# Fairlite

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fairlite
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fairlite.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairlite
> Source revision: 1280817931
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Infobox car
| name = Fairlite
| type = [Kit car](/source/Kit_car)
| manufacturer = [Walklett Bros.](/source/Ginetta_Cars)
| production = 1958-1962
| model_years = 1958-1963
| factory = [Suffolk](/source/Suffolk)
| body_style = [Convertible](/source/Convertible_(car))
| related = [Ford 8 and 10 HP](/source/Ford_7Y)
| layout = [FR layout](/source/Front-engine%2C_rear-wheel-drive_layout)
| engine = {{cvt|1172|cc|cuin L}} ''[Ford Sidevalve](/source/Ford_Sidevalve_engine)'' [I4](/source/Straight-four_engine)
| powerout = 
| transmission = 3 and 4-speed [Manual](/source/Manual_transmission)
| wheelbase = {{cvt|7.5|ft|mm|0}}
| length = {{cvt|3500|mm|in|1}}
| width = {{cvt|1660|mm|in|1}}
| height = {{cvt|1322|mm|in|1}}
| weight = {{cvt|980|lb|kg|0}}
}}

The '''Fairlite''' was a kit car built by the Walklett Brothers, who were also behind [Ginetta Cars](/source/Ginetta_Cars), meant to be installed on the chassis of the [Ford 8 and 10 HP](/source/Ford_7Y). The Fairlite was the first full [fiberglass](/source/fiberglass) design developed by the Walklett Brothers, in response to a drying up of sales of "specials" in favor of the booming kit car market.<ref name=BW94_41>{{citation | title = Ginetta: The Inside Story | last = Walklett | first = Bob | publisher = Bookmarque Publishing | location = Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire, UK | date = 1994 | isbn = 1870519280 | page = 41 | ref = BW94 }}</ref> The car was originally built as a [Kit car](/source/Kit_car) based on the [Ford 8 and 10 HP](/source/Ford_7Y) {{cvt|7.5|ft|m|1}} wheelbase, but the body could be fit to many other chassis such as the [Buckler spaceframe](/source/Buckler_Cars).<ref name=GOrgFair>{{Cite web |title=Fairlite |url=https://www.ginetta.org/index.php/history/model-index/1960-s/fairlite |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ginetta.org}}</ref> Despite the car selling reasonably well, with 60 being made, the Walklett Brothers did not think the car followed the ethos of what they wanted Ginetta cars to be – it did not handle particularly well, and to be a Ginetta a car had to have an in-house chassis.<ref name=BW94_41/> The Fairlite was therefore never sold under the Ginetta name. The kit cost £49 new.

The car cuts down on the weight of the [Ford 8 and 10 HP](/source/Ford_7Y) by {{cvt|560|lb|kg|0}}, meaning the acceleration gain is massive, with the Ginetta improving on the Ford 10 HP top speed of {{Convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, up to {{Convert|71|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, which means it accelerated to {{Convert|60|mph|kph|abbr=on}}, in about 11 seconds, versus the Ford 10 HP which is unable to hit {{Convert|60|mph|kph|abbr=on}}.<ref name=GOrgFair/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fairlite |url=http://www.fordspecials.co.uk/fairlite.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |work= Ford Sidevalve Based Specials}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ginetta Banner |url=https://www.ginetta.org/index.php/events?view=category&id=13 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ginetta.org}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ginetta Cars}}

Category:Cars introduced in 1958
Category:Cars discontinued in 1962
Category:Kit cars
Category:1960s cars
Fairlite

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fairlite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairlite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairlite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.