STEVE HOLE looks at well-known eighties kitcar manufacturer called Birchall Automotive, run by a former Team Lotus mechanic, Arthur Birchall.
Former Lotus employee, Arthur Birchall (he worked for the Grand Prix team and was also part of the crew (led by Dick Scammell) on the Lotus Indy 500 team in May 1967, working on Graham Hill’s car, that retired after 23 laps.
Here’s Arthur (left) flogging a McCoy at Stoneleigh in 1986
He was part of the so-called ‘Group of Four’, which also included Paul Hassauer, John frayling and Brian Luff, who left Lotus to set up Clan Cars, which resulted in the iconic Clan Crusader.
Arthur’s wife, Suzanne was Paul’s sister. When at Clan, Birchall was in charge of the motorsport effort, while evrry single Crusader that was completed was given a 1000 mile roadtest by him.
The McCoy was inspired by the Clan launched 10-years after the Crusader departed the scene.
Birchall utilised a Crusader body that John Frayling revised to form his prototype McCoy, which was Mini-based with front engine rather than rear-mounted Imp engine. Only one part was shared between the two cars despite their visual similarities – the windscreen.
Brian Luff, later the founder of the Status Car Company, designed the chassis. The car was crash tested, which was unusual for a kitcar, at a Scottish university. Birchall had devised the suspension for Midas Cars and had also built 35 Midas Golds in addition to being an exper classic car restorer.
The car featured a GRP monocoque – a one-piece GRP body moulding and Classic Mini components it had metal reinforcement around the door frames. The bootlid opened conventionally unlike on the Clan which opened sideways.
The McCoy was a 2+2 but an incredibly tight squeeze for anyone other than a child in the back. The Mini’s 10in wheels were ditched in favour of Weller 13in rims.
Birchall Automotive was originally set up to do classic car restoration work as Arthur and Suzanne had a real fondness for the Aston Martin marque and was based in Barnham Broom, Norfolk.
Due to Birchall’s illness, the project was taken over by erstwhile employee and skilled GRP laminator, Neville Wynes who sold a further fifteen examples. He initially based himself in North Buddenham before moving to Fakenham in 1990. Wynes also made the bodies for the Mirage Countach replica, incidentally.
Birchall Automotive 1984-88
NG Wynes Fibreglass (McCoy Cars) 1988-90
Neville Wynes Fibreglass Products 1990-01
Approx 100 made
The McIvoy was a sister car to the McCoy, with an estate-type body although it was less successful with appoximately five sold between 1986-1998. A four-seat estate-bodied version of the McCoy.
Birchall Automotive 1986-88
NG Wynes Fibreglass (McCoy Cars) 1988-90
Neville Wynes Fibreglass Products 1990-1998
Approx 5 made
MCCOY TR REPLICA
This was a sweet little Triumph replica that Neville Wynes added to the McCoy/McIvoy range for a time that could be had in TR2, TR3 or TR3A guises.
Underpinned by a square tube spaceframe, with Ford Sierra donor that used modified double wishbone and IRS at the rear.
Neville Wynes Fibreglass (McCoy Cars) 1988-90
NG Wynes Fibreglass Products 1990-1998
Approx 12 made