Iconic cars like Lotus, Merlyn, Elva, Lola, Chevron and Cooper fill the grids at classic race meetings like the Goodwood Revival. They are well beyond the reach of most of us but that doesn’t stop us drooling over them. Even if we could afford the six figure sums that they attract, running and maintaining one would cost a King’s ransom.

The Sylva J 15 evokes the “Spirit of the Sixties” that these track heroes have without the massive investment and running costs.

The beautifully sculptured Gel coloured, glass fibre body cleverly disguises the higher engine cover necessary to hide the fantastic all alloy Ford 1600 Sigma engine and its slick five speed gearbox. Similarly the headlight height raised to comply with current legislation is carefully absorbed in the flowing body. Perspex headlight covers are available to complete the retro look.

The cockpit, with its wrap around screen, should accommodate most, and has been praised for its ergonomic qualities and seat comfort. The sills provide an enormous amount of covered stowage space.

The multi-tube chassis has side intrusion framework skillfully triangulated into the structure to give superb rigidity and protection. The suspension layout, derived from the J15s acclaimed stable mate the Riot, is designed to give sensible road characteristics with plenty of ground clearance but will not disgrace itself on the track following in the much envied Sylva tradition. The superb Ford power plant is extraordinarily light and doesn’t compromise the handling in any way whilst giving 125 bhp in its standard form. The combination of this and a streamlined car that tips the scales at around 500kg yields a performance normally found only in exotic machinery. This allied with excellent fuel economy and low emissions, everyone is kept happy!

The kit is available “piece-small” or as a rolling chassis. A track day only car could be built for about eight thousand pounds. Allow about another thousand to make it road compliant; ridiculously inexpensive when compared with a one hundred thousand pound Lotus Nineteen!