches. This gave them a sports/buggy cross-over which was thought to be ideal for the UK market. The car was called the Beaujangle CanAm. However quality issues and a downturn in the buggy following put the project down after only six bodyshells being produced.

Does this help or merely add to the intrigue?

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Mystery kit car - can anyone identify?