I was recently contacted by a gentleman who used to work at FFD.
He kindly sent me a copy of the car's build record there
Interesting when compared to the build date on the Heritage certificate of 21st August 1972, but at least I now have the original UK Registration number (YKV201L) to reapply for, which I have checked has still not been allocated by the DVLA. I will also be able to search their records for any other previous history.
The date of build is only a few days later than Mr Pearsons V8 engined car - which I recall was built about 17th August 1972, however his car has an early number Stag engine (in the 900s) but mine has an engined numbered LF20618.
I was also sent the records for the 2 other Triumphs modified by FFD at this time
It is believed that the Saloon has been scrapped and the estate is known to reside in a collection in a Swiss town - these were both 6 cylinder engined cars.
He is hoping to come and look at the car this month, with 2 other ex employees of FFD who he believes worked on this car.
I shall have a great number of questions to ask!
In an email to me he recounted some of this history, so in his own words here it is:-
I’m not sure how much I can tell you but, at the risk of putting you to sleep, here’s a little of what I know. FFD were pioneers of 4WD road cars. Funded originally by Harry Ferguson and continued by Tony Rolt, they tried to bring the ideas of 4WD, Anti-Skid brakes and a few other ideas to the motor industry’s attention. Origins go back to pre-WW2 Rolt/Dixon cars and in 1971, FFD sold the patent rights to a thing called a Viscous Coupling to GKN. As part of that deal, a variety of cars of the day were converted to 4WD, using a VC as the controller of the centre differential, as demonstrators of the technology, funded by GKN. Your car is one of these. Two Stags and a couple of 2.5 Estates, privately funded by friends of FFD owner Tony Rolt, completed the Triumphs. The GKN cars later passed into private hands also, it appears largely as novelties for GKN bosses! FFD boomed when Audi produced the Quattro and the whole motoring world beat a path to our door for consultancy and prototype designs/converted cars.
Thank you again for this information.
Next back to the welding!
He kindly sent me a copy of the car's build record there
Interesting when compared to the build date on the Heritage certificate of 21st August 1972, but at least I now have the original UK Registration number (YKV201L) to reapply for, which I have checked has still not been allocated by the DVLA. I will also be able to search their records for any other previous history.
The date of build is only a few days later than Mr Pearsons V8 engined car - which I recall was built about 17th August 1972, however his car has an early number Stag engine (in the 900s) but mine has an engined numbered LF20618.
I was also sent the records for the 2 other Triumphs modified by FFD at this time
It is believed that the Saloon has been scrapped and the estate is known to reside in a collection in a Swiss town - these were both 6 cylinder engined cars.He is hoping to come and look at the car this month, with 2 other ex employees of FFD who he believes worked on this car.
I shall have a great number of questions to ask!
In an email to me he recounted some of this history, so in his own words here it is:-
I’m not sure how much I can tell you but, at the risk of putting you to sleep, here’s a little of what I know. FFD were pioneers of 4WD road cars. Funded originally by Harry Ferguson and continued by Tony Rolt, they tried to bring the ideas of 4WD, Anti-Skid brakes and a few other ideas to the motor industry’s attention. Origins go back to pre-WW2 Rolt/Dixon cars and in 1971, FFD sold the patent rights to a thing called a Viscous Coupling to GKN. As part of that deal, a variety of cars of the day were converted to 4WD, using a VC as the controller of the centre differential, as demonstrators of the technology, funded by GKN. Your car is one of these. Two Stags and a couple of 2.5 Estates, privately funded by friends of FFD owner Tony Rolt, completed the Triumphs. The GKN cars later passed into private hands also, it appears largely as novelties for GKN bosses! FFD boomed when Audi produced the Quattro and the whole motoring world beat a path to our door for consultancy and prototype designs/converted cars.
Thank you again for this information.
Next back to the welding!
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