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I co-own this with a fellow club member who lives darn sarf. He paid for it and I'm restoring it. Doubt it will be profitable but thats not the reason for doing the resto. Manufactured and sold in 1988, this was one of about 180 cars estimated to have been completed. The original build took two years as it was inspected by the local council in 1990, I even have the paperwork.  Now as far as I can work out it was only on the road for six months before being consigned to a shed / barn / garage... In a way I can understand why as it was built using an all drum brake 1100cc escort mk1, not exactly a high performance donor car. One of the main failings on a Dutton is that, when finished they often felt and drove like they were made from knackered old escort parts... funnily enough a lot of them were. 22 years later it surfaces on ebay, incomplete and unloved and looking a little sad. 
Q835XSC by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr Looking quite shiny but I think that's rain... When it came up for sale the first time every one was interested until they found out it was north of the border, loads of 'oh, too far away' comments. It duly went under the hammer on ebay and vanished. It resurfaced in 2015 a bit closer but still in southern Scotland and this time I decided to add it to the stable. So a deal was struck based on this older photo from ebay and the one the seller supplied... Between the time the deal was struck and the day of collection Scotland got hammered by wind, rain and snow... So the day before I'm due to collect, the mrs and I set off for Edinburgh in her car dragging a rented 2 axle car trailer, stayed overnight in a hotel and next morning... Saturday feb 14th 2015! we set off to collect. Having found the yard quite easily (well only one 'where the f are you' call) we turned in and were confronted with quite a different picture to what you see above. I have to be honest and say I nearly turned around and drove out again.  Q835XSC by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr The strong wind had blown the hardtop off and then managed to relocate the windscreen - on the floor - needless to say it hadn't survived the journey.  A renegotiation took place and rather that travel a couple of hundred miles back with an empty trailer we loaded up... We did have to put the body and chassis back together first though  Nothing says she loves me better than spending valentines day bimbling down the M6 with a rattler on the back of her car... I washed it to assess the damage and took some pictures with it wet to give a false impression it was shiny...  IMAG0206 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr  IMAG0208 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr That was a cold wash... No interior, no windscreen, hard top the wrong colour, no engine, box or propshaft... even the diff had been reclaimed. Lucky for me the old brake drums were still in the boot, I thought it was heavy... Now, I like my projects to mature, I like to get acclimatized to them, time for ideas to take shape and what better way than parking it in front of the house, right under the window, for twelve months.  |
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Last Edit: Feb 27, 2016 0:37:23 GMT by Rebuilda
1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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I dug around in the garage, found some old spacers and dropped a set of wheels on it to get a proper idea of where I was going. These were an ebay purchase, not actually destined for this car but at this time I'm thinking low, ground hugging   IMAG0298 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr Slightly under sized tyres but they were holding air so on they went... By now you may have realised I might like these, maybe i'm odd, maybe I had more than one mid life crisis, maybe I should pull my finger out... |
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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Don't know why, but for some strange masochistic reason, I'm looking forward to this build!
That English love of the underdog perhaps? No idea but bookmarked.
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Feb 27, 2016 12:54:29 GMT
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Always like the oddball choice, and with escort underpinnings it could be a bit of a weapon!
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luckygti
Posted a lot
I need to try harder!
Posts: 4,912
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Feb 27, 2016 14:22:40 GMT
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I am a fan of the Legerra, there's something about the lines that just look right. I haven't seen one in a light colour before, I'm torn whether it improves the looks or not (the way the door shuts stand out, not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing!) I'm waffling, sorry for that, but I look forward to progress. And love the wheels There really is a lot of potential though! Bookmarked (please don't leave it another year ) |
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Feb 27, 2016 15:34:27 GMT
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It would look really good with the headlights removed the holes smoothed in and replaced with a pair of small projectors.
Door gaps look pretty even as well, what powertrain are you thinking of, I guess mx5 would be the cheapest option, given they have a rear sump like the escort I cant imagine it would be too difficult to fit, might even be possible to graft the rear subframe and diff/suspension in.
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Feb 27, 2016 18:26:22 GMT
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Off the wall, and perhaps off your trolley :-) but I like it. Bookmarked.
Get on with it!
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Feb 27, 2016 20:38:01 GMT
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Thanks Guys, I'd best get on with telling this tale then. As this isn't the only one i'll be doing (I have a couple) I decided to restore this the way it should have been built right from the start. I'm staying old school with a 1300HC crossflow, four speed box and english axle. This will hopefully avoid any issues with the DVLA telling me it's 'not right' when the time comes to tax it. Not fixed my mind on an interior yet but space is limited so taking one out of a road car is going to be awkward. I do have a full set of original dash boxes but they are another one of the things that lets the design down, very unlikely to use them. As it came to me gutted then I don't really have too many bits to play with yet. A few weeks ago I rented some 'shed space' just around the corner from home. Didn't take long before it was full of Duttons. The Legerra has a novel requirement for removing the engine and gearbox. Due to confined access it's very difficult to get the engine and box out in one go without removing the body first Possibly not the best design idea having a gearbox mount that faces upward. Luckily for me a lot of the deconstruction had already been done as it was apart when I collected it. With assistance from quite a few of my fellow kit car enthusiasts the body got lifted off a couple of weeks ago. Its now resting on the stands that were purchased to support the chassis while it was worked on. They just didn't feel 'safe' with the chassis on so we propped to body up with them instead. This is a bit useful as there are some pretty rough areas under the engine bay and tunnel. I know how you lot like pictures so here's some...  IMAG0465 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr Most of the shuts have that algae growing in them. It was over a lot of the outer skin as well when I collected it.  IMAG0463 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr There appears to have been an argument between the tub and the exhaust at some point. Its been err 'fixed' from the inside but it's not good enough so it's all coming out, more snowman impressions will follow...  IMAG0459 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr The white gelcoat isn't in bad shape once the oxidized stuff is cut back. I was bored so attacked this bit with a baby flap wheel in a right angled die grinder... very effective but a bit messy.... There will have to be a test fitting of engine, box and body at some point so I can make a buck to fill that hole and make a better job of it. I will probably have to remove more floor first as this is getting a four branch... The chassis is now sitting on its wheels next to the body. This is mainly due to it having to remain mobile so it can be wheeled out when the building contractors finally arrive to finish the wall between me and next door. Theyll need to put a scaff tower in so the space has to be clearable. I have taken some photo's of the chassis, its a bit rusty in places but nothing that a trip to a sandblasters won't fix. Having very little exposure to the elements the chassis is in remarkably good nick. The bits bolted to it however are not... It has some quirks that i knew about from when I restored that green one. The engine is offset to the nearside and so is the gearbox. I believe this was done for better weight distribution when some lardy curse word was sitting in the drivers seat, it also means the driver has more foot space than the passenger... or it would do if the body tub had been designed to match. Of course this bit is what had to be mutilated in the photo above to get the exhaust in, probably due to the engine offset... There are other little issues with the chassis but i'll go into those as I fix them, makes before / after photo's more effective. When the chassis is done I'll get it blasted, I did get offered a place for it on the production line they use for making motorway bridge girders so it will get treated as well as blasted. I took one last photo before I left tonight, everything is the wrong way round at the moment. Getting the shell spun through 90 degrees and across the back of the unit will help a lot... hurry up builders...  IMAG0458 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr |
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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Feb 27, 2016 20:45:45 GMT
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It would look really good with the headlights removed the holes smoothed in and replaced with a pair of small projectors. Door gaps look pretty even as well, what powertrain are you thinking of, I guess mx5 would be the cheapest option, given they have a rear sump like the escort I cant imagine it would be too difficult to fit, might even be possible to graft the rear subframe and diff/suspension in. This is one that has smaller rectangle lights slightly sunk in.  Q187JFC by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr I also know of one that has supra pop up headlights |
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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actionslaxx
Part of things
a message to you rudy
Posts: 74
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Feb 27, 2016 20:59:32 GMT
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your lights look best.
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Feb 29, 2016 19:34:36 GMT
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That looks quite right in white.
Square lights would look cool, but I would just paint the chrome light trims white.
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 Click picture for more |
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Feb 29, 2016 20:44:22 GMT
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That looks an interesting project. With the right choice of bits I bet it will be a lot of fun to drive even with a 1300cc engine.
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Feb 29, 2016 20:54:57 GMT
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Have to admit I'd never heard of these, even from a mate who has a Dutton.
Love your last pic that shows the broom handle "holding" the body up!
Looking forward to following this thread
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Feb 29, 2016 22:51:18 GMT
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That looks quite right in white. Square lights would look cool, but I would just paint the chrome light trims white. I do like white but this car needs to catch reflections to show the shape to full effect, darker colours are better for doing that. As this one is staying 'standard' then all i'm going to do is swap to H4 conversions with the pilot light as the old sealed beams are like two candles in a force 9 gale. That looks an interesting project. With the right choice of bits I bet it will be a lot of fun to drive even with a 1300cc engine. One of our club members competes in autotests down in the south west in a 1300 and you ain't kidding. Sticking a 400BHP cosworth in it is a possibility however the aim is to produce a grins per £ car and the price of anything cosworth does NOT make me grin. I have all the bits to buld a high spec 1300GT so thats the plan... at the moment. I found a you tube video of his car... I have no doubt that something lighter with better gearing could be quicker but its that grins per £ I'm after. Have to admit I'd never heard of these, even from a mate who has a Dutton. Love your last pic that shows the broom handle "holding" the body up! Looking forward to following this thread These were the last 'sports' kits TWD produced and he only made about 180 before going bust (or so I was informed) when compared to the thousands of Sierra's and Phaetons made, its a small percentage. Broom handle for a bonnet prop too. Been a bit busy this weekend so not had a chance to do much. The body is coming along slowly and with any luck I should manage to get it back on the chassis before too long. I need to get inside and the doors are being held captive by the back end. Truth be told I think the body would get damaged if I opened the doors with no support under the boot area. Making new attachments points for the anti roll bar is next. The existing ones just use the Escort ARB and standard bushes. If you use the GT spec ARB which is 22mm it will happily cock a front wheel when driven hard. The front was also designed with a large amount of negative camber, this needs to be reduced for road use as it's really not required and just wears the tyres out without giving any noticeable benefit. I'm going to try something other than adjustable TCA's, I know that a full set including polybushes is just over £100 but there is that much of a discrepancy I don't know if they will cope with it. The upper wishbones have a mounting plate and a ball joint (oddly from an Austin Maxi) if the mounting plate can be re-drilled then that would seem like a much more economical option. I have a spare set of wishbones to test this theory on so I can always switch back if needed. I'll edit some pictures into this later as I haven't taken those yet. |
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Last Edit: Feb 29, 2016 22:55:56 GMT by Rebuilda
1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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I remember these coming out and getting the brochure from Dutton covering all their products at the time. As I was in my early 20s at the time I wanted a Phaeton. Never did get one as I had no garage at the time so had nowhere to build one. Eventually got a Marlin Roadster a few years back which was brilliant fun. They aren't to everyones taste but at least Tim Dutton tried to supply cars that could easily and relatively inexpensively be put together, which to me was the whole ethos of the Kit Car movement at that time. Unfortunatey those days are now gone. Good to see that some are being preserved.
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Thanks Peter. They do have a rep for being second rate kits, seems to be mainly based on opinions of people who built them using second hand parts and expecting a 'new' car. They were budget kits that gave you the basics for creating something unique, as you say, that's gone now. All we can do is make the best we possibly can of whats left. We have some first class, engineered examples around. Some with updated mechanicals, Zetec's, Vauxhall redtops however I wanted to keep this one as original as possible just to see what one could have been like when built to a high standard. My original one was partly destroyed in a fire whilst uninsured  If that one is included I can account for 5 of the 180. I currently own 4. This one is 'going retro', the green one is a nice tourer with the type 9 its got decent cruising speed. That leaves a blue one that was rescued from Albert Looms in Spondon which is pretty much spares only as bits of the fibreglass have been sliced and the black one I rescued in 2002... yup I've sat on that baby for 13 years as it too is unregistered. As that black one is going to need an IVA before it see's the road it's a much longer project. I did say I liked them to mature... |
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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I built a Phaeton in 1988. Handled ok and went well for a 1300GT engine. I'll leave it at that, having dealt directly with Dutton and had full experience of his 'aftercare'..... Still about as far as I know...
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Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored
Rover 75 - Barge
MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer...
MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored
Project Minion........
Can you see the theme?
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yup TWD builds amphibious cars now, has done for years.... Despite everything, they don't sink evidently.
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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You're a glutton for punishment Adrien, was the availability of new screens ever sorted out? I still occasionally miss mine on sunny days  |
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Hi Richard, Pilkingtons are on board with it. I need to get a screen to them make a buck from. When I get the time I forget to deliver it and then remember at 3am or something silly and kick myself.
Your old one is going fine, due out on a tour of Anglesey in April. I drove that home from Wakefield in the sleet with the roof off... across the pennines... but I probably told you that already.
Remember you put softer springs in it, do you remember what the rate was and were they the yellow ones?
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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If that one is included I can account for 5 of the 180. I currently own 4. This one is 'going retro', the green one is a nice tourer with the type 9 its got decent cruising speed. That leaves a blue one that was rescued from Albert Looms in Spondon which is pretty much spares only as bits of the fibreglass have been sliced and the black one I rescued in 2002... yup I've sat on that baby for 13 years as it too is unregistered. As that black one is going to need an IVA before it see's the road it's a much longer project. I did say I liked them to mature...
