Just bought a Stratos in Australia - Grateful for any Info on the Car

[SBDaytona]

Hi All, just joined. Thanks to all those who make this site possible - great resource for a Stratos Rookie. I have just bought a Stratos in Australia and would appreciate it if anyone can tell me a bit about the history of the car. I believe the car is a Hawk or Transformer chassis (828CB1023027). Im not sure how to interpret the chassis number - for example is this car number 027 or 82 or 3027 etc on the Site Register?). The car will be known to some of you for sure. It is a pretty true to original car with Dino engine and transaxle. Original magnesium coffin wheels and such like. Pretty cool piece of kit but in need of some TLC which it will now get. The car has some race / rally history in Australia and carries a log book. Apparently the car was originally built by someone from Superformance (the Ferrari Parts Specialist in the UK) where it spent much of its early life. It would be great to know the original UK registration and the name of the person that built the car. Look forward to finding out more about these amazing cars. Thanks again. SBDaytona

[ProtoTipo]

Hello,

Is it this one?

[Allora#2]

i know first Transformer chassis have the donor car VIN
and 828BC is a Lancia Beta Coupe VIN!
my car it's an Allora and have also the VIN 828BC 3........

BTW: nice Stratos!

[Guy Mayers]

As has already been mentioned the chassis number is that of a Lancia Beta donor car. The Transformer (or Hawk) chassis number should be stamped in two places, most obvious one will be on the front of the servo mounting bracket under the front clip. The same number will appear on the rear of the chassis to the left of the removeable section. It's probably something along the lines of "SPY8805048" (which is my chassis number). This breaks down as a Spyder chassis from 1988, May to be precise, and the 48th chassis made by Transformer Cars.

Given that this car is Dino powered which is rare I believe that this is the car that was built by Peter Ashdown in the UK way back when! If it's this car I remember seeing at a show in the UK and talking to Peter, probably in 1988 or 1989, probably at Stafford. The car was on Gerrys stand with the front and rear clips open to show the engine off and the front suspension etc. We chatted for 20 minutes before he closed the panels up and I could see the number plates on the car. If you've got any UK registration documentation it will show PFY1T if it's this car. Which is REALLY annoying as I asked Peter to sell me the plate if he ever sold the car. Which he forgot to do.... My car is registered PFY3T you see...... AND the Fiat Punto I have is PFY2T. Strange that two Beta's, originally registered here in Liverpool two plates apart ended up as donors for Stratos replicas.

Should you have the registration docs for this car please PM me, I may be interested is a copy

Guy

[Stratie.fr]

Sean
Welcome on SEC and congratulations for your nice Stratos purchased
If you have any photos please post them
Frederic

[SBDaytona]

As has already been mentioned the chassis number is that of a Lancia Beta donor car. The Transformer (or Hawk) chassis number should be stamped in two places, most obvious one will be on the front of the servo mounting bracket under the front clip. The same number will appear on the rear of the chassis to the left of the removeable section. It's probably something along the lines of "SPY8805048" (which is my chassis number). This breaks down as a Spyder chassis from 1988, May to be precise, and the 48th chassis made by Transformer Cars.

Given that this car is Dino powered which is rare I believe that this is the car that was built by Peter Ashdown in the UK way back when! If it's this car I remember seeing at a show in the UK and talking to Peter, probably in 1988 or 1989, probably at Stafford. The car was on Gerrys stand with the front and rear clips open to show the engine off and the front suspension etc. We chatted for 20 minutes before he closed the panels up and I could see the number plates on the car. If you've got any UK registration documentation it will show PFY1T if it's this car. Which is REALLY annoying as I asked Peter to sell me the plate if he ever sold the car. Which he forgot to do.... My car is registered PFY3T you see...... AND the Fiat Punto I have is PFY2T. Strange that two Beta's, originally registered here in Liverpool two plates apart ended up as donors for Stratos replicas.

Should you have the registration docs for this car please PM me, I may be interested is a copy

Guy

Thanks a million Guy and others. This helps a great deal. I don't think there are any old UK rego papers with the car but I have not been through all the boxes yet. Will definitely let you know if I come across anything useful. I have names of previous owners in Australia so will ask if they have anything as well.

Sounds like it might be the Peter Ashdown car. Dates and description fit. There can't have been too many Dino engined cars built. The Beta Coupe donor car number makes sense - as the import papers show reference to a Beta. I will look around for another number on the car that might tell us what the Transformer number is.

Thanks again for all the help. Great to have this resource available.
Sean

[SBDaytona]

As has already been mentioned the chassis number is that of a Lancia Beta donor car. The Transformer (or Hawk) chassis number should be stamped in two places, most obvious one will be on the front of the servo mounting bracket under the front clip. The same number will appear on the rear of the chassis to the left of the removeable section. It's probably something along the lines of "SPY8805048" (which is my chassis number). This breaks down as a Spyder chassis from 1988, May to be precise, and the 48th chassis made by Transformer Cars.

Given that this car is Dino powered which is rare I believe that this is the car that was built by Peter Ashdown in the UK way back when! If it's this car I remember seeing at a show in the UK and talking to Peter, probably in 1988 or 1989, probably at Stafford. The car was on Gerrys stand with the front and rear clips open to show the engine off and the front suspension etc. We chatted for 20 minutes before he closed the panels up and I could see the number plates on the car. If you've got any UK registration documentation it will show PFY1T if it's this car. Which is REALLY annoying as I asked Peter to sell me the plate if he ever sold the car. Which he forgot to do.... My car is registered PFY3T you see...... AND the Fiat Punto I have is PFY2T. Strange that two Beta's, originally registered here in Liverpool two plates apart ended up as donors for Stratos replicas.

Should you have the registration docs for this car please PM me, I may be interested is a copy

Guy

I have just received a file on the car which contains some interesting historical details. The car was indeed owned by Peter Ashdown - so you are correct Guy - thanks. I have not found any registration details from the UK so no luck with that - not even a photo with the plates visible. All the Australian registration details are there which is useful. It would be good to contact Peter at some stage if anyone knows his whereabouts.

There are some excellent period photos of the car in the file. At one time in its life it was a fantastic looking machine. Inspiration to get the car back to something close to its former glory.

I have had a look for some other serial numbers or chassis numbers but am unable to find anything other than the one give above (stamped into the RHR Chassis Plate). This is the number that appears on all the documentation.

Got the car running much better after a carbs overhaul.

[][\/][ajor]

Hi Mine's a Transformer too from the same period. I'm also restoring mine to it's former glory. Looking at the photos of your car it looks like the servo mounting plate has been removed so no chassis number there. See the pictures below. One shows the servo plate and you can make out the stamping, the other shows where my other stamp is. I had to look twice here before I found mine there so look carefully. Good luck...Steve

[SBDaytona]

As has already been mentioned the chassis number is that of a Lancia Beta donor car. The Transformer (or Hawk) chassis number should be stamped in two places, most obvious one will be on the front of the servo mounting bracket under the front clip. The same number will appear on the rear of the chassis to the left of the removeable section. It's probably something along the lines of "SPY8805048" (which is my chassis number). This breaks down as a Spyder chassis from 1988, May to be precise, and the 48th chassis made by Transformer Cars.

Given that this car is Dino powered which is rare I believe that this is the car that was built by Peter Ashdown in the UK way back when! If it's this car I remember seeing at a show in the UK and talking to Peter, probably in 1988 or 1989, probably at Stafford. The car was on Gerrys stand with the front and rear clips open to show the engine off and the front suspension etc. We chatted for 20 minutes before he closed the panels up and I could see the number plates on the car. If you've got any UK registration documentation it will show PFY1T if it's this car. Which is REALLY annoying as I asked Peter to sell me the plate if he ever sold the car. Which he forgot to do.... My car is registered PFY3T you see...... AND the Fiat Punto I have is PFY2T. Strange that two Beta's, originally registered here in Liverpool two plates apart ended up as donors for Stratos replicas.

Should you have the registration docs for this car please PM me, I may be interested is a copy

Guy

Hi Guy, I was talking to one of the previous owners of the car - the guy who imported it to Australia in fact. He was kind enough to offer me some old photos of the car competing in the Rally of Tasmania. When the photos turned up there was also a copy of the Australian Import Permit and a copy of a past Registration Document from the UK. I have only glanced at it but it shows Peter Ashdown as the owner and the registration as PFY1T. Which confirms your suspicions. Let me know if you would like a copy of the doc. Sean

[Guy Mayers]

Thanks Sean, I'd love a copy of that! I won't be able to obtain the plate but it'd be nice to see it! My email is guymayers@blueyonder.co.uk

Cheers

Guy