After this piece of genuine British motoring history was sold last week for ridiculously little money, you'll have another chance tomorrow. The very last project to be designed and built by Frank Costin has made it to the market and is up for auction with H&H. Aerodynamicist Costin was of course the co-founder of Marcos cars and Cosworth Engineering, but also worked for De Haviland, Lotus, Jaguar, Vanwall and Maserati for which he designed some awesome vehicles. He was the first to use a NACA duct in a car.
This car came in 1991 and was a testbed for the new Costin Roadster. It used a spaceframe chassis and a 998 Mini engine, which was placed just in front of the car's rear wheels. The car became affectionately known as 'The Dustbin'. According to the seller's information it was built in collaboration with Simon Garrett, who went on to design the Bluebird that broke the World Land Speed record for electric vehicles at Pendine in 2000. From the seller's blurb: "Registered on a Q plate and always dry stored, this fascinating Costin prototype is currently a non-runner, so will require a degree of recommissioning before taking to the roads once more. It comes complete with a current-type V5 log book."See it here.
Interestingly, its successor is offered in the same sale, too: the second prototype, now with Rover K-series power. And the moulds and a spare body plus chassis frame are there, too...
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This car came in 1991 and was a testbed for the new Costin Roadster. It used a spaceframe chassis and a 998 Mini engine, which was placed just in front of the car's rear wheels. The car became affectionately known as 'The Dustbin'. According to the seller's information it was built in collaboration with Simon Garrett, who went on to design the Bluebird that broke the World Land Speed record for electric vehicles at Pendine in 2000. From the seller's blurb: "Registered on a Q plate and always dry stored, this fascinating Costin prototype is currently a non-runner, so will require a degree of recommissioning before taking to the roads once more. It comes complete with a current-type V5 log book."See it here.
Interestingly, its successor is offered in the same sale, too: the second prototype, now with Rover K-series power. And the moulds and a spare body plus chassis frame are there, too...
Ultra lightweight 1991 Costin roadster prototype is better known as The Dustbin
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
The car is registered on a Q-plate but needs recommissioning now
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
Space framed, aluminium bodied, Mini engined and Frank Costin designed
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
Please don't say it's ugly. I don't think that's the point of this creature
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
There's no doubt this is a two-seater. Cockpit does look a little cramped
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
I've only known it with a 998 Mini engine with single HS6 carb. This looks like a Weber though
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
This is what it was meant to look like in production. But Costin's death spelled the end
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
This prototype dates from 1993, two years before the MGF came out. I know which one I'd prefer!
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
The second prototype was, however, never finished. Note lack of doors. And floors
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
Spare chassis frame is up for auction, too. It's said to be able to withstand 300bhp-plus
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers
As are the body moulds and an extra body shell for the Roadster
Picture courtesy H&H Auctioneers