Almac (automobile)
Encyclopedia
Almac is a New Zealand
based kit car company founded in 1984 and located in Upper Hutt
. Almac cars is a part of Almac Reinforced Plastics Ltd fibreglass product manufacturing a company founded in 1971 by Alex McDonald. McDonald's interest in kit cars started while he was living in England, having purchased a Jem Marsh
Sirocco. Jem Marsh founded the Marcos car company
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when he migrated to New Zealand. At that time the most common kit cars in New Zealand were Beach Buggies
based on a Volkswagen
chassis and a wedge shaped sports car, the Australian Purvis Eureka
. In 1976 McDonald set about designing a sports car, similar in shape to the 1974 Lotus Elite
and based on a Volkswagen chassis. This car was sold to Phil Derby who uses it as a track car. No further models were made.
chassis. Twenty-five kits were sold in two years.
McDonald also began to build turnkey models of this car. Construction of these and their kits ended in 1988 because sound Triumph Herald chassis were becoming difficult to obtain and the engine size was limited by the chassis.
The specification for one owned by Mike Boven compared to a TG of Roy Hoares:
as a donor car. The first kits went on sale in 1989. The TG model did not sell as well as the TC and demand tapered off after about sixteen had been made.
. While the prototype was under construction McDonald became disenchanted with it and consigned to the tip.
In 1991 redesign began using a purpose built chassis and Ford Cortina
parts and a Leyland P76
V8 engine. Named the Almac Sabre, it was featured in the NZ Classic Car magazine
in May 1994. By this time the market had changed. The Mazda MX-5
was available and, due a legislative change, cheap second hand Japanese cars were being imported. A new MX5 was only a thousand New Zealand dollars more expensive than the Sabre kit. Also the Ford Cortina did not have a good lineage for a sports car. Despite having good publicity through Driver magazine in 1995, Which Kit in 1996, and Classic Car again in 2000 production ceased in 2001 after only nine models had been made.
With a revival of the kit car industry, in 2002 McDonald began development the Almac Sabre Series 2. A newer and stronger chassis was designed, the Cortina windscreen was retained, a Toyota Lexus V8 motor
was added, and the body received a significant face lift. The new Sabre was launched at the Hamilton Motor Show in March 2004 and with five being ordered.
based car. His intention was to a cheap kit car that could be built for less than $10,000. The kit used Mark 1 or 2 Ford Escort parts and was launched through Classic Car magazine in 2002. The XL was created to meet a demand for a slightly larger chassis.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
based kit car company founded in 1984 and located in Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington. It is New Zealand's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington.-Geography:Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington...
. Almac cars is a part of Almac Reinforced Plastics Ltd fibreglass product manufacturing a company founded in 1971 by Alex McDonald. McDonald's interest in kit cars started while he was living in England, having purchased a Jem Marsh
Jem Marsh
Jeremy George Weston "Jem" Marsh is an engineer, motor manufacturer and race driver. He is perhaps best known as a co-founder of the sports-car manufacturer Marcos, the name being derived from a contraction of his and fellow founder Frank Costin's surnames...
Sirocco. Jem Marsh founded the Marcos car company
Marcos (automobile)
Marcos was a British sports car manufacturer. The name was a combination of founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin.-History:Marcos was founded in Luton, in Bedfordshire, England, in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin. Frank Costin had earlier worked on the De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers and...
.<
First car
McDonald continued his interest in kit carsKit car
A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
when he migrated to New Zealand. At that time the most common kit cars in New Zealand were Beach Buggies
Dune buggy
A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes or beaches. The design is usually a modified vehicle and engine mounted on an open chassis. The modifications usually attempt to increase the power-to-weight ratio by either lightening the...
based on a Volkswagen
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
chassis and a wedge shaped sports car, the Australian Purvis Eureka
Purvis Eureka
The Purvis Eureka is a sports car which was produced by Purvis Cars at Dandenong in Victoria, Australia from 1974 to 1991.First exhibited at the 1974 Melbourne International Motor Show, the Eureka was based on the British Nova kit car design of 1971...
. In 1976 McDonald set about designing a sports car, similar in shape to the 1974 Lotus Elite
Lotus Elite
Not to be confused with the Lotus Elise.The Lotus Elite name was used for two vehicles from Lotus Cars.-1957:The first Elite or Lotus Type 14 was an ultra-light two-seater coupé, produced from 1958 to 1963....
and based on a Volkswagen chassis. This car was sold to Phil Derby who uses it as a track car. No further models were made.
Almac 427
McDonald's friends suggested he create a replica car instead as Volkswagen based kit cars were reaching their end. Using a plastic kitset model and photographs, with the help of George Ulyate, McDonald created scale drawings and started work on a replica Shelby Cobra 427. McDonald contracted Graham Berry of Berry Race Cars Limited to create the chassis and the first car was shown at the 1984 National Hot Rod Show Seventeen cars were sold that year. None were badged as Almac's, and some have been mistaken as genuine Cobra's. About 200 have been produced.Almac TC
As the Cobra was selling well, in 1986 McDonald decided to add another model more of his own design. The car was loosely based on the MG TC. It was not a replica and designed to fit a Triumph HeraldTriumph Herald
The Triumph Herald was a small two-door car introduced in 1959 by the Standard-Triumph Company of Coventry. Body design was by the Italian stylist Michelotti and the car was offered in saloon, convertible, coupé, van, and estate models....
chassis. Twenty-five kits were sold in two years.
McDonald also began to build turnkey models of this car. Construction of these and their kits ended in 1988 because sound Triumph Herald chassis were becoming difficult to obtain and the engine size was limited by the chassis.
The specification for one owned by Mike Boven compared to a TG of Roy Hoares:
| TC - Mike Boven | TG - Roy Hoares | |
| Acquired | 1995 | 2002 |
| Engine | Triumph 2.0 ltr 6 cyl Front Mounted | Toyota 2.0 ltr..Front Mounted |
| Length | 3660mm | 3660mm |
| Width | 1600mm | 1600mm |
| Height | 1240mm | 1240mm |
| Wheelbase | 2400mm | 2400mm |
| Track | 1360mm | 1360mm |
| Brakes | Drum Front/Rear | Disk front/Drum rear |
| Seating | 2 | 2 |
| Kerb Weight | 590kg | 590kg |
Almac TG
Production and work began on the TG in 1988. Although similar to the TC, the TG had an Almac designed chassis and used Holden GeminiHolden Gemini
The Holden Gemini is a compact car that was built and sold by General Motors-Holden's from 1975 to 1986. It was derived from the Japanese Isuzu Gemini, one of the many cars based on the GM T-car platform.- TX :...
as a donor car. The first kits went on sale in 1989. The TG model did not sell as well as the TC and demand tapered off after about sixteen had been made.
Almac Sabre and Sabre Series 2
McDonald had still not been able to build a car that was a unique Almac. McDonald and his son Stuart started work designing a modern interpretation of the Cobra. The first design took some of its design cues from the MGBMG MGB
The MGB is a sports car launched by MG Cars in May 1962 to replace the MGA. Introduced as a four-cylinder roadster, a coupé with 2+2 seating was added in 1965...
. While the prototype was under construction McDonald became disenchanted with it and consigned to the tip.
In 1991 redesign began using a purpose built chassis and Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
parts and a Leyland P76
Leyland P76
The Leyland P76 is a large car that was produced by Leyland Australia, the Australian subsidiary of British Leyland. Featuring what was described at the time as the "standard Australian wheelbase of 111 inches", it was intended to provide the company with a genuine rival to large local models like...
V8 engine. Named the Almac Sabre, it was featured in the NZ Classic Car magazine
NZ Classic Car magazine
NZ Classic Car is a monthly automotive magazine and website that covers all things related to classic and historic cars, events, clubs, and related car culture in New Zealand and to a lesser extent Australia....
in May 1994. By this time the market had changed. The Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5
The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show...
was available and, due a legislative change, cheap second hand Japanese cars were being imported. A new MX5 was only a thousand New Zealand dollars more expensive than the Sabre kit. Also the Ford Cortina did not have a good lineage for a sports car. Despite having good publicity through Driver magazine in 1995, Which Kit in 1996, and Classic Car again in 2000 production ceased in 2001 after only nine models had been made.
With a revival of the kit car industry, in 2002 McDonald began development the Almac Sabre Series 2. A newer and stronger chassis was designed, the Cortina windscreen was retained, a Toyota Lexus V8 motor
Toyota UZ engine
The Toyota UZ engine family is a 32-valve quad-camshaft V8 piston engine series used in Toyota's luxury offerings and sport utility vehicles. Three basic versions have been produced, the 1UZ-FE, 2UZ-FE, and 3UZ-FE...
was added, and the body received a significant face lift. The new Sabre was launched at the Hamilton Motor Show in March 2004 and with five being ordered.
Almac Clubsprint and Clubsprint XL
When kit car production slowed down towards the end of the 1990s McDonald began to look for alternatives. Graham Berry had a completed chassis for a Lotus SevenLotus Seven
The Lotus Seven is a small, simple, lightweight two-seater open-top sports car produced by Lotus Cars between 1957 and 1972....
based car. His intention was to a cheap kit car that could be built for less than $10,000. The kit used Mark 1 or 2 Ford Escort parts and was launched through Classic Car magazine in 2002. The XL was created to meet a demand for a slightly larger chassis.