How much are Unipower GTs really worth?
Discussion
Just to give you an update on this.
We are doing nothing with the car for now but the intention will be to sell the car at some point. We've been told - don't move it but at the same time advised that an auction house would get us the best price. Not sure how we do that without moving it we are not too concerned about that right now.
My wife an I were eager to get a classic car to visit events in and but I don't think this is going to be that car as restoration costs and paying the family off make it prohibitive for us.
I've still got a snap I took in the autumn on my phone which I'll get around to uploading. I'll keep you updated on progress.
We are doing nothing with the car for now but the intention will be to sell the car at some point. We've been told - don't move it but at the same time advised that an auction house would get us the best price. Not sure how we do that without moving it we are not too concerned about that right now.
My wife an I were eager to get a classic car to visit events in and but I don't think this is going to be that car as restoration costs and paying the family off make it prohibitive for us.
I've still got a snap I took in the autumn on my phone which I'll get around to uploading. I'll keep you updated on progress.
Eagerbeaver said:
(October)
I'll get some photos up once I've cleared the muck away.
I'll get some photos up once I've cleared the muck away.
Eagerbeaver said:
(November)
I have got a snap on my phone and I'll post this when I work out how to get it off my phone.
I have got a snap on my phone and I'll post this when I work out how to get it off my phone.
Eagerbeaver said:
(January)
I've still got a snap I took in the autumn on my phone which I'll get around to uploading.
There are a lot of people waiting patiently for you to post a picture, do the decent thing old boy.I've still got a snap I took in the autumn on my phone which I'll get around to uploading.
Eagerbeaver,
Do you have the chassis number for your car ?. Should be in your Log Book. I'll be able to fill you in on its original build spec and any other info I have.
To be honest, you may well not get the best price for your car through an auction house as they will probably not do much pre-sales promotion. However, if you just want a quick sale then its probably the best option. If you are interested, I have a couple of people who have left their details with me about a year ago who want a car. I would need to ask them if they want to take on a restoration job which would be dependant on the condition of your car. I would also need to have some idea of true condition and the chassis number as mentioned to check authenticity as they would be asking me to confirm this.
Do you have the chassis number for your car ?. Should be in your Log Book. I'll be able to fill you in on its original build spec and any other info I have.
To be honest, you may well not get the best price for your car through an auction house as they will probably not do much pre-sales promotion. However, if you just want a quick sale then its probably the best option. If you are interested, I have a couple of people who have left their details with me about a year ago who want a car. I would need to ask them if they want to take on a restoration job which would be dependant on the condition of your car. I would also need to have some idea of true condition and the chassis number as mentioned to check authenticity as they would be asking me to confirm this.
Hi Unipower
Just spotted that this thread was still going.
As I posted earlier, I have been fascinated by Unipowers ever since I saw the launch event at Earls Court where I was working.
Many years ago I spent a fair time on the phone chatting to a chap who lived in Sussex who had two Unipowers, one of which was for sale. Despite much humming and hawing, I came to the conclusion that I could not justify getting it. Sort of regretted it ever since. Must have been you I guess.
Brian
Just spotted that this thread was still going.
As I posted earlier, I have been fascinated by Unipowers ever since I saw the launch event at Earls Court where I was working.
Many years ago I spent a fair time on the phone chatting to a chap who lived in Sussex who had two Unipowers, one of which was for sale. Despite much humming and hawing, I came to the conclusion that I could not justify getting it. Sort of regretted it ever since. Must have been you I guess.
Brian
Hi Brian,
Yes it may well have been me, but it must have been over 20 years ago when I sold the last of the other three Unipowers that I used to own !. Just left with the ex-Works racer now and after doing an HSCC Guards Trophy race last year, will be tidying up the slightly rough edges of the paintwork and changing the suspension springs for new ones as the car was rolling too much in the corners (still running 1969 springs), or maybe I was just trying too hard. Been driving a Group C car I have these days, so perhaps I have to lessen my expectations of the dear car!.
Anyway it should be out at various meetings here and abroad a little more soon, as I now have more time to have some fun.
When you mentioned Earls Court, did you mean the 1965 Racing Car Show or the Classic Car show a few years after when the Club had a stand ?.
Thanks for your interest.
Gerry
Yes it may well have been me, but it must have been over 20 years ago when I sold the last of the other three Unipowers that I used to own !. Just left with the ex-Works racer now and after doing an HSCC Guards Trophy race last year, will be tidying up the slightly rough edges of the paintwork and changing the suspension springs for new ones as the car was rolling too much in the corners (still running 1969 springs), or maybe I was just trying too hard. Been driving a Group C car I have these days, so perhaps I have to lessen my expectations of the dear car!.
Anyway it should be out at various meetings here and abroad a little more soon, as I now have more time to have some fun.
When you mentioned Earls Court, did you mean the 1965 Racing Car Show or the Classic Car show a few years after when the Club had a stand ?.
Thanks for your interest.
Gerry
MikeyT said:
Thanks for supplying more history on them Gerry - very interesting.
I would still however, like to see a pic of the OP's dad's car - the one that this thread is about ... back of the garage or not!
hi my father has owned a few unipowers over the years he rebuilt two as i remember to pristine condition. ive spent many a sunday being driven around the streets of london in those lovely little cars.I would still however, like to see a pic of the OP's dad's car - the one that this thread is about ... back of the garage or not!
I have just come across this thread and the post about the Unipower in Beauly. I knew the rather strange bloke who owned this car car fairly well and believe this car was sold eventually to a foreign buyer. The list of cars in his garden was only a percentage of the good vehicles he left to go to wreck and ruin, he left an early sixties Aston Martin, a 68 Jaguar S Type and a mid sixties Bond Equipe lying in an old wooden garage until it fell down on top of them. He eventually sold the Aston but the story I heard was that it turned out to be a rare alloy bodied version and turned up for sale again a couple of months later for about 20 times what he sold it for. He once told me I was making things difficult for myself removing the engine and gearbox unit from a Mini Cooper S, he apparently used to remove the clutch housing and then unbolt the engine from transmission and remove the engine leaving the gearbox in position, and he thought I was doing it the difficult way.
imagineifyeswill said:
I have just come across this thread and the post about the Unipower in Beauly. I knew the rather strange bloke who owned this car car fairly well and believe this car was sold eventually to a foreign buyer.
It was sold to Roland Petit in Belgium eventually,who restored it and raced it extensively, through Paul Weldon of Church Green Classics. I bought it from Belgium in January.The car does have quite a full history prior to it's days being laid up in that garden. Originally it was the first lightweight competition Unipower GT produced (in December 1966), powered by a Downton 1275 Cooper S engine and displayed at the Racing Car Show in January '67 with Stirling Moss and Monica Dietrich
It was then bought by Jan Odor, prepared by the company and raced by Janspeed's works driver Geoff Mabbs from June 1967. Races included Brands Hatch,Crystal Palace, Castle Combe and the first Spanish GP at Jarama..
By August '67 it had been to MIRA's wind tunnel, aero modified, was fitted with a works 1071 S engine, had JAP wheels fitted and was Janspeed's works Tartan Red colour.
By the start of 1968 it had been bought by Cars and Car Conversions's Brian Harvey who sprinted and hillclimbed it with regular reports in the magazine. This was a Triple C publicity shoot, Harvey kneeling wearing the glasses.
Harvey sold it to Piers Weld-Forrester in June '68,who according to Harvey intended to race it at Le Mans and subsequently bought the company manufacturing the cars.Not exactly sure what he did with the car in the short time he owned it, other than earning the class speed record at Santa Pod where he also demonstrated it to it's next owners Gideon Lloyd and Graham Goodman who also planned endurance races and raced the car until early 1969 (last race was Oulton Park). Here it is at Snetterton in July '68..
They naively tried to tame it's tricky handling by fitting huge Brabham wheels but only made matters worse..
It then passed through Chris Alford's hands in the 70's from what I hear, then the owner in Scotland until the 80's, then Weldon, then Roland Petit who restored, FIA logbooked and raced the car in the 90's including several Spa endurance races. The car was then was parked up in a Belgian car collection for some years and finally passed to a dealer in Brussels about three or four years ago. Here's how I found it , just about running and in tired condition..
Here's the car today, back in it's Janspeed colour after a complete refresh....almost there!
If anyone has any more info on the car, especially during the 70's, I'd be interested to hear about it.
Thanks
Pete
Edited by Pete F on Saturday 16th August 10:43
Edited by Pete F on Saturday 16th August 10:47
Hi Pete, thanks for sharing its history and congratulations on acquiring it.
The first time I saw that little Unipower in the 1980's sitting abandoned in the front garden wearing a huge set of slicks I knew it was a bit special.
I have always regretted not being able to persuade the then owner to sell it to me but thirty years later looking at your photos has brought a smile to my face and it is reassuring to know that it has found a good home.
I wonder if you would be able to update this thread from time to time with your progress on the car, I am sure that a lot of people would find it interesting.
The first time I saw that little Unipower in the 1980's sitting abandoned in the front garden wearing a huge set of slicks I knew it was a bit special.
I have always regretted not being able to persuade the then owner to sell it to me but thirty years later looking at your photos has brought a smile to my face and it is reassuring to know that it has found a good home.
I wonder if you would be able to update this thread from time to time with your progress on the car, I am sure that a lot of people would find it interesting.
Yes no problem, and thanks for the comments.There's plenty more to the history and lots more photos.I've contacted a few of the previous owners, including the chap in Scotland who seems a very nice guy. Jan Odor doesn't remember much, Geoff Mabbs, Andrew Hedges and Piers Forrester are long gone but Triple C's Brian Harvey has been in touch as have Gideon Lloyd and Graham Goodman. This from Gideon Lloyd :
"We (Graham Goodman & I) acquired the triple CCC car from Piers Weld Forrester who sensibly used the fact that it held the up to 1150cc standing 1/4 mile record for Santa Pod to demonstrate and for us to try the car at that very straight venue.
When we discovered that it was considerably happier in a straight line, we took what we thought was the simple solution and stuck a pair of F3 Brabham wheels on the back. Not only did it not improve cornering, it did nothing for the car's poise. Anyway the two of us did a season of club racing (I think) sharing the driving. The intention was to do some long distance racing in Europe in the following season (71). Sadly that never transpired.
Easter '71 Oulton Park was our last outing. The brilliantly crisp, cold, sunny Easter Sunday was topped and tailed by incredibly dense fog. On our journey back down South, visibility was zero - at one point I was leaning out of the passenger side door feeling for the kerbside. Eventually fog clearing, we made the motorway and Graham opened up the Jag. I seem to recall 100mph being indicated on the MI.
Needless to say, trailer tyres blew (melted) and I was 'volunteered' to be 'driven' in the Unipower behind the Jag. The primitive handbrake had iced up and with no way of communicating with the Jag I became aware of flickering flames behind my shoulders. Sure enough the discs were alight.
I promise you the next bit is true! A car overtook and flagged down the Jag. Then a guy came round to the Unipower, lifted the engine cover and fire extinguished both discs which were merrily aflame being fed by brake fluid. Somehow the magnesium wheels didn't ignite. He then disappeared into the night (were you that man?)
That was the rather sad end to our relationship with the red devil. It was sold. Graham raced Formula 3 in Europe for 2 seasons and I got a job!!"
The car's never been a road registered here, (though was for a few months over in Belgium) and during restoration we've uncovered layers of it's original white paint, then Tartan Red and then the copper colour I think it was when in Scotland. We've managed to re-instate the the air dam as developed by Janspeed to curb front end wander (one of the first examples of such a device by all accounts)(unless you know different!)and the roundels should be on by the end of the week , as should a new exhaust and manifold. I aim to show the car for the first time at the Footman and James Classic Show in Manchester in late September.
"We (Graham Goodman & I) acquired the triple CCC car from Piers Weld Forrester who sensibly used the fact that it held the up to 1150cc standing 1/4 mile record for Santa Pod to demonstrate and for us to try the car at that very straight venue.
When we discovered that it was considerably happier in a straight line, we took what we thought was the simple solution and stuck a pair of F3 Brabham wheels on the back. Not only did it not improve cornering, it did nothing for the car's poise. Anyway the two of us did a season of club racing (I think) sharing the driving. The intention was to do some long distance racing in Europe in the following season (71). Sadly that never transpired.
Easter '71 Oulton Park was our last outing. The brilliantly crisp, cold, sunny Easter Sunday was topped and tailed by incredibly dense fog. On our journey back down South, visibility was zero - at one point I was leaning out of the passenger side door feeling for the kerbside. Eventually fog clearing, we made the motorway and Graham opened up the Jag. I seem to recall 100mph being indicated on the MI.
Needless to say, trailer tyres blew (melted) and I was 'volunteered' to be 'driven' in the Unipower behind the Jag. The primitive handbrake had iced up and with no way of communicating with the Jag I became aware of flickering flames behind my shoulders. Sure enough the discs were alight.
I promise you the next bit is true! A car overtook and flagged down the Jag. Then a guy came round to the Unipower, lifted the engine cover and fire extinguished both discs which were merrily aflame being fed by brake fluid. Somehow the magnesium wheels didn't ignite. He then disappeared into the night (were you that man?)
That was the rather sad end to our relationship with the red devil. It was sold. Graham raced Formula 3 in Europe for 2 seasons and I got a job!!"
The car's never been a road registered here, (though was for a few months over in Belgium) and during restoration we've uncovered layers of it's original white paint, then Tartan Red and then the copper colour I think it was when in Scotland. We've managed to re-instate the the air dam as developed by Janspeed to curb front end wander (one of the first examples of such a device by all accounts)(unless you know different!)and the roundels should be on by the end of the week , as should a new exhaust and manifold. I aim to show the car for the first time at the Footman and James Classic Show in Manchester in late September.
Great thread so much detail on a rare almost unheard of little car this what makes Pistonheads so amazing.
But what happened to the OP was this all just a hoax?
Anyone know anything of the car or owner, would be nice to hear what happened with their dads shed stashed / barn find mini based classic.
But what happened to the OP was this all just a hoax?
Anyone know anything of the car or owner, would be nice to hear what happened with their dads shed stashed / barn find mini based classic.
Hi Pete
When I said about Alan Nicolson the guy from Scotland being strange you maybe picked me up wrong, he was a perfectly nice bloke, well educated, just seemed to do things in a strange way, bought loads of cars over the years some rare some with motorsports history and then did nothing with them but leave them to rot. He bought a race/rally prepared VX Magnum and used it as his daily driver for a year or two. Last I heard of him he was in Kircaldy working for Chic Doig Sportscars MG and Triumph restoration specialists.
When I said about Alan Nicolson the guy from Scotland being strange you maybe picked me up wrong, he was a perfectly nice bloke, well educated, just seemed to do things in a strange way, bought loads of cars over the years some rare some with motorsports history and then did nothing with them but leave them to rot. He bought a race/rally prepared VX Magnum and used it as his daily driver for a year or two. Last I heard of him he was in Kircaldy working for Chic Doig Sportscars MG and Triumph restoration specialists.
imagineifyeswill said:
Hi Pete
When I said about Alan Nicolson the guy from Scotland being strange you maybe picked me up wrong, he was a perfectly nice bloke
No sweat, I've only just seen photos of the car when it was dragged from that garden , and it was a bit of a mess!When I said about Alan Nicolson the guy from Scotland being strange you maybe picked me up wrong, he was a perfectly nice bloke
Here's how it looks now :
Still lots to do but nearly there.
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