Karsten Stelk Photo Archive
Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird recently introduced me to Karsten Stelk from Germany who has amassed an amazing archive of racing Sprite photos from the past. He has very generously sent me over 125 of them most of which are shown below. Karsten is quite a BMC enthusiast having owned a Morris Minor Traveller, a 1980 998 Mini, - then a 1966 Austin Mini Countryman before moving on to a Volvo P220, all of these his everyday cars. Between 1986 and 1990 he restored an Austin Healey 100, which he now uses regularly on the road.
1958 |
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The new Sprite is announced, PBL 75 being the car BMC used for much of their publicity material, and (right) John Anstice-Brown's Frogeye in which he achieved the Sprite's first race win, the Leinster Trophy, at Dunboyne, Ireland in 1958. |
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1959 |
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Speedwell Monza bonnets |
Healey presentation |
Venner-Pack's Frogeye VP 7 |
John Sprinzel and John Patten in 2214 UE on the Liege. |
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Tommy Gold chasing Lotus 6 |
7080 AC on the Targa in 1959 (Wisdom/Cahier) finished 18th, and 3rd in class. |
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The Sprite record breaker, Tommy Wisdom in centre |
The Sprite Record Breaker |
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Engine of the record breaker |
Moss with MG Ex 181 |
Moss in the driving seat |
EX 179 Record breaker on Show |
1960 |
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The Falcon Sprite passing under the Dunlop Bridge at Le Mans 1960 |
This Sprite has Healey magnesium wheels and big Healey anti-roll bar |
Donald Healey with Sebring Sprite at the London Motor Show probably 1960 |
Another Sprite witrh W & P Sebring bonnet |
1961 |
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1411 WD - the 1961 Le Mans Sprite here with added side windows |
In the pits at Le Mans (Colgate/Hawkins) |
PMO 200 on the RAC Rally in the hands of John Sprinzel |
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1962 |
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(Left) Stirling Moss and Steve McQueen, who both drove Works Mark 2 Sebring Sprites at Sebring in the Spring of 1962 |
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(Right)The Ecurie Ecosse Sprite 1413 WD before the Le Mans race (& on the startline) - it sadly crashed |
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1963 |
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58 FAC - 1963 Le Mans - Whitmore/Olthoff (crashed) |
Scrutineering at Le Mans |
Chasing a Ferrari! |
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1964 |
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Baker and Bradley drove 770 KNX at Le Mans (to 24th place overall) |
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Hopkirk and Wisdom on the 1964 Targa Florio
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Tommy Wisdom |
'Jenks' & Wisdom |
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Targa start line |
In this shot it acquired a number plate |
'Jenks' chats to Paddy, Tommy Wisdom in hat, and Geoff Healey leaning on the rear. |
Arthur Appleby in the former Ecurie Ecosse Le Mans car |
1965 |
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The first of the new wind-tunnel cars, as built for 1965. |
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On the Cooper transporter |
'65 Sebring in Flying 'A' magazine (I'm afraid it's in German) |
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 19th June 1965 - the day before the race, by which time this car was re-painted dark green
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Lining up for the start |
Hawkins or Rhodes at speed |
Hawkins/Rhodes |
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Hawkins/Rhodes |
Aaltonen/Baker |
ENX 416C as found by Denis Welch in Scotland in 1988 |
1411 WD at snetterton, 1965 |
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Pictured right is one of the '65 LM cars at the Nurburgring 500, 3 months later, now back in lime green (Baker and Greene), & Richard Groves' ex-works Targa car with extended roof (Moore/Harris) |
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EAC 90C - the 1965 Targa car |
The Aaltonen/Baker Sprite at the start of the 1965 Targa Florio. |
Nurburgring 500 - 1965 |
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1966 |
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Peter Smith - Harewood Hill Climb, 1966 |
The late Gabriel Konig in her Sebring Sprite, E 700 |
The Le Mans Sprites HNX 455D & HNX 456D, lined up before the 1966 Le Mans race |
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Preparation |
The whole team |
HNX 456D engine bay |
On the ramp |
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The start |
Red colour for '66 |
EAC 90C Targa Florio, 1966 |
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One of Richard Groves' ex-works '65 Le Mans Sprites |
Dave Cordery in 1411 WD at Brands Hatch |
and in the rain, at Crystal Palace |
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1967 |
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Before Le Mans 1967 (HNX 456D) |
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A head-on view |
A busy pit stop |
After Clive Baker bent in the Esses |
Repaired in time for the show |
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An Ex '65 works car (Richard Groves) at the Nurburgring |
LWD 959E on the Targa Florio, 1967 |
Wheeler/Davidson on the Targa Florio, 1967 |
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1968 |
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HAN9-R-237 - testing |
237 alongside the Healey SR |
Le Mans |
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The fuel-injected engine |
Another paddock shot |
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1969 |
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Caption left reads: "Sebring, Florida - March 20th. DISTAFF RACING TEAM: This trio of girls await... practice for the Florida International 12 Hour endurance race..on Mar 22, etc, etc". |
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L to R: Jane Guthrie, Donna Mae Mims & Liane Engeman (Netherlands) |
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1970 & LATER |
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Chassis 238 at Sebring, Florida |
Janet Guthrie, Sebring 1970 |
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RTL 304 at Zolder in 1980 |
.... and at Zandvoort in 1981 |
A Monza-bonneted Sprite racing at the Nurburgring |
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