The Piper's last call

Posted by John Mellberg October 16, 2023

The Piper's last call

In my capacity of a researcher, gathering and discovering the history of low-volume and kit car makers, I've had the honor of corresponding with many of the people who were directly involved in these endeavors. In the case of Piper, I came to know Bill Atkinson who was an early partner and co-owner of the UK Company in its final years. His assistance was invaluable in compiling the larger story of the marque and in the process a great friendship was formed.

I also became involved in the Piper Sports and Racecar group on Facebook, a forum for owners and enthusiasts of the marque. As one might expect, Bill is also a member and frequent contributor. This past April, he was doing some 'spring cleaning' in his workshop and came across some long-forgotten materials of great interest and shared them with the group. Speaking of the initial drawing shared, he said, "I was busy having a good tidy up in my office today when I came across this drawing. It is quite large and on card. This was the first design that we had for our proposed P3 and my favorite". More drawings were to follow, and I found them absolutely fascinating.

A partial cut-away of the notional Piper P3, circa 1973

Around the same time, I had been exploring the potential of various software that used generative algorithms (AI) to turn line drawings into 3D images. The subject of a 'lost' successor to Piper P2 seemed like an excellent one for such experimentation. It would be a way to bring the idea of the "P3" a bit closer to reality. So, the work of isolating a profile view from the original sketches as well as producing further drawings based on the design began. These were then fed into the "AI" tools and further massaged in Photoshop. The results comprise the pictorial portion of this piece.

The idea of the P3 had its origins in the early 1970's. According to Bill, "I would think early 1973. We moved to Lincolnshire in June/July of that year and the drawings were mostly before that". The author of the initial design proposals was a local freelancer whose name has been lost to time. Bill recalled, "It was a young man who approached us at just the right time. He lived just a few miles away from the factory at Wokingham. Sadly, nothing came of his considerable talent and effort". Several drawings were produced including profiles, schematics, interior sketches, and perspective views.

Rendering of the notional Piper P3, in profile

Two major themes were explored in these illustrations, both featuring a mid-rear engine layout and "butterfly" doors which opened upwards and forwards in a manner not unlike the Alfa Romeo Carabo or Lamborghini LP400. One theme was essentially an extension of the P2/GTT design language, with proportions similar to a Lotus Europa. The other was a more ambitious design with elements of the Ford GT40, Maserati Bora, and DeTomaso Mangusta brewed into a distinct style of its own. The latter would become Mr. Atkinson's preference, "Later efforts became much more wedge shaped and were not really to my taste. Like the GTT and P2, I think this design would have worn well".

Notionally, the P3 was to be a "practical" Piper with the accommodations of a Grand Tourer. As Bill would state, "It would have been a much larger car than the P2 and based upon components from the then current Ford Granada. The idea was to sit three abreast. The difference in size was very important to me, as was the extra room inside that this would provide. Beauty with a lot more practicality was the aim".

Profiles of the notional Piper P3, circa 1973

Although it didn't get much further than a set of drawings, it can be discerned that the P3 was intended to have a fiberglass monocoque chassis with subframes at both ends for mounting the suspension and running gear. The drivetrain was to come from a contemporary Ford Granada and included its Essex V6 engine, in 2.5- or 3.0-Liter capacities, mounted longitudinally, directly behind the passenger cell. Suspension and brakes may have been sourced from the Granada, which had double wishbones, or made bespoke at Piper. Such details were never fully sorted out. The overall dimensions of the P3 would have been comparable to its donor car with a wheelbase around 100 inches, a width of 70", and a height of roughly 40". It would have been long, low, and suitably wide to fit its intended purposes.

Rendering of the notional Piper P3, rear quarter view

Alas, the car would never see the light of day. According to Bill, "The economy at the time was in a bad place so there was no hope of financing another car. I think the time came at South Willingham when both Tony (Waller) and I had had enough. It was not only necessary, but the right time to try other things. It really is a shame though".

The introduction of VAT forced Piper to switch from component to turnkey cars. Initially, the company's future looked promising, but issues with external suppliers and the economic conditions of the day presented an increasing challenge. Meanwhile, Waller and Atkinson went into partnership with two other individuals in a new venture to produce bathroom fixtures, so the company was dissolved in 1974.

Interior rendering of the notional Piper P3

Today the marque's legacy is preserved by a close-knit community of owners in the Piper Owner's Club, who possess a new, much improved, chassis jig to make both GTT and P2 chassis as well as glass and Perspex screens and the original body molds, all of which are a great help to would-be restorers and owners needing spares.

Rendering tools used:

Prome AI

Vizcom AI