Fun with a Dutton

Sir,

Lotus Sevens are good fun.

Dutton “B” types are good fun. I’ve discovered the latter point by building one at home. The Dutton space frame with aluminium side panels has glass-fibre bonnet, seats, rear section and wings. The rest is up to the builder although Triumph front suspension is required and the choice of Triumph IRS or Ford live axle is given.

My car has a 948 c.c. Austin-Healey Sprite engine and gearbox with IRS. The result is a handsome, lively fun car giving 52 m.p.g. and is cheap to maintain. Weather protection equipment is available with special merit going to the hard-top which has laminated glass rear and side windows.

The cost of building the car was considerably lower than the cost of building a new “Seven” has ever been. My car was made for road use and has earned generous praises in that respect, and I see no reason why these little monsters shouldn’t be used to good effect in club racing.

Many thanks to Motor Sport for giving us the best monthly journal of our kind of motoring.

Leicester Alan Bennett