NEWS FROM JUERGEN SCHAFER

"Just having returned from an extended trip to the Donnington Historic Festival, I'm happy to report, our Spridget behaved properly and found a very positive reception by admirers within EU. At Donnington we got special treatment by being waved away from "All Cars" to the "Invited Clubs" lane on entry and after paying the entry fee, we obtained access to the infield as our car seemed to be interesting enough for an exhibit. Not knowing where to go, I proceeded to Redgate corner, where last year we had met with a nice lady in charge of her (late ?) husbands yellow Midget and crawling up there, we immediately spotted the little beauty, together with a number of quite attractive other MGs, mostly B's and C's. I have to apologize to members of the MGOC for intruding onto their territory, because I took a shortcut through Mazda and Triumph exhibits and realized too late that this was their club only. Hoping to see again that lady, I did not want to go away and nobody complained anyway, despite my MG Car Club sticker. Unfortunately, we did not see her or any other person belonging to that car all Saturday and we did not return on Sunday because of other commitments.
The racing did not disappoint, whilst no Spridgets were showing up, the  Speedwell A30/35s, A40s and a very hot Morris Minor Low Light  were very lively driven, albeit with varying skill. Particularly impressive was the looping the loop of an Academy A35 in front of us, fortunately all without bodily hurt.
We covered alltogether more than  2500 km, most of the time pottering at British or Belgian Motorway limits. With closed sidescreens the wind noises of Andrew's little insert slide windows are very unpleasant, so for the outbound leg which included heavy weather, we had to go slow, but the return was similar in speed, as we took off the screens to enjoy the cooling air against the hot sun. The engine rumble at around 3 to 4000 rpm in fifth is fine and consumption at a rate of 5 to 6 liters per 100 km as well, so the excessive prices of  V-power and excellium fuels becomes bearable. Germany still offers 100 to 102 octane (Shell, Aral), but Belgium only 98, despite also calling it V-Power and Britain is worse, with 97 excellium and V-power without any octane numbers indicated!
I had some tuning session at Dominic's Midland Classic Restoration rolling road to re-map the 123 ignition, which helped, but did not solve my pinking problems fully. Below 3000 even lightly touching the pedal can create ugly noises at load, even in lower gears, above 4000 I don't hear it, which Dominic diagnosed that as likely due to my advanced age hearing. I had obtained in Donnington's paddock a small flask of Millers octane booster, however did not see a real improvement on our way back.
From my 1460 Peter May engine, which gGrman TUEV did not like in my subtly modified car,  I had taken the H4s also for the "original 1100" now installed and Dominic suggests that gas speed and subsequently vaporisation and combustion are suffering. Recommendation is to go to the original small H2 set which I had refurbished by Burlen years ago and I will follow that, apart from taking the heavy boot off.
Driving barefoot is not an option, it gets very hot there!
Another issue might interest also: Whilst trying to optimize the ignition over here in Germany, I had faced starting problems. The engine took very long to fire and then surprisingly often just when was giving up and  shut off the starter. Dominic measured now a heavy voltage loss from 12 to 9 Volt before the voltage stabilizer when the high torque starter was drawing. I had moved the starter battery from the engine room to behind the drivers seat  using there a rather small gel  battery and the extra long line seems to have caused too high loss. We put it back to the front and this works now.
And one more: Thanks to Alistair Ross kindly providing me a computerized outline of my car for the weather vane, I have got laser cuts, which clearly showed an extreme "rake", what may be Adrian Newey's trick on the Red Bull F1's, but my rear wheel arches look rather empty. Overall the car has very low ground clearance, despite me now having raised the front  by removing a sort of lowering kit and installing silicone spacers for the springs.
Combined with the standard 4.22 axle ratio, the small 165/70-13" wheels create high revs and noise, which are quite annoying on long motorway drives. Can anyone advise on  a 14" wheel ? Are there historical applications documented?"

Original Dual Oil/Water Guage for the Mk2 Sprite (also ideal for Sebring Replicas based on non-Frogeye Sprites) - with the correct Mk2 part number (GD1502/06) £25 on ebay (exp 10 June)

Downton twin-SU inlet for Minis
£130 on ebay
(Expires Sun 10 June

An original early Downton inlet manifold to fit the Weber DCOE (or Dellorto DHLA) to the Sprite/Midget:
£175 on ebay
Expires Sunday 10th June

An original Speedwell Throttle Pedal
£50 on ebay
(expires Sunday 10 June)

Richard Hart has the above items for sale on ebay - be quick, expire Sunday 10 June.

RICHARD HART'S RESEARCH REVEALS SOME FASCINATING HISTORY OF AN XSP ENGINE.

"Ever since first reading Spritely Years, I have been curious about the fate of the XSP engine fitted to 5983AC - the first Sebring Sprite press road test car - in 1959. In his book (p.152) Tom Coulthard notes that it was registered 'on 2 April 1959 with the engine number XSP 581-1.' Since this car was listed in Spritely Years as being then used as the basis of the Super Sprite prototype of 1960 (which used a Coventry Climax engine), it suggested that engine XSP 581-1 had gone to another use. Subsequently, I have read on your site that the surviving Super Sprite prototype "XQHS" was built up from an even earlier pre-production Sprite shell - though the Philip Young article you have on the XQHS page states there may have been three Super Sprite prototypes originally built...? So perhaps 5983AC was also re-modelled in this way...?
Adding to my general confusion on the matter, nearly 20 years ago I happened to meet Louis Cassoni, who was JS's salesman at Lancaster Mews. He told me the story of how he had written-off a supercharged Sprite demonstration car in a road accident - and how he read the road test of the car in a magazine while recovering from his adventure in hospital. Judging from the significantly deranged state of the steering wheel he showed me, that was salvaged from the wreck, it was clear that both he and the car had been quite knocked-about, and that either might have been fortunate to survive.
Many years later it occurred to me that this crashed supercharged sprite was probably 5983AC in it's later supercharged form, as road tested in 'Motor Sport' (Nov 1959) and 'Motor Rally' (Dec 1959).
[When I met Louis Cassoni, I had thought he might have been referring to the later white 1960 supercharged sprite that was tested, I think, in 'The Motor' - but this might have been a replacement demonstration car to replace the crashed one...?] So perhaps now it seemed possible that 5983AC might then have been broken to scrap...?
[The registration was, of course, transferred to the Falcon Sprite - but only in the spring of 1960 before the Sebring race - when the Falcon appeared at Nassau in Dec 1959 it was unregistered... If the registration had been switched, perhaps other parts of the car had been re-used elsewhere...?]
A couple of years ago I stumbled across a list of all the Briggs-Cunningham team cars online
Although mildly curious, I made note of it, but thought nothing more about it...
...until several months ago I looked at it again, and spotted something I had missed:
The 1960 Briggs-Cuningham Formula Junior Cooper chassis FJ/3/60 is listed as having "engine # BMC XSP 581/1"
The exact same engine from 5983AC in 1959. I can only imagine the convoluted chain of events leading to a sprite XSP engine ending-up in a formula junior Cooper in the USA... Perhaps Briggs-Cunningham was over in Europe as part of his Le Mans preparations, decided to buy a formula junior car from the Coopers, and then bumped into Geoffrey Healey, who offered him the spare XSP engine - possibly forgetting to mention it was from a wrecked car...?
Perhaps...  ...but who knows...?
(Since Rob Walker bought his Formula One Cooper for Stirling Moss from John Cooper as a bare rolling shell, and then bought engine and gearbox direct from Coventry Climax and Colotti respectively, maybe Briggs-Cunningham did something similar to save on his already-stretched racing budget...?)
Anyhow, whatever the fate of the first 5983AC, it seems that this is where the XSP engine ended-up.
I have no idea as to whether the engine still exists in the ex-Briggs-Cunningham formula junior Cooper, or not.
I hope you find this a useful addition for your XSP page, Kind Regards, Richard Hart".

photos:John Baggott

LAST MONTH'S STEVE EVERITT MEMORIAL RACE
AT BRANDS HATCH
Left, Stephen Collier's Midget leads the Frogeyes of Paul Campfield and Ian Burgin into Paddock on Lap 1, and right, Graham Marchant explains the history of the Memorial Trophy to 2018 winner Stephen Collier.

MARK 2 RESTORATION PROJECT FOR SALE
ALISTAIR ROSS tells me he knows of "a MK2 AH Sprite which needs to be cleared. He says: "The car is in bits but dry
stored and looked pretty solid and is for sale. If anyone is interested I can put them in contact with the owner".
Contact me in the first instance on Feedback.

AHC CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF THE SPRITE AT SHELSLEY WALSH
(photos by Kess van Beijmerwerdt)

Ian Grainger's W & P and Gordon Elwell's MEG

The ex-Simon Leeming 'works' Mark 2 Rep

Daryl Davis' Sebring

A gaggle of Frogs

Sven Eckhardt's recently completed restoration of 4444 DA

SYB

and a few more.

I have done my best to caption the above but would welcome further detail from someone who was there please. Feedback.

1959 Austin Healey Sprite MK 1, cherry red, 30 000 miles after complete restoration and overhaul, very well maintained. Imported form the US in 1990. On Dutch licenceplate for myself since 1994. Heritage certificate available. Very reliable car with the 948 cc A engine and smooth-case gearbox. Diff. changed to 3.9, but 4.2 available. Bunch of spares including steel-rims and front fender.  Complete documentation available. Member of the Dutch AHOCN since 1994 and participated in all events in Europe. Selling the car because of my age of 72 yrs. The car needs to find a good home. 19 000 euro negotiable.
Contact: Lau de Smet on +31 164 241591 or by email

A BIT OF SPEEDWELL HISTORY from GLENN CASTLE
"I was away for a short break in Upton upon Severn this weekend and on the way home we stopped for a break at Stow on the Wold. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Cafe belonged to the Grandson of Len Adams ! I have pasted the text below from his site A lovely chap and well worth a visit for good food and drinks.

https://www.speedwellsatstow.co.uk/

'Speedwell' stands for many different things; a flower, a telephone directory of old for Golders green, a printing company, a car tuning company and now a restaurant. Most importantly all these things are linked. 

Meet Sam Adams, owner of Speedwells at Stow and also grandson of the late great Len Adams, one of the designers of the Speedwell Sprite. When Sam decided to buy his parents restaurant he thought it needed a face lift. After 12 years of trading it had evolved from its humble origins as a basic Coffee House into a restaurant serving British classics, warming breakfasts and great coffee. With this evolution it was apparent that the name "The Coffee House" no longer fitted and a new name was needed. With much thought the name of Speedwells was chosen as a tribute to Sam's family history ... and it seemed a great name for what was to come. 

So a little brief history for you here... It all started with a Coffee House. Not The Coffee House that we used to be but a Coffee House in North London in the late 1950s. Len Adams used to meet 2 friends who were also car enthusiasts: John Sprinzel and George Hulbert. John raced as team Speedwell ( the name of his father's printing company) and on one of their meetings John mentioned he had a race coming up but he wasn't happy with his car, after which George looked at it and reworked the cylinder head. John won his next race after which he was interviewed in which the word Speedwell was mentioned several times. The next day Speedwell printing company received several phone calls asking where they could get their cars tuned to perform like John's had. This gave the three gentleman an idea and soon Speedwell tuning company was created. The business took off very quickly and over the next couple of years they performed hundreds of tuning jobs, took on budding racing driver Graham Hill  , and had several race wins attributed to the speedwell tuning company infact they won on 14 races out of 19 in one year. But as they say all good things come to an end and during the 1960s the men went their own ways".

"Above [sorry the quality is  not that good] shows Richard Budd and my cousin Edward putting their helmets on before  going out on the track. My wife Matty is by Richard with a clip board and wind-up stop watches"

"Next photo is on the grid with Richard's special alloy bodied Sprite [142 ] nearer the camera alongside TZA  [134]

"Third photo is the start of the race with Chris Westell 1150cc Midget taking an early lead; followed by Edward Thacker in TZA  [1071cc] and Richard  Budd's 1293cc Sprite.

As a comparison to Roger Friend's picture of 763 Finchley Rd today, attached is a picture of Speedwells in the day, taken from the same angle (care of Peter Eva)
ALISTAIR ROSS

WISHING A HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY TO THE BUGEYE SPRITE. 
Cheap and cheerful, headlights stuck up on the very heavy front, with a top that leaked onto the passengers at the slightest drop of rain. A hard-to-get-at spare wheel in a boot without a lid, an engine that overheated as no air got through the radiator dropping oil pressure to 5 lbs per sq. inch, valve bounce if you got up over 70 mph and brakes which faded on the second downhill dash.
Yet within a few days, John Anstice-Brown won the Leinster Race outright in Ireland, Doug Wilson-Spratt won a club rally in the UK and Ray Brookes, Tommy Wisdom and I took Sprites to a 1, 2 and 3 in class on the tough French Alpine Rally – the only manufacturer to finish all the cars that started.
The Sprite went on to win RAC and Autoport Championships, finish on the podium on quite a few International Rallies, and win hundreds and hundreds of races and rallies right up unto this day.
So enjoy your birthday and salute the enthusiasts who have kept them running so well over sixty years.
John Sprinzel

CONGRATS TO OLLY FRIEND who achieved success at Oulton Park at the weekend. He not only won the class but also came 9th overall in the Equipe GTS race, against MGBs, TVRs, Alfas, on a 30 car grid, and to think they only got the engine back from Swiftune on the Wednesday evening.

[courtesy of John Baggott]

SPEEDWELL'S FORMER SHOWROOM
Roger Friend sent in this "shot of where Speedwell's showroom used to be - big enough for two, maybe 3 cars, in the 60s".

(above) Sample A-Series engines being run at BMC's engineering quality assurance department

TREVOR McILROY recently gave 171 DKA another outing at Craiganlet Hillclimb leaving his Sebring, XXC818, in storage.

RICHARD BUDD'S FUNERAL
I understand that the funeral is to take place at Oakley Wood Crematorium, Warwickshire on Wednesday 23rd May at 2pm. Richard's widow, Corrine would like anyone who knew Richard from the MGCC and/or his time racing his MGB and Sprite to be there supporting her and the family. Unfortunately his good friend James Thacker will be away at the time and it is too far for me to get there from Teesdale so we are hoping others may be able to get along to celebrate Richard's life.

RICHARD BUDD
I was very sorry to hear from James Thacker that Richard Budd, owner of the ex-works car,
4 HAC had passed away. James says: "I had known him for 50 yeas and competed against him in speed and circuit events in his alloy bodied  Healey Le Mans prototype' 4 HAC

I remember one of my first races in TZA being wheel to wheel with Richard  in the Sprite/Midget race at MGCC Silverstone in 1971/2 and seeing him at extremely  close quarters drifting the Sprite around Becketts on opposite lock and Richard in an immaculate cream shirt and MGCC tie before the days of compulsory fire-proof overalls".
We send our sincere condolences to Richard's wife and family.

My thanks to all those who have kindly tipped me off to the fact that 776 KNX is being offered for sale once again at
US $ 245,000. This was one of the two Sebring works entries in 1964 and is in amazing original condition. Contact: Dan Rapley
More photos and information.

FROM PETE BOWER: "Just a couple of photos of my Sprite as it undergoes its evolution.  It has a new Monza bonnet after the damage at Castle Combe, The alloy doors will follow on soon but need a little re-work first.  A new lighter and more aesthetic roll (hoop) and a super light alloy race seat.  The engine has had a head re-work, a new cam and  a Weber 40.  Its showing a healthy output on its first rolling road with the promise of more to come..."

SVEN ECKHARDT's RESTORATION of 4444 DA is nearing completion just in time fore the 60th anniversary celebrations. Well done mate.

BOB BLAYDEN enjoyed himself among the historics at the Australian GP and is now accompanying his friend Russell on a 5,500 mile round trip of Australia by Frogeye.

FORMULA JUNIOR 1071 CYLINDER HEAD FOR SALE
ON EBAY expires 2 May
£2,700

[captions follow]

JOE ARMOUR TOOK HAN9-R-237 TO THE "Austin-Healey Owners Club of Australia National Rally this past week.  Picture credits go to Kim Aubanel.  Looks like Joe has road plates on the car, so wonder if he drove it to Bathurst for the meet.  It sure looks great". NEIL ANDERSON

TREVOR McILROY at CROFT (N.I.)

"some images of our first hillclimb of the year - the TSCCNI Croft Hillclimb Holywood Co Down, just outside Belfast.  Its the first round of the ANICC Championship, the next will be 5th May Craigantlet, again just on the outskirts of Belfast. 
As you probably know all hillclimbs in N.I. run on closed public roads. I will use Craigantlet as a shake down for XXC818 before heading off to St Goueno Brittney end of May".

PHOTOS FROM GOODWOOD - COURTESY OF JOHN BAGGOTT
John spotted Geoff Buggy's Moto-Build constructed Sebring with flapping side-screen, plus this rather strange looking Austin Lancer. Basically it's a Riley 1.5 with re-shaped front and rear to create a more modern look for the Australian market. Hard to understand why BMC would do that to such a pretty car! [Thanks to Daniel Lackey of CCK Historic for forwarding copies]

ADO 34/50 MAKES PROGRESS
Douglas Anderson tells me that his ambitious project is beginning to take shape.

“The cold weather has hampered the work on the moulds, but now that the worst seems to be over we are getting ahead with the first lay up of the bonnet.  It is taking longer than usual for the fibre glass to cure but we are persevering. Here is a photo of my colleague Bruce who is helping me with the project.  He is an expert in glass fibre.
We are still at the design stage with our idea on an independent rear suspension set up for the ADO but things are looking very promising.  We think we will be able to offer a simple but effective set up.  I will keep everyone up to date on the progress on both fronts.
Douglas Anderson’

Michael Karrer in Southern Germany has come across these rear quarter-lights for a DHMC Mark 2 hardtop and wonders if anyone would like to buy them. He is looking for offers.
Email him if interested.

THE ROBSON SEBRING
once again on display among the daffodils at Goodwood for the 76th Members Meeting

LATEST EDITION OF THE WARWICK HEALEY ARCHIVE
Click here

2018 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX ~ Melbourne, Victoria
" Just a few photos of the Healeys that ran in the Historic demonstration laps at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix on the weekend. All the cars presented to a very high level and are a credit to their owners The Sprite of Bob Blaydon was great to see and the first time I have been able to view the car and take photos it. The car is a credit to Bob and the high quality of workmanship and finish achieved in his build of which he should be justly proud. Also a couple of other larger Healeys in the same  display. Regards,  Alan Mead, Kyneton, Australia".     

More clips from YouTube:
51st TARGA FLORIO ~ 1967
"This was the 2nd visit to the Targa Florio, again with the Sebring Sprite, but many lessons had been learned from the previous year. Various suspension modifications ..."
and a couple more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgQY36ABPx4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB_QfXFOtQ4

Got a message from nephew David in Melbourne yesterday to say "Drivers parade before the F1, all in Sprites. Vettel's needed a push." Seems that was the push he needed!

TEMPORARY OFFICE
is a pile of boxes in the barn attached to our cottage but at least we are back up and running, after 2 weeks, with the website!

50th TARGA FLORIO (1966) ON YOUTUBE
The first outing to the Targa Florio with the Sprite ~ Jack Wheeler and Martin Davidson aka 'Harry Martin' made the long road trip to Sicily to compete on ... [sent in by Christoph Klamert]

NIKOLAJ MORTENSEN HAS FOR SALE:
13" x 4½" Steel wheel rims.
" Since FIA wanted me to use 13 x 4½" steel rims on my Midget, I got these specially made. I had to order 5 sets or more, so I have some sets left. Of course Midget PCD 101.6mm, 4½ inches wide and 13 inches diameter. Look really good and very period. They have been used on my Midget for a full race season without any problems. Price for a set of 4 rims brand new - £550. Please email me for more info or if you would like a set."

YOU'RE PROBABLY ALL GETTING FED UP WITH TALK OF OUR HOUSE MOVE OOP NORTH!
However it is now imminent so from tomorrow 13th March until 21st I shall be off-air and otherwise engaged.
Please keep all the little bits of info coming and I will catch up shortly. Back soon. Martin.

FROM MIKE CURTIS: (on 2-speed wipers)
 "re: wipers - I have gone to a great deal of trouble fitting a later two speed motor (round body and to be honest I am not sure its worthwhile, I'd describe the typical speeds as very slow and not so slow! I think I'd stick with one speed...its largely guesswork seeing in the rain in a Midget at the best of times!!"

TWO-SPEED WIPER MOTORS (A reply to Ken Grasing's earlier message)
"Ken, On the subject of 2 spd wiper motors, I can't imagine that the round wiper motors were very available, even in the mid-60's. They started appearing maybe as early as 69 on street cars, but the square bodied motors were available in cars such as E-type and Lotus Elans much earlier. I would guess that's what you should fit.   Roger (Sieling)"

ANDY ACTMAN'S SPARE BONNET is for sale on ebay, currently at £80. Expires 17th March

 

REMEMBER THIS?
The auction in which the rusted remains of PMO 200 were sold for the princelt sum of £15,000 enabling Paul Woolmer to restore the car to its former glory.

This NEW STAINLESS STEEL RADIATOR GRILLE for Sebring or Frogeye has just become available from Halls Garage, Folkingham Road, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 0NS at £105 inc VAT
Contact Steve Hall by email

108 CPX - ANDY ACTMAN'S SEBRING REP
would appear to have sold at auction on Saturday (3 Mar). Anyone know who bought it? It achieved £17,360 - quite a bargain if you want a rapid race Sebring a good bit less than expected, and that included the trailer.

GARAGE CLEAROUT
I am grateful to Bob Hinchliffe for suggesting I offer some of my stuff to OUMF (Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation) who are building a Sebring Replica. I am pleased to say they took the lot which saved me the pain of putting them in the skip.

KEN GRASING: WHICH 2-SPEED WIPER MOTOR?
" I’m trying to determine what the Sebring Sprite used for a two-speed wiper motor.   I’ve seen two sets of preparation notes, attributed to John Sprinzel, and the notes from Brian Moylan’s book “Anatomy of a Works Mini”, describing changing the single-speed wiper motor for a two-speed unit.  I’m trying to figure out whether they changed to two-speed shunt-wound motor, the DR2/3 rectangular housing style, or a permanent magnet type, cylindrical housing type.  The two-speed DR2/3 type is quite expensive, relatively few were made, and most offering them want a core unit in exchange". 
Please let us know if you have the answer - via Feedback as usual

WANTED
DONOR CAR FOR SEBRING BUILDER
OR AN IDENTITY
Anybody got a basket case going cheap?

Feedback please

ROGER FRIEND
has a radiator for sale which has had only 2 hours use having been changed for an alloy one. The outer cowling has been removed, the rad in as new condition
£50
Contact Roger by email