1958 Tornado Typhoon Roadster

We are delighted to be able to offer for sale this wonderful and rare Tornado Typhoon. Described we are told as an ‘Occasional Four’, it offers space for four people to enjoy alfresco adventures. And with a car so unique to look at, you can be sure that every trip out will be just that!

Our seller bought the car from its long-time owner, who spent many decades lovingly restoring it. Amongst the hardest jobs, without a doubt, was the regelling and repainting of the body.

Looking through the paperwork accompanying the car, we learnt that the car was sat on a roof of a restaurant between Fordingbridge and Ringwood for many a year. It was clearly a talking point and drew customers to the establishment.

We can see a letter from the curator of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, who we sense was not only curious as to why the car was there, but also was probably perturbed as to its deteriorating condition.

The car has been little used in recent years, covering less than 50 miles in the last five years. It is now ready to begin a new chapter in its life. Can you imagine the fun to be had with such a rare and unusual car? The talk of the local car shows, afternoon runs in the countryside and perhaps for the more adventurous, a touring holiday behind the wheel. The North Coast 500 perhaps, or maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves. Its simple mechanicals does mean that roadside repairs should be simple.

Whatever the lucky new owner decides to do, it will be done with a huge smile. It could be you!

The Typhoon is an extraordinary looking car. It takes some time to take in its beauty. Simple, elegant, stylish, designed by a man with a keen eye and a pen and paper.

We can only imagine how difficult the restoration of the fibreglass body was, the many painstaking hours of toil. It was so worth it, as the car is now probably in better shape than when it was first built.

Look at the lovely shut lines on the doors, there are companies producing cars today that would be quite proud of them!

The paint sprayer clearly knew his art too, as the white coating positively gleams.

It’s the little details that excite, those lovely leather straps for the boot and bonnet, the delicate chrome wing mirrors, the tiny twin glass windshields. We could stand for hours admiring its form.

We might be tempted to repaint the wheels and we would possibly want to check the tyres for signs of ageing. Rubber doesn’t last forever.

If you are going to choose an interior colour to pair with a white exterior, then red is the best.

The seats have aged gracefully and have that wonderful patina that is impossible to replicate. Yes, you could add some coloured dye to bring out the rich colour. We would leave them well alone, save perhaps for a little gentle cleaning and the application of some hide food to prevent cracking.

We love the simple instrumentation and the rather optimistic speedometer which tops out at a little over 70mph. We are not sure we would be that brave…

No car from the 1950s would be complete without a wooden steering wheel and the one fitted to the Typhoon is a beauty.

Carpets are a little grubby and would doubtless benefit from a careful clean.

There is a carpeted boot with space for a modicum of luggage, so a weekend away Tornado style could well be on the cards.

And then there are the rear seats. Saving the best ‘til last? Well maybe not as they are really perches rather than proper seats. Kids will love them for a quick blast round the block, just don’t tell the health and safety authorities.

Underneath

As usual, we have included plenty of photographs of the car’s underside for your perusal.

We would suggest a little ramp time and some gentle cleaning may be in order and the careful application of some rust proofing paint where appropriate. Prevention is always better than cure.

Under that lovely clamshell bonnet sits the simple Ford engine and we can imagine the fun to be had tinkering with it on a warm sunny afternoon.

We noted some coolant coming from a loose clip connecting the pipe to the radiator.  This will want to be secured before any meaningful driving.

We can see signs of careful maintenance, but it should be borne in mind that the car has been little used over the last few years, so a little gentle recommissioning may well be in order.

The car has undergone a sympathetic restoration over many years by a knowledgeable and loving owner. The attention to detail is excellent.

There are photographs of many of the interesting documents that will accompany the car, and these will help the new owner understand what an interesting and unusual car that they are lucky to own.

The MoT history shows the car has travelled but a few hundred miles in the last decade or so and surely that now needs to change.

The Fairthorpe Motor Club keeps a Tornado register and much more information we suspect can be gleaned from them. There may also be the possibility of meeting other owners.

We anticipate that this lovely Tornado Typhoon will attract a lot of serious interest. Unique and different undoubtedly sells. So, how much will it sell for? This did require a little head scratching if we are honest.

We are reliably informed the one recently sold in Holland for 40,000 Euros. We reckon our beauty will fetch between £16,000 and £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’