Pictures from Stoneleigh 2002

[Stratos]

I have just uploaded some pictures from Stoneleigh to the website.

They can be accessed at www.stratossupersite.com/stoneleigh_2002.htm

[JohnB_SPY8808053]

Cool. What's the story on the car in the early Alitalia livery? I don't remember seeing that one before.

John B.

[Stratos]

It belongs to Phil Bishop.

But he is currently trying to sell it, so that he can build a Ford RS200 replica.

[CorseChris]

There were some really nice little practical details on Phil's car. Many of which I intend to copy!

Maybe not the perfect purists car, but very nicely done IMHO.

Nice one Phil.

[Stratos]

Chris,

Tell us more.

I was busy talking to someone while you were inspecting Phil's car, so i didn't get to see inside it very much, as by the time my conversation had finished it was time to go across to the AGM.

[CorseChris]

There were loads really, but one or two that come to mind;

The Alfa 164 roof console. This gives a nice courtesy light, a couple of 'eyeball' lights (all individually switched) plus a couple of extra switches Phil used for his front 'rally lights'. I plan to rob the console out of our 164 any day now!

The Citroen AX (I think) door pockets, used as oddment bins/access hatch covers in the firewall.

The really nice way that a bulge was moulded into the top left-hand of the dash to accommodate the radio.

The Alfa 164 rear courtesy lights used as footwell lights.

Using the gap between the sloping and vertical bulkheads to hide all the wiring and plumbing as well as the ECU for the V6.

Speakers artfully placed under the dash.

Many of these details are not 'orignal' hence my comment about it not being a perfect purists car. From the outside, it looks very accurate indeed, but Phil has taken the decision to make it more user-friendly inside at the cost of some originality. A choice that works really well IMHO - it's certainly what I hope to try and achieve with my own car, although I doubt I can do as good a job as Phil has done.

Again, nice one Phil!

[catswhiskers]

I'd heard that there was an early Alitalia liveried stratos for sale, I presume this must be Phil Bishops. If anyone can put me in touch hin ( or vice versa ) I would be interested to learn a little more. Alternatively anyone out there got a part finished car or one in need of some tlc to finish?
Preferably Alfa V6 powered.
Thanks MIck.

[Stratos]

I understand that Phil's car has now been sold.

[Stratos]

Mick,

Have you checked out the Buy/Sell section of the forum?

There are a few cars advertised for sale.

[catswhiskers]

I'm currently going through that process David, trouble is the ones for sale seem to be 'too good' for what I'm looking for.
If anything else crops up please let me know
Cheers
Mick

[Stratos]

There is an Allora which is supposed to be for sale. The vendor was supposed to be giving me details to put on the website. He phoned me about a month ago, and was supposed to phone the details through the following weeek, but I haven't heard anything since, and I don't have his number or address.

[catswhiskers]

you will have to forgive my ignorance but what is an Allora?
Reagrds, Mick

[Stratos]

An Allora is an early version of what later became the CORSE (Litton and CAE).

My yellow car is an Allora.

There were basically 2 families of Stratos Replica Kits.

The Hawk/Transformer which was initially marketed as transformer by Gerry Hawkridge, and later was renamed Hawk. These cars have always been manufacturerd and marketed by Gerry Hawkridge. The initial models were called Transformer, but then it became known as the Hawk HF2000, Hawk HF3000, etc. But, all the way through, right to the present day, it has been owned by Gerry Hawkridge.


The other family of cars is the Allora/Corse S/Corse I.

The Allora was initially produced by Styart Gross of Handmade Cars. About 13 of these were produced. Handmade Cars ceased trading and the kit was purchased by Steve Greenwood of Litton Cars. He renamed the kit CORSE, and redesigned the chassis to produce the CORSE S. he then produced another chassis with rear wishbones instead of struts, and this became called the CORSE I. Steve eventually sold the whole setup to Hugh Carson who then marketed the CORSE S and CORSE I under the CAE company (Carson Automotive Engineering). CAE ceased trading about 2 years ago, although Hugh Carson is still around in the background.

That's a short, potted history of the types of Stratos replica available. If you have any further questions, I'll try and answer them.

[Stratos]

Originally posted by catswhiskers
you will have to forgive my ignorance but what is an Allora?
Reagrds, Mick

Mick,

I bought my car not knowing whether it was a Hawk or a Corse, and when people started telling me that i had bought an Allora, that was my question too "What's an Allora?"

[catswhiskers]

Thanks for that David, I was aware of CAE and Hugh Carson but had no idea of the models earlier histiory.
So the old saying is correct, ' you learn something new everyday'
Cheers, Mick

[rutthenut]

There are other Stoneleigh photos on the web, at the pistonheads.com web site, url as follows:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?f=30&h=0

The forums at this other site aren't bad either, but it's a bit much having so many places to go for information - Yahoo Groups, Stratos SuperSite, PistonHeads et al!