LNX 629E – Ex-Works Sebring/Targa Florio Sprite – property of the late John Baglow

Pat Cooper’s Ashley bonneted 1293cc Frogeye at the recent Prescott Hill Climb
[Photo: David Morys]

TREVOR McILROY IN XXC 818
was pleased with 2nd in the Historic class at the (oldest in the world) Cultra Hill-Climb. Well done, & great photo.

LNX 629E – I’ve had 5 enquiries about the sale of this historic car to date (& some for the Frogeye) but John Baglow’s family feel they should consult Bonhams, auctioneers, so I suspect they may go to auction, but let’s wait and see. Photos coming.

ANOTHER PUZZLER FOR YOU – PLEASE HELP NAME THE DRIVER
Alistair Ross has came across this photo of an early (W & P) Speedwell GT taking part in an Autocross Championship. It appears to have a GRP Monza bonnet rather than an aluminium one fitted to early cars. Rear arches are enlarged and it’s probably 1968/71.
Feedback please.

Pierre Lequeux’ Sprite 2080 PO has been on display at the Wimbledon Village Fair. While nursing his broken arm Pierre has been delighted to learn that he has an entry for the Brighton Speed Trials where the car competed many years ago.

John Baglow’s son, David, has asked me to enquire if, among my contacts, there may be a potential purchaser for this important race/rally car which is currently partially dismantled following a racing accident some years ago. I am told that the chassis is straight but that front and rear wings were damaged. There are more than ample parts available to complete the car’s repair and these include the very rare and special 5-speed gearbox. Whether the car’s XSP engine is among the several in John’s Aladdin’s Cave of spares is currently unclear. There are 8 knock-on Minilite wheels and a sets of wires. Should you wish to know more or put your name forward as an interested party please let me know via Feedback.
The car’s history can be viewed on my web page. Among other cars to be sold is John’s Frogeye, see below right:

LENHAM/ASHLEY PROJECT
Bidding now ended – did not sell. Back on ebay at £750 +
UNSOLD – NO BIDS 3 July
[Neil Anderson]

FROGEYE SPRITE FOR RESTORATION
Also among John Baglow’s effects is his earlier car a Frogeye laid-up for some 30 years currently with its engine and gearbox removed. Steel, fibreglass or Sebring bonnets are an option, and the car is understood to be otherwise complete. Please contact me if you are interested. Feedback

MG 90 YEAR CELEBRATION AT SILVERSTONE (Photos kindly supplied by David Morys, Dennis Wharf and John Egan)

Lenham GT now owned by John Hilberry [DW]

Dominic Mooney in action [DW]

Tony Wilson-Spratt in the WSM BGT [JE]

THOSE SPEEDWELL GTs – 728H and 37 CLX
A letter from Peter Jackson pretty well confirms these 2 cars were one and the same. See “Your Comments”
and more from Richard Melville.

SHORROCK C75B
A near-complete kit for a Sprite is for sale on ebay
No crank pulley – SOLD for £1,021 on 25th June

[photo: Dave Matthews]

JOHN BAGLOW
I have only just heard that John Baglow passed away in April at the age of 75. John was the owner of the ex-works Targa/Sebring LNX 629E

RICK tells us more about the Bugeye below:
“The Bugeye was one of the fabled ‘barn finds’. It is owned by Greg Heacock and runs here in the north-west with my vintage racing group SOVREN. The car has been left as original as possible. My attempt is only to help discover new information. It is a wonderful little racer, and the owner loves it just like it is!! I DID see the Sebring bodied Sprites as the competition entries but had heard of another baby blue colored Bugeye in California with the same claim to fame of Le Mans as Greg’s car……..”

The above pictures were sent in by Rick Larner of Spokane, Washington in north-west USA. They seem to come from a book or magazine and show a stadard-bodied Frogeye or Bugeye with hardtop and wire wheels. It’s RHD and seen here racing with No.13. There is a Le Mans plaque on the dash and an identification lamp on the roof. Anyone know who Jerry and Allen Automotive are, or were? I’ve asked Rick whether the article is recent and where the car is now. Your Feedback is invited.

Barry McCann’s Warwick hardtop (shown lower down this page) sold on ebay for £271.66

Meredith Hutchins’ Sebring Replica project was bought by Lubbert Mussche’s brother who plans to build an aluminium body using it as a ‘mould’. [Michael Meerlo]

ANTONIO BERTINI
Sadly I have to report that Antonio Bertini was killed in Italy on Saturday whilst competing in a Marcos. In the same car was Adam Cunnington who was unhurt. Antonio had owned and raced the Speedwell GT, 585 MY, which he campaigned across events in Europe including the Fordwater trophy at Goodwood in 2006 and 2010. [Report, Paul Webb]

AN UPDATE ON THE FALCON SPRITE FROM ROGER SIELING
Roger has now fitted the Falcon’s doors in order to trim its new nose section. He is unsure of the purpose of a pin shown circled (above right). Note the modified Sprite chassis beneath the Falcon bodywork.

THE SPEEDWELL GT RESEARCH CONTINUES:
Alistair Ross came up with these 2 photos, that on left showing a GT with massive fuel tank testing at Brands Hatch with trade plates 728 H, the same no. used on the Sebring ’61 entry for Richard Melville/Graham Hill. Could this be the same car raced by “Archer” (Brian Archer) of Jamaica Racing (Aug ’61) and rolled by Melville or Jackson in practice for the Nurburgring 500 ?

RARE WARWICK MK 2 HARDTOP FOR SALE ON EBAY, SOLD at £271.66
(Peterborough, Cambs)

WANTED – 1275 GEARBOX
Having been let down on a gearbox which turned out to be a 1098, Bryn Rossiter is in need of a good 1275 ribbed case. NOW SORTED THANKS

Ian Turner promptly identified the Speedwell GT (2 rows below right) as that of Richard Melville which he raced at Sebring in 1961 with Graham Hill. He says: “He also raced it at Clement Ferrand in July ’61 where it overheated. This would explain the modified nose to improve cooling. It was raced with Peter Jackson, hence Jamaica Racing, but I don’t know where the Archer pseudonym came from”. But where is it now?

INDIGNANT OF BROADWAY:
David Morys was a little put out by Geoff Healey’s caption, below, saying: “How dismissive – this was the works MGC GT light -weight driven by Paddy Hopkirk & Andrew Hedges to 10th place overall, and 3rd in class – the best result for an MG at the event. I am only joshing but a more expansive description by the author would have been nice”.

Joe Armour confirms the photo left below as 1964 – He says “the 3000 should be the ex-Ted Worswick KNX 767 that raced at Sebing in 1964. Ted then entered the Targa Florio in it in 1966 after the car was driven to Sicily”.

FROM GEOFF HEALEY’S BOOK “Austin Healey” come these 2 interesting photos. On the left is one of the 2 KNX (770 or 776) cars being prepared for 1964 Sebring (not 1961 as captioned) and on the right is one of LWD 959E at Sebring in 1968.

Bill Prout has again decided to offer his Williams & Pritchard hardtop for sale as advertised during May. See News 2014

Graham Maggs Rep (left) which is currently for sale, now has a 1275 motor in place of its original 1098cc.

Paul Bos noticed this sad Frogeye for sale in Bonhams Auction in Oxford Sold for £2,300 inc. premium on Saturday 7th June.

PHOTO NEGATIVES FOR SALE ON EBAY
Speedwell GT gurus Alistair Ross and John Baggott have been unable to identify the car above, 37 CLX, here racing at the Nurburgring in 1961. The driver used the pseudonym “Archer” and ran under the Jamaica Racing banner. Result unknown. Anyone recognise the car? Feedback

When Phil Zamlynski was at the INDIANAPOLIS 500 recently he met up with Julian Tordoff and his sister Adrinne who used to run a garage in England before emigrating to New Zealand. They did panel beating and race preparation including some cars for John Sprinzel. Small World!

SEBRING HATCHBACK
Mike Curtis is making good progress with his opening rear window to gain access to the spare wheel, etc.

ARMSTRONG ADJUSTABLES
look like a good pair but starting at £500, on ebay.
In UK. Ended 8th June – NO BIDS. [Mark Matthews]

JS has met up with his old Bugeye at the British Car Club’s Annual Show at a Brew Pub in Honolulu where he gave a talk. I bet he regailed them with many of his old rallying stories.

Nikolaj Mortensen’s Race-prepared Sebring Rep FOR SALE
This 1960 Sprite has been re-built to Homologation 47 spec and has done just one race. Currently LHD but parts to convert (based in Copenhagen) £28,500 – FULL DETAILS
On-board footage at Knutstorp Revival 2014