WANTED
Iain Prince is looking for a Sebring bonnet for his Frogeye. If you have one going spare please contact him via email

WHEN THE DONALD HEALEY MOTOR CO.....
....sold on one of their racing Sprites they supplied the new owner with its full specification and advice as to how to run the car successfully. Dudley Lucas has kindly provided a copy of the documentation which came with the 1965/6 Targa Florio car EAC 90C when he bought it in 1967. Some of his photos are to follow shortly. Click on the image to read the PDF.

JOHN BAGGOTT reports on
THE STEVE EVERITT MEMORIAL TROPHY RACE AT BRANDS HATCH
on 30th April, accompanied by photos courtesy of Dennis Wharf.
“As ever, a good number of Steve’s friends, including his sister Ros and former mechanic Dave Woodgate, assembled at Paddock Hill Bend to watch the 30th running of Steve’s race.  Also present were a number of former Midget racers who competed with Steve in the day. The battle for the trophy, which goes to the first Class A “Fully Modified” Sprite or Midget to cross the line, was initially a three horse race between pole sitter, Stephen Collier (46), Richard Wildman (99) driving David Weston’s car and Edward Reeve (2) who has raced in the series since its inception. Collier and Wildman made good starts from the front row, but as Richard had rolled forward a couple of inches before the lights went out, he was adjudged to have made a false start and was given a 10 second penalty. This proved too much for him to surpass. Stephen was going well but coasted to a halt shortly after the safety car period, leaving Ted and Richard to fight it out, with Ted getting the verdict to put his name on the trophy for a second time. Paul Campfield (11) was second overall in his very rapid class E Frogeye. Carl Chadwick (52) took class B spoils despite also collecting a 10 second false start penalty. Class D went the way of Nigel Lackford (3) with Kim Dear (49) winning Class C. A good race celebrating an exceptional driver -  as Ros observed before presenting the trophy ‘Was Steve’s untimely death really 30 years ago?’ ”

Pole man Stephen Collier leads the pack

Richard Wildman was penalised by a jumped start

Ed Reeve took the trophy for a second time

Paul Campfield - 2nd overall and took Class E

Carl Chadwick won Class B despite a 10 sec penalty

Class D went to Nigel Lackford

and Kim Dear won Class C

The Everitt Trophy

Mk 2 BODYSHELL
FOR SALE
(See the FOR SALE page)

MORE FROM ALISTAIR (ROSS):
" Further to Gordon Elwell's help, to the front left of 137 VMX is 4149 MV and is a nice comparison between the two companies that made the coupé top for these cars. The Williams & Pritchard MV has that distinct angular corner where the side screen meets the top and Classic Motor Crafts VMX bodied car with the much rounder corner. The CMC  cars were also fitted with a rain gully. See attached picture of MV just repainted red".

SAD TO RELATE
THE LAST OF RAY ENGLISH'S MARQUE ONE MAGAZINES (No.100) DUE OUT SHORTLY.
Our thanks to Ray for his brilliant journal produced over the last 25 years and to his wife, Diane, who ably shared the publishing chores.

VERY MUCH STILL GOING HOWEVER IS THE MIDGET & SPRITE CLUB'S "MASCOT" published by GARY LAZARUS.
In April the cover showed Alan Anstead's newly painted Sebring Rep
577 DNX

IDENTFYING SPEEDWELL GTs
After writing my submission 12 rows down this page I picked up John Baggott's book "Frogeye Sprite" and read about Jack Mathe owning XYU 383 and 7140 RO and how their identities were transposed after an accident, and it is suggested there that perhaps a similar thing happened between the 'new' 7140 RO and 137 VMX. I doubt we shall ever know exactly what parts were swapped from which car to car. Suffice to say the black and yellow car shown bearing No.160 further down this page is, I understand, pretty much how the car is/will be after Bill McDonnough's rebuild. Dave Grove has, I believe the remains of XYU as well as 5755 MM, the 3rd shell thought to be elsewhere. As an aside I believe there are 8 known surviving Speedwell GTs. [Change that, ~ looks like it may be 10 or even 11]

and No.40 was driven by Tony Harvey of Flintstone Racing

From GORDON ELWELL:
"Very interested to see the photos of the ex Bill Graham Speedwell (VMX) at Silverstone......the one headed 'VMX on another grid'. [left] I can be certain when that was taken....Easter Bank Holiday Monday 30th March 1964 at a meeting run by the Notts Sports Car Club. The reason I can be certain, is because I am alongside Bill in my road going Frogeye TEA 913 ! It was my first ever race, and as I recall it actually snowed in practice...fairly typical Bank Holiday weather I suppose! Regards, Gordon. (Classic Revival)".

PHIL ZAMLYNSKI
reports on his Sebring Rep: "The Sebring is awaiting gas in the tank. All else is done.Will keep you up to speed as the car gets sorted out".

ARCHERS SEBRING SIDE-SCREENS
I am pleased to report that 11 sets of alloy framed side-screens have now been completed, despatched and received by those who requested them. A further 5 are on a new list.

PAUL TARRY
on 4646 UE which he bought on ebay, if I remember correctly, and is rebuilding as an alloy bodied Sebring Coupe: "I wish I could say that it was finished but sadly not, business commitments over the past couple of years have taken their toll, I have to say it is coming together and was pretty frustrated that I’d received an invite for Goodwood but just couldn’t find the time to complete the car - shame having raced their last year in an A35. I’m currently away but will send you a few photo’s in a couple of weeks. Cheers Paul"

IAN TURNER
recently moved house which has delayed his rebuild of 6699 WD, a works-modified Sprite Mk 2 he bought from Tony Griffiths. He says: "It is almost back together again except for the engine and gearbox which are built, but have (yet) to be fitted. Hopefully it will be running again this year. During my years of interest in Sprites I have collected many spares. I have three 948cc engines which I do not need. They are stripped but all major parts are there. If you know of any one who needs one let me know. My phone No is 01295 738815". or email him

UNidentified Sebring - whose is it?

A nice early Gilbern GT - probably 948 s/c

A trio of Turner BMCs

Space framed 'Mini' with 4 litre range Rover V8 - scary!

(Above) David Morys took his camera to a Round Table or Rotary Club do at Prescott last weekend 13/14 May.

Sven Eckhardt recently purchased a photo of E700 on ebay (above left) taken by Guy Griffiths, of Jim Kennard at Bugatti OC Prescott on 12th July 1964 when he won his class with a time of 62.995 secs. "Having read the history of the car again I wonder if there is anything in the story of a restoration of the car going on. I wonder who would have had a go at it and what the state of it might be". It would be good to find out. [Readers may recall that the car was rolled spectacularly by the late Gabriel Konig who some years before her death claimed to still have the remains and planned to rebuild it]. The other photos arte of the engine which Sven bought with 4444DA: "As I said I have put one of the heads I modified on it. It is the one which came with the MK II, which had been ported quite nicely. I had changed the combustion chambers to a similar shape as the ones depicted and fitted 1 1/4 valves on the inlet and 1 1/16 on the exhaust. Hardened valve seats on inlet and exhaust. You can make out the large capacity sump on the other photograph. The depicted head is the Cape modified head stripped to have valve seats fitted. I had it back yesterday it needs to be put together. I am in two minds whether to put it back on the Cape engine (which is going quite nicely as it is) or whether to keep it for a rainy day. Cheers Sven"
[You seem to have plenty of breathers on that engine Sven - what with a front cover chimney (from a 1275?) and a vent on the side cover (from a 1098?) MEI]

Many thanks to all those who responded to Sven Eckhardt's plea for a 1098 block. He has received two offers of complete engines as well as one of a block. Isn't it great how these things work on the 'net.

IDENTIFYING 7140 RO FROM 137 VMX
It didn't take long for Bill McDonnough to see the photos below and pick up the phone. He tells me that 7140 RO can often be indentified from other Speedwell GTs by the fact it only ever had one wiper, no hole ever being drilled for a passenger one, and it had flat perspex side windows with a round vent hole rather than the double-curvature side screens otherwise fitted by Speedwell. Both 7140 RO and 137 VMX spent time in the same ownership and were, for a time, painted the same colour which helps to confuse matters. In the photo 2 rows down car No.160 is painted black and yellow and in the one above is the same car repainted but still with its yellow wires. The photo with cars on the grid facing the camera also shows 7140 RO, and not 137 VMX. Bill is gathering parts together for RO's rebuild and was pleased to receive a message from the late owner's widow to say she had found the driver's door!

137 VMX

7140 RO on the grid

VMX on another grid

7140 RO in action

Another Speedwell GT once owned by Bill Graham which seems to have disappeared is 137 VMX above. Anyone know anything of it, please let me know through Feedback ? [Photos kindly supplied by Alistair Ross]

7140 RO
I have prepared a new web page for this Speedwell GT

Another photo of 7140 RO supplied by Alistair Ross with Jack Mathe at the wheel

REVS LIBRARY, STANDARD UNIVERSITY
Ken Grasing has reminded me of this wonderful source of Sprite (and other) racing photos: https://revslib.stanford.edu/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&f%5Bmodel_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Austin-Healey+Sprite&view=detailed&q=&search_match=any

MORE ON PANHARD ROD FITMENT
I was talking yesterday to Keith Ashby who has raced Sprites since the early 60's and learned that he had a panhard rod fitted to his car for the 1965 season. An Aston Martin employee Chas Beatty fitted it for him. Any advance on 1965?
Our conversation then turned to the Speedwell GT 585 MY which Keith tells me he owned in 1970. I have added a paragraph to the relevant web page: "Keith Ashby bought the car in 1970 from a dealer who had somehow managed to register it as a new car with a 'J' registration. It was then painted Harvest Gold. Keith had the car for only a year and before selling it, stripped out its 1293 engine, close-ratio gearbox, LSD and competition shock absorbers. He recalls that he sold the rolling shell for £300 to someone in the Vale of Pusey". The car is now owned by Guenther Lainer in Germany and is for sale at 115,000 Euros.
Keith's own Sprite 6209 AH he bought in January 1963 and has owned ever since - that's 54 years and I thought I'd had my Gilbern a long time (48 yrs). I will be prepping a web page on Keith's Frogeye's racing history in the coming weeks.

Re: Derek Stewart's wheels below. My apologies, the email link was not working correctly - now sorted.

MG MIDGET MK1 PROJECT
FOR SALE

 

Open to sensible offers Mk1 Midget suitable for further renovations or Sebring /Lenham conversation. All welding completed to good standard and many new panels fitted good panel gaps maintained. Rare BMC hardtop in excellent condition. Engine / gearbox present condition unknown. Some history and V5 present. Please contact Steuart Crofts for further details . Via email or Mobile: 07966 256787

5½J WIRE WHEELS & TYRES FOR SALE
Derek Stewart is offering these four MWS 5½ X 13" wire wheels

fitted with Yokohama A539 tyres which have done under 2000 miles. They would cost around £900 today - his asking price is £600. Contact him via email. NOW SOLD

MORE HISTORY OF PIERRE LEQUEUX' 2080 PO UNFOLDS

Pierre recently heard from Christopher York, now living in Alberta, Canada:
"Just recently I discovered some more pictures and in a way I believe some important history of your car. The attached pictures were taken by myself at Brands Hatch in July of 1967 of 2080-PO with Colin (Starley) driving. It was an important test day for Colin and my brother (Robin) as they were setting up the cars for the next event. During that day 2080-PO suffered a major engine failure, so much so that according to my brother it never ran again whilst owned by Colin! Although one of these pictures is not the greatest quality, I thought it important to send both of them to you for your history file".

STEVE EVERITT MEMORIAL TROPHY
Dennis Wharf has sent me a large batch of photos he took at Brands Hatch a couple of weeks ago when Ed Reeve took the bronze trophy 30 years on from Steve's untimely death. Report and many more photos to come shortly.

ALAN GILBERT has enquired: " I was viewing the website today and notice the STEVE NASH SEBRING REPLICA. I have a question for Steve regarding the timing cover on his new engine as to whether it was a chain or belt engine and who made his cover for him? It looks very engineered!!"
AND STEVE replies: "Martin has forwarded your enquiry about my aluminium timing cover. I used to be part owner of a company that developed CNC machined parts for Mini's. I sold my share in the company about 18 months ago but still have close involvement. We made a timing cover for the transverse Mini engine and this is the first version for the in-line engines. It isn't available for sale at present as we want to test it properly first. It uses the standard chain setup. It's good for the simplex and duplex chains, with or without the A+ tensioner. It is also suitable for popular vernier chain kits. I'm not a fan of the belt systems for the A series. The pulleys are too small and the belts wear too quickly for anything other than race engines that are rebuilt every few races. This CNC case significantly reduces weight as the steel plate is replaced as well as the timing cover. It also moves the sealing surface, eliminating oil leaks so common in the standard system. If you are interested in the products currently produced, please have a look at their web site www.dsnclassics.co.uk. For future developments, I'd suggest liking their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dsnclassics/ Hope this is of help. Steve".

1:43 scale AutoCult Sebring Sprite Model on ebay
at £69.99 plus postage

www.frogeye.smugmug.com
Gary Lazarus: "Please check the photographic database of UK registered Mk1 Sprites to see if yours is registered there. There are also over 100 period adverts and magazine articles. Thanks"

STEVE NASH ON FASTBACK RIGIDITY

"Regarding Lew McAllan's questions about platform rigidity. I can see the point with semi-elliptic springs having load transferred at the rear. However, the structure is in the frame over the arch and the box section around the inner arch. The outer skins have little effect as the rear of them is cantilevered off a boot floor extension".

... And PAUL SLANGEN:
"When Lew Mcallen looks at the pictures of my car on this website (Sebring Sprite) then he can see how my car was prepared by Archers. On the picture of Lew's car, I see the 2 top plates on top of the wheelarches - already sprayed in blue - I think they should be removed. When the car is finished, he can hardly stock material in the boot and it will be difficult to reach the spare wheel !! Perhaps you can inform him!! with kind regards, Paul"

... AND MY OWN

"As to rigidity, the Spridget does not rely on its outer panels for body stiffness. I did a similar exercise when building a racing Frogeye many years ago. I bonded a fibreglass rear body section on to a semi-elliptic shell having converted the scuttle, etc just as you have done. I rivetted the back edge to the floor and in the B post area, then bonded with fibreglass all round the rear arches. I did stiffen up the top of the shroud but that was purely because I had opened out the area behind the seats. I raced the car for a number of years and it was stiff as could be. I even bounced it off an Armco barrier at the Castle Combe circuit with no ill effects except a bit of crazing to the fibreglass, Martin".

THE WARREN CLASSIC & SUPERCAR SHOW
will take place on SUNDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2017 near Maldon in Essex, UK.
"The Warren Classic and Concours firmly established itself in 2013 as one of the key events on the classic car social calendar and the event attracted thousands of visitors to a celebration of Veteran, Vintage and Classic cars at The Warren Golf & Country Club near Maldon, in Essex. There are 12 different classes for cars of all ages judged by a knowledgeable panel of highly respected collector car afficionados.
This year, the overall Best of Show winner will be invited to display their car at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall for the following week…this is a very exclusive invitation and a great honour for the winning car. There is no entry fee and all entrants receive two VIP passes and will be our guests for the day. 
We will also be running the WARREN CLASSIC TOUR again on the SATURDAY the 23rd SEPTEMBER. This was also a great success last year but is limited to 50 cars so if you are interested in joining the tour please contact me in order to secure your place. Further details for the tour will be announced soon!  If you would like more information please take a look at the web site: www.warrenclassic.co.uk where you will find the link for the entry details. Nic Waller, The Warren Concours d'Elegance, Tel: 01892 547850 Mob: 0787 5516817 nic@nicwaller.co.uk

TONY GRIFFITHS' PARTS FOR SALE
I still have the rare steering wheel to dash bezel, and Midget engine and Toyota gearbox,
and now have a Sprite Mk2 body shell with doors needing a little work but it is not a rotting hulk
and is ideal for a Sebring conversion. These parts are priced to sell. 
Contact Tony by email if interested.

GABRIEL KONIG & E700
Recently a link was shown on Facebook taking the reader to an article about the life of Gabriel Konig in which it was said "After a quiet 1967, during which she may have raced an Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite..." I responded: 'In "Spritely Years" Tom Coulthard explains what became of her Peel bodied coupe E 700: "Some years later this car was owned and raced by the glamorous and extremely quick lady driver Gabriel Konig who had the misfortune to be involved in one of the most lurid accidents in the history of club racing. ...trying to outbrake Jean Denton's MGB into the notorious Quarry Corner when the Sprite got out of shape and proceeded to barrel roll five and a half times along the bank." (Photo courtesy of John Baggott's Mighty Midgets & Special Sprites'). "Tom Coulthard has added: "This scary incident - which happily did not dim Gabriel's enthusiasm for motorsport - was caught on film and included by David Roscoe in his 1967 film for the BRSCC "Charge of the Fright Brigade". This was issued on DVD in 2006 in Motorfilms Quarterly's Vol. 14 - available through the Motorfilms website or on Amazon".

I was fascinated to see this photo which shows the rear end of the car we know as 770 KNX fitted with a new registration DAC 951C. It ran alongside the new streamlined car DAC 952C at Sebring in 1965 but I had not realised before that it had been re-registered. It continues to puzzle me that the car has completely vanished from sight. [The other car in the photo (from sebringrace.com) is the Andrew Hedges/Roger Mac ex-Jacobs MG Midget]

A QUESTION ABOUT FASTBACK BODY RIGIDITY FROM LEW McALLAN

"I have a question regarding the Sebring fastback implementation. My car is based on a Mk IV '68 Sprite body, with all square panels removed. I have also replaced B panels with new Bugeye panels, new Bugeye outer wheel arches and even replaced the scuttle with new Bugeye scuttle. Floors (without strengtheners since Mk IV) are original, Tunnel, rear bulkhead, rear floor and inner wheel arches are unmodified. Having removed the square body and potentially some body rigidity provided by the cockpit structure, are there any concerns with body flex and strength ? I am sure others have created fastbacks with semi elliptic spring setup so would be interested to know if any additional framework or bracing is required. Thoughts? Lew McAllan" Feedback please

The Lenham Le Mans on its side, further down this page, is that of Andy Southcott, which was built by Ian Langford. See Utube video
Gil Duffy tells me: "The red flag was not shown at Druids by the time the cars arrived (there). The Clerk of the Course afterwards apologised for the delay. He said Mike Chalk's black car (which started the incident) did not show up on the TV screen, so they did not realise it was a hazard! The car is apparently quite badly damaged".

Paul Garside's Fastback
at Tadcaster Classic Show

BOB BLAYDEN has been to the Morgan Park Historics
in convoy with his chum's Morgan: "Had a great trip travelling with the Morgan covered around 1300 kilometres the green car never missed a beat. The Morgan & Sebring attracted a fair bit of attention. Hope all is well in the UK. Cheers Bob (Sydney, Aus)

DAVID MORYS'S PHOTOS
FROM SHELSLEY WALSH
~ 6TH MAY

GURSTON DOWN HILL CLIMB
A nice photo from Chris Burch of Steve Casson's Sebring Sprite in action.

Some poor soul managed to tip over their Lenham at Brands in the Lackford Engineering Midget & Sprite Challenge

ASK PROFESSOR SPEEDWELL (ALISTAIR ROSS) ABOUT A SPEEDWELL GT AND BACK COMES THE ANSWER:
"Dear Martin, This is Frank Mabry's car that he crashed in an orange orchard of Airport(?)Road on his way to the Sebring 12 hr race in 1962, Frank was due to be numbered as 70. The number 10 comes from the previous day's 3hr race when Frank did not show up, so did not race. This car also had a disastrous crash driven by Frank at the Peco sponsored race at Brands Hatch (1961); at this race the car was very heavily damaged (I have seen the photos) and it was beyond full economic repair (I'm a sure as I can be that this was UGU 874) Frank was a very demanding cash customer and insisted that Speedwells built/rebuilt this car. Peter Eva recalls that Frank had a suitcase full of cash. Frank Mabry was a US service man returning to the USA (via Speedwell) from doing National Service in Germany. Speedwells did buy insurance write off cars, and I believe (pretty sure) that one of these chassis was used to rebuild/build Frank another car. This car then went straight to the USA minus its UK registration number. How much of UGU was transferred is anybody's guess, and I'm still trying to find out.
I am always willing to be corrected on what I submit as I'm still going through Speedwell stuff and sometimes miss the obvious. ttfn....Alistair" [This refers to the 2 photos below right, MEI]

JONATHAN has also recently discovered, quite by chance he says, a whole series of photos on the website www.sebringrace.com of which these are just a very few. Worth a look.

JONATHAN WHITEHOUSE-BIRD ON EAC 90C
" I read with interest Dudley Lucas' piece on his old 'works' Sprite EAC 90C.  Of particular interest was his comment regarding the car having raced or (to quote) 'being used on a least one occasion before it came into my possession because I was recently shown a photo of the car in pole position, next to John Willetts in the Sebring car [9253 WD], at Oulton Park and I have no recollection of this event at all - it would be nice to find out more.'
Well, I'm pleased to say that I can hopefully put Dudley out of his misery (or worry him slightly) by saying that the driver of EAC 90C at the event in question: The MG Car Club's North-Western Centre, meeting at Oulton Park, on 30th September 1967, was none other than... D. G. D. LUCAS ............ A.H. Sprite    1293 c.c.
EAC 90C was entered in Class B - 1151 to 1500 c.c.  Race #52. Dudley scored a 3rd in class / 4th overall. Please see attached images to confirm (above). Hope this helps?! Kind Regards, Jonathan 

New Photos of Pete Fletcher's Fastback (Archers 103) He also owns Coupe 103. See his photo gallery here.

STEVE NASH SEBRING REPLICA tells me: "Finally have paint on Kermit. Just needs some final polishing and I can start bolting bits back on :-). Period replica, it ain't! But I'm really looking forward to driving him again after 25 years".

LACKFORD ENGINEERING
MIDGET SPRITE CHALLENGE BRANDS HATCH 2017
RACE 2
(TWO TEAS RACING TEAM)

Watch a good dice with Carl Chadwick (car 52) pretty much throughout the whole race... big brakes… and wide (but old) slick tyres versus big engine power and less rolling resistance on skinnier slicks.
Enjoy!

OLLY FRIEND'S 2ND RACE ~ BRANDS HATCH
A pole position, a 3rd place on Saturday and 4th on Sunday with fastest lap!!. OllY was lying 2nd when Saturday's race was red flagged. Not bad for a rookie, eh? "Pictures of Olly in a very closely fought battle, work will start soon on the 1300 engine, certainly misses out down the straight with the 1100". So says proud Dad, Roger.