Kevin Jones – 1986 Hustler

These unusual cars date back to the late-1970s and were the brainchild of Aston Martin and Lagonda designer, William Towns. Developed into kits by his Interstyl Studios business, they are rare and interesting today.

This one appears to be a Force 4 model and was being sold by Kevin’s good friend, Andy. “It was going to end up on an internet auction site but after going to take a look I was definitely interested. Mice had got to it, but it was too interesting to turn down although he thought I was mad taking it on! I call it the ‘Marmite’ car.”

The first stage was having it delivered to a workshop to tackle the seized brakes, and it is now in the owner’s garage awaiting a full restoration. In the meantime he is enjoying researching the car’s history, and says there is still more to discover.

What he does know is that the Hustler was built in the early-1980s by the late-David Luckett, a well-respected Formula 1 engineer who worked for a number of teams. It appears to be based on an Austin 1300 Vanden Plas and is powered by an A+ engine, although there are components from other vehicles, too.

This particular example features plenty of equipment, including a sunroof and electric windows, and there is also what appears to be a motorsport-inspired braking system. And we also know that it previously won the award for ‘Best Utility Vehicle’ at the 1987 Alternative & Kit Car Show.

We are sure it will receive plenty of interest from those that enjoy cars that are a little different, and it is certainly going to be a fascinating project. The owner would love to hear from anyone that knows about these quirky machines so be sure to have a chat with him.