Solved - MJW #480 - Stevens GT Manley Imp

[woodinsight]

I don't know very much about this car and I only have this poor image of it.
Can you tell me the make and what engine was fitted?

[woodinsight]

Experts?

[shamrock]

fraser gt imp engine

[woodinsight]

fraser gt imp engine

It apparently has an Imp engine but is not a Fraser

[woodinsight]

Pros?

[Carnut]

Darrian?

[woodinsight]

Not Darrian, sorry

[Carnut]

Actually looks a bit Lotus-ish.  Any connection?

[woodinsight]

No Lotus connection as far as I'm aware but it is British

[Carnut]

Diva?

[woodinsight]

Not a Diva.
Let me provide you with a clue as this is I believe a hard one.
As far as I can ascertain, this is a one-off prototype by a known design company - perhaps for an established UK manufacturer. The car carries the name of the design company.
It has an Imp engine (modified by Manley) and is fitted with all-alloy bodywork.
The photo was cropped from a dealer' s listing when the car was for sale in the late 1970s/early 1980s.

[Otto Puzzell]

Looks like a an Eric Broadly design - any connection to Lola?

[shamrock]

OGLE

[woodinsight]

Neither Broadley or Ogle.
It's a company similar to Ogle.....

[Quiller]

Siva?

[woodinsight]

Not Siva.
Let me give a further clue....
The design company produced a car that was inexplicably rejected by the car manufacturer whilst the design that was accepted was basically a failure and had to be redesigned a few times.
No more clues now as I've been too generous so far!

[Carnut]

Not Siva.
Let me give a further clue....
The design company produced a car that was inexplicably rejected by the car manufacturer whilst the design that was accepted was basically a failure and had to be redesigned a few times.
No more clues now as I've been too generous so far!

That could apply to the Michelotti Reliant Scimitar convertible but this design looks too early for that..?

[Oguerrerob]

Triumph?

[woodinsight]

Triumph?

Not Triumph, I'm afraid.

[woodinsight]

Not Siva.
Let me give a further clue....
The design company produced a car that was inexplicably rejected by the car manufacturer whilst the design that was accepted was basically a failure and had to be redesigned a few times.
No more clues now as I've been too generous so far!

That could apply to the Michelotti Reliant Scimitar convertible but this design looks too early for that..?

Not Michelotti but you have found the car manufacturer that this design company carried out proposals for - in the shape of prototypes. These were rejected by Reliant.
As far as I can tell, the puzzle car was a one-off and not constructed for any particular car manufacturer.

[Carnut]

Apart from Ogle, the only company I can find that made prototypes for Reliant was Motor Panels of Nuneaton (not too far away from the Reliant works at Tamworth)... unless it's Ashley?

[woodinsight]

Apart from Ogle, the only company I can find that made prototypes for Reliant was Motor Panels of Nuneaton (not too far away from the Reliant works at Tamworth)... unless it's Ashley?

Not Ashley or Motor Panels.
The design company in question made a well-known prototype (known name and model) and presented it to Reliant (not at Reliant's request) where they decided it was too expensive to produce.

[Carnut]

Specialised Mouldings?

[woodinsight]

Specialised Mouldings?

Not that
The company is best known under the designer's name.
In other words - X (forename) X (surname) Design Ltd.

[Carnut]

Chris Humberstone?