Pellandini Cars

The Pellandini Cars Ltd.. was an Australian car manufacturer in the 1970s. From 1970 to 1978 by Englishman Peter Pellandine in Cherry Gardens, founded (South Australia ) Company built kit cars built.

History

First curvy mid-engine coupe was built with double doors, which was powered by a four-cylinder in-line engine from the Mini with 1098 cc or 1275 cc capacity. The car was equipped with 10 " aluminum alloy wheels on the front axle and 12" aluminum wheels on the rear axle. Construction and integrated chassis consisted of fiberglass. The suspension for chassis and engine was laminated individually in the chassis for installation of the respective parts. The seats were parts of the chassis and therefore not adjustable. Instead, the pedals are adjusted to the driver. The steering system has been screwed onto the fiberglass chassis. The car weighed 480 kg and accelerated in 5 seconds from 0-100 km / h He had a one-piece, front -hinged bonnet, which also included the radiator and the spare tire next to the fenders.

1974 offered Pellandine also a roadster version, but which proved to be in demand as little. A total of seven coupes were sold. Some of these cars still exist today, but most of them were destroyed in racing accidents.

1978 Pellandini Cars was disbanded because Pellandine went back to the UK. There he built two more models in his new company Pelland Engineering. Both had a fiberglass monocoque chassis and mid-engine.

Pellandini Steam Cat

The Pellandini Sports was the basis for the first steam car of Pellandini, the Steam Cat. He had the same monocoque chassis and was powered by a steam engine with two double-acting cylinders, which gave a power output of 40 bhp (29 kW). This steam engine was installed behind the capacitor formed a rear wing. Pellandines design was based on a project of the South Australian government, which aimed to build a steam car can be used in practice. This steam car is on display at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood (South Australia )

1977 was the Pellandini Steam Cat Mark II He had a steam engine with three double-acting cylinders in the form of a broad arrow. This machine was installed in a tube -frame chassis and covered with a Kevlar body. The car weighed only 475 kg. He was straightforward, rugged and reliable. The steam engine provided a high torque of 1,500 Nm at 0 speed and accelerated the car in under 8 seconds from 0-100 km / h

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 - even in the UK - was 1991 Then, the historic cars at Christie's was sold and can be visited in Cark -in- Cartmel in Cumbria in the Lakeland Motor Museum, Holker Hall..

In the 1990s Pellandine came back to Australia to further develop the steam car. The last version is the Mark IV