1958 supercharged ‘Bonneville’ Sebring Sprite historic Rally car
The car left the factory in October 1958, Chassis No AN5 6435, and was delivered to The Motor Paradise in Llanfairpwll (Anglesey – hence the EY reg.) where it was sold in January, 1959. The Heritage certificate lists the car as primrose yellow but on its second rebuild the original colour could be seen under the steering rack mounts as Speedwell Blue!
Alex bought the car in 1990 in a very derelict state. Martin Coxhead rebuilt it to standard specification and it was in that form that Mike Creasey and his son took part in the 1990 Monte. Alex was unable to take part due to business commitments. The car was in a pretty poor state when it came back – road salt had wreaked havoc so he then carried out a second rebuild to create a Bonneville Sprite but with the steel bonnet. John Sprinzel originally developed and homologated the Bonneville version of the Sprite in the ’60’s, equipped with a Shorrock supercharger, disc brakes and wire wheels. It was in this form, with a white hardtop that Alex, with his wife Jane as navigator did the 1999 Monte. That created the need for its third rebuild when it gained its Sebring front and the Peter May engine. It is 962 cc, fitted with Shorrock C75b supercharger, producing 80 bhp, and has a smooth-case gearbox with ST straight cuts gears, a 4.4:1 diff, wire wheels, Lockheed discs, and Peter May rear axle internals. The bonnet and seats are from Archers and the hardtop is a standard pruduction one. The car weighs in at 600 kg – top speed 95 mph, 0 – 60 mph – 9.5 secs.
“We have won our class quite a few times and it has always been a ‘lucky’ car to compete in – so much so that both John Sprinzel and Willy Cave have signed the roof”.
| Year | Rally | Results |
| 1999 | Monte Carlo Challenge | 55th out of 220 starters |
| 2001 | Liege Rome Liege | Class win |
| 2001 | Classic Marathon | 37th |
| 2004 | Honfleur Rally | Class win. |
| 2005 | Rally of the Tests | Concours winner. |
| 2007 | Portugal Rally | |
| 2010 | Three Castles Rally |
Monte Carlo Challenge 1999
Roquesteron, France
LIEGE – ROME – LIEGE RALLY 2001 – Class Win
Three castles rally 2010 (right)
These 7 pictures from Gaydon in 2008 were kindly sent in by Ron Corry from Co. Wicklow in Ireland (see “Your Comments”)
In the picture (right) Willy
Cave has signed the car’s
roof – unfortunately barely visible in this shot.
