16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
3/17/10 9:45 a.m.

It appears to be based on a VW chassis, and has a Datsun L series (I think) 4cyl and a turbocharger. Other than that, I have no idea. I know the tail lights, but just can't place them.

racerfink
racerfink Reader
3/17/10 9:48 a.m.

That looks a whole lot like a Fiero mid-section and interior. It's close, but not close enough. It looks like it has a telescoping wheel too? The four lug wheels would indicate Japanese drivetrain.

I've got no idea.

racerfink
racerfink Reader
3/17/10 9:53 a.m.

The taillights look like Chevette

stan
stan GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/17/10 9:53 a.m.

That shovel-nose looks familiar, but not the back. The taillights looks like Chevette tails.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
3/17/10 9:55 a.m.

Yes! Early Chevette tails! That was driving me insane.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
3/17/10 9:56 a.m.

racerfink
racerfink Reader
3/17/10 9:58 a.m.

1979 Chevette Taillight

JeffHarbert
JeffHarbert GRM+ Memberand Reader
3/17/10 10:46 a.m.

It looks to me like a modified Sterling: http://www.sterlingsportscars.com/

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson HalfDork
3/17/10 11:02 a.m.

I belive they were Sterling in the US as Jeff said, but in the UK they were sold as a 'Nova' and I wanted one in the worst possible way when I was 12 years old!

turboswede
turboswede GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/17/10 11:19 a.m.

Datsun L20 turbo in the house! That's pretty cool, swap the intake over to a DCOE intake, fab up a plenum with a real throttle body, Megasquirt it and enjoy!

The normal Sterlings have a lift-up roof section, very space age. The GT40 doors on this one are interesting and likely more useful.

If you look at other Sterlings you'll see that the doors are built from the original lift up section, with some fiberglass magic to make them work like regular doors. The lift up greenhouse is damned heavy (imagine sitting in your seat and lifting both front doors, windshield and the roof just to get out) and the lift struts tend to fail quite regularly, just like on a hatchback.

wearymicrobe
wearymicrobe Reader
3/17/10 1:07 p.m.

I don;t think that's a Sterling. I think its a gen one coyote with some interesting rear window modifications.

Cotton
Cotton HalfDork
3/17/10 1:20 p.m.

Is that at an auction or something? Let us know how much it goes for. Looks like a great project.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn SuperDork
3/17/10 1:57 p.m.

I was thinking Sterling too but they didn't have doors, the whole roof section lifted up on struts.

mr2peak
mr2peak GRM+ Memberand New Reader
3/17/10 3:04 p.m.

I know of a red one in need of restoration in san francisco if anyone's interested. It is a kit car, don't know anything else about it tho

shadetree30
shadetree30 New Reader
3/17/10 3:53 p.m.

I thought Sterling was an upmarket Acura Legend built in the UK, late '80s-early '90s...?

turboswede
turboswede GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/17/10 4:26 p.m.
shadetree30 wrote: I thought Sterling was an upmarket Acura Legend built in the UK, late '80s-early '90s...?

It is, which is why these weren't marketed as Sterling's in the UK.

JFX001
JFX001 Dork
3/17/10 4:29 p.m.

I dunno what it is...kind of a cross between a Manta, a Stratos and a Mangusta.

My google-fu has failed me.

JFX001
JFX001 Dork
3/17/10 4:49 p.m.

YES!!

It is a Neria...

http://www.sterlingsportscars.com/index/Cimbria.html

scroll down

Sterling-esque...according to the website roughly 20 made.

*Oh, and by the way... I hate these threads...

EvanB
EvanB GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/17/10 5:51 p.m.
JFX001 wrote: *Oh, and by the way... I hate these threads...

As much as the "what wheel" threads?

914Driver
914Driver SuperDork
3/18/10 6:49 a.m.

That's a VW shifter, so the Nissan is bolted up to the VW transaxle?

Dan

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/18/10 8:06 a.m.

Probably a VW or Porsche transaxle

Raze
Raze HalfDork
3/18/10 9:13 a.m.

Ok, that's just sick, I just found a CL posting for another Niera mislabeled as a Cmbria in SC http://charleston.craigslist.org/cto/1644066890.html

If only 20 were made, we now know where 10% of them are

Timeormoney
Timeormoney New Reader
3/18/10 9:37 a.m.

In reply to Raze:

From the CL ad

"basically a kit car vin. lot's of posibilities . or none depending on who you are "

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
3/18/10 9:44 a.m.

I think that one had 928 tail lights.

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