Lancaster Mews 2005
On Friday 18th November 2005, John Sprinzel was re-united with his alloy-bodied Sebring Sprite Coupé re-built after many years and again officially registered with his old registration number PMO 200. The car's new owners Paul and Sharon Woolmer had arranged for a little re-union to take place at Lancaster Mews in Paddington, London W2 where John's business operation was based in the 1960's. The car had only recently been finished after its painstaking six year rebuild. John was over in the UK with his wife Caryl on a short visit from his home in Hawaii. Part of the plan was for "Octane" magazine to carry out a photo-shoot of both John and the car following its reincarnation. The car, painted in its original silver grey, was 'on the button', as they say, and numerous trips were made around the mews to get the feel of this very lightweight and beautifully restored racing Sprite which Stirling Moss once drove in the Sebring 4 Hours. Sprinzel's former business partner, Louis Cassoni, still lives in the Mews and he generously opened his home to several of his old cohorts (plus a few interlopers like myself). Jack Wheeler who drove his own Sebring in period at Nurburgring and in the Targa Florio, was there, plus Peter Jackson former owner and racer of 46 BXN which is also now in the Woolmer stable. Another old contemporary, Peter Clarke who had owned and raced S221 for a time, was there, as was Tom Coulthard (Sprinzel's co-author of "Spritely Years"). The gathering would have been incomplete without Sprinzel's long-time navigator Willy Cave. Brian Archer tipped me off that this prestigious gathering was taking place so he and I, plus EAO's owner-restorer/Sebring historian, Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird, made up the numbers.
Jack Wheeler and Peter Jackson, Peter Clarke
and Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird
Sprinzel & Woolmer, Coulthard and Cave, plus Willy Cave with PMO 200
THEN
and NOW
Paul Woolmer with PMO
Tom, JS and Brian Archer
Its powerplant
PMO in her old yard
The "interloper" ~ Mike
Youles' Sebring Rep