Hi,

I remember when I originally joined the site with a few pics, someone mentioned that my front was a bit different. To date, I havent seen another like it. Has anyone got any pics of one complete with the same front? Personally I prefer the more common front but I feel like I should embrace the rareity of this one.

Ta!

To me that looks like a Coupe/Rossa2 hybrid.

You might want to try Sierra driving lights in those holes.

There are a couple of other subtle differences as well:

The headlight "pods" are more pronounced. The middle looks wider - or it could be flatter. And the front bottom lip is a different profile to the Coupe. Makes it look like a Darrian.

I'm wondering if it was a factory styling/engineering exercise?

It would be a huge amount of work for a one-off otherwise.

Hi
Would this be one of the "export" fronts, I can remember some photos in the mid eighties of a coupe that the factory had fitted a revised front end.

Paul

Your front is a re-style by the factory.

As far as I know it wasn't popular at all, but a few were made for customers here.
I've only seen 3, A picture of the factory one, your one, and the Dean Thomas V-Tec Coupe (although it was modded to be wider).

I didn't know that it was for the "export" market
Every days a school day

Thanks chaps,

I've now got a dilemma, do I keep the unusual one or have a nicer looking car.....

I much prefer the standard front but it's also nice to have something a bit different, isnt it....?

If you don't want it then I may be tempted.........

News about this front end : It was developped in 1982 especially for me since I was working on type aproval in Belgium for the GTM , I have with Paddy and Pete discussed all this matter and there where several problems around getting Type aproval at that time , I never succeded because of braking problems with the prototype I had build and also about the position of seatbelt attachments and many more technically silly but for type aproval important matters.
Belgian and European type aprovals are not made easy for private persons .. so after two years strugling I gave up the whole attemp ; But I still posses the ONLY real OFFICIAL LHD GTM prototype that ever has been build and it is registered in Belgium in my name , unfortunately the car is now back in parts and pieces since It has been taken apart and been galvanized and powdercoated but no more assembled since then , however I will not part with it and plan to assemble it back again one day .
This raised and bigger bumperpart was especially designed because the lights are positioned to low for Euro ruling and also the original Minibumper was way to low therefore . There must however exist an existing mould for this frontend since it was especially made for us but stayed at the factory at Loughborough .

recently I also aquired a real latest 1968 COX in bad condition but with a new chassis , the Cox Gtm's have a 'V' shaped bulkhead where the special made petrol tank is sitting , later Heerey GTM's do not have this since you could not install a heater on the inside with the 'V' shape petroltank in the front

while I was developping the prototype I also found that in some occasions it was possible to engage two gears at the same time with the first metro A plus gearboxes when they where installed with the special gearlinkage from the GTM factory it was solved by putting a copper spacer on the axle left and right from the intermediate gear that serves for selecting first or reverse
I have some 20 years race experience with the fastest leightweight Minis from Belgium during this period from 68 till 86 , I have build several prototypes , engines and gearboxes for special purposes , sprint , hillclimbs etc . I also found the solutions for the Salisbury LSD's on the front traction engines , to make them more friendly behaving for the steering and suspension.

the special blocks under the steering rack and between rack and front chassis are developped also in that year by using a lot of racing back up .. we where running a standard MK3 rod gear box in the Automatic chassis where the engine sits about half an inch lower then on a standard front chassis , also our engines where tilted a litle bit forward to give better grip for the tyres under accelerating , since the engine sits lower in the chassis it was possible to fit larger 13 inch tyres and raise the suspension a litle bit so driveaxles where in a better horizontal position and giving lesser powerloss , while still maintaining the point of gravity at the optimum height
Automatic chassis have the engine attachment points an inch wider , hence the engine standard gearbox/engine combination drops in an inch lower
I still remember lots of this time but I lost all my pictures while moving house a few times .
I will try to make some time free in future to come back to some historical facts about the LHD GTM
All the best , Ben .

Just one more hint .. the bumper lightpods where made for Clubman lights

regards , Ben

i think im going to have to be brave and creative and see what I can come up with, there must be some way of making it look nice!

Selling the other one with a tub and a half and a few other bits though. Ebay in a week or so when I can be arsed!

Coupes are getting rare - that front even more so - I'd be tempted to stay with it

I wish I could be bothered (apologies here) to paintshop it and see what it looks like in something other than black

I'm thinking of going a nice thick shade of white on it. I'd love a subtle pearl but dont think I could pull it off on a car of that era. Although i'm trying to get a modern/retro (sympathetic) compromise. I love the look of Lexus Crystal White when its on the road.

*Appologies for the size, dont know how to resize with IMG tags*

Some how BELGIAN GTM's posts went unoticed to me on the moderation que, just seen them and thought i had better approve them asap, welcome to the forum, interesting story to the alternative front


neil

Thanks Belgian, and welcome.

Great story, it's good to be able to piece these things together!

It sounds like you will have a lot interesting info about these cars. Pics are always good to see if you get a chance dig them out one day.

I wonder if there's any way to tell how many of these fronts were made.

Welcome BELGIAN GTM

Thanks for filling us in on the history about this type of front end.

As I posted earlier, I remember seeing a photograph of a front end of this type at the factory on one of theIr open days.
It showed it on its own, sitting on the workshop floor. The others that I have see are, the one thats been modified on Dean Thomas
Rally Honda Coupe and the posted picture above, of Coupe177c's,