British Cars (Indie A-K)(1945-1999)

Founded by Derek Buckler in Reading in 1947, Buckler pioneered the kit car industry, and dominated 1950s trials and club racing. Advanced, ultra-lightweight spaceframe chassis clothed in aluminium or glass fibre bodies.

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Successful sports-racer built on multi-tubular spaceframe chassis. It typically featured a sleek glass fibre Microplas Mistral body and de Dion rear suspension. Like its predecessors, the 90 and DD1, it accepted various engines up to 2.0-litres

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Lightweight, rear-engined sports car built in Co. Durham. Created by ex-Lotus engineer, Paul Haussauer, with fibreglass monocoque chassis and Hillman Imp engine. Known for its exceptional handling.

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Only road-going cars from the famous sports and GP racing company, based in Surrey. Based on modified Lea-Francis running gear with high-compression engines, under aluminium bodies.

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Founded by Adrian Evans, Davrian used lightweight, rigid fibreglass monocoques, and mostly Hillman Imp engines. Popular in amateur rallying and circuit racing.

Iconic gull-wing car designed by Giugiaro, made by Pontiac legend John Z. DeLorean. Made in Northern Ireland, backed by UK government. Featured brushed stainless-steel body panels. Arguably under-powered, especially in US.

Dellow made highly successful trials cars, using lightweight, military-surplus rocket tubes for chassis, and aluminium panels. Exceptional power-to-weight ratio, and dominated post-war hill climb events.

Dutton Cars, was one of the world’s largest kit car manufacturers, producing rugged, glass-fibre-bodied like the Phaeton sportscar, and Sierra estate. Some were sold fully assembled. Company later made amphibious vehicles.

Lightweight, high-performance sports car from East Sussex. Simple tubular chassis and glass-fibre bodywork, usually with MGA engine. Exceptional handling made it highly successful in British and American sports car racing.

Pioneering electric city car from the Isle of Wight. Featuring an aluminium body on a steel chassis, it was powered by an 8hp electric motor and lead-acid batteries. The Electricity Council ordered 66 cars for fleet testing trials.

Lightweight sports car featuring a Microplas Mistral glass fibre body over a steel chassis, and Coventry Climax engine. The engine was expensive, which limited production.

Probably saved the company by replacing the pricey Climax engine. Built on a tubular steel ladder chassis with a glass fibre body. It evolved through six marks, moving from Standard 10 engine through Herald and Spitfire units.

Magnificent Anglo-American grand tourer, conceived by John Gordon and Jim Keeble. Featuring a Giugiaro-styled glass fibre body over a square-tube spaceframe chassis, and powered by a thunderous Chevrolet V8 engine.

Quintessentially traditional British sports cars built in Surrey. Mating a stark, ultra-lightweight chassis with vintage styling. Singer engines replaced the pre-War Meadows units.

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The traditional chassis clothed in a pioneering, streamlined aluminium body built by Fox & Nicholl.

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Advanced luxury car intended to rival Bentley. It featured a complex 3.0-litre DOHC Meadows engine and a pioneering, automatic torque converter. 24v, twin spark. Extremely expensive to build, and inevitably became unsustainable.

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Pioneering British racer. It was the first car to use the famous Coventry Climax FWA engine. Revolutionary, lightweight one-piece fibreglass body over a tubular ladder chassis.