Gentry Cars
Encyclopedia
The Gentry was a British kit car
styled to resemble a MG TF. It was made by RMB Motors of Barwell, Leicestershire from 1973.
The company was formed by Roger Blockley who had worked for the Triumph Car Company. The car was built on the chassis of a Triumph Herald
using an angle iron framework which supported aluminium over marine ply body tub panels, aluminuim bonnet, engine bay sides and 'fuel tank', with fibreglass wings and doors. The radiator grille was frequently sourced from an MG Magnette ZA/ZB. From 1975 a version was made to fit the Triumph Spitfire
chassis and running gear.
The rights to the car were sold in 1989 to S.P. Motors founded by Gentry owners, Mick Sinclair and Terry Phillips and they developed a Ford based version of the car. Mick Sinclair left the company in 1997 and the name changed to TP Motors who modified the design to take parts from the Ford Sierra. In 2001 the factory unit was sold and the company closed selling the design in 2002 to the Vintage Motor Car Company based in Doncaster, Yorkshire but few if any cars were made. In 2008 the design moved to new owners who formed the Gentry Car Company based in Nuneaton and restarted production.
RMB also made an Austin-Healey 100 replica in the 1980s based on MG MGB parts.
Kit 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...
styled to resemble a MG TF. It was made by RMB Motors of Barwell, Leicestershire from 1973.
The company was formed by Roger Blockley who had worked for the Triumph Car Company. The car was built on the chassis of a Triumph Herald
Triumph 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....
using an angle iron framework which supported aluminium over marine ply body tub panels, aluminuim bonnet, engine bay sides and 'fuel tank', with fibreglass wings and doors. The radiator grille was frequently sourced from an MG Magnette ZA/ZB. From 1975 a version was made to fit the Triumph Spitfire
Triumph Spitfire
The Triumph Spitfire is a small English two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti...
chassis and running gear.
The rights to the car were sold in 1989 to S.P. Motors founded by Gentry owners, Mick Sinclair and Terry Phillips and they developed a Ford based version of the car. Mick Sinclair left the company in 1997 and the name changed to TP Motors who modified the design to take parts from the Ford Sierra. In 2001 the factory unit was sold and the company closed selling the design in 2002 to the Vintage Motor Car Company based in Doncaster, Yorkshire but few if any cars were made. In 2008 the design moved to new owners who formed the Gentry Car Company based in Nuneaton and restarted production.
RMB also made an Austin-Healey 100 replica in the 1980s based on MG MGB parts.