WJB 707 ~ Ian Walker's Sebring

Campaigned very successfully by Ian Walker in the 1961 season, this car was then sold into private hands and was later bought by Stephen Bowen in 1966 and he still owns it to this day. The alloy hardtop was loaned to Brian Archer so that he and his team could take a mould for the replica top later marketed by Archers Garage, since which time WJB has been fully restored. The bodyshell was renovated by Brian Wheeler and repainted in original metallic gun-metal grey. A lightweight replacement Sebring bonnet was supplied by Archers Garage. Stephen also built a replica Sebring Coupé which he used for historic rallying (since sold).

According to a letter which Ian Walker wrote to Stephen back in 1967, (see attached PDF) the car was originally purchased from the BMC Competition Department, having been driven by Pat Moss on the 1960 Tour de Corse in Frogeye form.  Ian had the original outer body panels removed and a complete new alloy rear end and fixed hardtop 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 is said to have achieved class records at all the circuits at which it appeared. In the letter Walker also claims to have won 15 races in it (perhaps a slight exaggeration as we know of maybe 9). The car was also one of the winning team of Sebring Sprites in the 750MC Six Hour Relay Race at Silverstone that year. [Please note that in his letter Ian Walker refers to his drive in the Nurburgring 500kms - this was not in fact in WJB but in the almost identical D20 which he shared with Paul Hawkins. It would appear that WJB had already been sold as the end of the racing season drew near.]

When Ian Walker sold the car - John Sprinzel explains: "Ian and I delivered it to the new owner​, and he crashed it badly at a Brands Hatch open day  - on the first go around Paddock I believe.  Rob Walker's garage did the rebuild".

In August 1966, a previous owner, Alastair McHardy entered WJB in two races at the last race meeting to take place at Goodwood, before it closed its doors to racing for over 30 years. It was driven in two separate races, the special GT race in which it was driven by his friend Adrian (?) and he himself drove it in the marque race later the same day.

Stephen Bowen purchased the car from Alastair McHardy in Southsea, and re-painted it in navy blue, fitting 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 right) 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 2007 when Brian began restoring the shell and repainted it in its current gun-metal grey. It then appeared at the Sprite 50th celebrations in May 2008, without engine or gearbox but by the following year it was completed and in full running order.

Race Results for 1960 and 1961