Mini-based 3 wheeler called Mosquito

[Damien]

Hello,

My name's Damien from France, 26 years old and I’m restoring a Mini based kit-car called Mosquito (some of you probably know that car but with the name of Triad, but it’s the same car.)
I bought that car from my English friend Chris, about 3 years ago.

I'm looking for informations about those cars. I'd like to be in touch with other owners or any other person that could give me informations, pictures, articles, etc. about Mosquito and Triad.

You’ll see here the different steps of the restoration …


Here is the Mosquito when my mate Chris bought it, back in 2002 I think. It wasn’t that bad after being stored for 11 year in that garage...




The Mosquito is complete, there’s nothing missing. Exhaust pipes are quite rusty and we can recognize the Mini MkI rear lights.



The interior is a bit small but the two small bucket seats give the game away. The interior is very simple.






The engine bay shows the little 850 A series.



Only the spare wheel has got space in the boot, near the petrol tank.



The frame is very rusty, like the wheel.





Here is the Mosquito, in front of Chris’ garage.



The bonnet took off when crossing a lorry on the road! As you can see, another lorry that was following the Mosquito… The bonnet was completely broken, with no possibility to buy a new one at the local Mini shop! So, Chris made one by himself…



The back of a washing machine will do the job…




And a square of metal set found in a scrapyard will do the rest!!



Witt little cutting…



And here is the brand new bonnet! As the bonnet need to be painted, Chris changes the colour of the Mosquito: red.




This picture shows how low is the Mosquito

[Damien]

Chris doesn’t like the rear lights from. The Mini. They will be changed for simpler lights.








As the red colour wasn’t enough, some grey flames are painted on the front end of the car…









Here is the Mosquito, finished. Chris used it daily for 6 months even when the weather was bad, which does not happen often in Uk





It’s at this time that I arrive in the story of the Mosquito. At this moment, I was working in Uk since two months and Chris was my flat mate. During the months, I asked for him to sell me the Mosquito. Chris doesn‘t want to sell it, unfortunately.
One night, I was coming back from work, and I saw the Mosquito in the middle of the street, in a bad condition. Children have destroyed it, as you can see on the pictures bellow.
When Chris saw that, he told me: « You’ll probably be happy, I don’t want it anymore, if you want it, it’s yours for £400 » It didn’t take me that long to answer « YES! »

[Damien]

A few weeks later, I came back to England with my father to pick it up. I was as excited as a child in front of the Christmas tree…







Here it is! The Mosquito has arrived in France and I quickly started working on it.





I like the following pics. It looks like a giant Lego game…





As you can see, the chassis is very simple. I noticed some weak points that I’ll have to repair.





Long and boring job: the floor is off now!

[Damien]

Chassis and front frame are split







Chassis is repaired and reinforced in some points.





Then, it’s sandblasted and painted in « primer » (is it the right word?)



It‘ll be the same for all the parts



By the time, I decided to make a kind of boot behind the seats.




A new battery box is built as the old one is too rusty.

[Damien]

And then, I started painted the chassis and the rest of the parts…



















When finished, the Mosquito will completely change. The exterior colour will be the « Opalescent Silver Grey » from the E-Type Jaguar, the interior will be in red leather. The dashboard will be covered in alloy (I don’t know the name in English but when you look at it, it makes circles).
The floor will be made with quality red carpet, and the steering wheel will be a woody one, Moto Lita.
For the exterior, the rear window behind the seats will be removed, like the windscreen,. This will be replaced by two Brooklands aero-screens. Very British! It won’t have anymore doors or hood, just a tonneau cover.
The wheels will be changed to Cooper S reverse rims in 4,5 », painted in Old English White with A032R Yokohamas…

[Damien]

Time to build the car has arrived. It’s the best part of the job.









On the front drive assembly, everything is replaced by new parts.




A nice Aston filler cap is fitted to the petrol tank… nice…



New brake pipes




The steering whell takes place.



New floor is fitted, 196 holes!






To avoid vibrations, silicone is spread between the frame and the alloy panel.

[Damien]

I'm still working on the dashboard...

Which one do you prefer?

This one? ...





Or this one?...





Which one do you prefer?

[Damien]

I've just finished the red roll around the passenger cell... I've also made the red piping by myself