Thursday 29 July 2021

Building a Broadspeed GT replica

I keep on receiving questions about how to build or where to buy a Broadspeed GT replica roof but I don't have any of these roofs available, leave alone that I have any knowledge to build them. What I did find was a number of photographs taken in the Church Green Engineering premises in Dorset in 1995, where Paul Weldon and Geoff Branston were building replica GTs with aluminium body conversions at the time. The cars (they built only three as far as I know) were later marketed as the Marspeed GTO and offered for sale from 8,295 GBP ex-VAT. I hope you guys will enjoy these pictures.

UPDATE 31 August: Richard Hawcroft writes: "Jeroen, I actually know the bloke who made those wire frames for the Broadspeed cars. When they had finished with them they left them outside as some sort of garden feature, I have seen photos of them with flowers and what not in them. He actually restores Astons for a living, so is used to wire frame stuff. But as far as I know that body was steel, so it was all just welded, the wire form was just the ‘buck’ for forming the metal parts." He's promised to ask him about the construction and is on a hunt for the garden ornament photographs. Thanks Richy!


A steel frame was made and fitted as a 'buck' to this (then-brand new) Mini Sprite
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

Fast forward several weeks and some serious elbow grease and frame and Mini are blended
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

This is another (Cooper based) car which is further ahead in the process. Note buck behind
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

Aluminium body is clad over the frame. Note boot door which the original never had
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

Yet another car (just three were made in total) about to receive the finishing touches
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

And the finished product. This Sprite based car went to Japan and still remains there
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

And this is the red Cooper based car after it was finished. I believe it stayed in the UK
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

Rear door gives access to remarkably spacious boot...
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

...also thanks to the folding down rear seat inside. Pretty clever
Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

Standard Mini Cooper (carburetor) engine of the 1990s
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

H734 CHR was finished in Summer 1995. Where is it now?
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

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