I recently sold my PADDY GASTON inlet manifold to Kees van Beijmerwerdt in Holland and he has now installed it on his engine: “After some planing of the joint faces, the making of 2 additional alloy spacers and a linkage support for the accelarator cable I have installed the manifold on my 998 Sprite. Engine started right away and runs very smooth, so it is not only looking as a nice addition!”
A 1962 Austin-Healey Sprite that was found festering in California before being bought for $100 is to be campaigned in the gruelling Rally Historico Transpeninsular from 21-24 May. The car, which was bought by “serial adventurer and blogger” Michael Satterfield was discovered languishing in an abandoned aircraft hangar and was quickly dubbed ‘El Guapo’ – Spanish for ‘the handsome one’. It was originally built by an enthusiast named J Giddens and features front bodywork that Satterfield believes to be unique. “We gave the car the name ‘El Guapo’ as a joke, since it is not the prettiest of cars,” said Satterfield. “I’ve been focusing on keeping the car’s build budget low to showcase just how accessible historic motorsport can be.” The race, which is in its inaugural year and caters for pre-’73 classics, will take Satterfield and the Healey across 1100 miles of punishing terrain in Baja California, including regularity sections from 
Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. The project has been backed by a number of specialists, including Moss Motors. Other rally entrants include muscle cars such as Ford Mustangs, a Chevrolet Camaro SS and a Dodge Charger, with European manufacturers represented by a Mercedes-Benz 280SL and BMW 2002.
[Forwarded by David Morys] [The peninsular can be seen on the left side of this map:]
AN ASHLEY SPRITE GT badge on ebay.
SOLD at £10.50 – 3 May
HARRY’S SEARCH FOR RALLY PROJECT
I have received an offer of a Lenham Le Mans, a Lenham GTO, a kit of bonnet/rear bodywork for a Lenham GT, and a part-rally-prepared Midget Mark 2 so Harry has a few possibilities so far. Keep ’em coming. Thanks.
WANTED – PROJECT CAR FOR RALLYING
Harry Scheper from Holland had his eye on Angelo van der Rijt’s Lenham GT but that has now been sold. Does anyone know of anything similar that Harry could build up as a rally car, LHD or RHD? Feedback please.
Another INNOCENTI SPYDER for sale on ebay – a much better one this time.
SOLD at US$2,852 – 30 April
More photos of 9253 WD, this time from Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird, taken from the CAR S.O.S. programme and subsequent displays at the London Transport Museum and the Heritage Centre, Gaydon. Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend were the presenters with Sir Stirling Moss in attendance.
It didn’t take Bob Hinchliffe long to get to Gaydon – these are his photos of the Pedro Rodriguez Sebring car.
HEALEY MUSEUM TRIP
Would anyone like to join our little convoy to the Netherlands in early October. 2 Sebrings so far – mine and Bob Blayden’s.
Feedback
RAY ENGLISH tells me he has this copy of the John Bolster/Roy Salvadori film in the Sprite Room. There is not much Sprite memorabilia that escapes him is there!
DID SOMEONE BAD-MOUTH WJB 707 ON A ‘BLOG’?
One interested party told the auctioneers that he had seen adverse comments about the car on a ‘blog’. As the car is, without doubt in my opinion, the most original of the 4 Sprinzel Coupes known to survive this is hard to understand. WJB is the only car with all its original W & P alloy bodywork and its original body-shell (whilst acknowledging that, as with most 50 year old cars, some new metal had to be incorporated during its restoration). If you have seen adverse comments please let me know so they can be disputed: Feedback
Stephen Bowen has kindly passed to me correspondence between himself and John Sprinzel earlier this month, and also between John Sprinzel and Damian Jones of H & H
All adds to the story.
Stirling at the wheel of 9253 WD
Jonathan tells me that the car is currently on display at Gaydon after which it goes to AH Spares for a time, and then to MG Live at Silverstone.
SOME PATHE NEWS FILM CLIPS ON YOUTUBE
“Land Speed Record Attempt for Small Cars 1960 (Utah)”
“Motor News 1959”
“BMC Does It Again 1959”
“Austin-Healey Sprite 1958-1959 with John Bolster & Roy Salvadori”
My apologies – I omitted to include the photos Jonathan sent me of his unusual clutch – these have now been added: Link
LETTER FROM STEPHEN BOWEN re: WJB707 and the Auction.
It was a pity and a surprise that my car was dealt with fastest and had the least interest of all the 90 cars at Duxford. This after the work that Damian Jones and H&H did to promote the car. I thought that they had given it enormous coverage both at home and abroad and had done a lot of work to find out new details and background information. Also in the last week we both had contact with John Sprinzel who gave us a lot more details of the sale to ‘the level crossing man’ and told us how he looked after the car when it was in Corsica with Pat Moss and other nice snippets of inside information and if H&H and naturally John Sprinzel agree I will share this with you later. Some time ago I was looking at the possibility that a friend of my brother would maybe sell the car. He supplies private collectors in Russia and China where the car can fetch the top prices but I decided against this as the car would probably never be seen again. This is why it was in the Dutch Healey Museum until just before the Auction and I brought it over for the NEC last year so that other people could enjoy it as I have over the years. But I have to say looking at the lack of interest this is probably the way to go and I will look at it again once the contract with H&H has finished. Many thanks for the interest in the car to date. Stephen Bowen
INNOCENTI SPRITE restoration project on ebay.
SOLD AT $2,275
expired Thurdsay 23 April
Alan Mead has now traced the original aluminium J & S hardtop to Neville Mansfield in Queensland.
LETTER FROM JONATHAN
following the showing of 9253 WD on CAR S.O.S
* * * * * *
These 3 Speedwell adverts kindly sent in by Robert Clubbe, right:
ALAN MEAD’s HARDTOP (4 rows down)
Ray English tells me it was made by J & S. Sydney, Australia. Colin Dodds used to own one, and Pete Fellows tells me a John Robertson in Brisbane has one on his car too.
Fancy a Healey SR? This one for sale in Belgium was built up from spare parts. Go to
Car & Classic At one time asking price was 500k Euros!!
DISAPPOINTING RESULT AT DUXFORD ~ WJB FAILS TO REACH RESERVE
Bidding started in the early £60ks and rose only a little before fizzling out.
Perhaps a buyer will come up for this wonderful specimen in the next few weeks.
[Photos by Derek Stewart and Bob Hinchliffe] [Apparently 650 FTX failed to appear on the day]
Cynthia Longhurst, partner of the late Ian Ashfield (Sebring devotee) has kindly arranged for a friend to upload the CAR S.O.S. programme about the restoration of Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird’s Sebring Mark 2 on to YouTube
You will find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dinSX_8B3vE entitled “Car SOS Sebring Sprite for Ian”.
Cynthia can also supply the programme on disc if anyone would like one – Feedback
Alan Mead who lives near Melbourne in Australia is building a Sebring Fastback but has become side-tracked by a Bugeye fitted with a Mark 2 rear end and this unusual hardtop which he is hoping to identify. Anyone know its maker or its origins? Feedback please.
CONGRATULATIONS to Mike Curtis on getting his Sebring Rep to the painting stage. It’s been a long haul but he’s nearly there.
WILLIAMS & PRITCHARD Sebring GT hardtop for sale on ebay (ignore the basketcase beneath) SOLD FOR £157
on 18 April
Our Surgeon friend in Germany has finally got his Sebring Rep back on the road after its serious accident, and has also been rebuilding a LHD Frogeye. His story is in “Your Comments”
He recently acquired 4444 DA for restoration about which more will follow.
Pete Taylor is building up a set of 8″ Girling rear brakes.
The handbrake levers were missing so are having to be cut from solid material, see sketch drawing, left. It pivots on a pin measuring ¼” X ⅝” (0.245″ X 0.66″) and the end of the pin has a slight chamfer. As the ⅝” wheel cylinders are only available without pistons I got Paul Smith to make up a couple of pairs in stainless steel at £35 per pair.
Did anyone see CAR S.O.S on Thursday? If so, what did you think of it?
H & H AUCTION AT DUXFORD
Less than a week to go before the sale of WJB 707, the ex-Ian Walker Sprinzel Sebring Sprite Coupe (left). The next lot will be the supercharged 650 FTX looking a lot better than when it was last for sale about 3 yrs ago.
Blower Gauge
on ebay, currently at £16 expires 12 April SOLD £67.55
Stephen Bowen has the following N.O.S items for sale in original BMC or Leyland wrappers
4 x AEG624 1275 con rods
1 x ATA7093 4.55 diff assy
1 x 8G9112 tonneau cover sprite/midget 61-63 RHD
2 x BTA744 Front stub axle
2 x BTA745 Front stub axle
2 x 2A7087 Rear hub steel
Prices on enquiry
WILLIAMS & PRITCHARD
“During my visit to the Classic Restoration Show I had the pleasure of meeting up with Graeme Williams, son of the late Charlie Williams of Williams & Pritchard fame. Graeme’s Dad passed away following a heart attack around the time Graeme finished his university education in 1969, and he feels very much that he never really had an opportunity to talk to his father about his work. Unfortunately it seems that Charlie and his partner, Len Pritchard had conflicts from time to time and when he died Charlie had been contemplating breaking away and setting up a new operation with an American contact. It may well have been the stress of coming to this decision that contributed to his demise at the fairly young age of just 59. When Tim Saunders’ excellent Williams & Pritchard website was up-and-running, Graeme rather felt it was a little biased towards the Pritchard side of the partnership. This is no reflection on Tim or his website, merely that Len was still very much around until only a few years ago (2008) and therefore available to provide much of the information. I gather that originally it was Len, although a capable sheet metalworker himself, who ran the fibreglassing side of the operation while Charlie worked with one-off sheet aluminium projects. Graeme would very much like to meet or correspond with some of those who may have worked for, or with, or been customers of his father way back in the 50’s and 60’s in order to learn more about the company’s early history and his Dad’s part in it”.
Nikolaj Mortensen is offering a set of N.O.S. 1275 con rods (AEG625 ) new in grease paper and original boxes. £450
and a 5:375 Diff, complete and ready to fit. £275.
Contact Nikolaj by email if interested.
Mark Knight of Retro Marques Ltd
is offering this Sebring Replica with Peel Fastback and Speedwell Monza bonnet at £19,950
It is also now on ebay
ANOTHER ASHLEY HARDTOP on ebay – needing restoration. Currently at £100 expires on 12 April SOLD £155
Jonathan’s newly restored Sebring adorns the cover of Mascot magazine – the photo taken at the London Transport Museum where it is on display.
GOODWOOD 73RD MEMBERS’ MEETING
is to be televised on ITV on Easter Monday at 11.50.p.m.
BOB BLAYDEN, NSW AUSTRALIA
had “a big day for the Green Car – took it to the Sprite Display Day & Concours in Sydney and won 3 trophies & 2 bottles of wine. A very pleasing day”. Bob is bringing the car over to the UK for a tour which will include Castle Combe, the Healey Museum and a run down to Italy in October this year.
9253 WD
A letter from JonathanWhitehouse-Bird
Duxford Auction brochure can now be viewed on line –
see Lots 30 and 31
John Phillips kindly sent me 2 photos of Jack Wheeler’s car, 7080 AC back in 1969 at the Nurburgring 500kms where “Jack was on for a class fastest lap and then rolled it coming out of the Karussell! The car was put on a trailer under a tarpaulin and brought back to London where it stayed for 30 years until it’s restoration. Ho hum!”
John Poulter kindly sent me these 4 clippings about the Falcon Sprite, the first Lenham coupe, W & P and YRX – all good stuff.
Paul Loss has done a fantastic job, researching and modelling the 1958 and 1959 British Rally Championship winning cars. John Sprinzel drove the two Sprites and the Alfa.
Via Facebook come these illustrations
of the Kellison front end
which was available in the States back in the 60’s.
Adrian Wilson of ADW Automotive tells me that the white Sebring Rep AHP 205A (right) listed as Graham Maggs Car – was purchased last year by ADW Automotive and following additional works was sold to a new owner in West Sussex.The Grey Sebring DTA 949C is apparently off the market and back with its original owner. [But see higher up the page]
WYT 381 ~ the Barry Shawzin Sprite
Back in 2011 I was introduced to Shelagh and Andrew Garbutt who were negotiating to purchase this historic rally-car. I have just learned that they did go ahead with that deal and the car will be restored by Paul Woolmer’s operation next year.
