I saw an “interesting” mystery kit car on YouTube that was identified there as a “Lamborghini PMA P400″ replica, which obviously it isn’t, although it does have Lamborghini badges on it. I’d definitely put this in the category of cars that people have put an incredible amount of work into but have sadly produced something with limited aesthetic appeal. As far as I can tell this is built around a base of an Eagle/Cimbria type kit car (you can see the characteristic front and side windows), with a great deal of custom work.
When I see cars on Craigslist, I usually write the sellers and try and find out more and get better pictures, but when there’s no email address listed I don’t. Still, I wanted to pass on these two cars because they especially caught my attention. First is this rare Kellison Shark — they just keep coming out of the woodwork, don’t they — that someone has made some minor changes to including the addition of a t-top roof. It’s in south Sacramento, asking $2,500 — call 916-607-6771 if you’d like it. Click for a bigger image.
Also on Craigslist, this one in Florence, CO, is this nice looking Cimbria (ie. a Sterling with gullwing doors instead of the lifting canopy) is up at an asking price of $6,000. It’s got a Wright Racing 2180cc+ engine, and is “ready to roll”… Call 719-784-0722 evenings or weekends to pick it up for yourself. Again, click for a bigger picture.
The Cimbria is essentially a Sterling that’s been retrofitted with gullwing doors instead of the lifting top… Tim has got one up for sale right now in Appleton, WI for an asking price of $4,000. It’s got a Nissan 3.0 engine (not VW) that turns over but doesn’t start, new wheels and tires, and a clear title. Email Tim at saleen595@yahoo.com — below are the best pictures he could provide as it’s currently buried in his garage.
The Cimbria (which later became the Neria in an improved form) by Amore Cars was one of many cars that was spawned by the Nova/Sterling lineage. Personally, I don’t know why anyone would give up the sleek lines of the original, or give up the lifting top in exchange for undersized gullwing doors, but that’s the Cimbria for you. The only thing I like about the Cimbria is the addition of a rear hatch design lifted from the DeTomaso Mangusta.
This one is on eBay right now (#220258241050) in Palmdale, CA, but I’ll be surprised if it even sells for the opening bid of $720. It’s in incredibly rough shape and comes with no paperwork for the chassis other than a bill of sale, not that the chassis or driveline is likely of too much value in the condition that it’s in… to say nothing of the fiberglass looking sickly and the windshield being missing… I will be impressed if this body ever hits the road, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone other than the die-hard Cimbria fan that’d be willing to take it in any condition…
In the early eighties Tim Dutton (who now makes amphibious cars) brought the Cimbria kit car to the UK and rebranded it as the “Eagle SS” after making minor cosmetic changes like pop-up lights molded from a Porsche 928. Ironically, this was done to challenge the Nova’s reign as the exotic kit car of choice, and the Cimbria was based on the Sterling, the American version of the Nova! The first versions of the Eagle SS were built on a VW Beetle chassis like the Cimbria and Nova/Sterling, but later versions actually managed a front-engined setup on a Ford Cortina driveline — a remarkable achievement given the car’s extremely low profile!
This Eagle SS on eBay (#280240230047, currently at a scant no-reserve £100 with two days to go — wow) is one of the early VW versions, and while it’s running and relatively solid, needs attention from top to bottom to get it looking good. Be sure to check out the Eagle Owners Club website for more information if you’re interested.
Carlisle ‘98… These pictures are thanks of Scott B., starting with this sweet pair of Fiberfab Avengers. The red one is powered by a turbo V6.
Or check out a pair of unrelated cars both built on race-inspired V6 tube chassis. The car on the left, a Cimbria (I believe now marketted in a slightly improved form as a Neria, but I don’t think the company is truly active). The car on the right is now-defunct Warp 5’s demo Manta Montage.
And I’ve got to admit, I have a real weakness for the fancy-topped Sterling:
(Note the Mini 18 in the background!)
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