AMT PIRANHA CRV

This car was for sale on Craig's List earlier this year (2007). We have borrowed this information and these pictures so more could see this unusual car.

Early in the 1960’s a Borg-Warner subsidiary Marbon Chemical experimented in the development of plastic body cars. These cars were called a CRV (Cycolac Research Vehicle) the material used for the body being Cycolac ABS plastic. The cars were powered by Chevrolet’s Corvair flat six air cooled engines. Only a handful of cars were built: one of which was latter modified and featured in the “Man from U.N.C.L.E” television show. One car was actively campaigned in the SCCA’s Midwest Region and claimed the “D Modified” Central Division Championship. AMT, the model company, was later contracted to provide a “kit” car version of the CRV called a Piranha with one specific use in mind: racing. Very few cars were sold and with the cancellation of the Corvair, AMT discontinued the Piranha.

This particular Piranha may not have been the SCCA Central Division “D Modified” Championship car, as we can not specifically identify it as such. The car may also be a Piranha built for a gentleman named Carbahal as a race car, and apparently raced as well but with less success.