Lenham Sprites & Midgets

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The Company History:

Julian Booty and David Miall-Smith started a motor business in 1962 restoring vintage cars at the rear of a public house at Lenham, near Maidstone in Kent, UK. The business soon moved to nearby Harrietsham where it operated as The Vintage & Sports Car Garage. When David left in 1970, Julian was joined by Peter Rix who later became his business partner, the business becoming the Lenham Motor Company. For many years they produced kits for Spridgets, as well as a variety of hardtops, and also created the Lenham Healey based on the Austin-Healey 3000. With production of the kits having slowed to a trickle the body moulds and the Lenham Motor Co name were sold to Dave Coplowe in 1998. As far as I am aware he did not actually produce any components from them and eventually sold the package on to Classic Cars of Kent in 2009 (now CCK Historic). The Lenham Motor Co name was brought back into use and production was re-started. One of the first "new" Lenhams created was a replica of SS1800 for proprietor Shaun Rainford to race in the Goodwood Revival. It's creation was approved by John Britten (who has since died) who inspected the completed car and agreed that his personal plate SS1800 could be used on it (unofficially).

Read an article on Lenham from "Motorsport", June 1971.....
and another from Car & Car Conversions

Lenham GT

The first of their fibreglass body kits designed for the Sprite or Midget was dubbed the Lenham GT. It was an attempt at re-styling the original car as a closed coupé with Kamm tail to make it much more streamlined. A sleek forward-hinging bonnet with faired-in headlights was also available. One of the first of these cars to be used in competition was John Britten's SS1800 which was enormously successful.
Lenham GT Gallery

Lenham Le Mans Coupé

With the introduction of the revised Sprite and Midget in the autumn of 1964, which gave it wind-up windows and a different windscreen, a new rear body was designed for these cars which incorporated quarter windows at the sides. This was to be known as the Lenham Le Mans.
Lenham Le Mans Gallery

Lenham GTO

A third option was also produced, though in very small numbers which was an open car with a flattish rear section including a boot lid and again with Kamm style tail treatment. In the early 1990's Dave Matthews was keen to own one of these and persuaded Julian and Peter to re-create the moulds, and a handful of new GTOs were then built.
Lenham GTO Gallery

For Lenham today, click logo for link :

Other links:
Lenham Motor Club
Lenham Spridget Register
Dave Matthews' Lenham History

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