Glenfrome Delta: The 1970s Sports Car That Never Hit the Road

Lost In Time - In the world of automotive design, many prototypes are created with great ambition, only to remain hidden from the broader public. One such intriguing example is the Glenfrome Delta, a two-seater sports car developed by Glenfrome Engineering in the 1970s. Despite its unique design and promising features, the Delta never advanced beyond the concept stage, but it still left a mark as a rare glimpse of innovation and craftsmanship.

The Glenfrome Delta was a two-seater sports car developed by Glenfrome Engineering in the 1970s.. (Picture from: Autocar)

The Glenfrome Delta was the result of a 20-month development process. Its creators, working with limited resources but a clear vision, designed the car around a simple steel chassis. What set the Delta apart was its hand-formed aluminium bodywork, shaped meticulously over a temporary light steel tube frame. The engine was a rear mid-mounted 1998cc 16-valve, single overhead cam (SOHC) four-cylinder unit, sourced from the Triumph Dolomite Sprint. To complement this, the car was fitted with a 4-speed manual transmission taken from a Saab Turbo, providing it with a capable, if not outstanding, powertrain.

Ken Evans posed along with his car creation the Glenfrome Delta. (Picture from: TriumphDolomite.co.uk)

When the car made its debut at the 1977 Earls Court Motor Show, its sleek design caught the eye of many. The Delta's aesthetic was reminiscent of the futuristic and striking concepts of the time, notably the Porsche Tapiro, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. With smooth lines, curved panels, and an overall sleek profile, the Delta looked every bit like a car designed to turn heads. But despite its appearance, it struggled to move beyond its prototype status. Plans to improve the car’s performance with a turbocharged Rover V8 engine and a 5-speed ZF transaxle never materialized.

The Glenfrome Delta's bodywork, made entirely of hand-shaped aluminium, was a work of craftsmanship. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportsCars)

What stood out most about the Delta was the passion that went into its creation. The bodywork, made entirely of hand-shaped aluminium, was a work of craftsmanship. The process itself was unconventional. There were no technical drawings or design sketches; instead, the builders, father and sons Ken & Michael Evans and Vivian Hunt, laid out the car’s mechanical components on the workshop floor and used chalk lines to guide the frame's construction. The steel chassis was welded together to hold the components in place, while the aluminium panels were bent and rolled to fit over the light tube frame. Once the panels were shaped, the frame was removed, leaving behind a smooth, freehand-formed body. 

The Glenfrome Delta powered by a rear mid-mounted 1998cc 16-valve, single overhead cam (SOHC) four-cylinder unit, sourced from the Triumph Dolomite Sprint. (Picture from: VitesseSteve)

The prototype’s mechanical underpinnings were practical, if somewhat unrefined. It used 13-inch wheels, which made the car feel undergeared. The suspension components were sourced from other vehicles, with the front suspension coming from a Triumph GT6 and the rear using a semi-trailing arm setup from a Triumph Stag. This mix of parts gave the Delta a firm and sporty ride, although it wasn’t without its rough edges. The car’s handling, while responsive, reflected its prototype nature, with some bumps and imperfections in the driving experience.

The Glenfrome Delta used 13-inch wheels, which made the car feel undergeared, mated with the front suspension coming from a Triumph GT6 and the rear using a semi-trailing arm setup from a Triumph Stag. (Picture from: Cartefacts)

Though the Delta had potential, especially with the planned improvements, it never went into production. The prototype was stored away for several years, and the idea of the Delta faded into the background. Despite this, the car remained a symbol of what could have been, a glimpse of a high-performance sports car built with passion and ingenuity. Although it never reached its full potential, the Glenfrome Delta is remembered as a remarkable example of creative automotive engineering from a small but determined company. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TRIUMPHDOLOMITE.CO.UK | ALLCARINDEX | AUTOCAR | CLASSIC AND RECREATION SPORTS CARS | CARTEFACTS | VITESSESTEVE | COACHBUILD ]

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