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John Sprinzel has
recently pointed out to me that this car has not yet appeared on the website and
in his email, below, describes how it came about that Patten bought the car:
"Donald
(Healey), MD-Peter Green and I were lunching in the old Steering Wheel
Club in Brick Lane, when John Patten, a sometime Ford works driver, came over to
say 'Hi', and to casually ask what I thought would be a good rally car for him
to buy. While Donald and Peter sat there, a little in awe, I promptly sold John
the idea of a Sebring Sprite! Good class, cheap price, and every chance of
picking up prizes. He then asked if I would drive it with him on the
(1960) Liege, and you know what happened there*. Mike Reid bought the car
off my stand at the '62 BRSCC Racing Car Show - it, by then converted to full
coupe style. He liaised with me in preparing it for the '62 season".
[It is not known what the car was doing during most of 1961, but
it is assumed that John Patten used it on the road].
* They
came 3rd overall, and won the class, after an absolutely amazing drive - those
of you who have a copy of "Spritely Years" should read pages 63 to 65 for the
full story. Pictured right are Sprinzel with John Patten after the rally.
As Sprinzel mentions,
the car was re-bodied (by Peel Coachworks), probably late in 1961. John
Sprinzel established the Speed Equipment division of the Donald Healey Motor Co
at Grosvenor Street in the West End of London, and Paul Hawkins was workshop
foreman. They obtained 2214 UE, an Iris Blue Warwick registered car and
prepared it for the rally, in which Patten navigated for Sprinzel, just two
weeks later.
After their success in
the Liege, John Patten loaned the car to Sprinzel so that he could do the German
Rally with his sister , Norma, as navigator. "......we managed 2nd in class
among the 1600 Alfas and such. Not to boast of the achievement, but all we had
changed on the Sprite were two shocks, the oils, filters and the brake pads and
linings - which after a tough Liege just shows how incredibly strong and
reliable these little cars were".
The car is now owned
by John Tizard who bought it in 1972 or 3, and campaigned it briefly during 1978
which is when he had the accident resulting in the damage which can be seen
below. John still has the car.
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Sprinzel
& Patten at the finish
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&
trying hard on the Liege
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Patten/Hawkins RAC Rally '60 |
Racing Car Show 1962 |
In
John Tizard's hands -
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and at Prescott April 1971 |
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FEEDBACK:
16 January 2008 -
Alan Cameron of Healey Drivers International has kindly supplied details of
UE's day at Prescott in April 1971 (above right): The drivers were R. Leathart
whose times were 56.68 and 55.94 secs, and L.A.G.Harrison who achieved 57.42 and
58.32 secs. The car was fitted with a 1200cc engine and ran in the up to 1275cc
class.
November 2007 -
John Tizard is now working on 2214 UE with the prospect of attending Goodwood
next May for the 50th anniversary. He is currently trying to sort out a
replacement windscreen via Brian Archer. Martin
My reply:
Hi Robin, Very many thanks for your message. No, John Tizard
has not yet restored the car although I gather that he is still intending to. It
would be good to see it in the flesh, back in its old condition. I will add your
comment to the website.
Martin
From Robin Leathart, 28 May 2007: Regarding 2214UE I owned the
car after Chris Cooke in about 1967 and did a fair amount of hill climbing with
it. the pictures you show are of myself at Prescott when the car was "modified"
(apologies didn't know any better then!) and probably Prescott as well when it
has the roundels on. Could you tell me if John Tizard actually did restore it?
It was one of the worst decisions in my life to sell the car , it was a
beautiful machine , simply gorgeous. Regards Robin Leathart .
14th May, 2007 from Arni Wookey:
"In around 1964, 2214 UE was for sale at Wild Goose Garages in Dursley, Gloucestershire. At this time the car was in Sebring specification with
the integral hardtop and Sebring bonnet. It was also unusual in that it had the
rear hatch for access to the spare wheel which is clearly visible in the current
photos on the website. The car was bought by Chris Cooke, who raced it in sports
and GT events under the auspices of Ecurie Wild Goose, who also ran a Marcos
1500 for garage owner Don Balme and an 1800 for Howard Steel. I understand that
Howard Steel still runs the garage, renamed as Dursley Garage, so may well have
more information on its history and subsequent ownership".
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