The Family Sylva

The Sylva Star
The Star was the first kit car designed by Jeremy Phillips the founder of Sylva Autokits and was put into production in 1984. The cars were based on a Vauxhall Viva donor using the front subframe and the rear axle. The looks of the car were not to everyones taste, but they did make an alternative to the pisspoor Dutton kits available at the time.
The Sylva Leader
The Leader was the next generation to emerge, based on the Star but with a two piece glass fibre body the Leader was used on both road and track. Brain Healey won the 750 Motor Club kit car championship for three years in a Leader 400 using a Ford 1700 Crossflow engine.
The Leader project was later sold off and the car renamed the Leader SS. The evolution Leader was the 400 that can be distinguised by the bonnet bulge, shown above, and use of Vauxhall Chevette running gear
The Sylva Striker
The Striker is the bread and butter car for Sylva Autokits. With lighter construction than the Leader and a more seven-esque type body it is a great car for competitions and has been fitted with a variety of engines Crossflows, Fiats, Rotaries and V8s. The Striker has evolved during the years of its manufactor, originally available with "Clamshell" or, as shown here cycle front mudgards. The single prototype Mk1 Striker, known as the "Rotory rocket", was powered by a mazda twin rotor engine and worked hard around the race circuits for many years. The Mk 2 striker, by far the most popular Striker features rocker arm front suspension with inboard damper and springs. The evolution Mk3 used more familier whishbone and control rod front suspension.
The Sylva Pheonix
The Mk4 was a racing devlopment of the Striker that had a choice of fronts (droop snoot shown here) and no windscreen. This car was later built under licence and known as the Pheonix.
Further development has been carried out by Mark Fisher of Fisher Sportscars and is now called the Fisher Spyder.
The Sylva Fury
The Fury has the looks of a 60's sportcar but with handling of the best. Primary road based, this car has proved very popular with home builders interesed in a quality kit and easy to live with car. Now available from Fisher sportscars in a configuration suitable for fitment of a Honda Fireblade motorbike engine. ( Note the yelleow Sylva Star in the background.)
The Sylva Stylus You really need images on to see these pictures
Shock horror the first Sylva with a boot. The Fury was restyled to highten the scuttle and make deeper doors to provide room for taller engines. This results in a less curvy shape than the Fury. Though not the usual fitment here is an example of Stylus fitted with a v8
Stylus engine bay bristling with a V8
Mk4 clubmans engine
Jesterlogo
The Jester represents an inovative change of style, that reflects a move back to the roots of the kit car movement. Using a Ford Fiesta interior and cost effective components this fun to drive car can be put on the road for a modest outlay.
The Sylva Phoenix Returns
Mk4 clubmans front Mk4 clubmans rear
1999 saw the reintroduction, by Sylva, of the popular Mk4 clubmans. This excelant racer is bound to do well on both the track and road. Shown here fitted with a Fiat twin cam but Ford Zetec is an option.
Mk4 clubmans front
Meet the Mojo
The latest innovation from the Sylva factory is the Sylva Mojo. A mid engined flyer bases on components from a Mk2 Fiesta and a multi-tube chaises covered in elegant Gel coated fiberglass. Suspension at the front is an updated version of the top rocker arm and at the rear is a De Dion located, twin trailing arm with panhard rod arrangement. More details from the Sylva factory in Louth.
Mojo interior and rear engine bay.