JBA Falcon
Launched in 1982 as a modern take on the already classic-looking pre-war roadsters, the JBA Falcon was designed by John Barlow, who went on to create many fantastic kit cars (see Royale). At the time, Ken Jones, John Barlow and Dave Ashley were behind JBA, hence the name.
The Falcon dominated the kit car scene throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It had a simple ladder frame chassis with an aluminium bonnet, body tub and doors and GRP wings. It made use of a Ford Cortina for its mechanical components, although some builders fitted the Rover V8 engine. A plus-two version arrived in 1985, a GRP body tub (known as the Falcon Sports) in 1988 and a Tourer in 1990, along with several further revisions and updates in the 1990s to use Ford Sierra donor components. JBA Engineering remained with its original owners until 2004, then chopped and changed hands a few times before arriving with the current owners in Norfolk, now branded as JBA Motors (01508 493205, www.jbamotors.co.uk), who evolved the Falcon to use BMW donor parts. Ford-based Falcons regularly appear in the classifieds for upwards of £8000. Like many older kit cars such as the Marlin and Gentry which resemble a pre- or post-war open-top sports car, they are generally an improvement over a genuine car from this era, but don’t expect the same standards of ride quality and refinement as an MX-5 or MGF for instance. You’ve got to like the looks of these cars, and at the same time be able to appreciate the advantage of readily available and affordable donor components.