During the rise of the 1980s, an Australian collective designed and developed an exotic prototype named the Triad.
Sir Jack Brabham was a supporter of the project conceived by brothers Bob and Wal Hadley alongside Cliff Trery, but only one prototype was built.
The Triad was a big news story at the time as highlighted by its front cover appearance on the December 1984 issue of Modern Motor.
A very futuristic design considering the body was constructed out of kevlar and the engine featured fuel-injection.
Design of the Triad can be traced back to 1981 when it started as a hobby for the trio in their spare time. Trefry was a former Ford engineer and worked with Ron Tauranac leading to the latter Brabham support the project enjoyed.
The Hadley brothers were coach builders in their native England and by the time the pair moved to Australia they had moved into the aircraft industry. However, the brothers set up shop in the Sydney suburb of Smithfield building hearses and limousines.
On appearance, the Triad is heavily inspired by the Lotus Espirit and in fact weighed 180kg less at 1020kg.
Under the skin, a Volvo B28E engine and five-speed gearbox from the Citroen SM, which may have turned many buyers off when the Triad was displayed at the Sydney Motor Show.
Aiming to gain at least 10 orders and a financial backing to ensure the Triad’s production run, this didn’t occur resulting in the project getting canned.
Just one Triad was built and it resides in its home town of Sydney under new ownership, while two fibreglass shells are known to exist.
It’s great to know a piece of Australian motoring history is still alive and well.