The first Trivan rolled off the assembly line in Frackville, PA on March 14th, 1963, to much hoopla. Governor Scranton drove Trivan #1 off the line, and the promise of revitalizing the area around Schuykill was about to be realized – but only for a short time.
Trojan was founded by British engineer Leslie Hounsfield, who sought to make a simple, economical car that was easy to operate. Design began in 1910 and by 1913 a prototype was ready.
The Trojan automobile was a rare example of an unconventional, and in many ways old-fashioned, design which nevertheless sold well and had a loyal following among British motorists. Leslie H. Hounsfield produced his first car in 1913 with a focus on the simplicity of driving and easy maintenance.
TVE released its first production model in 1972 with the three-wheeled Citadine electric car. The Citadine’s exterior design was inspired by earlier “bubble cars’ like BMW’s Isetta, although it’s front-opening door was hinged at the top.
One year after the Citadine was released, Teilhol introduced a utility version of the Citadine called the Messagette. Following the form of its predecessor, the Messagette is a three -wheeled urban vehicle, with an electric motor that, according to the manufacturer, could travel 70-100 km (43-62 miles) on a full charge.
The S Series, introduced at the British International Motor Show in 1986, was TVR’s entry-level sports car. Riding the coattails of the mid-‘80s classic car boom, it abandoned the Lilley-era wedge profile for a shape that evoked the 3000S coupe of the 1960s
TVR’s tumultuous history began in 1947, and continues to this day, albeit after many management, ownership, and location changes. Founder TreVoR Wilkinson started TVR in Beverley Grove, Blackpool, building sports cars based on Alvis chassis.
Without a doubt – a homebuilt one-off, but nothing is known of the builder. Although it is a cute car that even incorporates McLaren F1 central steering, performance must be modest, with no suspension and its diminutive size. If anyone recognizes this vehicle, please let us know!
The Urba Centurion was a kit car designed by Quincy-Lynn Enterprises in 1982. A full set of plans, available through Mechanix Illustrated, cost a mere $17.00!
If you saw an Urba-anything in Mechanix Illustrated magazine in the 1970s-80s, it was a surely a design by Robert Q. Riley and David L. Carey of Quincy, AZ, doing business as Quincy-Lynn Enterprises. The UrbaCar seen here was their first design for the magazine.
If you saw an Urba-anything in Mechanix Illustrated magazine in the 1970s-80s, it was a surely a design by Robert Q. Riley and David L. Carey of Quincy, AZ, doing business as Quincy-Lynn Enterprises. The UrbaCar seen here was their first design for the magazine.
VAZ is a Russian auto maker that began producing cars, in collaboration with Fiat, in the late 1960s. The Model 1111, commonly branded for export as a Lada Oka, was developed out of a need to replace the simple and cheap ZAZ Zaporozhets, the Russian “People’s Car”. It was to be the car that “every factory worker can afford”.
The Velorex was developed in Czechoslovakia in 1936 by two brothers who ran a bicycle shop. After WWII, automobiles were very scarce and expensive, and the brothers realized the Velorex would be a cheap, affordable car for the masses.
The Velorex was developed in Czechoslovakia in 1936 by two brothers who ran a bicycle shop. After WWII, automobiles were very scarce and expensive, and the brothers realized the Velorex would be a cheap, affordable car for the masses. They used a Jawa motorcycle engine, wheels, and brakes.
