Fairthorpe Rockette

Manufacturer	Fairthorpe
Production	1963 to 1967
Class:	Sports car
Layout:	Front engine, rear drive
Body:	2 door sports
Engine:	Six-cylinders
Transmission:	Four-speed manual
Top Speed:	112 mph, 180.3 km/h
wheel base:	88.00 in, 2235 mm
front track:	52.00 in, 1321 mm
overall length:	147.00 in, 3734 mm
overall height:	46 in, 1168 mm

The Fairthorpe Rockette was a small light weight British sports car from the 1960s.

History

The Fairthorpe Rockette was introduced in 1962 and produced until 1967. Donald Bennett, a wartime bomber pilot, set up the motor manufacturing business in Buckinghamshire in the early 1950s, the Fairthorpe Rockette was introduced in the summer of 1962. The Fairthorpe Rockette was available to buy as a complete car or as a cheap kit form body and chassis.The price was initially £ 725 for the factory car and jut under £1000 by the end of production the kits came with a price of around £550 to £650.

The unusual car was a two plus one seat located in the centre rear the even more unusual centre cyclops headlight did not prove popular and was soon discontinued in the summer of 1963 after only a short time making this the rarest of all the models .

It was basically the same as the Fairthorpe Zeta except for the fact that it required a modified glass-fibre body to house a more powerful and larger Triumph Vitesse six-cylinder 1596 cc engine with 2 Solex semi-downdraft carburettors. a small Six-cylinder with cast iron cylinder head and block.This this gave a near 50-50 distribution of weight of 51 % to front axle, and 49 % at the rear axle fitted to a mechanical gear box with 4 gears and overdrive capable of well over 100mph. Improved with optional accessories for better performance and handling that include twin tail pipes, 3 SU type HS 2 carburettors and anti-roll bar.

PERFORMANCE: Fairthorpe Rockette

• Engine Capacity 97.61 cu in, 1596 cu cm
• Fuel Consumption 35.0 m/imp gal, 29.0 m/US gal, 8.1 1 x 100 km
• Max Speed 112 mph, 180.3 km/h
• max power (SAE): 70 hp at 5000 rpm
• max torque (SAE) 12.7 kgm at 2800 rpm
• max number of engine rpm: 5500
• acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 17.3 sec, 0—50 mph (0 —80 km/h) 11.1 sec
• speed in in direct drive at 1000 rpm: 17.5 mph, 28.1 km/h.
• power-weight ratio: 14.5 lb/hp, 6.6 kg/hp
• max speed in 1st gear: 32 mph, 51.5 km/h; max speed in 2nd gear: 53 mph, 85.3 km/h; max speed in 3rd gear: 75 mph, 120.7 km/h;
  max speed in 4th gear: 97 mph, 120.7 km/h; max speed in overdrive: 112 mph, 180.3 km/h

Very few of the factory cars were made with less than 30 sold until the end of production in 1967.