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A WARM Welcome to totalkitcar online … A chap that I used to enjoy talking to was Bill Monk. A real artisan in later life he produced replicas of the Aston Martin DB3S under the WAM K3 name. They were beautiful things.
Prior to this however, he first dabbled in kitcars with the WAM Fiat Formula Sport. There were definite F1 inspirations for the Fiat X1/9-based car and it also used the donor’s 1500cc engine that produced 100bhp.
Here’s the WAM Fiat Formula Sport soon after launch in 1996
The chassis was a square tube spaceframe, with GRP body. Front suspension was a combination of X1/9 lower control arms and bespoke uprights with Fiat lower wishbones, uprights and WAM’s own rocking arms at the rear. Chassis rails doubled up as coolant pipes, with small drop-down doors, transparent hood and a tandem seating arrangement.
Available in kit form (£7907) or fully built from £14,450.
A company called Brady Fabrications produced all the metal parts for Bill on this and the later Aston replicas that he produced. They’ve spent the recent months fully restoring the one and only Fiat Formula Sport built and it’s soon going to auctioned by Iconic Auctioneers at the Practical Classics NEC Restoration show.
Here it is pictured this week after its beautiful restoration prior to being auctioned by Iconic Auctioneer’s
They’ve made a beautiful job of it too. I remember driving that car back in the nineties. It went like stink. I loved it.
If you fancy a bargain and a unique one at that then you might be able to bag a bargain as the estimate is £4000-£5000. Bravo to Brady Fabrications for doing such a fine job.
Here’s a link to Brady’s website www.bradyfabrications.co.uk to see all of their main activities.
LATEST ISSUE OF TKC MAG
TKC MAG – MARCH/APRIL 2023 issue of is IMMINENT in store, mail order and digitally.
HAWK CARS HF – Front cover feature is the marvellous HAWK CARS HF Lancia Stratos forty years old in 2025 – our twelve page feature covers the past, present and future for this glorious replica.
INDUSTRY GREATS – FORMULA 27 – Although it’s not been around for many years the F27 Roadster grew from a humble ‘pattern and plans’ project into one of the finest Lotus Seven-inspired sportscars. We look at the histiory and also catch up with the man who really drove the project – Steve Porter.
CATERHAM CARS – ‘X’ MARKS THE SPOT – we got our first chance to visit the vast new Caterham Cars factory, known as DARTFORD X, which is in, er, Dartford.
REMEMBERING THE CATERHAM 21 – Second feature of a Caterham-flavour this issue. We look back to the surely under-rated Caterham 21, wich deserved to do better. Arguably, although it went off sale in 1999, it looks better in 2025.
Alternatively, you can CLICK HERE order your MARCH/APRIL 2025 copy NOW.
A little plug (well, it’s my website and I have good things to make you aware of!) for the digital version of TKC MAG. If not having a hard, paper copy of the mag in your mitts doesn’t bother you then may I recommend the digi edition.
An EXACT replica of the paper version it currently costs just £23.99 for a TWELVE MONTHS DIGITAL subscription to TKC MAG ANYWHERE in the world. Visit Pocketmags.com and type in ‘TKC MAG’ and all will be revealed. Alternatively, you download our APP on your mobile and download single issues or a subscription on your phone or tablet.
We are getting a lot of new subscribers on the totalkitcar YouTube channel. If you like this website, you are sure to find something you like on the ‘totalkitcar YouTube channel’? In addition to our usual monthly video upload, we now have a weekly series called the ‘totalkitcar History Files Series. The latter isn’t rocket science. We verbally look at old kitcars with photos added, but we seem to be capturing peoples’ imaginations.
As the name suggests we look at some of the classic marques, great cars, not so great cars, plus the personalities, events and designers who have graced this wonderful industry over the last 75 years.
If you don’t already subscribe to our channel (just search ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ on YouTube) please do, as it’s free and if you click ‘all’ you’ll be notified every time a new video drops. Finally, may I ask you to hit the thumbs up button please as that helps the channel greatly. THANK YOU, dear reader.
History File Series, in association with the Enwin Motors channel. Don’t miss out, subscribe for FREE now.
Search YouTube for the ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ or follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/@tkcmag.
Our popular TRACKDAY CALENDAR is where you can find out where, when and how much by CLICKING HERE. Now updated to cover MARCH & APRIL 2025.
IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS you are in luck. Clicking that button will take you back in time with features on old kitcars, personalities and generally interesting companies who worked within the specialist car and sixties motorsport movements. I really hope you are enjoying them. Not all of them are kitcar-related per se but they all celebrate the underdog and often feature the wonderful world of sixties motorsport.
A lot of classic clubman motorsport features highlight underdog artisans that we hope will appeal to you dear reader, the sort of companies that we’ve often all heard of but on whom detailed information is often hard to find. Shorrock, Wade Turbochargers, Jack Knight Developments, Cannon Cars, Tom Killeen, David Ogle the list goes on and on. The sort of companies and individuals that our specialist and kitcar forebears from the sixties would have been very familiar with. You’ll find these subjects contained in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS.
NELSON S350 stars in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS this week
In CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS this week we take a look at an eighties faux exotic called the Avante, which actually wasn’t half bad. CLICK HERE to go there.
SNIPPETS 1 …….. The British Motor Museum has announced two more exclusive ‘Evening With’ series, one with Peter Stevens, a name synonymous with British car design on 14 April and the other with Mike Brewer, car dealer turned presenter, on 12 May.
Peter’s distinguished design career spans a broad range of iconic vehicles, from road car design to F1 projects, with prominent brands such as Ford, Lotus, Jaguar, McLaren, Subaru, and MG Rover Group. Two-time nominee for The Prince Phillip Prize for Designer of the Year, Autocar magazine’s Designer of the Year 2002, and recipient of the British Design Council Award for the Lotus Elan SE, Peter will be bringing his knowledge and unique perspective on car design and the automotive industry to the museum.
Professor Peter Stevens
Joining Peter to talk all things cars will be Paul Cowland – Presenter of Salvage Hunters: classic car writer, producer, self-described car hoarder, ‘decidedly average’ racing driver and friend of the museum, who returns following his appearance at the hugely successful evening with Ian Callum, held at the museum in January.
On 12 May, also sharing the stage with Paul Cowland, will be Mike Brewer, providing the audience with an in-depth view into his career, and the cars he’s seen along the way. One of Britain’s most prolific motoring presenters, Mike has been gracing our TV screens for over 25 years, with a wealth of TV credits including: Driven, Deals on Wheels, Pulling Power, Wrecks to Riches, Auto Trader, Wheeler Dealers, Wheeler Dealers Trading Up, Revved Up, presenting coverage of theBritish Rally Championship on Sky Sports, Remote Madness, Frontline Battle Machines and Wheeler Dealers World Tour – with a second series just announced! Mike will be talking about his life as a wheeler dealer, sharing behind the scenes stories about moments that didn’t make it to the final cut, and enthusing about some of the amazing cars that did.
Paul Cowland will be the host of both evenings
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting these two exclusive events in the coming months which are both sure to be lively, entertaining and amusing evenings in the company of two true motoring icons! Each event will include an audience Q&A as well a signing session. Not only that, guests can explore the museum’s collections, browse our latest feature exhibition ‘The Gallery’ and enjoy a hot buffet supper”.
Tickets cost £50 each, with a discounted price of £45 per person for Premium Members. As this event is outside regular Museum opening hours, Annual Passes are not valid. Limited places are available, so early booking is advised. For more information please visit the websitehttps://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/an-evening-with-peter-stevensand https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/an-evening-with-mike-brewer or call 01926 895 300.
SNIPPETS 2 …….Organiser of some excellent shows held annually at Aylesford Priory, Kent, Geoffrey Martin has been in touch with this year’s dates. As follows:
MIDKENT’S AUTO AND BIKE JUMBLE – APRIL 27 & NOVEMBER 23
KENTS ALL FORD SHOW – JULY 6
KENTS CLASSIC CAR SHOW – SEPTEMBER 7
To find out more details contact: 01732 840 787
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So, that’s about it from me for this week, so I’ll bid you a great seven days, with plenty of enjoyable driving and I look forward to welcoming you once again next Friday – MARCH 21 – La vie et belle!
Best regards
Steve