﹒Three-wheeler in the style of a classic Morgan
﹒One of just 59 factory cars made
﹒Renault 5 running gear
﹒Tonneau cover and clip-on roof included

Back in the Eighties, there was a glut of kit cars built in the spirit of the classic Morgan three-wheeler. They were hugely popular, partly for being hilarious to drive but also because they could be registered as tricycles and were therefore much cheaper to tax and easier to register than four-wheeled kits. 

One such model was the DRK. It wasn’t a Morgan replica as it looked quite different, but it was certainly in the spirit of the iconic touring trike. Built in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the DRK was originally sold as a kit car only, but in 1990 the founders of the company (Derek and Robert Callister and Keith Hamer – DRK being their first name initials) put the car into production as a complete vehicle. 

It was built up around Renault running gear, as the French manufacturer’s combination of front-wheel-drive and a longitudinal engine was the perfect basis for the DRK’s narrow body and three-wheeled layout. Various configurations were available, based on Renault 4, 5 or 6 powertrains. 

This example – car 46 of the 59 ‘factory’ DRKs built - was completed in 1996, but is registered as a 1980 vehicle as the donor was was a 1.3-litre Renault 5 of the same vintage. That means it is now tax and MoT exempt and classed as a historic vehicle. 

The current owner has enjoyed the DRK for four years, but is about to acquire a new and different microcar that’s a little more practical. He says the sale is an extremely reluctant one as he loves it to bits.

The vendor bought this car from its previous owner, who lives on the Shetland Islands and regularly exhibited the car at shows in the Scottish Isles. He bought it based on the previous keeper’s description and had it transported to his home in Essex, which is the first time he saw it. He was delighted with its overall condition and says he has had to do very little to the DRK other than regular maintenance during the time he has owned it.

Although it qualifies for MOT exemption, the DRK has a valid MoT certificate that runs until September of this year. Previous MOT data shows that the car has led a relatively easy life, having covered just over 7,000 miles in the past 15 years. 

It also comes with a full V5 in the name of the vendor and a certificate from a car show it was exhibited at in Shetland.

It’s a two-seater, but if you’re planning on taking a passenger out in the DRK with you then make sure you’re in the same support bubble, as there’ll be no social distancing going on here. It’s a very cosy cabin, and if used by more than one person then they have to be very comfortable in each other’s company. 

The grey leather seats are smart, though, and the Willans racing harnesses give a degree of reassurance, while the dash is a mish-mash of generic Smiths instruments as found in many British cars of the Sixties and Seventies, presumably as these were easy for DRK to source and also look the part when mounted in the car’s wooden dash.

There’s a footrest for the passenger and three drilled alloy pedals for the driver, a gear stick and – well, that’s it. 

There’s no boot either. The tail of the car contains the fuel tank and rear suspension, the only luggage provision being a side rack on the DRK’s body that looks more like a music stand. 

It’s a quirky looking thing – that’s for sure. The DRK uses a wooden body frame mounted on a tubular steel chassis, with stretched aluminium panels. As a result, it’s extremely light – to push it around is no harder than moving a motorcycle. 

The metallic blue and white paint scheme on this car really suits it and is in very good order, with no really notable marks or damage. The chrome is a little faded in places, but the overall condition appears to be excellent, while it is set off nicely by spin-off wire wheels for the full 1930s effect.

Given its incredibly low weight, the DRK is astonishingly rapid. In the Renault 5, the 70bhp engine was good for 104mph and 0-60 in 11.5 seconds. There are no official figures for the DRK, but with half the weight removed you can imagine it’s a lot quicker. This one also has a chunky K&N induction kit fitted, which adds performance and volume – you can certainly hear it coming down the road.

It’s a little fussy when cold (that K&N set-up likes a lot of air) but once warm and settled it idles sweetly with no concerning signs of excesses smoke nor untoward noises. 

The rest of the running gear appears to be in good order, though it would pay to do your DRK research in advance to work out the source of certain components for when they require replacement. The front suspension and brakes are Renault 5, so luckily they are easy to get hold of an inexpensive.

With spring in the air and many of us looking forward to brighter days ahead, a car that never fails to put a smile on your face is something to cherish and enjoy – and you won’t ever not enjoy driving this. It’s different, it’s thrilling, it’s fun and it has quite a fascinating backstory behind it – a limited production run of just 59 factory cars makes it a lot rarer than many supercars, yet at a fraction of the price. 

It’s just as likely to turn heads, too. It’s a fascinating piece of Anglo-French automotive history, a giggle to drive and an oddball but charming thing to admire.

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