News 2011
Scroll down for earlier months in the year
Newsletter ~ December 2011 |
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Wishing all my contributors, Sebring and other Special Sprite enthusiasts
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Some interesting 'old' photos kindly sent in by Neil Blaney show (left to right) his wife Dianne with Brian Archer and the K Series Sebring at Pope Street, JJO, S221 and Neil, Brian, Tom Coulthard and Jack Wheeler at the Abingdon Works Day in 2000.
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Shaun Rainford and Daniel Lackey are setting up a |
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Some of you will have spotted this PEMA bonneted Frogeye
for sale recently on EBay. It has a Shorrock Supercharger and alloy rear end. Owner Nick Record is looking for £9K. |
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This great photo (right) taken outside the old Archers Garage
in Pope Street, Birmingham in the mid -90's was kindly supplied by Bob Kemp. They are leaning on Wheeler's Dolomite Sprint-engined Sebring, with another being built in the workshop behind. |
 Brians, Archer and Wheelerwith 773 RW |
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David Scothorn has kindly allowed me to copy the original Archers Garage K Series Sebring brochure |
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Alistair Ross pointed me to: "Sebring forces a Speedwell
off the track".
A great dice at Oulton Park in 1963: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v =LPJQBAqOx3A &feature=youtu.be |
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Perhaps the same bonnet as that shown left, made in the USA by Dama Plastics.Inc |
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Newsletter ~ November 2011 |
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I see that Ian Ashfield is offering his recently- completed Sebring Fastback for sale (link) |
Simon Edgington at the wheel of EAO (above) with brother, Adam, in 1966 or 7 |
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Speedwell door handles:
Laurent Derancourt has offered an old pair needing re-chroming. Also it appears Mike Youles had some copies made some years ago?? |
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Can anyone help with a pair of Speedwell sliding door handles being sought by Paul Bos in California, please? |
Nick Conklin has another unusual bonnet ~ anyone ever seen one like this? See also April newsletter in Past News |
Trevor McIlroy has yet another of those bonnets ~ that's 6 now. Can't believe no-one knows the make! |
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Jim Dougherty's Sebring with high sidescreen top stripped for painting. See "Your Comments" (27 Oct 2011) |
Dave Matthews sent me this picture of a Lenham GT at Zandvoort with original Early Lenham Bonnet! |
OFH 175,
formerly owned by Bill McDonnough before the late Ronnie Coia, has a new owner, Mike Warne of Reading |
Still unidentified bonnet which came with David Scothorn's Lenham GTO. Is Mangoletsi badge a clue? |
Newsletter - October 2011 |
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Peter Knightley's Sprite built in the 80's from a Frogeye has turreted rear shockers and discreetly widened bodywork. Anyone know its history? Feedback
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BODYSHELL FOR SALE Dave Parker has a 1500 Midget bodyshell for sale very sound and original. He is looking for £1250. Contact him on 0770 412 4864 |
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Newsletter -September 2011 |
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Speedwell Aluminium Head For Sale in France |
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Newsletter - August 2011 |
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In September I will be adding a set of 30 photos from the 2010 Goodwood Revival kindly provided by Ron Edwards. |
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Another version of Ian Walker's inlet manifold, sent in by Trevor McIlroy who would like to know more about them. |
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JOHN SPRINZEL COMMENTS on the Ian Walker manifolds:
See "Your Comments" and David Morys tells us more plus a comment from Trevor McIlroy |
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Pete Taylor has come across these two after-market inlet manifolds, one from Alexander (left) and the other embossed Ian Walker (right).
Does anyone know anything about them and if they have any value ? |
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If you were the proud owner of this very original Mark 2 Sprite (left) with Donald healey hardtop would you convert it to full Sebring spec or keep it as it is? Julian Yell is undecided. See "Your Comments"
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Just received photos and story from Chris and Charlie Clegg about their race at the Le Mans Legends |
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This Lenham Le Mans (left) was recently purchased on ebay by David Scothorn - he is keen to know if it has any racing history. Anyone recognise the number please let me know via Feedback
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Healey inlets mentioned last month - order a set from Archers Garage - £145 |
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FROGEYE SIDE-SCREENS
Ray English is looking for a set of early Frogeye side-screens - the sort with just a single panel of celluloid which has no openings. Anyone know where such might be found - new or in good condition? REPLY |
 An early 1958 Frogeye Side - Screen |
The Grapevine Works!
I received 2 messages, 1 from Robert Visser and the other from Neil Anderson telling me of some sidescreens on ebay. Then Graeme Henderson came up with another pair so looks like Ray may be satisfied. |
I understand from
Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird EAO has NOW BEEN SOLD. The new owner is Jim Lowry (of Equipe-GTS fame) who hopes to have it out on the tracks very soon. |
Newsletter - July 2011 |
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Left to right: Tony wilson-Spratt's WSM, Derek Stewart's new Sebring, Mike Haigh's Lenham and Paul Woolmer's 46 BXN |
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Neil Anderson brings us information about ADJUSTABLE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS now available - as fitted to Graeme Henderson's replica (left) |
HEALEY INLET MANIFOLDS |
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Re-created pages added during July: |
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The photo (right) was sent to Butch Gilbert by someone in Europe. It is clearly of one of the 1959 Sebring cars as "it has the right number font, the tea caddy brake fluid can, and regulator plus other identifying items of the team cars" says Butch. He believes it could be 1961 or later as it has Blue Streak tyres fitted
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WHERE
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If you can help Butch please reply on Feedback
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Anyone know anything of
"HWH Engineering, Beech Lane Garage in Wandsworth" ? Matthew Parkin is restoring a supercharged Frogeye which lived there for its first 10 years. Help via Feedback |
Tony Girodano's LHD Mark 2 with Sebring mods raced in the USA since the 60's |
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Newsletter - June 2011 |
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I was very pleased to learn yesterday that the website |
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LUMBERTUBS |
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BIG NEWS AT MIDGET 50
was that Roger Byford has entered the Winter Challenge to Monte Carlo in 2012 with none other than Willy Cave as his navigator in one of his two Sebrings (right) |
 Roger Byford's 775 JTF (photo Gordon Higgs) |
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A little bird takes a look! |
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"If God had intended Spridgets to keep their steel bonnets, he wouldn't have brought John Sprinzel among us". ~ so says Tom Coulthard on the mgcars bulletin board! |
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WYT 381, the Barry Shawzin rally car.
[I appear to have had my facts wrong about the sale of this car and its restoration - I am now endeavouring to clarify the present situation. Apologies to those concerned for my error] |
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Ian Turner, father of Mark (who has the Coupe Sebring top on his Mark 2 Sprite) is to build a new Sebring to race. |
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 Gordon Elwell sent me this photo of MEG with the Lumbertubs Sprite at Silverstone in 1964. Previous MEG owner Arthur Appleby kindly supplied it. |
Cultra Hill-Climb,
N.Ireland See Trevor McIlroy's Sebring taking part on You Tube: http://youtu.be/iEmUHp4xsRY [Thanks to Mike Wylie] |
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Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird was contacted recently by Mitch Goldstein who is trying to find: 9251 WD (the Steve McQueen 'works' MkII that remained in the US). He's managed to track down Willy Stryker, the guy who bought it from BMC San Francisco in 1962 for $2500!
View Mitch's site |
This is Simon Leeming's replica of a Sebring Mk 2 with similar Reg No. 9524 WD. He only needs the DHMC Mark 2 hardtop to perfect it. |
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KEITH HOPWOOD
I was sorry to learn this week that Keith Hopwood, who re-created RAM 35, the Paddy Gaston Sebring, has passed away. We send our sincere condolences to his wife and family. |
S221 for Le Mans
Charlie Clegg tells me he and his father Chris will be racing in a support race to the 24 Hours this coming weekend (11/12 June) . |
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EAO out on the road at last - giving Jonathan a big grin. |
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Newsletter - May 2011 |
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Tony Wilson-Spratt tells me that you can see a live broadcast of HRDC racing at Mallory Park on SKY Motors TV on Bank Holiday Monday May 30th. The grid will include the 3 WSMs of Will Penrose, Clive Cocks and Tony wilson-Spratt, as well as many other special Sprites, including Sebrings, Lenhams and Ashleys. The 40 minute long 'Grand Touring Greats' race for 'A' series engined cars has attracted a great grid of aerodynamic, small capacity pre-1966 sports cars. http://www.motorstv.com/car/others/motors-tv-live-raceday |
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Derek Stewart's Sebring awaits bonnet fitting and MOT - he's hoping it'll be at Burghley. |
Trevor McIlroy's car nears completion - also coming to Midget 50 on June 12th. |
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Tax disc says 1963 |
Mark Soley sent me these photos of his uncle in action with 563 BOX - where is it now?
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Newsletter - April 2011 |
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Mike Wylie quickly spotted the article (left) which was taken from Dennis Ortenburger's book about Frank Costin's designs, shown right. See Mike's comment on the story under "Your Comments" |
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 Mike Wylie has kindly offered to liaise with owner Ronnie White to prepare a web page for this very special Sebring, 52 LPH. |
 Gleaming supercharger on Nick Conklin's standard-bodied Sebring. News and 10 more recent pictures are now on his web-page |
 A new picture sent in by Tom Coulthard, of his brother's former rally car WER 354. I plan to prepare a page on this car shortly. |
 This very unusual bonnet adorns a Sprite recently re-imported from the USA by Robert Johnson of Chapel End Cars and now FOR SALE: |
 John Hill kindly sent this picture of his Healey Marine beer mats (which he doesn't want to part with). |
Correction  Lauren Derancourt says that Geoff Dixon's bonnet is an Ashley one but with a modified bulge. Compare with his |
 Alistair Gilchrist brought this rather odd-looking Italian "Sebring" to my attention for which a wopping £68,500 is being asked. Link |
 Neil Anderson tol me about this Lenham GT, 888 HPA - being offered in an H & H auction, with a long race-rally history. Link |
Douglas Wilson Spratt1921 to 2011  I received the sad news this afternoon that the creator of the WSM cars had passed away just two months before his 90th birthday. (Pictured below) |
Douglas's son Tony sent me the following touching message this afternoon (12 April 2011):
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I am sure you will all wish to join me in sending Tony, the Wilson-Spratt family and all Douglas's many friends, our sincere condolences following his death. A great designer, innovator and inventor of both cars and aircraft he was a lovely man who will be much missed. He added greatly to the Sebring Sprite scene both in the 60's and during their more recent revival years. Martin. |
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Gordon & MEG lead away |
then Shaun leads Rae |
then Rae takes over |
finally Shaun Rainford wins |
 2791MP |
 RAM 36 |
WANTED |
 XXC 818 |
TONY STRAKER - 2791 MP |
RAM 36 in action (?1962) driven by Barry Wood. It was discovered last year that this Speedwell GT was actually registered 6194 MM. Thanks to Gary Lazyrus, Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird and Tom Coulthard for this research. |
BUTCH GILBERT's car. Recent research has revealed that Butch's 1959 works Sebring car was in fact No.54 and not 53. New photos and text on his new page |
XXC 818 has now returned to Trevor McIlroy's home after painting. He hopes to have it fully assembled for Midget 50 in June. He is keeping a diary of the build which I hope to display on the website in due course. |
Neil Thomas from Tenby is hoping to build a new Lenham Le Mans, but in the meantime has kindly sent me these excellent photos from the 2003 Goodwood Revival Meeting. |
 The WSM camp |
 The WSM MGB |
 James Willis' Midget Coupe |
 Brian Archer and S221 |
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 Thomassi's Speedwell GT... |
 with 505BZ in background. |
Newsletter - March 2011 |
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 John Hill scanned this picture of 1411WD in the pits at Sebring, from an old piece of film. |
Welcome to Version 3 of my
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 Sprinzel on left, John Hill to the right but Hill says: "Who is the person standing a way back between John and myself?"
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 Alan Anstead has sent in this shot of an Isle of Wight Sebring at the factory received from MASC member Crispin Whiting. |
Midget 50 With the addition of Ian Ashfield's Fastback, I now have 8 Sebring Replicas coming to Burghley House in June but would still like to achieve 12 so please let me know if you are able to come. |
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Newsletter ~ February 2011 |
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Calling all Sebring Sprite Replica OwnersI have made some preliminary arrangements with the organisers of Midget 50 (which takes place on 12th June this year at Burghley House, Lincs) for us to have a gathering of replica cars on the site. I would like to get at least 12 cars there and arrange them like a clock face, with all their 'rear ends' to the centre. If you would like to be one of them please contact me via Feedback. You will also need an entry ticket, for which please go to www.midget50.com |
>  Mike Wood & Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird have both tipped me off that David Jamouillie's Fastback is For Sale and can be viewed at www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/ C205222/ He is looking for £18,000. |
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Neil Anderson of Chicago sent me the above Sprite advert from the past as well as an interesting article on one of the Works Cars which I will add to the site shortly. Neil has also given me an article on TFR 5 which will appear shortly. |
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Geoff Dixon has just bought this Sprite with Ashley hardtop and W & P bonnet from Rae Davis, and intends to use it in some mild competitive events. |
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> A great picture of Richard Pugh in action with Kermie |
Ken Grasing from Oregon is collecting parts and researching original standard-bodied Sebring Sprites before building a replica. I am trying to source a Girling brake set-up for him. He has asked me about the fitting of the Healey 100-4 anti-roll bar and thinks the wishbones have to be strengthened. Can anyone help him with advice on this matter, please? |
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Paul Slangen from Belgium has a Fastback on order from Archers, and a Monza bonnet. Not satisfied with that he is also now building a Lenham Sprite. |
Nick Conklin tells me he now has his standard-bodied Sebring sorted out and it's running "like a top". The dual exhaust is a screamer and the supercharger looks great installed and functions very well, he tells me. He is in the final stages of fitting the bonnet with a power bulge. Photos coming soon. |
Mike Wood is planning to build a copy of the Barry Shawzin rally car,(above) He lives in Ayrshire and is looking for a suitable donor car, hopefully within about 500 miles. He asks how people have bonded their Sebring tops/rear ends to the shell and what MOT testers or IVA personnel make of it. Comments invited, please. |
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David Pratt took delivery of his Fastback kit in July intending to use his rotten Mk 3 Sprite as a donor. He then found it has a 1500 shell so is now having to remove all the reinforcement. |
 The Star Motor Co of Devon displayed their Tifosi SS (right) at the recent MG Spares Day at Stoneleigh. They offer it as a complete bodyshell or as bodywork fitted to your shell. |
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Dean Powers continues to progress his Sebring Rep and has been very fortunate in acquiring a set of Girling calipers for a mere $200! |
Bill Postins tells me that the ex-Alan Haste/Kim Dear Rep 317 AOV is now with George Wilkin who hails from Northern Ireland. |
Alan Anstead has learnt from Keith Brading in IOW that his later cars had K Series engines and Ford MT75 gearboxes, but he lost money on all of them. |
Pierre Lequeux is looking for a standard-bodied historic Sebring like the Butch Gilbert car. If you know of one please let me know. |
Newsletter - January 2011 |
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EAO goes to Coys Auction at the Autosport Racing Car Show
- January 15th, 2011 Despite a top bid of £77,000 the car was unsold having failed to meet its reserve. |
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From John Sprinzel: "Looking through your web page, I can still hardly believe that 2214UE is still around - after my rallying on the Liege and German Rallies half a century ago, John Patten's drive with Paul Hawkins on the RAC and then Mike Reid's efforts with the Octagon crowd, I wonder how many bits can still be original. Good fun though, to see what the cars managed. I read the auction brochure on the Hedges car and the huge list of owners. Did Donald and Geoff ever imagine their little car could stand up to so much for so long?
Hope you are well and having a good New Year, in spite of what I hear about your weather. Aloha, John |
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A few more photos of Peter White's Fastback (left) in New Zealand. [link] |
When Michael Meerlo returned his Fastback (right) to Archers, from Holland, he decided to shrink-wrap it against the winter salt, etc! |
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From Albert Voogd in Holland: I write to let you know that a friend of mine in Holland has a pair of Rolls Royce type rear light units for sale, as used on some Robert Peel cars (see left). They are in very good condition and include an extra set of lenses. [I have asked Albert for a guide price-MEI] |
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[Also from Albert] "I would also comment on the picture of the Speedwell GT, RAM 36 of Barry Wood, - that was taken at Hugenholz corner at Zandvoort during the World Cup race there on Sept 2nd 1962. The circuit archivist Rob Petersen has confirmed this. RAM 36 was part of the 2-car team with Paddy Gaston, who took part as No.7 in RAM 35. Gaston finished in 11th position, 4 laps behind the winner Ben Pon in his Porsche Carrera Abarth. Wood finished in (?)12th position. John Whitmore and Julian Sutton came 2nd and 3rd in their Elits. Andrew Hedges and Alan Foster also took part in their BMC Jacobs Midgets, finishing 5th and 6th respectively. Great stuff!" |
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Mike Curtis's Replica More pictures. |
From Neil Blaney in Australia: "When we were in England I rang Keith Brading at the Frogeye Car Company, to see if we could have a look at his making of the Frogeyes. He agreed and met us on the Isle of Wight when we came across on the ferry, taking us to the Simion Motor Works. We spent a couple of hours with him. He showed us how he made the cars and he had orders for 50 in the next 12 months, all to go to Japan. I attach some photos (right). Do you know if the Sebrings were completed, did they go to Japan and what happened to them? I was told one of the reasons for the Company's demise was the lack of 'A' Series engines he could purchase. | ||
From Gordon Higgs, who is building a replica Coupe: I hope 2011 finds you well. I'm sorry its been so long since my last mail. I've been keeping busy on the Sprite build. It seems I've been waiting ages to get her into the paint shop. A small local business called Lone Pine that's been in the same family since the early 1950's. They specialise in high class and classic cars. My Sprite was in outstanding company, while she was in, there was a Shelby Mustang bare shell waiting for paint, two Aston martins and a Rolls Royce, not to mention the 1930's Bentley body parts being painted in cellulose! After our earlier mails I did some searching through our extensive paint colour information at work to see if I could throw any light on the Tartan/Alfa Red question and I foundthere were several Tartan Reds so I've chosen a lighter Tartan. It probably is not the same as PMO200 but I like it and that's what counts. The Sprite is home now so the long build process can start. all the suspension parts have been plated and powder-coated, overhauled and are ready to refit(see picture below right).
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More photos on: |
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Lauren Derancourt tells me that his French club Amicale now his a blog with English translation - at www.spritemidget.com |
Ken Youngstrom writes re: The Falcon Sprite. At least one post-1961 owner was Walter 'Kit' Kitteridge of Brockton, Massachusetts. I recall riding with Kit in the Sprite on public roads and getting stuck in traffic near the Brockton Fair. The vivid memory is stopping next to a traffic policeman where my eye level was just at the policeman's knee-cap! Kit was a rather slight person, who, when racing his battered TR3, would appear to disappear under the tonneau cover when reaching for 3rd gear. |
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Trevor McIlroy's replica is now ready for painting (left). More pics |
Mike Wylie has sent me
some new photos of John
Sprinzel, this one (right) with
Mike's son David - others later |
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From Ken Grasing: "Might it be possible to obtain copies of the FIA Homologation forms for the Sebring Sprites that raced in international events and create a section of the website for them? I would be particularly interested in the form for the standard-bodied works car that ran in the 12 hour Sebring event." [I have replied to Ken that I hope to include some forms in the new website to be released shortly] |
From Gary Wolchover, re: JAX10 - 791 NAR, I note that the registration number was JAX 10. This went on to feature on a couple of big Healeys as well as an S Type Jag. Jack Wolchover wrote off a car (I can't remember which one) in the mid 80s by crashing into a brewery wagon. To keep the registration number was so complicated, expensive and time consuming he gave it up. |
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 New alloy tops and rears for FIA cars (above) from Craig Chapman, CC Coachworks, Inverness, Scotland. tel: 01456 415382 email: cc_coachwork@hotmail.co.uk website: www.cccoachwork.com |
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John Hugenholtz of Belgium tells me: "I brought RTL 304 (pictured left) back from the UK to Holland in the 80s having bought the car in South London for Dutch dealer Tonio Hildebrandt. I drove it on the road with an open exhaust to Sheerness for the ferry to Vlissingen - I had my road car and trailer and the car was taken home to Overveen (near Zandvoort). It had a 1293 Cooper S engine at the time. I think I tested it once at Zandvoort but never raced it. I sold it to Ecury. Wonderful to see it's still around and looking lovely". RTL 304 - new pics from David Morys (left) - thank you! |
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