Sven-Harry Åkesson
Encyclopedia
Sven-Harry Åkesson, born March 12, 1940, is an automobile designer from Sweden
. His first car was built in 1959 as a Formula Junior
racer, but after a while he came to the conclusion that it was going to be too heavy so he abandoned the build. In 1961 he started another Formula Junior build he called Spider Mark I. It was 3.5 metres long with a wheelbase of 2.2 metres. At the highest point it was only 77 centimetres high. The engine was a BMC A-Series engine
mated to a Volkswagen
gearbox. The steering came from a Lloyd
and the brakes were originally from a Fiat
, but rebuilt. In 1962 he built a Mark II also powered by a BMC-A engine. In 1965 came the Spider Mark III, still with a BMC-A engine, but now tuned by Speedwell. It was followed by the Mark IV. He kept producing a new car each year for himself and some other interested buyers. About 20 formula cars were made.
In the early 1980s his son approached his 18th birthday and Sven-Harry Åkesson started building a car for his son. The car was finished in 1983 and was called Silver Hawk. It used a Volkswagen 1600 chassis and had a low (107 cm high), streamlined body. It had a targa top and pop-up headlights. The car was displayed at a kit-car exhibition in Uppsala
and many were interested in it so Åkesson founded the company Plastinova to produce the cars. The cars were sold both with or without a chassis as you could either use VW chassis or buy a steel tube chassis. Later the a chassis also was made for mid engines. He sold 330 bodies and 20 chassis. In 1986 the manufacturing rights was sold to a person in Finland
and they were still made in 1997.
In 1987 Sven-Harry Åkesson designed a new car called Sethera. It was a car with butterfly doors and flip front and flip rear. The weight of the 418 cm long body was 100 kg. The car was produced by Sh-Design in Landskrona
and like the Silver Hawk you could either use a VW chassis or a steel tube chassis that could take a more powerful engine. About 200 Setheras were sold, most in Sweden. In 1989 Åkesson met a Frenchman who was interested in selling the Sethera in Europe. This required a redesign called Sethera Mk1 that was designed for Ford parts. Just a few Sethera Mk1 was made in Sweden before the production was taken over by a company in the Netherlands
in 1991. As of 1997 they was still being made. In Europe they were also sold as key ready and built using Audi 100
parts.
After that Sven-Harry Åkesson was hired to make extreme road racer called Sethera Falcon. They aimed at a weight of 700 kg and 380 hp giving a top speed of over 360 km/h. But after a while the project was put on hold. Then chassis design was a few years later bought by the Koenigsegg family which in a modified form became the chassis for the first Koenigsegg 1996 prototype. Koenigsegg CC
. Later on Koenigsegg developed their own Carbonfiber monocoque for their production cars.
In 1995 Sven-Harry Åkesson finished his next car. It was an AC Cobra
replica he built with his son Per-Gunnar. No production is planned.http://www.konditori100.se/garage/carmakes/k1casilv.htm
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. His first car was built in 1959 as a Formula Junior
Formula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
racer, but after a while he came to the conclusion that it was going to be too heavy so he abandoned the build. In 1961 he started another Formula Junior build he called Spider Mark I. It was 3.5 metres long with a wheelbase of 2.2 metres. At the highest point it was only 77 centimetres high. The engine was a BMC A-Series engine
BMC A-Series engine
Austin Motor Company's small straight-4 automobile engine, the A-Series, is one of the most common in the world. Launched in 1951 with the Austin A30, production lasted until 2000 in the Mini. It used a cast-iron block and cylinder head, and a steel crankshaft with 3 main bearings...
mated to a Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
gearbox. The steering came from a Lloyd
Lloyd (car)
Norddeutsche Automobil und Motoren GmbH was a German brand created in 1908 and was owned by the Norddeutsche Lloyd shipping company. The factory was in Bremen...
and the brakes were originally from a Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, but rebuilt. In 1962 he built a Mark II also powered by a BMC-A engine. In 1965 came the Spider Mark III, still with a BMC-A engine, but now tuned by Speedwell. It was followed by the Mark IV. He kept producing a new car each year for himself and some other interested buyers. About 20 formula cars were made.
In the early 1980s his son approached his 18th birthday and Sven-Harry Åkesson started building a car for his son. The car was finished in 1983 and was called Silver Hawk. It used a Volkswagen 1600 chassis and had a low (107 cm high), streamlined body. It had a targa top and pop-up headlights. The car was displayed at a kit-car exhibition in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
and many were interested in it so Åkesson founded the company Plastinova to produce the cars. The cars were sold both with or without a chassis as you could either use VW chassis or buy a steel tube chassis. Later the a chassis also was made for mid engines. He sold 330 bodies and 20 chassis. In 1986 the manufacturing rights was sold to a person in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and they were still made in 1997.
In 1987 Sven-Harry Åkesson designed a new car called Sethera. It was a car with butterfly doors and flip front and flip rear. The weight of the 418 cm long body was 100 kg. The car was produced by Sh-Design in Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
and like the Silver Hawk you could either use a VW chassis or a steel tube chassis that could take a more powerful engine. About 200 Setheras were sold, most in Sweden. In 1989 Åkesson met a Frenchman who was interested in selling the Sethera in Europe. This required a redesign called Sethera Mk1 that was designed for Ford parts. Just a few Sethera Mk1 was made in Sweden before the production was taken over by a company in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1991. As of 1997 they was still being made. In Europe they were also sold as key ready and built using Audi 100
Audi 100
The restyled C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with an in-line five-cylinder engine...
parts.
After that Sven-Harry Åkesson was hired to make extreme road racer called Sethera Falcon. They aimed at a weight of 700 kg and 380 hp giving a top speed of over 360 km/h. But after a while the project was put on hold. Then chassis design was a few years later bought by the Koenigsegg family which in a modified form became the chassis for the first Koenigsegg 1996 prototype. Koenigsegg CC
Koenigsegg CC
The Koenigsegg CC was the prototype for the CC8S made by Koenigsegg.-Overview:Issued to set work on in late 1999, Koenigsegg wanted to build a supercar that could exceed all standards set by the McLaren F1 at the time, and go over the 386 km/h set by the F1 in 1997...
. Later on Koenigsegg developed their own Carbonfiber monocoque for their production cars.
In 1995 Sven-Harry Åkesson finished his next car. It was an AC Cobra
AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...
replica he built with his son Per-Gunnar. No production is planned.http://www.konditori100.se/garage/carmakes/k1casilv.htm