21 great British classic kit cars

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16. Jago Jeep/Geep/Sandero​

In addition to being a hot-rodding pioneer in the UK, Geoff Jago also manufactured thousands of kit cars. The Jeep was introduced in 1971 and initially used the Ford Anglia as a donor car (a Morris Minor-based version was also sold).
An Escort-based variant was offered from 1976 and thousands were made to the early-1990s, latterly as the Sandero after Jeep took exception to the nomenclature.

 

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17. Lomax​

Hugely successful in period, the Lomax line of three- and four-wheeled kits employed running gear from the Citroën 2CV, Dyane and Ami.
Launched in 1982, variations on the theme were sold throughout Europe, with thousands having been made to the end in 2003. Lomax also produced a utility vehicle called the Déjà vu, but it failed to find favour.

 

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18. Grinnall Scorpion III​

Conceived by Mark Grinnall, and styled by Steve Harper, the brilliant Scorpion trike was launched in 1992 and initially offered with the option of customers sourcing their own parts.
Employing BMW K-series motorcycle power, the design has been continuously honed, although the four-wheeled variant has yet to enter series production.

 

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19. Phantom GTR/Vortex​

Phantom was originally rooted in the Clubmans category of sports-racing cars in which it enjoyed considerable success. Chris Greville-Smith and Norman Morris, both of whom were designers and engineers of note within the mainstream car industry, introduced the GTR road car in 1997.
It initially featured Rover/Honda V6 units amidships, variants following with ST-spec Ford Duratec V6 and turbocharged Volvo power. More recently, the car has been offered under the Vortex nameplate.

 

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20. Marlin​

Paul Moorhouse built a raft of one-offs prior to launching the Marlin in 1979. Initially employing Triumph Herald/Vitesse running gear, other donor cars came online throughout the 1980s.
Variations on the theme became increasingly sophisticated into the 1990s, subsequent owners of the brand introducing the Hunter production model and racy BMW E36-based Sportster along the way.

 

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21. Davrian​

Davrian was a marque that from the mid-1960s to the early-1980s consistently punched above its weight. A bewildering array of models and variants were brought to market, many with Hillman Imp power.
Huge success in ModSports and other club racing categories ensued. The marque lives on in spirit via the closely related Darrian brand.

 

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4. Opus HRF​

Devised by Neville Trickett and Geoff Thomas, this distinctive device marked the jumping-off point for hot-rodding in the UK.
Launched in 1967, it wasn’t exactly accurate in terms of looks, but hundreds were made with engines ranging from small Ford four-bangers to American V8s.