Mystery sports car

[Cedric]

It's time for the anoraks to creep out of their holes again. Kudos for he who knows what this car is.

[:Exige:]

Reminds me of a mix between this Berkeley and a Ferrari 250 Testarossa.
http://www.britishmm.co.uk/jpg/berkeley1956002.jpg

[dracu777]

gawd...I know I have seen that car before in my collection. I guess I got some work to do now.

[dracu777]

Boy it looks like a Sabra (Reliant).

[dracu777]

I got it now. It is a Tornado. A Typhoon from about 1959. Unfortunately I do not have any other info. Sorry for the quality of the pix.

[Cedric]

Well done! I thought this would have taken much longer, I guess I won't have to question UCP members' knowledge again.
I wish I knew more about this car: tech spec, suspension, performance figures etc. but little seems to be known about it.

[dracu777]

I guess I spend more time than I should looking at cars :)

[ZeTurbo]

get henk or wouter in here, they are most likely to know.

[dracu777]

trying to say that my expertise is not worthy?? :)

[Graham Paige]

Guys, 50's Ford/MG/Whatever you wanted to fit it to English kit car

[henk4]

this actually is a Berkeley, but a four wheeled one, Here is a pic of a three wheeler, but you can see the similarities, the Typhoon Tornado has a coke bottle shape, but the Berkeley door lines go straight, and the headlights are the same too.

Just noted that I started reading at post #2, the Berkeley is not the mystery car......and yes in a Tornado you could put anything British from the fifties....

and for the diehards: what is the car on the right of the Berkeley?

[Revo]

and for the diehards: what is the car on the right of the Berkeley?

This is so easy!:D

Note the badge - it says Italia ----> Triumph Italia.

[henk4]

This is so easy!:D

Note the badge - it says Italia ----> Triumph Italia.

forgot to cut it...:)

but this is the proof you are right...and I am not going to ask to identify the car to the left:D

[ulimator]

Short Tornado's history:

Tornado Cars was founded in 1957 by Bill Woodhouse and based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK.

The first model was the Typhoon Sports, available either as a body for fitting to Ford 8/10 chassis (following a then current market trend for "specials" based on these mechanical components) or with a Tornado designed and manufactured chassis to which a range of engines and transmissions could be fitted. About 400 of this model are believed to have been made through to 1962.

A similarly styled Tempest model featuring a Ford Anglia 105E engine and independent wishbone front suspension was introduced around 1960-61, but only around 15 were produced.

In 1962, the company introduced the Talisman 2+2 coupe carrying an attractively styled fibreglass body on a more sophisticated tubular steel chassis with Ford 1,340cc or 1,500cc engines in various states of tune. This model was available either in component form or factory finished and was praised for having lively performance combined with good ride and handling characteristics, and a high standard of finish. Cash-flow problems forced the company into liquidation in 1964 after just 186 Talismans had been made.

[Timothy (in VA)]

Did they also produce a car called the Tornado Thunderbolt powered by a 2.0-liter Triumph 4-cylinder, or did my page-a-day calendar (where I got this picture from) lie to me?

[ulimator]

Yes they did! If You are interested in Tornado, I recommend You visting very good website: 1950s specials web (http://www.1950sspecials.com)

[faksta]

I think this is a bit more interesting :)
According to shorey, it's a 1958 Tornado Typhoon Sportsbrake Sport Wagon.

[Cedric]

Nice ... Volvo C30 eat your heart out!

[ribatejo69]

some more photos of the Thunderbolt:

[Sauc3]

some more photos of the Thunderbolt:
You continue to amaze, great stuff.

[ribatejo69]

:) thanks!

[Tornado]

Nice to see Tornado's are still talked about! My father owns the original Thunderbolt WAU 637 he also built it and raced it. He is driving the car in the black and white photo in a previous reply. The green car (wau637) is a copy, not one part is original. I have lots of info and images if anybody is interested!

[Matra et Alpine]

Nice to see Tornado's are still talked about! My father owns the original Thunderbolt WAU 637 he also built it and raced it. He is driving the car in the black and white photo in a previous reply. The green car (wau637) is a copy, not one part is original. I have lots of info and images if anybody is interested!
Yes please :)

Welcome to the UCP forums.
If you coudl create a new thread for your info and pics ( please use the attachments option ) then it woudl be greatly appreciated by many

Ta

[Cedric]

So, if your father still owns WAU 637 how come the replica has the very same number plate? (I have noticed this before with other cars)

And would you be so kind to let us in on some technicalities?

[jotage21]

i can´t see the picture, maybe i´m not activated