René Bloemen's Replica

Some years ago Malcom Self asked Chris Keeble if he could make a replica of his Sebring Sprite, RTL 304. As I understand it, Chris gave his consent subject to this being for one car only, and for Malcolm's personal use. Some time later Brian Archer was approached by MG Mecca who needed windscreens and it appeared they intended to go into production with several of these cars. They were in fact advertised on their website at the time. Brian refused to sell them the screens as he saw this as a rival to his own Sebring project. The one car produced languished in a warehouse for some time, re-emerging some time last year when it was sold to René Bloemen in Holland. In order to participate in historic race and rallies the car was then taken to aluminium fabricator, Ton Blankespoor, in whose workshop three aluminium bodies have now been made, by hand, using the fibreglass replica body as a template.

The shape is an exact copy of RTL304 , originally built by Peels for Adrian Andrew, and of the similar car - 91CGF, both of which had distictive fastback styling and characteristic ventilation 'ears' behind the squared-off door windows. Being exact copies of original historic race cars it should be possible to obtain the necessary FIA papers.   One car is intended for rallying and the other two will be race cars. I gather it is not intended to build any more, Ton having now moved on to other even more demanding designs. However he is planning to build 3 aluminium W & P shape Sebring bonnets for these cars.  

Ton Blankespoor's website can be viewed at:

http://tonblankespoor.nl/projecten/huidige-projecten/sebring-sprite-2.html

René is going to let me have more photos as his project progresses.