Pelland Engineering
Pelland Engineering is a British manufacturer of kit cars, who was a resident from 1979 until the 1990s in Thetford (Norfolk ). Founder and owner was Peter Pellandine, who had operated until 1978, a similar company called Pellandini Cars in Australia.
Pelland Sports
Pellandine brought out the sport, a car that was based on the steam car manufactured before in Australia. The two-seater sports had to drive the VW Beetle, which, however, was incorporated as a mid-engine. This should improve the dynamic properties of the car. The monocoque bodywork was made of GRP. The front axle with stabilizer was taken over by VW and the rear axle hung on a self-constructed by Pellandine transverse leaf spring. The car was generally designed as a roadster, but there were a hardtop with gullwing doors.
The construction was sold in 1980 Ryder Cars in Coventry ( Warwickshire ). This company brought the car out to be a Rembrandt and explored whether it was possible to replace the VW boxer engine with a built also as a mid-engine Ford Kent engine with crossflow cylinder head. Later this company was sold to Graham cars in Tyneside. Both mentioned companies built very few copies, and after some time the design was sold to Listair.
Listair revised the design of the late 1980s and fallow the new vehicle out as Dash. On request there is also a version with Alfasud engine.
In 1990, Dash Sports Cars in Chester Wood ( Hereford ) the project.
In the years 1996/1997 Dash sold the design further to Richard Bell, who moved to California to Dana Point. Bell still possesses three copies of the car and continues the research on the history of the model.
Chris Evans, who lives near Inverness, is the owner, secretary and treasurer of the Pelland Rembrandt Register. The club has only a few members, but felt until April 2009 nineteen surviving copies of the car on. Evans himself has five cars, two of which are perfectly fit to drive, two restored and one is prepared just for the purchase of molds for new fiberglass bodies. This last derivative of the original design is slightly larger and become more practical in use, but should retain the character of Peter Pellandines original.
The Dash demonstration copy and the forms were handed over to Mel Hubbard of Manx Buggies in Norfolk.
Pellandine Steam Cat
By brought from Australia Pellandine Steam Cat Pellandine wanted to break the world speed record for steam-powered land vehicles, standing on 205.45 km / h. He tried this several times, but was thrown back by technical problems again and again. The last attempt was in 1991. Subsequently, historic car was sold at Christie's and can be visited in Cark -in- Cartmel in Cumbria in the Lakeland Motor Museum, Holker Hall.
Pelland Sports Mark II
1989 brought Peter Pellandine a completely new version of the Pelland Sports out. Also this car had a fiberglass body, but was equipped with a suspension with double wishbones and was powered by a built as a mid-engined Alfasud engine. There was both a roadster and a coupe with normal folding doors instead of hinged doors from the previous model. The road holding of the vehicle described in the magazine Kitcar International as "superb".
In the 1990s Pellandine returned to Australia to further his steam car.