The Lumbertubs Sprite ~ 366 FBD

(The following is reproduced by courtesy of the car's present owner, David Owen)

Built from a bare Sprite Mk 1 shell in 1963 by Brian Myers and his brother Ken, a Berlinettafastback alloy roof was made by a former Aston Martin employee, and a fibreglass Sebring bonnet fitted. Called 'Lumbertubs Sprite' after the lane in which the Myers brothers lived, in Northampton, it was built to take advantage of the regulations permitting homologated Sprite variants. Fitted with a 997cc engine it was raced by Brian Myers and Peter Webster as a Sprite GT, with Ken Myers looking after the mechanicals.  In 1965 ownership was passed to Peter Webster, who fitted a 1650cc Ford and used it with some success in sprints/hillclimbs. In 1967 the engine was changed for a 1498cc Cosworth, developing around 130 - 140 bhp, with a Cortina GT gearbox. It is known to have won the 1600cc class at the St. John Horsfall meeting at Silverstone on 24th June 1967 with Peter driving. Other modifications at this time included wide steel wheels, rear telescopic dampers, bonnet bulge, and dark green metallic paint. Nothing is known of 'Lumbertubs' after 1971, other than that it was owned by Anthony Smart, and probably used as a road car until 1974.  The car is currently being used for occasional sprints but David is hoping to take part in some historic rallies or tours.

The car's current specification is: Brakes – Discs front, larger (Riley 1.5) rear drums as fitted originally.  Original uprated front dampers, with new Spax telescopics on the back. Original (Frogeye) axle and new toughened half shafts with Quaife 3.7 LSD. New wire wheels, the fronts on splined hubs, and the rears on conversion hubs. Close ratio straight-cut gearbox. Engine is 1380cc (Swiftune) with Weber 45, 1.5 roller rockers, Aldon dissy with Luminition and Maniflow exhaust.

An article in Classics Monthly, 19th Dec, 2007 told of its rebuild.

If anyone can assist David with more information relating to the car's history please let me know via Feedback - messages will be forwarded.

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October 2011: Ian Burford tells me he has had fun with the car over the summer and it is now at CCK Historic in Hurstwood E Sussex to be prepped for next season. The plan is to turn a very fast road car into a faster track car over the winter and race it in the HRDC Grand Touring Greats series run by Julius Thurgood. The bonnet has been re-sprayed to the original racing colours used in 1963. A new high-spec 1380 engine has now been built, married to a 4 dog box. Only a few tweaks to the suspension and it should the be ready to go racing!