BS Nymph
| BS (Bohanna Stables) | |
|---|---|
| Image does not exist |
|
| Nymph | |
| Production period: | 1975-1977 |
| Class : | Small car |
| Body versions : | Beach wagon |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 0.9 liters (29 kW) |
| Length: | approx. 3530 mm |
| Width: | approx. 1530 mm |
| Height: | approx. 1385 mm |
| Wheelbase : | approx. 2085 mm |
| Empty weight : | approx. 420 kg |
_gren_vr_TCE.jpg)
The BS Nymph (sometimes referred to as Bohanna Stables Nymph ) was a recreational vehicle with an open, doorless plastic body and four seats. Its conception was comparable to that of the Mini Moke . It was built from 1975 to 1977 in only 42 copies. Nymph was also the brand name according to automotive encyclopedias.
Its technical basis comes entirely from the Hillman Imp or its variants (small cars built from 1963 to 1976 with rear-wheel drive and four-cylinder rear engine , in the standard version with 875 cm³ and 40 hp / 29 kW). The producer was Bohanna Stables Ltd., based in England . based in High Wycombe / Buckinghamshire west of London . With the Nymph , the company founded in 1972 - originally an office for automobile design and vehicle construction - rose to become an independent vehicle manufacturer for a short time in 1975.
concept
Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables developed the BS Nymph ( nymph = 'water spirit' , 'nymph' , poetically also: 'young beauty' ) from 1974 as a concept study of a small, buggy- like recreational vehicle with an open, doorless body, analog the Mini Moke . The development goal was to build the lightest four-seater production vehicle of its time. In fact, it only weighed around 420 kg. Although its technical basis comes entirely from the Hillman Imp, the development of the Nymph took place without the participation of Hillman or the parent company Chrysler UK; Originally, production was also to be independent.
With the Nymph Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables turned - actually to the construction of mid-engine - sports car to a new for her concept that a favorable - were specialized power to weight ratio nevertheless promised and the open structure of driving pleasure. The decision is to be seen against the background of the first oil crisis in 1973, which led to the expectation of poorer market opportunities for sports cars but a growing demand for small, light and economical vehicles. At the same time, Bohanna and Stables reacted to their previous experiences: As early as 1968, when both were still working in the design office of the English sports and racing car manufacturer Lola , they had designed their own sports cars, initially in their free time, then from 1972 full-time in the design they founded - and design office Bohanna Stables Ltd. ; Even before the first oil crisis in 1973, it had proven difficult several times to manufacture kit vehicles yourself or not only to sell the draft plans and design models to other manufacturers, but actually in production there - be it as a kit car or a finished vehicle to let go. It took from 1972, its mid-engine prototypes Bohanna and Stables Diablo with the engine and transmission of the Austin Maxi at the Racing Car Show presented in London until 1979, when the traditional company AC Cars production of developed from mid-engine sports car AC 3000ME with 3.0-liter Ford - V6 recorded -Motor.
In some cases, the BS Nymph was also classified as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in the United Kingdom , when the term was not yet established in German-speaking countries or was not yet associated with larger, off-road vehicles.
The basic version of the BS Nymph was deliberately designed to be sparse for reasons of weight and cost, even without weather protection and floor cladding in the interior; For a surcharge, however, the vehicle should be delivered with a tarpaulin roof and PVC doors or a hard top (with a hinged rear window) as well as fixed doors and sliding windows.
Production history
A first vehicle was built in 1975. Chrysler United Kingdom then showed great interest, as the BS Nymph saw a promising competitor for the Mini Moke from competitor British Leyland ; Chrysler United Kingdom agreed to provide new parts (engines, transmissions and chassis parts) for the Hillman Imp , which was then produced at the Linwood plant near Glasgow (Scotland) . It was hoped to be able to sell around 4,000 Nymphs annually to be assembled at the Chrysler plant in Ryton-on-Dunsmore . Chrysler United Kingdom saw a market primarily in former British colonies in the Caribbean, Asia and Africa.
However, under pressure from the American parent company, Chrysler United Kingdom finally decided to discontinue production of the Imp 1976 , which was technically and optically obsolete , even before series production of the BS Nymph had finally started. Thereupon the Bohanna Stables Ltd. decided to offer the vehicle primarily - as planned from the start - as a kit car.
A first version of the Nymph was offered until May 1976 (later referred to as Mk. 1 ), and the Nymph Mk. 2 followed in May 1976 . The latter has numerous detail improvements - without being visually recognizable - that further simplified assembly. The price in mid-1976 was around £ 398 for the base model (around DM 1,810 at the exchange rate at the time).
As a rule, the buyer or the workshop commissioned by him was responsible for the procurement of the mechanical components, mostly to save costs by canning a used Hillmann Imp . However, only 42 vehicles could be sold up to 1977, including six complete vehicles, so that Bohanna Stables Ltd. lost interest in the manufacture of the BS Nymph and ceased production. The company dissolved that same year.
One reason was the lack of economic success of the BS Nymph , which could be traced back to the idiosyncratic concept, the look that took getting used to and the low financial resources for large-scale advertising. Other reasons were the disappointment with the behavior of the Chrysler group and reluctant suppliers, but above all external circumstances: Due to tax changes in the United Kingdom, the original tax advantage for the purchase of kit vehicles no longer existed. Furthermore, new safety regulations were pending, where it was questionable whether the open, doorless BS Nymph could have passed them; in particular, the installation of three-point seat belts was difficult to implement due to the lack of B and C pillars.
Vehicle model details
Body and equipment
The body of the BS Nymph was made of high quality, glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) laminated on both sides . It essentially consists of a large, one-piece monocoque tub, into which the trunk lid is fitted at the front and the bonnet and a lower engine cover at the rear. The body parts were delivered from the factory in six basic colors; The colored plastic made it unnecessary to paint the vehicle separately. The color could be freely chosen for an additional charge.
The body design comes from Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables. It is smooth and functional with softly rounded edges. The body slopes down towards the front, giving the vehicle a certain sporty look, but at the same time limiting the trunk volume. The front of the vehicle is characterized by the lack of a radiator grille (this was not necessary because of the rear engine) as well as the shape and position of the two round headlights: Their slightly recessed, half-recessed, close-together position is reminiscent of the Austin-Healey Sprite Mk .I (nicknamed 'Frogeye' or 'Frog Eye'). The vehicle has no doors, but is entered directly from the front and rear seats via the high side sills. Air inlets for the engine are only located in the lower rear engine cover. Separate front or rear bumpers were not provided and are only indicated by corrugations in the body, in the case of individual vehicles also by a surrounding matt black painted strip; the designers trusted in the elasticity of the plastic body.
Similarities to the original vehicle, the Hillman Imp , which appeared antiquated in the mid-1970s , were only limited in the BS Nymph , for example with the retained proportions with a relatively short wheelbase and comparatively large overhangs as well as individual vehicle parts taken over from the Imp such as the lighting systems, wheels and tires as well as the relatively steep arched windshield.
The BS Nymph also differs fundamentally from its competitor Mini Moke : the former had a rustic, angular steel body (because of its originally planned military use), a foldable flat windscreen, originally only 10-inch tires and a drive concept with a front engine and front-wheel drive .
When the sales figures were low, the originally planned range of accessories for the BS Nymph was reduced: For an extra charge of around £ 90 / DM 410 there was a black tarpaulin roof with PVC doors; a roll bar was available for around £ 20 / DM 90. On the other hand, the hardtop planned for around £ 85/390 DM and the doors planned for around £ 70/320 DM were omitted. For the interior, special rubber mats or hard-wearing carpeting were available at an additional cost.
engine and gears
The drive components for the BS Nymph could be taken over unchanged from every Hillmann Imp or its sister models from Sunbeam , Singer or Commer . They were attached to a subframe made of steel tubing, which in turn was screwed to the GRP monocoque. The most common engine variant was:
| engine | water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine as a longitudinal rear drive block (Chrysler UK / Hillman Imp), engine block and cylinder head made of light alloy cast, 3 crankshaft bearings, pressure circulating lubrication, oil content 3.1 liters, one overhead camshaft, overhead valves, 2 valves per cylinder, compression 10, 0: 1, a single carburetor Solex PIH 30 |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 875 cc |
| Bore × stroke | 68.0 mm × 60.375 mm |
| power | 39 bhp (29.1 kW, 39 hp) at 5000 min -1 |
| Max. Torque | 6.8 kpm (67 Nm , 49.4 lb f · ft) at 2600 rpm -1 |
| Top speed | approx. 130 km / h |
| Acceleration 0-60 mph (≈ 96.6 km / h) | approx. 17 seconds |
| Fuel consumption (manufacturer information) | 4.7 l / 100 km |
The other engine versions of the Imp series could also be used, such as the 875 cm³ engine with a lower compression of 8.0: 1 and 34 hp / 34 bhp / 25 kW at 4900 rpm, the sport version of the 875 cm³ engine with two Stromberg carburetors and 52 PS / 51 bhp / 38 kW at 6100 rpm or the rare 998 cm³ sport version with 66 PS / 65 bhp / 48 kW at 6000 rpm.
The engines were always combined with a fully synchronized gearbox with four forward gears and reverse gear, operated via a gearshift lever located in the middle of the vehicle as usual, as well as a single-disk dry clutch . The tank at the front with a capacity of 27 liters was also taken over from the Imp .
Chassis and running gear
The load-bearing structure of the BS Nymph consists of a tub-like plastic monocoque with a screwed-on subframe made of tubular steel to hold the engine and steel reinforcements to hold the chassis and steering components (still without a safety steering column ). The latter are also completely and unchanged from the Hillman Imp . The front wheels are accordingly suspended on pendulum axles with coil springs, while a trailing arm axle and coil springs are installed at the rear . The brake system with front and rear brake drums and, depending on the original model, with servo brake aid, is actually an outdated, but sufficient equipment due to the low vehicle weight.
The fact that all the technical components of the “donor vehicle”, in particular the engine, chassis parts and brakes, could continue to be used, had the advantage for the do-it-yourself carmakers in the UK that despite the fundamental changes, including the replacement of the body, no vehicle - New approval of BS Nymph was required; According to British law, the plastic monocoque was regarded as a pure replacement body, so that the necessary technical equipment was based on the year of first registration of the donor vehicle.
The use of a plastic monocoque was unusual, but well known from other small series vehicles such as the Mini Marcos . Despite the open, doorless structure, this construction proved to be sufficiently torsion-resistant and durable. In this respect, the experience that Bohanna and Stables had gained in building sports and racing cars since the 1960s paid off.
Due to the significantly lower weight of the BS Nymph compared to the Hillman Imp , the standard coil springs are comparatively hard when the load is low, but this improves as the load increases; Bohanna Stables Ltd. announced the original plan to offer coil springs with softer tuning . due to the emerging low sales figures.
The front track remains unchanged at 1282 millimeters; On the rear axle, the original track width of 1219 millimeters was widened with spacers in the interest of better driving behavior, but also for optical reasons. The turning circle is approx. 9.8 meters. From Hillmann Imp 12 (6) on 3½J × 12-inch wheels and 155 SR 12 4½J × 12-inch wheels continue to be used - and its variants the standard tires and rims can format 5.50; alternatively, various wide tire formats and wider steel or light metal rims can be used.
Todays situation
According to the model register of the English automobile club The Imp Club, there are currently at least eleven of the 42 vehicles built . Most of the owners are members of the club, which holds regular brand and model meetings and in which the supply of spare parts and possible reproductions are coordinated. The molds for the plastic body and the plans for the necessary metal struts remained with Robin Stables until 1990 before he passed them on to this club.
Today the BS Nymph is considered an extremely rare, inexpensive to buy and maintain youngtimer and an interesting alternative to the Mini Moke , which draws its charm from the buggy-like concept, the rear-engine principle and its idiosyncratic look.
Comparable vehicle models
Other open, four-seater recreational vehicles with only two driven wheels:
|
|
literature
- Bohanna Stables Ltd., in: Hot Car (magazine), one-page advertisement, February 1976 issue, page 24 (English)
- Geoff Phillips, in: Hot Car (magazine), “Nailing up a Nymph”, November 1976 issue, pages 47–49 (experience report on building a BS Nymph - English)
- NN, in: Auto Journal (magazine), issue 14/15, 1976, page 16 (Italian)
- NN, in: Retro Cars (magazine), June 2006 issue, short report (English)
Web links
- Comprehensive model description of the BS Nymph on the website of Imps4ever / The Imp Site (English), accessed on September 16, 2010
- Company and model history of the BS Nymph on the classic-kitcars website , accessed on September 16, 2010
- Picture gallery for BS Nymph (English), accessed on September 16, 2010
References and comments
- ↑ technical data based on: http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/nymph.html and references there (English)
- ↑ Harald H. Linz, Halwart Schrader : The International Automobile Encyclopedia . United Soft Media Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-8032-9876-8 .
- ↑ George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 2: G – O. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 . (English)
- ↑ Steve Hole: AZ of Kit Cars. The definitive encyclopaedia of the UK's kit-car industry since 1949. Haynes Publishing, Sparkford 2012, ISBN 978-1-84425-677-8 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/nymph.html (English)
- ↑ Basic Car History ( Memento from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
- ↑ GN Georgano, Thorkil Ry Andersen, The New encyclopedia of motorcars, 1885 to the present , 1982, page 97 (English)
- ↑ a b http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/nymph/nymph-mk1-brochure.html (English)
- ↑ http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/nymph/nymph-mk2-brochure.html (English)
- ↑ all engine data and performance based on: http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/engine.html and Imp Range ( Memento from February 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/engine.html and Imp Range ( Memento from February 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English) Retrieved May 10, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/gearshif.html (English)
- ↑ http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/suspense.html (English)
- ↑ http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/tyres.html and http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/wheels.html (English)