Your Comments

Morning Martin, Mike Youles is certainly a busy bee - I couldn't catch up with him at Castle Combe for a natter - and interesting to see him emulating Dad with a bootlid conversion. Email from Joe Armour yesterday - I understand you got together again in Oz - and it prompted me to read about 456D again too ! Cheers Tony

776 KNX & 770 KNX
Good morning Martin,
On the day I received my April issue of “Healey Marque”, with Baird Foster’s 776 KNX article published inside, I sent the link to the article from your website to the worldwide “Healey” and “Spridget” emails lists.  I did not want to send this info out to members of the AHCA prior to the magazine coming out in case it spoiled their surprise of seeing the interesting article in the club magazine.
As a result of the article being published and the link sent out about 776 KNX to the Spridget list, I received two emails from a guy in Pennsylvania.   The gentleman wrote, “Those of us who attended AHSTC's Encounter in 2010 had the fortunate experience of seeing this car (776 KNX) in person.  We have another of the Sebring Sprites close by here in PA also.”
The second sentence piqued my interest, to say the least.  I wrote him back and said that I was not aware of another Sebring Sprite in Pennsylvania and asked him if he could provide the name of the owner and more information about the car.  I told him that you would be interested to receive this info also, especially if you had limited knowledge about the Sprite.
He wrote back and told me the owner is Jeff Brenner and provided his email address.  Jeff is mentioned as a previous owner of the Briggs Cunningham standard bodied Sebring in the article about that car on your website.
I wrote Jeff this afternoon, see my note below, and  above that is Jeff’s reply this evening, very fascinating.  It appears he still owns the car and spares, but he has not yet provided the race details of when it actually raced.  Before I received Jeff’s reply, I thought this car may have been the Sebring/LeMans car HNX 455D sold to Jim Prentice in 2010.  It does not appear to be so.  See the attached photo above.
I looked on this website  http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Sebring-1966-03-26.html
and here http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Sebring-1967-04-01.html
for entries for the 1966 and ‘67 Sebring races and found the entry listing (for ’67) and photos of the Sprites that ran those years.
On the first link, it shows the photos for the Sebring Sprite entries for 1966 are #66 (HNX 456D) and #67 (HNX 455D) with the drivers listed there and verified in Geoff Healey’s book, “More Healeys”, page 138.
In the second link for 1967, it shows photos of entry #58, a standard bodied Sprite, and # 59, a closed coupe’ similar to the ’66 cars, but you cannot see a registration number in the photo. The driver listings again match Geoff Healey’s account in his book.
In the article for Joe Armour’s Works Sprite, it states that HNX 456D ran at Sebring in 1967, but says nothing about it previously running there in 1966.  Unfortunately, there is no race entry list available for the ’66 race as there is for the ’67 race on that page.  The race entries and car numbers in the photos for both years seem to match, but maybe there is some kind of error.
All this leads to the question of what car is Jeff’s Brenner’s Works Sprite (HAN9 R 202) and when and where did it race?  Maybe you already have this information and I just spent a few hours beating my head against a wall.  Or, maybe I should have waited to send this after I received more information from Jeff.  At any rate, it has been fun trying to dig into this question.
We assume we will certainly be following up on this issue.  I am not sure if I opened up something interesting or a can of worms.
Oh, by the way, I found a two page article in my archive from the July 1965  issue of “Road and Track” about DAC 952C that I will get scanned and send to you.
It is late.  I am off to bed.  All the recent updates have been great.  Thanks very much.  
Cheers, Neil

From: Jeff Brenner Sunday, April 01, 2012 to Neil Anderson.
My car is HAN9 R 202. It was sold to the East Coast importer Royston after the race. He kept it until they closed in the early 80s. It then went to Florida and then to New England where I bought it. Along with it I got the spare injected Le Mans motor and the 5 speed transmission. Both of these are new and have never been in a car. My car has approx. 1100 miles on the odometer. Royston made it streetable (almost) for his wife. When I was going over the car a few years ago, I found the dayglow orange paint on a lot of the suspension pieces. Royston painted it green for his wife. I rebuilt the motor a couple of years ago, ~ not that there was anything wrong with it but it had not been run much. Everything was good but some very interesting internals were found. I took about 50 pictures of it before reassembly. The car is pictured in Bill Emerson's book. Besides the Cunningham car I also owned the Dan Marguiles Speedwell coupe. If you can think of any specific info you would want, get back to me. Jeff.Hello Jeff,

From: Neil Anderson, Sunday, April 01, 2012, to Jeff Brenner.
I was given your name and email address from Charlie Baldwin after I posted a link to an article on the forgotten history of a works Sprite that ran at Sebring in 1964.  The article was written for the Austin-Healey Club of America magazine "Healey Marque".  Article link:
http://www.sebringsprite.com/pdf%20files/TheHunt4HealeyHistory.pdf
Charlie and I exchanged a few emails regarding Sebring/Works Sprites.  He said you own the Works Sprite in the photo that he sent me. He had seen it at Encounter 3 or 4 years ago.  Do you still have it? And if so, would you be willing to tell me more about the car and its history?  I am fairly good friends with Martin Ingall who is the webmaster for the Sebring Sprite website and I am sure he would be interested in any information or stories about the car that you would be willing to share. Charlie also said you also owned for a time, a standard bodied Works Sprite that you have since sold.  I saw a reference to you on the sebringsprite.com website in the Briggs Cunningham Sebring Sprite article. I would enjoy hearing from you if you have the time.  I am working on a Sprinzel Sebring replica.  Not like the real historic Works cars, but it is about as close as I will get.
Kind regards, Neil Anderson

Re: 770 KNX Sprite & Steve Coleman's cars. 
I think this is one of the most stylish of the earlier Healey prepared cars. I know almost nothing of its post Healey ownership.  Have you ever spoken to David Matthews in UK. He was preparing a book on Healeys and has a lot of original pics. and info. He once showed me a pic. of my 3000 in the Healey workshop fitted with trade plates.  It still has the same paint pattern on the firewall and the weld burn marks where the body support was modified to fit the Webers. In the background was I believe 770KNX.  My 3000 was 1965 and so KNX was 'last' years car, 1964.  The Sebring 3000 for 1964 was 767 KNX owned for some time by Ted Worswick and used at the Targa Florio in 1966 and 67?  It is now in USA.
My Sprite: I will prepare some info and will need to be specific as there is a guy in Texas who has the 1969 Daytona and Sebring coupe along with the only roadster which was raced by US entrants at Sebring in 1970.  Neither of these two cars were entered or raced by Healeys, but were sold off to the USA distributor when the BMC contract was terminated.  The owner, Steve Coleman, has had the car for a few years but cannot find a history for the coupe and therefore as it is fuel injected he assumes it is the 1968 LeMans car.  In fact it was a 'new' chassis intended to be part of a two car entry for 1968, but I guess finances and the BMC contract meant it was not completed for Le Mans. There are pictures of it as a bare body/chassis in the background of several pics of the SR.37 car being built. The Coleman coupe has several body features that differ from the 1968 LeMans pics and my car.  I have a copy of the Le Mans entry form with my eng. no.   I have a copy of the R.A.C. check sheet that verifies the bore and stroke to my eng. no.  and I have two of the signs that were on display with the car at the London Earls Court Motor Show.  Plus Roger Menadue spoke to Ian Polley and I on two seperate occasions, once when inspecting the car.     I am convinced, ~ I just have to put together the above info and describe the body differences to Steve Coleman.
Joe

Re: Homologation
I see the 'certificate' on H221 states that " front disks not Girling" That is actually not true, at least in original form. All three cars had Girling disks with Dunlop wire wheels, as this was the conversion sold by us at Grosvenor Street, and obviously we would not have used anything other than Healey Speed Equipment on our team cars. Earlier DH Sprite racers had the four-wheel Dunlop disk brakes, but these gave a different width, which was actually the track measured by Warwick for the Form of Recognition. They measured the Sebring/Le Mans Falcon car, which had the Dunlops. This caused some scrutineering dramas in later historic events, which had folks who actually measured the track. Later production Spridgets of course, used the Lockheeds, which may have been on the car when 'certified'. In my day, they did take off the cylinder head to check capacity but I cannot ever recall anyone measuring the track. Using the Falcon for the weight figures though was great, as I don't think anyone managed to get down to that very light bodywork - Jack Wheeler's later Sprite maybe, but that was so un-Spritely that it certainly never qualified under FIA GT regs. except as a Group Four car. Oddly enough, the group three regs were very, very strict on modifications, and were based on what you could do under the Production Saloon Group 2 mods, which was why Geoff and I had to homologate the Sebring (or rather the 'Special Sprite' as only my own cars were ever called Sebrings,  no British manufacturer could use the name of a race or rally on their production cars according to the rules of the Motor Manufacturers Association, unlike the Yanks, who use model names like Monte Carlo, Sebring, Daytona and such with impunity) so that we could do stuff to the cars. Anything beyond that put you in with the Group Four Sports car category, where any sort of Sprite was hard put to be competitive.
cheers J

re: DHMC hardtops
Martin, Regarding DHMC hardtop source: A friend of mine has a fiberglass business in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Several years ago I asked him to look at my DHMC top to see what it would cost to reproduce. In the end, the project was cancelled. Cost to construct a mold was $1500 USD. (If I recall correctly there are 7 pieces  to mold) Each top would be $500 USD. The price was for the shell only. Front clips, rear mounting brackets, rear screen and weather stripping still had to be sourced. The three people that asked me to produce a top were not willing to invest the required dollars to make this work. I fear that there are not enough potential customers to make this a viable commercial venture. On top of all the fabrication costs, freight cost of transporting such a large item would make international shipping impractical.
Sincerely, Jerry Etzel

re: H221
Doing really well thank you, and it is always great to hear from you, and this time to be reminded of the origins of the Sebrings with our three team 221 cars. They were prepared by Paul Hawkins, Reg Venner and myself at the Healey Speed Equipment Division, which I was lucky enough to run in Mayfair, to a specification which Geoff Healey and I dreamed up at Warwick prior to getting it Homologated by the FIA in time to run at the 1960 RAC, where it was rewarded with second overall. The Liege success in September with John Patten's car, was to that spec. and was run as a Sebring although that event did not require homologation and - as you know later became a full coupe under Mike Reid's ownership. We also prepared the work's Sebring Sprites for Pat Moss to use on the RAC and the Corsica rallies, and these two cars were later purchased by Ian Walker and David Seigle-Morris to be built into two of the full GT bodied versions. (if you are publishing this, there are two good pix on p67 and68 in Spritely Years of the Grosvenor workshops). My car, Cyril's, Andrew Hedges', Ian's and David's were built at W & P.  Chris Williams, Doug Wilson Spratt, Mike Reid and Jack Wheeler had their cars built at Peels. Of course, lots of other Sprites were built to Sebring Specifications but without the alloy GT tops. My PMO200 (the second permanent Sprite to use this number, after the first became the prototype Speedwell GT) ran as X221 in the races that year, though this was actually the reg.no of our black Lambretta scooter which was the paddock 'run around' and was also used for parts collection at Healey's in Grosvenor Street, to get through the London traffic with a little speed. Incidentally, Stirling also used a scooter in London, as he lived behind the Hilton off Park Lane, on the other side of the park, and used it to come to the Mews for his Sebring seat fitting. Cyril and David had actually raced Borgward saloons the previous year - I think also with Tommy Bridger - and these became their tow cars for the race Sprites. Cyril was sales manager at Metcalf and Mundy, the Borgward importers and was a really great friend of mine from the early Speedwell days. Take care, and have a great holiday season. Aloha, John.
PS. By the way I have just heard the sad news that Dick Bensted Smith died earlier this year. Dick was very much involved in the Sebring Sprite history as my co-driver on the '58 Liege-Rome-Liege and on the 1960 RAC Rally. He was Deputy Editor at the Motor and in 1951 he published my first ever writings about a trip to Europe in my home built Triumph Super Seven 'sports car" in 1951, long before rallying became my sport. His stories in the Motor on those two rallies and his trip with me on the Greek Acropolis Rally in an MG twin-cam were all quite hilarious. He later became Motor's editor and then founded and ran the Newspress business in the industry for many years. He had also been chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers. (Google has more stuff, but fails to mention he was first married to English cricketer Sir Percy Fender's daughter - Autocar editor Peter Garner and I were guests at that wedding)

Re: 138 ANY and 2824 MV
138 ANY: Had a standard body other than having an air vent for the carburettors crafted into the original bonnet. It also had a very nice hardtop which instead of finishing immediately to the rear of the cockpit went a further fifteen inches or so over the rear. The hardtop was very well made, was the only one I ever saw, and was tastefully covered in black everflex/vinyl. I have a photograph that I will have scanned and send to you.

2824 MV: The bonnet was a Sebring, and the fastback roof and rear started at the base of the windscreen with its own roof pillars, ie, the original windscreen was removed, unlike some fastbacks (eg. Lenham) which left it in place and joined the roof with the top of the windscreen. However, when the roof sloped to the rear instead of being merged into the bodywork it had the full shape of  fastback but sat on top of the original body. In summary, the work obviously started with an original car, removed the bonnet and the windscreen, then worked on the bonnet and roof. The other part of the mechanical specification I recall is that it had a high ratio rear axle of 4.5. and a friend who was working as trainee engineer in the Austin plant at Longbridge  produced an 'after hours' crown wheel and pinion for me of 3.9

Re:138 ANY and 2824 MV
[Initially I was unable to place either of these cars and asked Anthony for more information (see above).]

Re:138 ANY and 2824 MV
Dear Sir, For several years I have been trying to locate two cars owned in the past and wonder whether you know anything about them. The first was a 1958 Speedwell Sprite, registration '138 ANY', with discs brakes, wire wheels, Speedwell engine running on Amals, and had been raced under the banner 'Ecurie Chianti'. I purchased it in 1961 and sold it to the Healey Motor Co in 1962. In 1963 I purchased '2824 MV', a Sebring Sprite with fastback, Speedwell Formula Junior engine, wire wheels and disc brakes, which I sold to the Gold Seal Car Co in London in 1964. Do either of these cars feature in your records? With thanks and regards, Anthony Moody

Re: DMC "works" hardtops
Martin, Many thanks for sending this interesting and informative reply. I have attached a photo taken in the past few days of my first trial fitting of my DMH Motor Co. top. [See Latest News] I have spent weeks stripping layers of paint off the top by hand and am nearly ready to prime and paint it.
Best regards, Jim

Re: DHMC "Works" hardtops
Dear All, Thanks Jonathan, my mistake, I was thinking of black fabric as per the BMC sidescreens!! My Sebring Sprite, 2341 UE had light coloured fabric-covered high sidescreens when new with the black Healey hardtop. Regards Ian

Re: DHMC "Works" hardtops
Hi Martin,
I read with interest Ian Grainger's remarks in 'Your Comments', made on 6th October 2011, that the Healey high-sidescreen hardtop didn't use fabric covered sidescreens, and that it was only the early standard production MkI Sprite sidescreens that ever had such a fabric covering. I'm afraid I have to disagree. 
On the contrary, virtually all Healey high-sidescreen hardtops were fitted with white fabric covered sidescreens and it was only towards the end of what was a very short production run, that aluminium framed, high-sidesceens were developed by the Healey Motor Co. for use with their hardtop. 
It must also be remembered that the high-sidescreen hardtop was an extremely rare item at the time of its production.  Generally, it was not available as a separate item (whereas the later BMC production hardtop was) and used only in conjunction with a works modified car - namely a Sebring Sprite.
See: http://www.spritespot.com/gallery/From-the-Archives-The-1960-and-1961-Seasons?page=1   (and subsequent pages for photographic evidence) or:  Page 48 in Terry Horler's excellent book - 'Original Sprite and Midget'. Hope this helps?
Jonathan.

Re: Dovid Scothorn's Lenham GTO
I know this car very well. It was built in 1971/72 by my close friend Stan Havard (sorry to disappoint). We took it to Le Mans in 1972. I think it is a 1968 car. It started life as a Frogeye, and was fitted with a Stage 1 head from a tuning firm called Taurus Eng. It later gained a Sebring bonnet from Williams & Pritchard and a set of wire wheels. A repaint in metallic blue came next, and she looked a picture. After another W&P bonnet(accident damage). Stan took her to the South of France where he managed to write her off. She was brought back to Wigan by the RAC, Stan having joined at Dover on the way. He then purchased a used Mk 2 shell via a friend of ours from Donald Healey Motor Co which was white (could have been a Mk3, wind up windows). She was rebuilt on the later shell and run for a few years as a 1098 with 2 inch mains. Now we come to the big conversion. A Lenham GTO rear with opening boot lid went on, and I think another W&P bonnet (he was getting trade discount by then).Then came the "B" series engine, mated to an MG Magnette box, ~ something to do with the clutch actuator arm side or top exit? This was, I think the reason for the complete refabrication of the tunnel, and strengthening of the floor, (seen in the pic )I don't remember much about the handling or braking, but I don't recall any particular snags. However the box was a slow change, and she did eat front shocks. (The LeMans trip saw off one set). She went well, nice and torquey. The Frogeye was a different car with one of the old four number/two letter reg's .The '68 shell came with a logbook I think.efore the engine swap Stan took his wife and small son to Dubrovnik in her, does'nt bear thinking about. Eventually she was p/xed for a Scimitar GTE for obvious reasons. The conversion would be better and much easier now, but was quite daring then and done on a strict budget. Sadly Stan left us in 1990, but with a host of wonderful memories. If ithink of anything else I will get back to you. Dave.

  

Re: Ecurie Ecosse
I was interested to see your information on the Ecurie Ecosse Sprite. Way back in 1972 I bought a racing Sprite rolling shell from someone in Tunbridge Wells. I was an apprentice at the time so money was short. As I already had some wheels and an engine I did a deal to purchase the car less these bits. It had a full fibreglass body (Mk2 shape), painted maroon with a white hard top (not a works style one), a flimsy roll hoop, a 4.9 LSD and came with a weber 45 on a manifold. The vendor delivered it to my parents house in North London and told me it was the Ecurie Ecosse Sprite. At the time I didnt even know that there was an Ecurie Ecosse Sprite so this meant little to me. I built it up as a road / sprint car with a 1144cc engine and cloned it with the registration from my Frogeye.  The chassis showed evidence of some serious damage, had received a new H frame at some time and always handled badly. After a Silverstone sprint the same year the engine swallowed a self tapping screw damaging a piston and the headThere were some unique features on this shell which I would be interested in discussing with anyone who may have modified it earlier in its life. Regards Ian Hulett

Re: EAO
Hi Martin, Thanks for the contact.  I know your excellent website very well and I often pop by for a browse. I have been using EAO for the occasional test drive but I am yet undecided quite what to do with the car. Jonathan as you know has made a really superb job of the restoration and the car is now very much as it was in 1961, except undoubtedly better. In some ways I am reluctant to mess around with it, and as you suggested it will need a certain amount of modern safety equipment fitting before I could arrive at any scrutineering bay.  The twin fuel pumps mounted virtually next to the driver seat may also cause concern (and amusement among my fellow scrutineers). EAO was built as a race car, so I suppose such things will need to be attended to and indeed I think most will agree the car should be used as originally intended. Maybe the biggest dilemma is that of the engine.  EAO currently has an engine very much as it would have had in period, ~ question is: Do I fit a modified 1275 engine with a Weber, etc? I have other projects on the go at this time and will consider these things before I start drilling holes. Please keep in touch, cheers Jim.

Re:Shock Absorbers
Hi, I have been reading all the histories of various Sebrings and other Sprites because I have a unusual Sprite that was built in the 1980's from a 1960 Frogeye base. It seems to have different features taken from various cars and when I read the Lumbertubs Sprite had Spax rear conversion I wondered if it came from that. The shocks are mounted vertically to turrets in the boot, and very nicely made brackets on the axlel casing. The front and rear wings are abt 4ins wider than a standard car because its fitted with 205/60 X 13 tyres that dont come outside the body with no added flared arches. The front susension is standard with Peter May up-rated levers. I'm trying to find out who built it and any history, as going through the bills there might have been some tie up with Lenham. regards  Peter Knightley.

Re: Works hardtops
Hi Jim, Martin Ingall passed on your email to me about the DMH Motor Co. hardtops to me. Firstly, I assume you are referring to the 'high' sidescreen version and not the BMC version with standard sidescreens which fitted the standard hood. I mention this because you refer to the fabric covered sidescreen frames. These were only produced to the standard sidescreen dimensions and replaced by the aluminium framed sidescreen during 1960. Returning to the 'high' sidescreen hardtop which were produced by Jensen, it appears that the first appeared during 1959 and there is a photograph of one on page 153 in 'Spritely Years' on one of the first Sebring Sprites. It has aluminium sidescreens. These hardtops did not appear in adverts until 1960 as part of the 'Healey Speed Equipment' package. The only identification was the metal tag with number. I recently sourced a hardtop with the number 128 and the hardtop on my own Sebring Sprite is numbered 99. A number of the hardtops, including 128 had a perspex window, although the majority like mine had a glass window. I don't believe that this number were produced because of there rarity. I think the number of hardtops that were produced was nearer 50. Incidentally, the BMC hardtop also carried a metal tag with number. I hope the above is of interest. Regards Ian

Re: Brian Archer
Dear Martin, I found out a few days ago, Googling the Sebring Sprite, about Brian's death. I am very sad. I had talked to Brian in 2008 about the 50 year anniversary meeting in Goodwood and he had sounded so unchanged and spritely that I can´t believe he passed away the same year. I have talked to Andrew Forster who I know from my Birmingham days in the late 80´s and early 90´s so I know the grizzly details. I have owned a Mark I Sprite since 1984 which I ran until 1991 which I have taken back to Germany in 1994 as well as a nearly finished Sebring Replica of Brian and a Caterham 7. The 7 I have and am running in Germany, the Frogeye is unrestored and the Sebring has been nearing completion for the last 17 years. Typical case of unfinished project I guess. I am making a move again though ~ honest. I know where to get the bits and pieces that are still missing however I wonder if you know of anybody who is running a Sebing replica on the road in Germany. I will send you photographs of my car if you are interested at all. I think you are doing a great thing for an ever growing group of enthusiasts keep going. Sincerely Sven.

Re: Girling brakes
I am an owner of a Turner Climax. My understanding is that the front Girling Brake assembly on my car and the Sebring Sprite were the same. That being the case the easiest way of replacing the discs is to use a Mk 1 Escort disc. This needs a small amount of machining on the inner face that goes over the hub. Many Turner owners who have problems with calipers in fact use the calipers from the Mk 1 Escort but a new mounting bracket is needed. See http://www.turnersportscars.co.uk  go to the spares list under brakes. Let me know if I am wrong and these are not the same brake. They look like the ones in your pictures as do the pads.
Andrew

Re: Works hardtops
Martin- would you happen to have any information on approximately how many DMH Motor Co. hardtops that were used on the Sebring Sprites were actually delivered?  Were there any identifying decals or tags other than the metal tag with the production number? It would appear that many of the tops were delivered with side curtains that have fabric covered frames. Were any of the side curtains all-aluminum?  Thanks for your help with this.  Jim

Re: New Sebring
Just started a Speedwell Sprite replica withe the Speedwell Monza front and the fastback rear. Based on an ex Arizona December 1961 MG Midget Mk1. The body is now down to the chassis and has just been blasted ~ nothing drastic just a pair of floors and the battery tray that had rusted through due to misplaced battery acid ! Went to see Andrew at Archers a month ago very helpfull and ordered all the new bodywork and a full cage. I am putting all the photos of the build on Flikr see here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1703354@N21/ Feel free to use any pics there will be many more. Hope these are of interest. Cheers Peter in Scarborough.

Re: Ian Walker
Hi, I believe that Ian Walker's son Graham is racing quite successfully in the Team's Gold Lotus Elan 26R. The cars had a central green stripe. I think they also built and raced the Shapecraft Elan coupes with aluminium bodies - just like Sebrings! I don't believe they raced internationally and one is still in existence. I can't help much on the manifold but the Ford connection seems about right. Kind regards David

Re: the Ian Walker manifolds.
After his time with the Sebrings, Ian - who was a very good personal friend of mine - started a tuning business and also ran race cars, with Paul Hawkins, who had begun to race professionally. They mainly worked on Ford and Lotus, I would imagine this manifold was from Ford range. Ian's previous business was model making, doing those model aircraft that you used to see in every travel agent's window.
cheers J

Re: Fitting Caterham rad, dash, oil cooler and adj rear shocks to his Fastback.
Martin, No events yet as the car is still not finished. I know that in the last pictures I sent you it looked near completion but I was only at the fitting up stage and it all came apart again for final fettling. I have now reached the wiring stage and have used a standard Frogeye loom as a basis and modifying to fit from there. Dashboards are almost complete see pic. The other major task was fitting a Caterham Alloy and plastic radiator (£190) and fan (£84). This is a much cheaper option than the replica original radiators out there and the fan controller is built into the rad top with several temperature ranges available, The fan fits the rad with lugs that are on the rad much neater than the Kenlow set up. As you can see you have to do away with the original radiator uprights (weight saving) and it sits further forward than the original allowing access for timing the engine etc. The rad sits closer to the cowl in the Sebring bonnet to get max air flow. Oil cooler position now finalised as you will see. I think that is us up to date so please post the pics in my build section on the site. Also I should mention that I do have the adjustable rear shocks from Peter Caldwell fitted to the car and am about to enquire about a set of rears for my Big Healey as well. The build quality is excellent and of course with the stainless steel parts and proper sealing they should last quite a while.... All the best, Graeme.

Re: Front shock absorbers
Hi Martin,
This is kind of interesting.  Thought you might enjoy seeing it.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/special-report/the-class-of-1960
I have been wanting to give you a little information on the front Armstrong adjustable shocks that Graeme Henderson has fitted on his Sebring.  I recognized them from the front suspension photo posted on his page from your site. They were developed by a guy, Peter Caldwell,  that I know who has a shock rebuilding business about 100 miles north of me in Madison, Wisconsin.  He is quite an interesting guy.  He was one of the organizers for the 50th Spridget event that I just went to and was also a tech session presenter for us last year at our Conclave Healey event.  I met him a couple of years ago through a mutual friend.  He knows a lot of info about suspension set-ups and such and developed these adjustable shocks.  He has also developed rear adjustable shocks too, because, as we know, the original rear Armstrong adjustables are just about "unobtanium". I don't know the rules on competitive events in  the UK and Europe, especially FIA rules, so I don't know if they would be legal in some instances.  But, Graeme must think they will be allowed for the events he plans to participate in.  You can set them for street use for the drive to the event and then reset them for competition at the track or hill climb. Here is a link to his business: http://www.nosimport.com
The adjustable shocks are not listed on his "shock page".  I am not sure how long ago they were developed.  He said he has been selling quite a few units.  A competition car race group is using them in Europe.  He is also selling them through Peter May, making them with a bracket to be used with Peter May's front damper top link kit. Let me know if you would like more information on these adjustable shocks.
Kind regards, Neil

Re: MG Mecca
Hello,
First of all, congratulations for the new website design. It is easy to navigate and it's very nice to have all these details and history about each and every car. And some of the pictures posted can be really helpfull. I'm glad to see the pictures we took of Steve's WJB 707 and replica Sebring back online ; If you need them, I may have a few other ones from this visit we paid him to collect the Sebring body kit. I recently checked the MG Mecca website, and shortly after I saw your article about Rene Bloemen's cars, and the MG Meca link. I was surprised at first to see them offering Sebring replicas for sale, but had my explanation through your page. It looks these cars are exact copies of RTL (fiberglass ?). But my question is : do you know where these door openings come from ? I've never seen this 'bean form' type, and do not know where to look for them. I'm looking forward the Midget 50 celebrations, and seeing JJO and the other Sebring Sprites there. Unfortunately, our own replica is far from ready, and won't be included in the 'clock' display ! Maybe we will meet on Sunday among all these Midgets.
regards from France,
Renaud Vendel

Re: Le Mans
Hi Martin, I hope you are well and congratulations with the new website - looks great. Thought I would just send you a quick message to let you know that my father and I will be racing in the support race to the Le Mans 24 hrs next week in S221. I will let you know how we get on and of course if any of the Sebring Sprite gang are going out to watch do come by and say hello! I hope you have had a chance to get your Sebring Sprite out and about so far this summer? I am currently having a new race engine built by Janspeed for 184FGJ so unfortunately have not got behind the wheel yet in 2011, but planning to do a couple of races later in the season. Anway I hope you have a good weekend and I look forward to catching up soon at some Sprite related event!
Kind regards,
Charles

Re: Fly-off hand- brake
Dear Martin, Congratulation to the new website. I am not through everything yet but it is really well done. If you have two more pawl assembly kits available I would happily buy them for my cars. If you could tell me the total amount incl. p&p to Austria  and your banking details (bic and iban) I could transfer the amount. Do you know anybody who would sell me complete set of brake items needed to convert the rear to Sebring specification (8in) brake drums? Kind regards Christoph. 

Re: Streamliners and WSM Sanction II
Hello Martin. I am in Florida at the moment and I have few things to report. There is a race in Texas in June where Steven Coleman's Streamliner will be driven by Clive Baker once again. The Targa Florio car from Japan will be in the race too. The Author Bill Emerson has commissioned a sanction 2 WSM, being built in the UK. He has sent a rust free Sprite over from the USA as the donor car. Andrew at Archers Garage is making progress with the two Streamliners and we would live to be able to show our car this year, even if only a rolling shell. I have spoken to John Hill of S.Carolina on the telephone. Did you go visit him when you were over here ?? Regards, Pete

Re: Cape dashboards
Hi Martin, Good to hear from you. Sorry, I am afraid the dashboard fell off my urgent “to do” list. Work and the house and creating some space in the garage have taken priority. Far too many commitments and too little time and space to do them! Actually I am selling my Healey championship winning Frogeye as I just don’t have the time to get it out and use it. (Also I have a 3000 race car sitting waiting to be finished, which has been sitting in the garage for far too long…)  I have already sold off most of my small mountain of shells and spares…. I would think by the summer I will get a chance to mould some myself. I know its not a big job, its just finding a weekend to make up the mould and produce a couple! Best regards C.A. [I had asked him how the dashboards were coming on, as several people are keen to have one - MEI]

Re: Website
Hi Martin, New site's looking good - I hold you and Andrew Forster entirely responsible for a mid life crisis of Midgets, Sprites, rust and Mig welders. Best regards Mark Wilson

Re: Pit-stop photo
I found my scanned copy of the pit stop with me standing next to John. The note with the picture says "Note Graham Hill in the background". I asked John about the pictures that had been on his web site and he said they were not his but YOURS. Do you know who is the person standing a way back between John and myself? [Am not sure which photo on the site John refers to, as yet. Photo 1? Photo 2? MEI]

Re: Sebring Decal
Hi,Saw this on your website and it said to contact you if interested ? I have a Williams & Pritchard Sebring GT Fastback on a Triumph Spitfire 1500 and have been looking for something like one of these to go on my hard top. Although not original, I think it would just set it off nicely. Please could I have more details of where these can be obtained from (Other that the racetrack in the States) Regards Andy Sollis. [Am ordering some decals for him, MEI]

Re: IOW Sebrings
Hi Martin. A picture I recently received from Kent Masc member Crispin Whiting. The Keith Bradings IOW Frogeye factory with a Sebring Coupe. Alan. [See Latest News]

Re: Sebring Brochure
Dear Mr. Ingall, I am searching for a copy of the original Sebring Sprite brochure which was available from John Sprinzel back in the 60s. Following your fantastic web site for years I thought you might know somebody who might sell either an original brochure or at least could provide a copy of the four pages? Hoping to hear from you or maybe meet you personally at the goodwood revival 2011. Kkind regards from Austria. Christoph.

A response to a query about fitting the healey 100-4 anti-roll bar, as used on early Sebrings
Hi Ken, Martin Ingall has forwarded your email about the Sebring Sprite Anti-Roll to me as I have an original Sebring Sprite which still has its original ant-roll bar and fittings. I hope the enclosed photograph explains the set-up. As you can see the only reinforcement to the wishbone is a rectangular piece of metal ( there is a similar one on the inside of the wishbone), which are drilled to accept the anti-roll bar link and the two bolts. All very simple!! Incidentally, to make an original anti-roll bar link you need a rear link assembly with the bush which joins to the shock absorber cut off and the shaft threaded. I hope this helps. If you need any more info, please get in touch. Regards Ian.

In response to my query as to how to build a good motor for super-charging.
Good Morning Martin, I am running a 266 profile cam with a low compression head and a 978 cc block. The distributer was rebuilt by Aldon to match this spec. As you are aware the supercharger was originally supposed to be used with a standard engine albeit with a low compression head. I'm not sure if this is any help, but good luck with your project and if I can help further, do get in touch. Regards Ian.

Re: 317AOV & Midget 50
Martin, read the ex Alan Hastey/Kim Dear car 317AOV is now in Northern Ireland, perhaps you could pass my Email address to George Wilkins. I take it you got my email expressing an interest in displaying XXC818 at the Midget 50 event. regards Trevor McI.

Re: Various
Hi Martin, Thanks for the reply and putting my assorted requests for info on your website. Can you please e-mail a copy of John Makin's article on WYT381 that you mention on your webpage for this car. On the grp front, I've got hold of a combined reprint of two excellent long-put of print Osprey books on grp car repair and painting by Miles Wilkins of Fibreglass Services, Arundell who knows all about Lotus body repairs including the monocoque Mk1 Elite. This book - How to Restore Fibreglass Bodywork & How to Restore Paintwork - is available from Lotus Books in Germany; see:http://www.lotus-books.com/additions.html and order form: http://www.lotus-books.com/order.html

Re: Website
I'll wish you luck with the new web-site. I think Version 2 has been very good too. I'm working with my replica to get FIA approvement. It's not easy and I'm looking forward to see some FIA homologation form on your web-site. Thanks to Craig Chapman who maks it possible to get an alloy top. Regards Kai.

Re: Midget 50
Hi Martin, Would you please include me for the 'Midget 50' event. Although the car is still being assembled it should be ready as only(!) the mechanical bits need bolting on. Saw the Tifosi SS at Race Retro and thought his basic product looked quite good. Rgds Derek

Re: Ashley Bonnet
Hi Martin, How are you? Are you sure the front is a W&P It looks like my Ashley front but with a modified buble on top of the rocker cover - same nose and same flanges. Link cheers Laurent.

Historic Sebring
Hi Martin, Many thanks for forwarding this to Butch. He since has been in touch with me, however (probably due to the pedigree and quality of the car)the price of USD 140 K + shipping remains out of reach for me. Many thanks however for taking the time to look into my query. Kind regards, Pierre.

Re: Historic Sebring
Thanks for the lead. I will email him with the updates. I have done nothing with the Sprite except taking it to a couple of vintage races just to run it around the pits . Hope to do much more now that the year of bad health is over. You web site keeps growing and looking better all the time ......keep up the good work. Best Regards, Butch Gilbert.

Re: Various
Hi Martin, Interesting. 'Getting into Minis' - sounds like BMC Works Dept in early 1960s moving away from large and small sports cars! On another subject, it would be interesting to see how people have bonded Sebring tops, Peel and Frogeye rears to steel rear floors, scuttled and B posts, and what an MoT tester and an IVA person would make of it. Are you building another car? I noted your request for Riley 1.5 parts on the Midget and Sprite Club wanted webpage. Best wishes Mike. [The Riley brakes are wanted for Ken Grasing in Oregon]

Re: Replica
Can I start by saying its a Great enthusiasts web site. I am number 68 on the replica list - I picked up my fastback kit on the 14/07/10. Mmy plan is to use a basket case MkIII sprite Reg no LKK511F but upon purchasing it blind Ii found the bodyshell is actually from a 1500. However they are very similar apart from additional strenghening to take the rubber bumpers which i am drilling out and a few smaller bits and pieces. Regards Dave

Re: Speedwell Sprite
I bought a 1959 Speedwell MK 1 Sprite back in 1972, it was painted in Yellow, had a Monza style fibreglass bonnet, and an opening bootlid. it had a "Speedwell" badge on the rocker cover, but this might have originally been on the bodywork. I bought it from a man in Twickenham from the "Exchange and Mart". I never knew anything about its past, if it had one. in the intervening years, it has been modified and repaired a lot, and is now undergoing a complete restoration with a steel frogeye bonnet, and the rear boot opening has gone. so the only original bit still there is the Speedwell badge on the rocker cover, but I remember the Monza bonnet, and buying a steel bonnet to replace it from a scrapyard for a fiver.

Re: Shorrock bulge
Hi Martin, I'm sure I've covered this in previous correspondence with Nick. The only 'Works' Sebring Sprite to be supercharged was 7080 AC. This was a standard bodied Sprite, but had the earlier Shorrocks supercharger with the safety valve angled slightly 'off centre', but more vertical than later superchargers, hence the need for a 'bulge' in the bonnet. A photograph of the 'bulge' appears on page 156, and of the supercharger, on page 157 in 'Spritely Years'. Hope this is of help. Regards Ian

re: Website
Great January News page Martin. Good to see the pictures & notes on all the current replica/restoration projects. Keep up the good work. Trevor McI. XXC818. Belfast.

re: WYT 381 & Donor Car
Hi Martin, Thanks for the very interesting and enjoyable Jan 2011 news page on your Sebring Sprite website. Seeing the progress that Gordon Higgs has made from a tired MkIV Sprite donor is really inspiring. I remember his first post and thinking what a challenge, but with a great approach, using an attainable AH donor with good engine and brake spec. Also hearing the auction news on one of the originals is great too. The detail, enthusiasm, news and dialogue on your website sets it apart - thanks. I have started to collect bits for a replica close to the open ex-Barry Shawzin rally car: That pic [of the car on the Lyons-Charbonnieres] sums up small 'big' healey! At the moment a leaky lock-up, house move, lots of work travel on trains (wondering if I can sneak an Archers Sebring front into the luggage compartment!) and part-time studying restricts car fun. But I am on the long term look out for an affordable donor - ideally a Mk2.5 Sprite, but a MkIV would do - that isn't 500 miles away from me in Ayrshire. Hope you are well. Best wishes, Mike

re: Historic Sprites
Hi Martin
Many thanks for providing us with such a great website. I am always eagerly reading the updates and being impressed by the wealth of information you gather. I am currently on the look out for a standard bodied frogeye (such as no 53 (butch Gilbert) or 2214 UE  equivalent in its early days specifications...). To that instance I wonder if you know about any sale going on. I would possibly consider importing the car if it has the right specs. Any helps, tip appreciated. Kind regards, Pierre.

re: New Replica
Your Website is very nice and loaded with news from history but also from nowadays. Due to this web-site I could learn more about the beauty and strength of the magnificent Sprite and Midget racing conversions. I have ordered 1.5 years ago a fastback with Monza bonnet at Archers garage and bought all the body panels from Racers of Kent to build my own Lenham Sprite.  (It will be like the one of Peter Warren). As a passionist and hobby restorer of classic cars I am always checking your site for news. Hope you can continue this site for a long period. I will visit Andrew Forster within 2 weeks and will make some pictures of the progress of the car. If you are interested, I can send you some pictures. Best regards, Paul H.L. Slangen from Belgium.

re: 777 EBH - Alexander Sprite
On returning from a wonderful day out on Saturday where I was honoured to able to join a small group of motor racing enthusiast who were entertained all day, by the evergreen and truly wonderful Murray Walker, I had the additional joy of being contacted by the owner of one of the original Alexander Sprites. The car is now only a few months away from completion and is a very early Mk1 Sprite with a Vin number in the very low 800's being within a couple of Jonathan's old Frogeye. The only image which I'd previously seen was a black and white one showing the car with a standard frogeye body with the familiar Alexander white stripe down the side. The current owner has sent me an image of the car in period with a fastback, as well as a photo of it "as found" in a bush. Do any of you have any additional information on it which I could pass on to the owner (and very recently joined member of the Midget & Sprite Club)? Particularly who is likely to have built the body? Any help would be greatly appreciated and will also help to build a future article. Kind regards, Gary.

re: Coupe Replica
Hi Martin. I hope 2011 finds you well. I'm sorry its been so long since my last mail.  I've been keeping busy on the sprite build. It seems I've been waiting for ages to get her into the paint shop - a small local  business called Lone Pine thats been in the same family since the early 1950's. They specalise in high class and classic cars. My Sprite was in outstanding company. While she was in, there was a Shellby Mustang bare shell waiting for paint, two Aston Martins and a Rolls Royce not to mention the 1930's  Bentley body parts being painted in cellulose!  After our earlier mails I did some searching through our extensive paint colour information at work to see if I could throw any light on the Tartan/ Alfa red question and I found there were several Tartan reds so I've chosen a lighter Tartan. It probably is not the same as  PMO 200 but I like it and thats what counts! I'll call it Gordon Tartan! HaHa! The Sprite is home now so the long build-up process can start. All the suspension parts have been plated and powder coated overhauled and are ready to refit. I've enclosed a few more photos for you to update your site. Thanks for all your hard work on the site. Its good to see what other people are up to and very useful as a reference. Regards Gordon

re: 2214 UE
Looking through your web page, I can still hardly believe that 2214UE is still around - after my rallying on the Liege and German Rallies half a century ago, John Patten's drive with Paul Hawkins on the RAC and then Mike Reid's efforts with the Octagon crowd, I wonder how many bits can still be original. Good fun though, to see what the cars managed. I read the auction brochure on the Hedges cars and the huge list of owners. Did Donald and Geoff ever imagine their little car could stand up to so much for so long? Hope you are well and having a good New Year, in spite of what I hear about your weather.  Aloha, John

re: Amicale Sprite & Midget Club, France
Dear Martin, I wish you a happy new year. I have changed my blog to permit translation in to English. You just have to click on English to get the translation: www.spritemidget.com Cheers. Laurent

re: RTL 304
Hi, Seasons greetings and best wishes for the new year. I have three photos of the Chris Keeble Sprite registration RTL in the paddock at Silverstone at the main MG day on two occasions - both in the nineteen nineties. I know Chris - we both had MGC GT's. I have a '59 Frogeye now and I was able to purchase the Spritely Years book from you earlier this year. I found the link to the two Targa Florio Sprites and was always interested in TFR7 which I had always dreamed of finding tucked away somewhere in a Florida garage unloved and forgotten. It was interesting to find it ran in period at Sebring in 1970. Best wishes for the new year and keep up the good work on the website - I am in Broadway, Worcs and the ex-Moss Sebring (S221) plus the other replica (184 FGJ) live just up the road. I may have the odd photograph of other cars that might be of interest. I seem to recall having one or two of one of the ex Sebring Mk 2's which used to turn up quite regularly at Prescott where I competed with a Mallock and another unique clubman's car. I think this was perhaps the practice car but the owner's name eludes me at the moment. Anyway I have attached the three pictures which Chris reliably informs me were 16 and 17 years ago respectively. Chris swapped the 13" standard wheels for 14" 72 spoke competition MGB wheels. I thought the first year was 1992 but there you go! Kind regards, David

re: Sebring & Le Mans
Looks like John Sprinzel pulled all his photos when he put out his book. In the new promo pics, I am standing next to him and he tells about Graham Hill in the background. Another shows him with the drivers, the same one I have shows me to the right looking at the car. The comment on one of the pictures was that cars were back from the race, but they were parked after after the clutch swap , ready to go TO the race. He said I was a NASA technician that did maintaince on the cars, but I was actually an electrical engineer with North American  working on the space program. ersons that  really did all he claims.  A little check of BMC and Healey history will show the bare chassis were sent to the Healey factory, and Roger Menadue reworked them including fitting special bodies.  The first was a kit car made using a "Falcon" body, English not American. In fact that chassis had three bodies used on it. I DO NOT know this to be a fact, but I believe BMC required the race cars to look like street cars and allowed only prototype car to run. And the street car bodies were set, so no big changes. There were some bitter feelings  between the two groups. Enough of that, I have , or will make some JPEG files and send them to you but not tonight! John

re: Sebring & Le Mans
Hello Martin, I do not know what happened to the article, but my photos have shown up on the John Sprinzel web site, though the captions are incorrect. Attached is my prelim copy of the article, including a photo of me at Daytona in my MGA-TC. These are for you to use as you want. All the Sprite pictures were taken before the race. If you go to Sprinzel site, there is picture of him talking to the driver with a caption stating that Graham Hill is standing in the background, BUT I am standing next to John. Merry Christmas. [see John's article "Article for sprite Mag" on the Articles page]

re: RTL 304
I brought RTL304 back from the UK to Holland in the '80s having bought the car in South of London for Dutch dealer Tonio Hildebrandt. I drove it on the road with an open exhaust to Sheerness for the ferry to Vlissingen. MY wife was driving our rental car which I dropped off in Sheerness, I was forced to store our luggage in the Sprite and the spare wheels on the roof as it went on the boat. In Vlissingen I had my road car and trailer and the car was taken to my home in Overveen (nr Zandvoort). It had a 1,293 Cooper S engine at the time. I think I tested it once at Zandvoort but never raced it. I sold it to Ecury. Wonderful to see it's still out there and looking lovely.

re: XXC 818
The car is now stripped to a rolling shell, bodywork dismantled, panels prepare and primed. The body is to be re-sprayed in original colour OEW. There will be various modifications during the rebuild which I will up-date you with as we go along. If you can add the attached pictures to Gary's oringinal ones it may be of interest to other folk, how the car is progressing. I personally like to look at all the rebuilds to pick up tips from the modifications carried out. Merry Christmas. Trevor