Spartan Cars
Spartan Cars was a British manufacturer of kit cars that operated from 1973 to 1995.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Spartan Cars was a British kit-car manufacturer established in 1973 by Jim McIntyre, a Nottingham vehicle-repair business owner. The company entered the market with an open, traditionally styled two-seat sports car assembled from a mixture of proprietary bodywork, a tubular steel structure, and mechanical components sourced from mainstream British cars. Its first design used the chassis and running gear of the Triumph Herald together with a Triumph Spitfire engine. This approach allowed customers to construct an inexpensive, distinctive road car by combining a supplied kit with a donor vehicle and other components. The company initially operated at Mapperley Plains in Nottingham and moved to Pinxton, Derbyshire, in 1978. Its name was a humorous reference to the difficult economic conditions in Britain when the business was founded rather than a direct invocation of the ancient Spartan warriors. Spartan's early product used aluminium body panels fitted over a steel tube frame, with glass-fibre wings and a canvas roof supported by a simple tubular structure. Because kit-car construction required the owner to obtain or adapt additional parts, early examples could also incorporate items such as Hillman Avenger bumpers and a Wolseley 18/85 grille. A basic kit was advertised at £250, while a complete road-ready example displayed at the 1975 Custom Car show carried a much higher price of £2,365. A 2+2 version followed in 1976 on a wheelbase extended by six inches. The larger configuration and the availability of alternative engines encouraged Spartan to develop its own chassis rather than rely entirely on the Triumph donor platform. As Triumph Heralds and related components became less common and more valuable, the company began designing a new chassis around Ford Cortina Mk III to Mk V parts. This became the Spartan Mk II, launched commercially in 1980. Compared with the original design, the Mk II had a revised rear body, greater width and length, a different engine position intended to improve weight distribution, and useful luggage capacity for a small kit car. The supplied package could include the chassis, dashboard, body components, doors, wings, upholstery, and propshaft. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Spartan range increasingly used Ford Sierra components, while continental European cars could use Ford Taunus donor parts. In approximately 1991, production manager Steve Beardsall took control of the company and supervised the introduction of the Treka, a Jeep-inspired vehicle based on the second-generation Ford Fiesta. A Dutch importer renewed sales in the early 1990s and also offered fully built cars, helping maintain the marque's presence in continental Europe. Spartan's activities extended beyond its principal roadster. Sherwood Universal Vehicles, a related company formed in 1984, produced the Sherwood estate-car conversion on a new chassis using Ford Cortina Mk IV components. Its detachable rear roof allowed it to function as a pickup. The Starcraft was a more unusual six-wheel motor-caravan conversion using Ford Cortina or later Ford Sierra mechanical components, with the customer responsible for much of the interior fit-out. The company's final reported model was the Bandit, a hot-rod design with glass-fibre panels, a ladder-type chassis, and Ford Cortina donor components. Spartan Cars operated until 1995. More than 4,000 kits were produced, and the company reported exports to more than 23 countries. Its legacy is therefore associated with accessible home-built motoring, reuse of widely available donor-car components, and a broad but low-volume range of British specialist vehicles rather than with mass-market automobile production.
History
Spartan Cars emerged in 1973 from Jim McIntyre's vehicle-repair business in Nottingham. The company's first vehicle was an open two-seat kit car styled in the tradition of pre-war sports cars. It combined a steel tubular frame and aluminium body panels with glass-fibre wings, a canvas top, Triumph Herald chassis and mechanical components, and a Triumph Spitfire engine. The design was intended for owner assembly and therefore depended on a donor vehicle and separately sourced parts. The company name was reportedly chosen as a joke about Britain's economic circumstances rather than as a historical reference to Sparta. The business was initially based at Mapperley Plains, Nottingham, before relocating to Pinxton, Derbyshire, in 1978. Spartan expanded the original concept in 1976 with a 2+2 body on a wheelbase six inches longer than the two-seater. The larger design and the use of alternative engines prompted the company to develop an in-house chassis. A complete car displayed at the Custom Car show in London in December 1975 was listed at £2,365, although no sales were made at that event. As Triumph donor cars became harder to obtain, Spartan began work in 1977 on a new chassis using Ford Cortina Mk III through Mk V components. The resulting Spartan Mk II reached the market in 1980. It had a less angular rear section, a wider and longer structure than the original, and an engine position moved rearward relative to the Cortina donor to improve handling balance. The kit included substantial elements of the finished vehicle, including the chassis, body parts, doors, wings, dashboard, upholstery and propshaft, while many mechanical and trim parts still came from donor vehicles. In later years, Ford Sierra components became increasingly important; cars supplied to continental Europe could also use Ford Taunus parts. Spartan's product activity broadened during the 1980s. Sherwood Universal Vehicles was created as a separate company in 1984 to manufacture the Sherwood, an estate-car conversion using a new chassis and Ford Cortina Mk IV mechanical components. Its detachable rear roof section enabled a pickup configuration, and approximately 110 kits were sold. The Starcraft converted Ford Cortina running gear into a six-wheel motor caravan. The vehicle retained selected central Cortina elements but used a new steel chassis and a large body, while customers largely determined the caravan interior. Later examples used Ford Sierra donors; approximately 200 kits were sold. Around 1991, production manager Steve Beardsall took over the company. Under his direction, Spartan introduced the Treka, a Jeep-style vehicle with aluminium panels over a tubular steel frame, based on the Ford Fiesta Mk II. A Dutch importer resumed sales in the early 1990s after an earlier period of import activity and had previously prepared Dutch-language instructions for the Mk I. The importer also offered fully assembled cars, not only component kits. Spartan's last reported model was the Bandit, a hot-rod using glass-fibre panels, a ladder chassis and Ford Cortina donor components; at least three were made. The company ceased operations in 1995. Across its production life, more than 4,000 kits were made and exported to more than 23 countries. Spartan is remembered as a low-volume British kit-car producer whose business model combined proprietary styling and chassis development with readily available mass-market donor components.
- 1995
Operations end
[1]Spartan Cars ceases operating after producing more than 4,000 kits and exporting to over 23 countries.
- 1991
Steve Beardsall takes control
[1]The production manager becomes company principal and oversees the subsequent introduction of the Treka.
- 1984
Sherwood Universal Vehicles is formed
[1]A separate related company begins producing the Sherwood estate and pickup conversion.
- 1980
Spartan Mk II reaches the market
[1]The company introduces a new Ford Cortina-based design with a bespoke chassis and revised bodywork.
- 1978
Production moves to Pinxton
[1]The company relocates from Mapperley Plains in Nottingham to Pinxton, Derbyshire.
- 1976
2+2 version introduced
[1]Spartan adds a longer-wheelbase 2+2 model and begins developing an in-house chassis to accommodate the expanded format and additional engine choices.
- 1975
Complete car displayed at the Custom Car show
[1]A road-ready Spartan is shown at the London Custom Car show with a listed price of £2,365.
- 1973
Spartan Cars is founded
[1]Jim McIntyre establishes the company in Nottingham and launches its open two-seat kit car based on Triumph components.
Products and positioning
A British specialist-kit marque focused on affordable, distinctive, owner-built vehicles assembled from supplied bodywork and chassis components plus mechanical parts from common donor cars.
Two-seat kit car · 1973
Spartan original roadster
The original Spartan was an open, traditionally styled two-seat kit car launched in 1973. It used a Triumph Herald chassis and mechanical components with a Triumph Spitfire engine. The supplied construction combined aluminium body panels, a steel tubular frame, glass-fibre wings and a canvas roof. Because it was sold as a kit, builders also had to obtain or adapt donor-car parts such as bumpers, grille and other trim.
Four-seat kit car · 1976
Spartan 2+2
Introduced in 1976, the 2+2 extended the original concept with a wheelbase six inches longer than the two-seat car. The larger body and broader engine choices contributed to Spartan's decision to develop an in-house chassis. It retained the marque's owner-built character while providing limited additional seating and a more practical configuration.
Ford-based kit car · 1980
Spartan Mk II
The Mk II, marketed from 1980, replaced the earlier Triumph-dependent platform with a bespoke chassis designed around Ford Cortina Mk III to Mk V components. It was wider and longer than the original, moved the engine rearward for improved weight distribution, and featured a less square rear end with useful luggage space. The kit could include the chassis, bodywork, doors, wings, dashboard, upholstery and propshaft. Later cars used Ford Sierra or, in continental Europe, Ford Taunus components.
Estate and pickup conversion · 1984
Sherwood
The Sherwood was produced by related company Sherwood Universal Vehicles from 1984. It used a new chassis with Ford Cortina Mk IV mechanical components and converted the donor into an estate-style vehicle. Its detachable rear roof section allowed the vehicle to be used as a pickup. Approximately 110 kits were sold.
Six-wheel motor-caravan conversion
Starcraft
The Starcraft was an unusual six-wheel motor-caravan kit based initially on Ford Cortina Mk III to Mk V running gear and later on Ford Sierra donors. A new steel chassis supported a large body with an overhanging section above the front seats. The donor's central section, wiring, instruments and windscreen were retained, but only one rear axle was driven. Buyers were responsible for much of the interior caravan design and fitting.
Jeep-style kit car · 1991
Treka
Introduced under Steve Beardsall's leadership, the Treka was a Jeep-inspired utility vehicle based on the second-generation Ford Fiesta. It used aluminium panels mounted over a tubular steel frame and extended Spartan's range beyond its traditional roadster format.
Hot-rod kit car
Bandit
The Bandit was the company's final reported vehicle. It combined glass-fibre body panels with a ladder-type chassis and used a Ford Cortina as its donor. At least three examples were produced, making it an exceptionally low-volume model even within Spartan's specialist range.
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