'Works' Sprite Register 1965 to 1969
The 10 Wind-Tunnel Cars (plus EAC 90C and LNX 629E Targa cars):
For 1965 ~ 3 wind-tunnel cars were built, one prepared for Sebring and 2 for Le Mans |
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Driven at Sebring in 1965 by Rauno Aaltonen and Clive Baker, finishing 15th overall, 2nd in class (amalgamated). Current owner: Marc Verstraete of Belgium (formerly owned by Gary Kohs, USA) |
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Le Mans 1965 by Paul Hawkins and John Rhodes Finished 12th overall, and 1st in class. For many years displayed in the Patrick Collection before being sold at auction. Denis Welch restore it for Kazuo Maruyama (Tokyo) before it was exported to Japan. |
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Le Mans 1965 driven by Rauno Aaltonen and Clive Baker Did not finish (distributor drive gear broke) Found in a poultry shed in Scotland and also restored by Denis Welch for Kazuo Maruyama of Japan. |
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1966 ~ 3 cars were built, 2 of which went to Sebring and Le Mans, and a third sold to a USA dealer. |
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UK Reg: HNX 455D |
Sebring, 1966 ~ Paul Hawkins/Timo Makinen ~ 18th |
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UK Reg: HNX 456D |
[This car probably become HAN9-R-237 for Le Mans '68] |
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EAC 90C |
1965 Targa Florio - #154 - Aaltonen/Baker - 15th, 2nd in class. |
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UK Reg: None |
Believed to have been supplied to Fred Royston, the New Jersey importer, who converted it for road use - does not appear to have raced with DHMC. After Royston it is thought to have been sold to someone in Florida before going on to Bill Wood. Its current owner is Jeff Brenner of Pennsylvania USA. [The race number is misleading] |
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In 1967 another 2 "wind-tunnel" cars were built: |
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UK Reg: 4 HAC |
Built in 1967 with LHD as a prototype for possible limited production as a road version of the race car. Converted to RHD the following year when it was sold to Richard Budd. Owner: Richard Budd, UK |  |
UK Reg: LWD 959E |
Targa Florio 1967:
(No.172) Clive Baker/Rauno Aaltonen
- retired after hitting a spectator. Sebring, 1968, Clive Baker and Mike Garton won their class. Nurburgring 1000 kms, May '68, Baker/Handley 30th, 1st in class. Watkins Glen 1968: 6 Hours - Clive Baker/Paul Richards/Jim Baker - came 13th. Car now owned by Shigeru Tanaka, Japan. |
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LNX 629E |
1967 Sebring 12 Hours - #58 - Baird/Enever/Poole 18th, 3rd cl. 1968 Sebring 12 Hours - #74 - Truitt/Canfield - 15th, & 1st cl. 1968 Targa Florio - #112 - Aaltonen/Baker - 53rd 1968 Nurburgring 1000 kms - #44 - Baker/Handley - 30th, 1st cl. 1968 Circuit of Mugello - #81 - Hedges/Baker - 24th, 1st cl. |
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The car entered for Le Mans 1968 was purported to be a "new" one (cars were only allowed to race twice at Le Mans and Chassis 144 had already done that) but I suspect that the damaged '67 car was re-built and modified with the fuel-injected engine,rear spoiler, etc to become Chassis 237: |
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Ch No: HAN9-R-237 |
[Believed to be the rebuilt and developed 1967 Le Mans car] |
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Immediately after the 1968 Le Mans race BMC withdrew their support for DHMC's race programme resulting in the two new cars they were building being completed and sold to Ed Bussey in the USA. |
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UK Reg: (prob none) |
Built for 1969 season but never raced by DHMC. Fitted with fuel-injected engine and 5 speed gearbox. |
 The Ring Free Special |
UK Reg: (prob none) |
Built for the 1969 Targa Florio, but never raced by DHMC. |
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See also the text on the Works Cars 1965 to 69 page, and then take a look at Works Cars 1959 to 64 and Works Register 1959 to 64 for the 10 "wind-tunnel" cars, and others of that period.