Campaigned very successfully by Ian Walker in the 1961 season, this car was then sold into private hands and was bought by Stephen Bowen in 1966 and he still owns it to this day. Currently dismantled, so that the body could be used to mould the replica top now marketed by Archers Garage, and also in order to repair some rear end damage, it is hoped that the car will shortly be restored and in the public eye once more.  The bodyshell has recently (early 2008) been restored by Brian Wheeler and is currently in primer awaiting final painting in its original metallic gun-metal grey with the nose 'dipped' in red. A lightweight replacement Sebring bonnet is being made by Archers Garage. Stephen hopes that the car will at least be a rolling shell in time for the 50th anniversary events this spring. He also has a replica Sebring he uses for historic rallying.

Pat Moss Tour of Corsica	According to a letter which Ian Walker wrote to Stephen back in 1967, the car was originally purchased from the BMC Competition Department , having been driven by Pat Moss in several continental rallies in standard Frogeye form.  Ian had the original body removed and a complete new alloy body made by Williams & Pritchard. The base platform was lightened and the floors replaced in aluminium. Minor modifications were made to the front and rear suspension - the car already had the Girling disc brake/ wire wheel conversion. Ian had the car for just the one season, 1961, and managed to achieve class records at all the circuits at which it appeared. He also claims to have won 15 races in it. He raced it in the Nurburgring 500 kms finishing 5th and was one of the three Sprites which won the team prize (from Abarth). The car was also in the winning team of Sebring Sprites in the 750MC Six Hour Relay Race at Silverstone that year.				Silverstone 750MC 6Hour Relay
Ian Walker Crystal Palace
	After he purchased the car (from someone in Southsea), Stephen re-painted it in navy blue and fitted an 1100cc rally engine from his previous (wrecked) Sprite coupled to the car's close-ratio gearbox, as WJB came with no motor in it. Stephen then worked for tuning firm Nerus and later for Weslake. He initially used it as his everyday road car but soon began entering rallies, rallycross events and sprints. In 1968 he again re-painted it, this time in Dayglow Lime Green (see left) with a pink stripe, and continued to campaign it himself until the following year when his friend Roger Bird shared the driving and the costs. At the end of 1969 Stephen took the car off the road and dismantled it with the intention of rebuilding it, but he was sent to work in Germany by Weslake so the work was shelved. Many years later, in 1987, he decided to have the car restored and left it with Brian Wheeler where it remained until last year, 2008 when Brian restored the shell and repainted it in dark blue (see below). It has since appeared at the Sprite 50th celebrations in May 2008, without engine or gearbox but in 2009 it is now complete and in running order.				Stephen in WJB in rallycross

A picture (above) sent in by a Midget & Sprite Club member shows WJB apparently up for sale!  (Sept 2008)
Former owner of WJB, Ian Walker has died, in July this year (2008). The report opposite is borrowed from Classic & Sportscar Magazine.

Stephen makes regular business trips across the Channel from his home in Belgium, and on one visit in late 2007 called at Brian Wheeler's workshop, expecting the rusting remains of his car to be still hiding in a corner of the yard. Instead, the body-shell was in Brian's workshop, and restoration work had already commenced. As pictures below  show the chassis was in quite poor condition with the underside of the "H" frame chassis rails completely rusted away and other areas needing Brian's skill in cutting out and stitching in replacement steel.  The alloy hardtop and rear end bodywork are now repaired and re-fitted. The somewhat crude Dexion rails across the boot floor are now believed to have been part of the original modifications which included a double fuel tank for long distance events, and are being retained.                  

               

Stephen at Brian's workshop at the end of last year to examine the shell of WJB undergoing restoration

Progress at last! With two weeks to the Goodwood 50th celebrations the shell is painted. Now for fitting it up.              (photos: thanks to Michael Meerlo)

 

Pictures of the car during its re-assembly in Belgium, in readiness for Goodwood & Gaydon later in the month

WJB 707 race results 1960-1

Date	Event	Drivers	Result
Nov 1960	Tour of Corsica	Pat Moss/Ann Wisdom	Retired - gearbox. White, standard bodywork
25 Mar 1961	Snetterton (INT) Lombank Trophy	Ian Walker
15 Apr 1961	Oulton Park International	Ian Walker	1st in class and lap record
22 May 1961	Crystal Palace Whit Monday	Ian Walker	1st in class and lap record
3 Jun 1961	BRSCC Brands Hatch Int	Ian Walker	1st in class, 6th overall, and lap record
8 Jul 1961	Silverstone BRDC (INT) Brit Emp Trophy	Ian Walker	1st in class (1100cc) and class lap record
15 Jul 1961	Aintree RAC (INT) Brit GP meeting	Vic Preston	2nd in class
7 Aug 1961	Brands Hatch BRSCC (INT) Bank Hol Mtg	Ian Walker	2nd in class
12 Aug 1961	Silverstone 750MC 6 hr Relay Race	Ian Walker	Team Sebring win
31 Aug 1961	Brands Hatch BRSCC Bank Hol Guards mtg	Ian Walker	1st in class

 

WJB 707 Thanks to a lot of work put in by Michael Meerlo and others, Stephen Bowen's ex Ian Walker Sebring, WJB 707, was up and running for the British Lifestyle show at Rosmalen in Belgium on Feb28/1Mar (above) and was at the Antwerp Classic Salon a week later on the 7/8 March (below) Stephen runs Eurospeed services who supply BMC parts in Belgium and Holland ~ www.eurospeedservices.eu

 

New pictures of Stephen Bowen's ex-Ian walker Sebring WJB 707 and his replica Sebring rally car