Eagle Cars Limited
Encyclopedia
Eagle Cars Limited was an English company, based in Lancing
, West Sussex
, originally operated by Allen Breeze, although it has undergone a number of ownership changes since. Originally making a Jeep lookalike called the RV, between 1981 and 1998 they built several iterations of a gull-winged
car called the Eagle SS. The SS was based on an American kit car
called the Cimbria (itself based on the earlier Sterling, which in turn was a copy of the British Nova
), and was brought to the UK by Tim Dutton (of Dutton Cars
). In 1988 Eagle Cars moved inland, to nearby Storrington.
(still in West Sussex).
The company officially ceased trading in 1998, but production had ended long before. The molds and rights to Eagle's various cars are currently in the hands of a variety of other companies.
, molded in a single colour. The total weight of a finished SS was promised to be around 750 kg (1,653 lb), which meant performance was considerably improved over that of a standard Beetle. A top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) with a tuned VW engine was also promised. The most obvious difference to the Cimbria, upon which the Eagle SS was based, was the Cimbria's flip-up headlights: Eagle chose to equip their version with round, rear-folding headlights in the style of the Porsche 928
.
Three basic versions were produced;
MkI, had a separate internal roll cage, long nose, windows hinged at the front edge. Both bonnet and boot lids had ribbed sections, boot lid ribs could be opened up as louvers for better air flow for the VW engine if desired.
MkII went through the most changes it has a shorter removable nose section, built in roll cage on later models and the addition of a Ford based model, longer side windows hinged from front bottom and top corners. Ford versions had the bump on the bonnet to accommodate the engine and later version had smooth boot lids with the ribs removed.
MkIII, back to one piece nose, slightly higher roof, both versions now had built in steel bars to the cabin area. Side windows as MkII.
Chassis was an unshortened version at 2400 mm (94.5 in), while the car was 4240 mm (166.9 in) long, 1780 mm (70.1 in) wide, and a mere 1040 mm (40.9 in) high. First mentioned in 1984, a targa-roofed 2+2-seater version called the 2 Plus was also available, with only a slight weight penalty.
running gear, and was easily recognized by its conspicuous (and odd-looking) bonnet bulge. Eagle also claimed it possible to fit this version of the SS with Rover's familiar 3.5-litre V8.
The Series 3 SS was somewhat taller, at 1120 mm (44.1 in).
IN 2005 The rights (and dormant molds) to the Eagle SS were rescued from a Kent boat yard by Tim Naylor of TEAC Sports Cars. Unfortunetly Tim was unable raise sufficient interest in a revised mid engine MkIV SS based on a Toyota MR2 donor which was exibited at Stoneliegh in 2006 and the project has since disaperied to an Ebay buyer from Wexford
parts. There was also an Eagle 4x4 (Range Rover
, later also Daihatsu based), unusual for kit cars in that it had four-wheel drive. The RV used an X-braced ladder frame and the expected Ford engines, although the Ford Capri
's 3-litre V6 and the usual Rover V8 were also possible fitments, while the Eagle 4x4 was available with a whole host of different engines from Rover, Mercedes, Peugeot, or Ford. Later a Ford Sierra
-based two-seater, two-door convertible (also available with a hardtop) called the Milan 2 Plus. This was first seen in 1988 and was co-developed with "Milan-Automobile" of Remscheid
, Germany. Since it accepted all Sierra underpinnings, the Milan was available with engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.8 litres and with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. During the eighties, an RV Jeep Series II was developed, using more modern Ford Sierra parts.
Eagle also offered modified versions of the sporting 2-seater Dutton Phaeton using Ford Escort Mk I and Mk II parts, called the Eagle P21 and P25. These could accept a multitude of engines, ranging from the donor Escort's four-cylinder to a Rover V8
. They were 3530 mm (139 in) long, 1574 mm (62 in) wide and 1194 mm (47 in) tall.
Eagle's last development was the Standetto, a Ferrari F40 lookalike based on the Pontiac Fiero.
Lancing, West Sussex
Lancing is a town and civil parish in the Adur district of West Sussex, England, on the western edge of the Adur Valley. It lies on the coastal plain between Sompting to the west, Shoreham-by-Sea to the east and the parish of Coombes to the north...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, originally operated by Allen Breeze, although it has undergone a number of ownership changes since. Originally making a Jeep lookalike called the RV, between 1981 and 1998 they built several iterations of a gull-winged
Gull-wing door
Gull-wing door is an automotive industry term describing car doors that are hinged at the roof rather than the side, as pioneered by the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300SL race car and its road-legal version introduced in 1954....
car called the Eagle SS. The SS was based on an American kit car
Kit car
A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
called the Cimbria (itself based on the earlier Sterling, which in turn was a copy of the British Nova
Automotive Design and Development
Automotive Design and Development Ltd was an English company that was responsible for the creation of the futuristic-looking Nova kit car. The company was based in Southampton from 1971 to 1973 after which it moved to Accrington, Lancashire until 1975...
), and was brought to the UK by Tim Dutton (of Dutton Cars
Dutton Cars
Dutton Cars, based in Worthing, Sussex, England, was a maker of kit cars between 1970 and 1989. In terms of numbers of kits produced, it was for a time the largest kit car manufacturer in the world....
). In 1988 Eagle Cars moved inland, to nearby Storrington.
Company History
Founded by Allen Breeze, the company was sold to trials motorcyclist Rob Budd in 1989. Eagle changed location again in the nineties, moving to WalbertonWalberton
Walberton is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is located five miles to the north-west of Littlehampton, and is situated south of the A27 road. Located on the southernmost slopes of the South Downs the civil parish covers an area of and has a population...
(still in West Sussex).
The company officially ceased trading in 1998, but production had ended long before. The molds and rights to Eagle's various cars are currently in the hands of a variety of other companies.
Eagle SS
As with so many of its kit car brethren, the dramatic bodywork of the Eagle SS hid humble VW Beetle underpinnings. The bodywork was from glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP)Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
, molded in a single colour. The total weight of a finished SS was promised to be around 750 kg (1,653 lb), which meant performance was considerably improved over that of a standard Beetle. A top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) with a tuned VW engine was also promised. The most obvious difference to the Cimbria, upon which the Eagle SS was based, was the Cimbria's flip-up headlights: Eagle chose to equip their version with round, rear-folding headlights in the style of the Porsche 928
Porsche 928
The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT car sold by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some...
.
Three basic versions were produced;
MkI, had a separate internal roll cage, long nose, windows hinged at the front edge. Both bonnet and boot lids had ribbed sections, boot lid ribs could be opened up as louvers for better air flow for the VW engine if desired.
MkII went through the most changes it has a shorter removable nose section, built in roll cage on later models and the addition of a Ford based model, longer side windows hinged from front bottom and top corners. Ford versions had the bump on the bonnet to accommodate the engine and later version had smooth boot lids with the ribs removed.
MkIII, back to one piece nose, slightly higher roof, both versions now had built in steel bars to the cabin area. Side windows as MkII.
Chassis was an unshortened version at 2400 mm (94.5 in), while the car was 4240 mm (166.9 in) long, 1780 mm (70.1 in) wide, and a mere 1040 mm (40.9 in) high. First mentioned in 1984, a targa-roofed 2+2-seater version called the 2 Plus was also available, with only a slight weight penalty.
Front-engined version
Later, Eagle engineered a front-engined, tubular framed chassis for the SS. This used Ford CortinaFord Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
running gear, and was easily recognized by its conspicuous (and odd-looking) bonnet bulge. Eagle also claimed it possible to fit this version of the SS with Rover's familiar 3.5-litre V8.
The Series 3 SS was somewhat taller, at 1120 mm (44.1 in).
IN 2005 The rights (and dormant molds) to the Eagle SS were rescued from a Kent boat yard by Tim Naylor of TEAC Sports Cars. Unfortunetly Tim was unable raise sufficient interest in a revised mid engine MkIV SS based on a Toyota MR2 donor which was exibited at Stoneliegh in 2006 and the project has since disaperied to an Ebay buyer from Wexford
Other Models
Eagle Cars' fibreglass-bodied Jeep-lookalike, the Jeep RV, was built around Ford CortinaFord Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
parts. There was also an Eagle 4x4 (Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
, later also Daihatsu based), unusual for kit cars in that it had four-wheel drive. The RV used an X-braced ladder frame and the expected Ford engines, although the Ford Capri
Ford Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
's 3-litre V6 and the usual Rover V8 were also possible fitments, while the Eagle 4x4 was available with a whole host of different engines from Rover, Mercedes, Peugeot, or Ford. Later a Ford Sierra
Ford Sierra
The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
-based two-seater, two-door convertible (also available with a hardtop) called the Milan 2 Plus. This was first seen in 1988 and was co-developed with "Milan-Automobile" of Remscheid
Remscheid
Remscheid is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is, after Wuppertal and Solingen, the third largest municipality in Bergisches Land, being located on the northern edge of the region, on south side of the Ruhr area....
, Germany. Since it accepted all Sierra underpinnings, the Milan was available with engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.8 litres and with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. During the eighties, an RV Jeep Series II was developed, using more modern Ford Sierra parts.
Eagle also offered modified versions of the sporting 2-seater Dutton Phaeton using Ford Escort Mk I and Mk II parts, called the Eagle P21 and P25. These could accept a multitude of engines, ranging from the donor Escort's four-cylinder to a Rover V8
Rover V8 engine
The Rover V8 engine is a compact V8 internal combustion engine with aluminium cylinder heads and cylinder block, originally designed by General Motors and later re-designed and produced by Rover in the United Kingdom...
. They were 3530 mm (139 in) long, 1574 mm (62 in) wide and 1194 mm (47 in) tall.
Eagle's last development was the Standetto, a Ferrari F40 lookalike based on the Pontiac Fiero.
External links
- TEAC Sportscars - Current owner of the SS molds
- The Eagle Owners Club - Eagle SS and RV Owners Club
- Eagle SS - Eagle SS links directory and car owner