Triple C Challenger Cars

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Triple C Challenger Cars was a British manufacturer of sports car replicas . Most of the models were delivered in kit form .

history

The company was founded by former teacher Derek Robinson and engineer John Wilkinson. Their goal was to produce inexpensive replicas of the Jaguar E-Type . The company initially called Car Care Clinic was based in St Austell in Cornwall and started operations in 1984. Three years later, Triple C moved to Corby , Northamptonshire , where Robinson expected better regional economic development. In 1992 it finally moved into larger factory buildings in Newtown St Boswells , Scotland , with aspects of economic development again being the main reason for the relocation. The following year the company was renamed Challenger Automotive Developments . Due to the drop in prices for used - original - Jaguar E-Type models, the demand for replicas fell significantly in the early 1990s. Attempts to offer kits for replicas of other classics failed. Challenger ran into economic troubles that resulted in Robinson and Wilkinson selling their shares in late 1993. The buyer renamed the company Reiver Motor Cars, but achieved no economic success. In 1994 the company was closed due to bankruptcy.

Models

Challenger E-Type Replica

Challenger E-Type Replica

The company's most successful model, Triple C, was a replica of the Jaguar E-Type Roadster called Challenger . Robinson and Wilkinson developed two series, of which they were able to sell approximately 250 copies from 1985 to 1993. Some vehicles were completely assembled by Triple C at the customer's request.

Mark 1

The Challenger used a stand-alone frame designed by Wikinson. Wilkinson took the negative molds for the body from his own E-Type, built in 1961. The first copies of the Challenger were designed for the drive technology of Rover ; this also included the 3.5 liter eight-cylinder engine. Numerous technical components were taken over from the Ford Cortina . From 1986, Triple C received permission to use Jaguar technical components. The kit has been adapted accordingly. The work was done by engineers Steve Green and Paul Crab.

Mark 2

After moving to Colby in 1987, Triple C introduced the second series of the Challenger. The chassis was completely redesigned. It reduced the weight of the car by 133 kg compared to the Mark 1. The Challenger Mark 2 was 334 kg lighter than the original E-Type. After Reiver Motors went bankrupt in 1994, Avon Coachworks took over the construction plans of the Mark 2 in Timsbury . There the project lived on from 1996 to 1996.

Lightweight

In 1988 and 1989, Triple C made two replicas of the E-Type Lightweight, which was successful in motorsport.

Malibu

Steve Green designed the Malibu , which was similar to the Mitsubishi Pajero . The technology came from Ford . Between 1991 and 1999 about four copies were made by Car Care Clinic, Reiver Motor Car Company and Avon Coachworks.

Other models

AC 428 (works vehicle)

In addition to the Jaguar E-Type, Triple C tried to bring further replicas of well-known sports cars in kit form onto the market. With the exception of a replica of the AC 428, these were not Triple C's own constructions, but kits that had been developed and manufactured by US suppliers. Triple C intended to refine these kits and offer them in Europe. The plans could not be carried out; Triple C assembled only one copy of each set. They included replicas of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and the Porsche 959 .

literature

  • 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 (English).

Web links

Commons : Triple C Challenger Cars  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ History of Triple C on the Challenger Owners Club website (accessed July 30, 2014).
  2. ^ A b Steve Hole: AZ of Kit Cars. The definite encyclopaedie of the UK's kit car industry since 1949 , Haynes Publishing, Sparkford 2012, ISBN 9781844256778 , p. 53.