It is now December 2023 and time to update the entry I made in October 2021. Marcus Fellows has now produced a number of new aluminium fastback Sebring Sprites mainly for racing and I hope to document these cars here on this web page.
Marcus has a Sprite bodyshell jig developed with the guidance of Brian Wheeler (not the one Brian sold to Frogeye Spares) and tells me:
“Brian and I started working together sometime ago, initially on the Fastback buck to make aluminum FIA race car bodies of which you have seen pictures previously, it was therefore a natural progression we should build a jig to make new shells. The Jig has been used a number of times to build new cars but are in the main for race car fastbacks, three of which are in Germany and two currently racing in the UK. A further aluminum body car is on order for next year.Having spent the last year working part-time with Brian we have been building formers to replace the ones either sold or lost so we are able to produce original panels for the pre ’65 cars.To date we have concentrated on producing the obsolete panels or the difficult-to-get items but have in addition produced the more common panels that are available in later forms that need altering to make them appear as original fitments, e.g. full A posts. We produce the majority of the panels excepting main and boot floors. We use BMH panels for these items and alter them for originality if people wish, but most leave them as they are. It’s probably easier to say what we don’t produce or have no immediate plans to do so. Steering rack cross frame (the BMH one is adequate); main cross member ~ the BMH part is good. Rear inner and outer arches. Head for Healeys make both of these and they are a good fit. We don’t currently make: door frames and skins but we plan to make door frames in the new year and use ‘Head-for-Healeys’ skins which are a good fit. We don’t make rear wings but again these are something we may consider next year. Currently Head-for-Healeys make a wing for the Frogeye but I can’t comment on its fit. If it’s like their other panels it should be fine.
As far as car builds go, it has in the main been FIA alumium-bodied cars. I have a Sebring replica in build at the moment for a chap who lives in Surrey using one of Andrew’s fibreglass fast backs onto a new shell. This car should be ready in the next few weeks. After that I have another ‘ali’ fastback to do and then a MK2 road car, both of which are using new AMF shells. We are essentially all about producing the shells for people to build up their own car to their spec rather than a full build to road car usage but will if requested do a full build if required “.
Some of the AMF cars completed to date
The Maroon car
Jochen Schmitt’s mint green example
Marcus’s race car.
| No. | Owner | Reg No. | Type | Colour | Country | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Marcus Fellows | AMF 222 | Aluminium Fastback | Green | UK | 2021 | K Series |
| 2. | Andrew Giles | RAM 35 | Aluminium Fastback | Maroon | UK | 2021 | Equipe series |
| 3. | Sven Eckhardt | ROBL304H | Aluminium Fastback | Blue | Germany | Road use | |
| 4. | Andreas Baensch | Aluminium Fastback | Blue | Germany | |||
| 5. | Jochen Schmitt | RZAH997 | Aluminium Fastback | Mint Green | Germany | AMF chassis | |
| 6. | Jez Hayter | Fibreglass Fastback | OEWhite | AMF chassis | |||
| 7. | Marcus Fellows | 257FDA | Aluminium Fastback | Green | UK | 2024 | AMF chassis |
| 8. | Marcus Fellows | EMG639B | Mark 2 road car | UK | 2024 | AMF chassis |
March 2024 -Marcus tells me: “I have another shell on the Austin Healey stand at the NEC show at the end of this month and continue to work with Brian on new panel formers, having completed the gearbox tunnels along with all front suspension parts in the past month.
Our attention will be moving on to both door frames and rear arch panels in the near future”.
Left: Jez Hayter’s car which is number 6 on the above list.
For further information contact Marcus on 07973 716033
or email him on marcusfellowsamf@gmail.com