The all new sammio spyder
 

I want to start this adventure on the right foot and although the Sammio Coridite/Ribble Navigator and the Sammio Spyder/Ribble Pilot have been OK they have never been good just " good value for money".
So those who have purchased them have had to put up with the "problems" they did and still have.

You only have to look at what's been done with what's been made and the answer is always "WOW" because these little kits make great little cars but they could be so much better :peace:

Although some development went into the Sammio Coridite/Ribble Navigator it was not enough and more investment is needed, and if thing go right this will be done but as they continue to sell, and sell well, this is on the back burner for now.

The next project.

A few months back I got hold of a set of moulds and a buck designed and laid-up in the 80's for a Lotus Elan.

Since then these items have hung in my work shop awaiting the sun light and some inspiration :yawn:

The idea of taking over SAMMIO has given me the "kick-up-the-ass" I needed.

A phone call and a meeting with Chris and Dan from Tribute Automotive (at which many cups of tea and packets Hob-Nobs where consumed) the moulds left my work shop and headed for Weymouth.

The original idea was to simply "adjust" the moulds to fit a Triumph Spitfire but again after tea and biscuits we decided the go for broke and create the NEW SAMMIO SPYDER :flame::flame::flame:

There are no photos at the moment as Chris has not up-loaded them yet but here's a reminder of the original buck.
Some of you will notice the profile lines of the MGA :becky:

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps88843304.jpg

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2e77f34b.jpg

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps88843304.jpg

Major work so far.
The buck has been made longer and wider to fit the Spitfire.
The nose has been adjusted to have recessed lights G-46 style along with the original Spyder's grill :becky:

It will be availiabe with or with-out the hump, but unlike the original Spyder the hump is well suited to the driver.

Although it will be several weeks or even months before it finished and ready, I think with Chris and Dan on-board the new SAMMIO SPYDER :spider: will be well worth waiting for.

Anyone fancy having a go at building one of the proto types??
A little birdie told me MR T said he was bored and might be looking for another project :badgrin:

As I have said WATCH THIS SPACE :director:

Wow i can see the MGA in that shell, its going to look fantastic. I did a lot of home work over a two year period on the MGA as i was looking to rebuild one but due to the total outlay and after looking at a number of basket cases i decided to go with a Navigator.

I would of been very very interested in building a proto type but are just about to receive a Navigator shell from Andy, this Sunday to be precise.

Is the shell viewable at Tribute as i am near to Tribute.

There is no "cloak and dagger" stuff going on here. so you and anybody else are welcome to have a look-see. :eusa_angel:
Chris and Dan are working on this in a "as-and-when" style, in between the their other rent paying job so you would have to contact him to arrange a look-see, don' forget the Hob-Nobs. :tea:

Looking good, Mickey! I might have just seen my next build.........in two years time.

Nice! another different take on the theme can only be a good thing :)

The hump lines up with the driver you say.... blasphemy... :P

Good luck with your new venture Micky!

Just out of interest why the desire to call this a new Spyder? Could it not be a stand alone model in it's own right with it's own name?

The Sammio Spyder started it all so why not continue the tradition.
After all it's just a make-over :whoo:

As there has been some interest in the original buck this might be put into production and sold as the Sammio A1 Alpha

Here the first look at the start of the NEW SPYDER.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps5d917e0b.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps6c778c2c.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps1be8337f.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps7f4f2521.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...psa1dedda0.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps98a85a19.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps22dfe586.jpg

It can only get better but right now I think I'm in love :love:

Sadly there will not be much more progress as Chris and Dan are busy over the next few weeks but watch this space :popcorn:

I like the look of that. Ive wondered for a long time what a Spyder would look like with recessed lights and now that I see it, I think that it works very well! Im not too sure on the hump though, I think that my preference would be for the smaller spyder hump but other than that I love it.

Would it be possible to make a bonnet (with recessed lights) to fit customers existing Spyder/Cordites as I would be interested if you did?

Nice idea, the next time I visit Chris and Dan I'll ask :thumb:

Micky - I'm sure Chris & Dan will work their usual magic on this project. :cool:

However, I am starting to get a bit confused with the model names. :rolleyes:

I thought this approach, mentioned on a different thread, sounded like a good idea...

"the Pilot and Navigator will continue for now but will be replaced with a single kit sold in a LWB form for the Herald, a SWB form for the Spitfire, a bonnet for a 4 cylinder engine and a bonnet for a 6 cylinder engine"

So what will this single (LWB & SWB) kit be called?

If you want to bring back the "Sammio Spyder" name, I would have expected this kit to use it.

But what do I know? :icon_wink:

Good luck with all your future plans.

Take care, Paul. :)

PS
At some point I will try to update the "Useful Info" sticky thread to cover the new world.

G46
 

Micky,

Best of luck with the new venture.

My gut feeling is to get the sammio spyder back into production and don't get sidelined with new projects that wipe out all your cash.:pray2:
What every you decide enjoy the journey, you are a brave man!

Is that a scimitar in the background, surely you are not missing the G46 already?

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...ps6c778c2c.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7...psa1dedda0.jpg

Hi HM, the cost of creating this new Spyder is less than the cost of "sorting out" the old Spyder.

Any one who's built or worked on a Sammio/Ribble kit will know what I mean, just look back to your G-46 build :sad:

As long as people want the old Spyder and chums they will still be sold (at the same price), but they need to be re-worked or they wouldn't have a future.

Hi Paul L, the New Spyder is being built with the SWB and LWB idea in mind right from the start.
Although the bonnet for the 6 cylinder will be an issue so expect it to be a while in R&D :sorry: ,
The Spitfire seems to be the most popular choice of donor so I'll stick with that for now.

The differance between the Spyder/Pilot and Coridite/Navigator is minimal to the naked eye, again a simple LWB and a SWB version the main differance being one had doors :sad:
To my way of thinking the Coridite was a crude attempt to up-date the Spyder.
Pehaps Gary reilized the fate of the Hearld as a donor after-all why try to fit doors to a chassis that does'nt have a full length out-rigger which would provide all the support needed.:eusa_naughty:

At the end of the day I want to produce a kit that's straight, symetrical and can be fitted using a tape measure.

BTW I also have the moulds for the AF SPORTS, (you'll have to google it as I am unable to up-load a photo).
Any interest ? would be built around a Reliant Scimitar.

:lightbulb:

Sorry Mike, now I get it.

I thought the "single kit" was going to be based on the revised Navigator buck.

Amen. :cool:

Good luck, Paul. :)

Do you mean one of these:-

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/...psfdd2f601.jpg

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/...ps435c6ffb.jpg

What about this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2814072313...d=678283643735

Thats the one :thumb:
All fiberglass apart from the bonnet which is aluminium sheet.

:faint2:

Tempting, but my next project(s) will almost certainly wear the prancing horse -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps878f9c84.png

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps320eee9e.jpg

What I would like to do is build a Tribute 250swb in stripped out racer style as a rainy day car, and maybe another Spyder, but as light as possible (sub 500kg should be possible?) with no humps, modified rear arches and grille/headlight arrangement as per the 375mm Spider above, a lightweight alloy, high revving four pot and a bigger fuel tank for touring.

Funds and time will be available for both projects in january 2017, so watch this space...

Oh, and both will be silver of course. :)

Just look at the front and profile of this and compare it with the above :eusa_shhh:
Ideas stolen perhaps :angel:

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps68024bbe.jpg

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6f5dbb85.jpg

Actually, you've got a good point there. Will there be a hump-free option?

Given that a famous 375 MM Spider is going to auction on Saturday (last one sold went for U.S. $9,075,000 in 2013) it could be an opportune time to offer a kit...

http://www.gtspirit.com/2014/07/11/1...ecum-auctions/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvs6PdyhSRo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hgp6UCPM5c

There sure will be now, maybe even a little work to the nose and an air scoop on the rear arch :rockon: :rockon:

The yellow numbers with black keyline look good too.

Well I am afraid I'm going to have to eat loads of "humble pie". because I got it all wrong :doh: :yield:

This past few weeks I have been shocked at the amount of interest still remaining in the Sammio/Ribble bodies.
The little car just won't die!! Gary J must have got it right first time :biggrin1:

Already I have taken 2 firm orders :phone:, (deposit paid :eusa_clap:) and are both are from France.
I also have a French chap saying he wants to buy Sammio's on regular basics ( we'll wait and see on that one :flypig:).

So the bottom line is the Navigator/Cordite now has to stay in production but we just have to look at "Swiftys", "Viatron", " Paul L", build threads to know how much work is need to make it presentable on a chassis, in fact every thread has some reference to the poor shape of the body.

Andy57 and Viatron tried to make it better but time and money was against them.

After much thought, plenty of Hob-Nobs, a large overdraft and much help from Chris and Dan at TRIBUTE AUTOMOTIVE, I have decided to re-work the original buck where Viatron and Andy57 left it.
The original buck was collected today from Ribble HQ and will be delivered to Chris and Dan next week.
I am hoping the new bodies will be ready late November time but as we all know this might change :hand:

It will be called the SAMMIO SPYDER and built around the Spitfire chassis but a LWB Herald version will be available if demand is there.

The body featured in this listing will still be developed and (again hopefully) be ready for 2015 Stoneleigh show.
This will be called the "A1 ALPHA".:biggrin:
Again I have already sold the prototype AI ALPHA to a forum member who will have some in-put on the build.

A change in direction I know but business is all about supply and demand so while the Spyder is in demand I'll keep supplying it :high5:

Mike - I look forward to seeing what the new Sammio Spyder looks like.

I am sure the "Cordite MkIII" will finally be the car that I thought I was buying. :icon_wink:

Mac and Swifty have certainly provided great guides to what is required to get a good body shell. :cool:
( Despite all my efforts, my car will always look a bit lopsided. :rolleyes: )

Good luck, Paul. :)

PS
Do Chris & Dan ever rest? :eek:

Good luck with the project, I didn't think there was much wrong with the Spyder body in the first place.

I identified six issues on the body, none of which were serious:

The bonnet wouldn't fit over my Vitesse engine without the addition of a scoop (to be fair I could have modified the engine mounts as my motor sits at a much higher angle than Phil and Barry's donors' engines do);

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0f0c8e0c.jpg

There was a flat spot at 11 o-clock on the offside front wheelarch;

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/001-81.jpg

The nearside cockpit edge had a dip in it;

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/002-59.jpg

The rear lower corners of the bonnet needed shaping so they matched the curve of the body tub;

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8f09415a.jpg

The offside sill didn't drop low enough to cover the outer chassis rail;

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...day2011002.jpg

The bottom edge of the rear valance was angled down from the offside to the nearside;

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/001-56.jpg

None of these proved to be too difficult to rectify, but sort those out and you'll save builders a fair bit of time.

There are other irregularities in the body I got, but none significant enough to detract from the overall effect. In fact, if you don't like random people of all ages and backgrounds gushing about how much they love your car, don't build one of these!

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps452bc1ba.jpg

Third time lucky, this time we will try and get it right :party:
Up until now everyone has accepted the "faults" with-in the whole Sammio/Ribble range but why should they. :rant::rant:
It is my feeling that every body is pis**ff with the poor quality of the Sammio/Ribble bodies but just accept it, WHY. :rant: :rant:

The new bodies will look no different just "fit for purpose", fit being the main point. :roll:

Well said MrT, these little cars hit the spot fist time, and appeal to a huge range of people but they could be better.
One main area you forgot to mention is the schuttle panel "hump" is off centre (throughout the range), simple things like this really winds me up because it should have been sorted long-ago. :rant:

Erm, hadn't actually ever noticed that one. Still, I won't say anything if you don't. :eusa_shhh:

I think you'd be surprised, in a pleasant way!

IMHO a lot of the appeal of the Sammio range (whoo hoo for the reintroduction of the Spyder name BTW!) is that it _is_ cheap-n-cheery and you get what you pay for. And that has always been made clear right from the start and so people embark on their projects accepting that.

Yes i know there are some well documented projects on here that demonstrate some of the 'quirks' of the old girl. my Spyder build included! and others like Pauls that show what is needed if you are after perfection. or symmetry! :)

But Given that there have been well over a 100 Spyders sold (that i'm aware of) the majority of people that i have talked to that have built them have been more than happy with what they got and most thoroughly enjoyed the 'personalisation' :)


That said... i can't imagine that a bit more symmetry wouldn't go amiss :)


Best of luck matey!

As far as the original Sammio Spyder is concerned, I think "cheap & cheerful" is a fair description.

However, the politest way that I can describe the original Sammio Cordite was "cheap & nasty". :icon_sad:

Gary looked me in the eye and told me all the small symmetry issues with the Spyder (see Mr T's post above) had been fixed on the Cordite.

So I honestly believed there was going to be less work required on the Cordite compared to the Spyder. :rolleyes:

If Gary had not sold the business I would have returned everything to him under the sale of goods act.
( As it was neither as described, of satisfactory quality, nor fit for purpose. )

But as AndyP57 had just taken over, I decided to support his new venture and work with what I had.

Obviously I had no idea just how much work would actually be required, but that is another story.

If Chris & Dan can help Micky1Mo produce a body shell that works "out of the box", with no modifications required, it will be a real winner. :cool:

There is still plenty of scope for each builder to add their own individual touches to areas like the dash, cockpit interior, rear lighting, etc.

I'd love to see more Spitfire based Sammio Spyders on the road, as there seems to be a lot of abandoned Cordites out there.

Anyway, I hope that didn't come across as too much of a RANT, as I wish Mike all the best.
( And will update the useful links thread properly when the dust has settled. )

Good luck, Paul. :)

I agree Paul, i'm sure it has put many people off... ashame, as we would have some builds on here.

DAVECYMRU, I think there have been nearer 200 Sammio/Ribble bodies sold :lie:
You are welcome to come and have a nose around my workshop anytime, kettle is always on :tea:

PAUL L, That's an honest answer, thank you.:wave:

GARYH, I think a re-worked body sold at a far price will attract a few more forum members. :party:

Mr T, Have you checked your hump yet. :icon_question:

Looking at it now I see that the original bonnet bulge isn't quite central. The overall undulating shape of the body hides that asymmetry though and I'd honestly never noticed it before.

The addition of a random scoop here and there further disguises the issue and nobody's ever commented on it to me.

You wouldn't believe the positive attention these three amateur built specials get when we're in convoy or parked up together or individually. Sammio Spyders really are great looking cars, despite all their inherent irregularities -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps29222155.jpg

Fully agree with you Mr T. :cool:

The first time I saw "66" in a magazine it hooked me so completely that I joined the forum and look where that lead me. :icon_wink:

I've always loved those photos of you, Phil & Barry and dream of the day I can join your convoy. :pray:

Cheers, Paul. :)

Being a fan of the Vintage style of car I always thought the AF Sports was a lovely car so would love to see it make a come back. Was kicking myself a few years ago for passing up on an unstarted kit that came up for sale on Madabout, was only £500 at the time but funds were going elsewhere.

What are your thoughts with regard offering it again, based on a Triumph chassis or do you have the chassis jigs as well?

John

I also fully agree, builders turn them into great cars.
But why should a buyer spend (what is to some) a large sum of money, accept what is a sub-standard projuct and then spend time, money and pleny of effort trying to putting it "somewhere near right".
Why not make it "somewhere near right" in the first place :doh:


Without the "accepted inherent irregularities" or should I say "built in faults" they can only be better and maybe attract more builders. :high5:

The wheel base is about 110" so Reliant GTE chassis would be the next best thing.
The moulds are here so may-be next year unless you want a body laying-up over the next few weeks :laugh: ?