So. Where did it all start? Why would anyone want to make a car that looked so old? In the late sixties, the "sit up and beg" Ford Popular was an anachronism among the overhead valves, four-speed gearboxes and hydraulic brakes. These "perpendicular" Fords were all but worthless. I remember buying Ford 7Ys, Anglias and Populars for 50p up to around a fiver for spares. The most expensive was a whopping £25 - it had no rear axle but was not rusty and the panels were straight! The specials building craze had finished in the early sixties when the Austin/Morris minivan arrived (less Purchase Tax!) and blew the homebuilt car and motorcycle combination into the weeds! With the new Minivan for a little more money, you and the family could enjoy warm and dry motoring, excellent handing and good fuel economy into the bargain.
In the late sixties, Michael Saunders of Siva Engineering had an idea for a "fun car" that was easy and quick to build as well as cheap to buy. Also part of the plan was that the car would be built on an existing "platform" chassis - the VW Beetle and 2CV both had these but the Ford Popular 103E had a proper chassis and, of course, the mechanics that looked the part. The engine could easily pass for something from much earlier in the 20th century. Almost all of the parts needed were on the old Ford and any of them from 1937 to 1959 could be used. Parts were still cheap and available from Ford dealers and a small selection of tools would allow the enthusiastic amateur to convert the old Ford into an Edwardian beauty. All manner of trimmings from junk shops could be added to get the period touch
A car designer was needed for the body work and this is where Neville Trickett came in. He has produced a number of classic kit and replica designs over the years - the GP Spyder (Porsche RS60), the Minisprint and the Siva Spyder and Saluki among many others.
The development of the fibreglass "tub" made a strong combination with the original Ford chassis once it was securely bolted down. The addition of two seat mouldings (one front seat on the roadster) and the four identical wings completed the bodywork. The one piece bonnet while fiddley to remove and replace kept the wet weather out of the engine! Many builders modified the bonnet to a proper folding arrangement or made their own.
My story
As a lad, I built one a four seater in 1969 and have owned it ever since. The car is now irretrievably part of the family and regularly travels all over the UK and even to France in the summer. We Siva owners have become a somewhat eccentric little band of enthusiasts and I would hope to point any new owner of a Roadster or Tourer in the Ford Sidevalve Owners' Club’s direction.
I collected my kit from the Siva factory near Blandford in the back of a 109inch Landrover. I don't recall any great difficulty building the car (I was 19 at the time) - a bit of repair work to the chassis of the old Ford was about it. The instructions were on a couple of sheets of foolscap paper with a sketch or two to show the dimensions. There were no build videos in those days. As I lived and worked on the family farm at the time, I was able to find many "agricultural parts" for the car. Just to be awkward and realising that the removal of the old Ford body would make the car under-geared, a taller final drive was fitted from a Ford 100E (yes, the differential will fit and gives a 4.5:1 ratio instead of the 5.5:1 on the Ford Popular). This certainly did the trick but was probably a bit advanced for my abilities at this tender age. Still the axle is still in the car and has never given any trouble - blind faith! Also the engine that came with the donor was only 8 horsepower and 900cc which made the car very economical but also very slow. The chassis had the usual rusty areas where the wings ended (and the mud collected) and these areas were reinforced with some steel plate. I didn't drive far before I realised that a windscreen would help so I bought the Siva wooden frame flat screen and secured with the obligatory leather straps.
Not long after the car was built, an old school friend and I decided that a European tour would be a good idea........ The car was made ready and the hovercraft from Ramsgate booked - what a pity that method of cross-channel ferry has gone. I lived in Somerset at the time and had to divert to the Bryanston factory to collect the hood - just in case of rain you understand! My friend lived in Surrey which was sort of on the way but it was a long trip just for the ferry.
To be continued......................
