We have featured a few of the fiberglass bodied Israeli built Sabras over the years, but this is the first time we’ve featured one that isn’t a sports car. But that’s probably because these tiny fiberglass micro wagon is quite rare, with some 40 cars or less believed to be imported into America it’s no wonder we’ve never seen one before. It has clearly been parked in this barn for a while, with much of the paint gone. Being based off of a Ford Anglia means parts shouldn’t be too hard to find, but hopefully all the trim and interior pieces are here. I see a complete set of new tail lights, which is promising! You can find this unusual little car here on eBay with an opening bid of $3,500. The seller suggests it would make for a cool gasser, but could you bring yourself to modify this rare car? Thanks to Robert R for this tip!
the Sabra is ok… BUT …..WHAT’s the black car in the barn ????
It’s a Wellington Major Minor which came with the famous pushmepullyou single overhead valve engine and the equally unreliable Twiggs concentric circle transmission, the latter of which was uniquely made of twigs from willow trees growing along the Cam River near Cambridge. The transmission would work reasonably well but if you didn’t water it regularly it would dry up and break and if you DID water it, the branches would sprout and the leaves would gum up the works and render the car inoperable.
The car was a sad ending for the Wellington Machine Works which, during WWII came up with the futuristic idea of using soldiers in giant balls to cross the English Channel and invade France. Unfortunately with plastic in high demand the prototype was made of iron and glass. The test pilot barely escaped with his life when he broke the glass to escape as the ball rolled across the bottom of the channel. Wellington’s critical initial research was used by several companies in the 1980s, when it became public domain, to invent the hamster ball. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamster_ball
Every time I see someone selling a half-finished rare car like this and they’re kindly throwing in a pile of new parts too I’m highly suspicious that what you DON’T see is the few unobtanium parts that they could not find which is why they’re bailing out on the project… -_-
@Mark E I think you are very hard on this seller…the car is indeed not half finished it looks in original condition & not touched. And that you think throwing in a pile of new parts means they are covering up a conspiracy is very unfair especially as the car looks complete in photos. Sometimes sellers on ebay are not always scoundrels and bailing out for the wrong reasons.
And no I am not this seller as I live in another country. Infact i have a very rare Aussie fibreglass sportscar [1959 Buchanan Cobra not to be confused with AC or shelby we had the name first] of only 7 maybe 8 made that uses those exact same tailights so like all fibreglass cars parts can be found.. Infact they are pommy tailights . Just looking at the photos I can see this car is full of pommy car parts, so easy to source those little parts. Morris minor or mini rear door hinges. Morris Minor ashtray, front morry/ BMC parking lights and headlights, pommy sunvisor, rear BMC taillights, looks like a black faced speedo possibly mini or late morry minor though not sure where the morry changed to black as we never got late model morries here or numerous other cars like triumph.. So my point is this car is an easy resto..ford motors and boxes still should be easy to get if needed. the body looks original and complete.
The only thing I dont like is being so original and COMPLETE, offering it as a gasser is my only dislike on his advert. Ironically though i have a bare incomplete rare NOS Lightburn Zeta body shell that looks very similar to this that I may have to offer as a gasser body [although we call the drag cars here] because with so few cars made and remaining, a bare body shell is of less need as being fibreglass most can generally repair a damaged complete car and i find most do rather than chase a replacement body. If car complete never but there are times when the remains of car can be offered as a gasser, this is not one of them.
RIPPER FIND. wish we got Sabra here as the sportscar is very nice.
@Mark E although you did crack me up on the Wellington Major Minor story. Especially as most of my life I have been driving Morris Minors and Morris Majors [or their siblings]. And if not Major Minors driving goggomobils which are the automotive equivalent of hamster balls.