GRAHAM MAGGS’ SEBRING FASTBACK IS FOR SALE
Just completed and using a 1963 Mark 2 Sprite as a basis, the car has its original 1098cc engine and is fitted with chrome wire wheels. More photos on ebay. MOT’d and ready to go. The asking price is: £17,950
SPRIDGET HEALEY MEET – Sorry, I have just realised the link lower down this page was not working. If you would like to come, go to www.healeymuseum.nl for the details and the registration form, and book the ferry with DFDS Dover – Dunkirk, Friday 8 a.m.
New Web Page
for the 1963 “works” Le Mans entry, 58 FAC
Steve Nash came up with this photo of S221 in the early 90’s before its Coupe body was refitted. Steve is currently planning on building a replica.
ASHLEY GT FOR SALE IN BELGIUM – 1972 MG Midget owned by Dirk Verslype. Ashley hardtop, W & P bonnet, centre-lock alloy wheels. “In perfect condition”
NEW PHOTOS OF ENX 416C
– the car driven by Rauno Aaltonen and Clive Baker at Le Mans in 1965 where it failed to finish. Owned by Kazuo Maruyama in Japan these photos were sent in by his son, Kotaro, for which many thanks.
6 BUGEYES ARRIVE IN AUS
Mark McAllan has now received these from his brother Lew in the USA. If you’d like one send him an email. (Mark is near Gosford, Central Coast – 75 mins from Sydney)
Pierre Lequeux has unfortunately broken his arm and won’t be able to drive 2080 PO for 5 or 6 weeks meaning he will miss his second sprint at Goodwood though he hopes to be at the Silverstone Classic.
STAN ANNIS, former owner of Paul Webb’s 4444 DA has been in touch to offer more info about the mods he made to the car in period. I hope to hear more on these shortly.
WANTED: AQUAPLANE, DERRINGTON, ALEXANDER
or similar, after-market inlet manifold for paor of 1¼” SUs.
If you can help, please contact Roy McKnight
Geoff Hill’s WSM Sanction II, number 405, is now up and running and achieved 2nd in class at the Manx Classic. He will also be out at Harewood hill on the 8th of June
Luxurious interior
“The car is certainly very quick”
Nick’s bracket
BMC HARDTOP REAR MOUNTINGS
My enquiry on behalf of Nick Conklin regarding how the rear of the BMC accessory hardtop fixes at the rear, produced replies from Paul Bos and Sven Eckhardt. It appears there are 2 long folded mild steel brackets with a small flange through which a bolt passes down the hood frame tube.
From ebay
HELP FIND THE CHEEKI RAFIKI
I just signed the petition “.@USCG Restart the search for the missing #CheekiRafiki crew #dontstopsearching” on Change.org. It’s important. Will you sign it too? Here’s the link. Thanks! Martin.
STEVE COLEMAN tells me that his 2 ex-works Sprites are now on their way (from Texas) to the UK and will be displayed on the BRDC lawn at the Silverstone Classic as well as attending the Spridget Meet at the Healey Museum in September.
Michael Meerlo enjoying a slalom in Holland at the weekend.
CCK HISTORIC are now offering QUAIFE Dog Engagement Straight Cut Close Ratio 4 Speed Gear Kits (for minimal power loss, closer ratios for maximum performance). Ratios are: 2.573, 1.66, 1.195 &1:1 – Kit complete £1,625
Link to CCK website
Mark Turner gave Doug Chipperfield the answer to mating a Triumph gearbox to an ‘A’ Series motor: Chris Groves can supply a bespoke alloy bell housing and Canley Classics can build them with Marina, or with GT6 closer, ratios. The Groves kit includes release bearing, hoses, gearbox, clutch plate, gear lever, gaiter, and prop shaft. Chris can be contacted on 07963 658296.
STILL TIME to book your place on the weekend trip to the Healey Museum in September – just got to the website www.healeymuseum.nl
RARE WILLIAMS & PRITCHARD HARDTOP FOR SALE
Bill Prout is offering his Bugeye hardtop for sale in the USA at 4,000 USD, the buyer to pay the shipping though he will meet the packing costs. DECIDED NOT TO SELL
RENE BLOEMEN’S COPY
of RTL 304 (above) is showing signs of progress. Here he shows the rear axle before painting, the chassis, now in almond green and the dark green wheels. Now the assembly begins.
Bill Prout wishes to sell his Speedwell Weston rev counter which comes with 8000 face for Speedwell Sprite and an alternative 12000 face (as used on a F1 BRM). Bill says: “In excellent working condition, I am asking $750.00 (USD) and I will cover shipping cost”. NOW SOLD
BMC HARDTOP QUERY
Nick Conklin has asked me:
“Do you have pics of the rear hardware for the BMC hardtop?”
If you can help please get in touch
ADAPTOR FOR FITTING TRIUMPH GEARBOX TO MIDGET?
Doug Chipperfield has a 1969 Midget he uses in hill-climbs. He wants to fit a Triumph Single-rail gearbox to his ‘A’ Series engine. Can anyone tell him where to obtain the necessary adaptor kit or bell-housing, preferably without the need to employ a Marina clutch, flywheel and back plate? Feedback
A SELECTION OF PHOTOS FROM DENNIS WHARF
taken at Brands Hatch on 4th May. Amazing how many Frogeyes continue to race and in a variety of guises
– with Ashley, W & P and Frog fronts and assorted tops.
The 5″ tacho (below) is also reproduced by Nisonger in the US. The price is around 500 USD. Please check here: http://www.nisonger.com/whats-new.htm [Thomas Willig]
WANTED
A set of knock on alloy wheels for a Sprite
4½ to 5 inch
Contact: Simon Leeming
GEAR LEVERS
A problem with gear selection can occur if the wrong one is fitted. See “Your Comments”
[Roger Friend]
347 RAL (above)
It turns out Julian Booty had it wrong – Peter Ecury’s car is not RAL which lies abandoned on Ashdown Forest. See Tony Pay’s letter in “Your Comments”
ANOTHER TACHO OPTION
Roger Friend tells me: “Farringdon instruments make a copy of the original Smiths chronometric rev counter, including tell-tale needle, but the good bit is they are electronic so the readings are much more accurate, and the tell-tale needle has a reset button. Contact name is Andrew on tel no: 01420 541591. PS they are not cheap”.
MIKE COCKAYNE
I was very sorry to learn this morning (9th) of the death of Mike Cockayne who was building a Sebring Fastback replica. We send our sincere condolences to his wife and family.
SPEEDWELL HANDLES on ebay at a crazy starting price of £400 (double what 2 new ones made recently) Exp 13 May NO BIDS
[Neil Anderson/Pierre Lequeux]
“A rather nice looking standard bodied Sebring replica” is for sale with Car & Classic in Germany for £15,700
[Thanks to Mike Wood]
David Morys brings more of the Carroll Shelby/Bugeye story in “Your Comments”
Shorrock Supercharger kit on ebay (in the States), 8 May. NO BIDS [Neil Anderson has kindly offered to take delivery and dispatch to UK if you win]
Peter Fletcher did his 1st hillclimb over the weekend finishing 3rd in the up to 2 litre class. Next round is at Teeside Autodrome Sprint, 26th May.
See him on YouTube
Sprinzel’s
further comments
on rallying his Mini
977 ARX
A LAP OF GOODWOOD
with Pierre and PO!
YouTube
PAUL SLANGEN (Netherlands) & THE JOYS OF OWNING A SEBRING:
” I finished my Sebring for 1½ months and have enjoyed it driving some rallies. The car is very quick and handles very well. It feels very good due to the fiberglass parts and alu doors which gives enormous weight reduction. Amazing what this influence the handling of this car. I can easily compete much faster and stronger cars. On one event someone asked me if this car could only drive fast ?! Indeed the car gives so much fun, that I am speeding it full time on a rally.
Great car, great concept. Best regards, Paul.”
Ian Grainger’s pretty Williams & Pritchard-bodied
hill-climb Sprite
Actman heading into Druids
– lovely photos provided by John Egan
ALSO AT BRANDS HATCH:
Andy Chaffey with his Coupe, and Andy Actman racing his. He tells me that Lenham Sportscars is back in business at Harrietsham (07860744715)
RAY ENGLISH asks:
“On the subject of Mechanical driven Rev Counters — have you ever come across an AQUAPLANE unit fitted to a Sprite? (left).
On another subject – when I bought GWS 211 it was fitted with a C40 RV 20R Generator – see specifications sheet (right). I have never come across another one of these in all my years of Spriteing”. Comments welcome.
SPOTTED AT BRANDS HATCH (4th May)
Gil Duffy had this Lenham bodywork (left) in his trailer
which once adorned Gary Wilson’s very sophisticated
modsports Lenham Sprite/Midget (shown right in Dave Matthews’ WWAH calendar). The regs changed making the body illegal but the chassis is still racing in a more standard Midget shape.
![Higgs on Tour! Gordon on the Milton Keynes [photos by bkbphotography]](/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/GaryWilsonLenhamL.jpg)
NOT CARROLL SHELBY
but one of his mechanics!
[Thanks to Peter van Naarden of
AHC Nederland] see below
“The Rebuilding of MUeY”
or
“How many parts in a Frogeye?”
603 MUY
“In 1961 Carroll Shelby founded the School for High Performance Driving at Riverside Raceway near Los Angeles using Bugeyes for their students. Apparently this led to regular issues with the clutch. Picture shows one of the mechanics working on the clutch”.
