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

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

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Aluminium body is clad over the frame. Note boot door which the original never had

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

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

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

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Rear door gives access to remarkably spacious boot...

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...also thanks to the folding down rear seat inside. Pretty clever

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Standard Mini Cooper (carburetor) engine of the 1990s

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H734 CHR was finished in Summer 1995. Where is it now?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive