2008 Melling Wildcat

Rochdale-based Al Melling is perhaps best known as a prodigious designer of powerful engines and over the years has worked on design projects with Norton Motorcycles, Lamborghini, Chevrolet, Leyton House F1 (Ilmor) and Benetton. He also worked closely with TVR and Melling Consultancy Design (MCD) were responsible for the design of the AJP8 and AJP6 which TVR developed into the TVR Speed Six engine– a high-torque, 24-valve canted straight six – which was cheaper to produce and more refined for road cars. Although TVR carried out further extensive in-house development of the engines, these landmark power plants proved that MCD could finally produce an engine.

However, Mr Melling’s ambitions did not stop there as, having been involved at the sharp end with TVR, he felt that he could design a better road car and the Melling on offer today was his vision of what the next TVR Griffith should have been.

To be known as the Melling Wildcat, this prototype example was built in Rochdale in 2008, and with EU funding secured soon after, full production commenced. However, a skills shortage in Rochdale followed by an expensive move to the Autodromo do Algarve coincided with the start of a major recession and, sadly, with the premature passing of Mrs Melling. So with only seven cars finished, that was the end of that.

The car on offer today is listed as Chassis #701 and, we understand, was the prototype for forthcoming UK-spec production cars and used as a demonstrator. It was purchased by our vendor with around 2,000 miles on the clock and he was captivated, as most people are, by the car’s stunning looks. However, it was a prototype and although it performed as he had hoped, it remained a little unresolved in the handling department. There was no option but to deal with this and our determined vendor quietly worked his way through all the issues with the help of one or two knowledgeable racing engineers. Modifications included a strengthened chassis, redesigned suspension geometry, new shock absorbers, redesigned steering geometry and the addition of power-assisted steering.

Further improvements during our vendor’s four years of ownership include a full professional respray in stunning Mazda “Soul Red Crystal”, new billet aluminium wheels made by Image Wheels of Tipton, Aluminium flat floor underside riveted, a custom stainless exhaust system by MJA performance, a new heavy-duty McLeod racing clutch, a new grille fabricated and drivers lights added to give that classic 60s GT look, custom one-off leather Corbeau bucket seats with a Wildcat logo and the whole interior and boot were retrimmed by an ex-Morgan trimmer/upholsterer.

It's powered by a Chevrolet LS 5.7-litre V8, offering around 450bhp and 407lb.ft, mated to a new Tremec 5-speed gearbox and a 9" American axle and factory performance figures suggest 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds on its way to 180mph. The car is accompanied by its history file containing a number of invoices, the V5C showing ownership as the Melling Car Company, a Melling relative and our vendor, plus some additional paperwork relating to the car's initial registration.