5506 AR ~ Graham Robson's Coupé Replica
Graham employed the services of Daryl Davis of Motobuild to transform a crumpled 1959 Mark 1 Sprite into a gorgeous road legal Sebring Sprite Coupé for his son Asher. However he plans to compete in the car himself in selected rounds of this coming season's (2014) Healeysport Speed Championship and the HRDC All Stars, after which both he and his son will share the drives. Graham did a few rounds of the Healeysport last year in his rally spec Healey 3000 but says: "the car was uncompetitive being on SUs and a tad heavy (and slow) driver. Asher has always liked the Frogeye Sprite but was really impressed by a couple of Sebrings he had seen at sprints/hillclimbs - so we embarked on a project to find a Frogeye to convert to a Sebring that we could share and compete in a variety of events. So we approached Daryl last August who had a donor Frogeye and now six months later Asher has this super Sebring to sit alongside my 100M and 3000. When we purchased the donor car we had no idea of its registration number 5506 AR - coincidence has it that 55 is Asher's kart race number and AR....Asher Robson ! "
The Sebring uses an Archers' body kit, Peter May 1380cc ¾ race spec engine using a softer Piper 286 cam, 1275 straight cut close ratio gearbox, CCK full roll cage. Its colour is Speedwell Blue with Old English White dipped nose - his son's choice, being his boarding house team colours influenced by James Hunt having his helmet painted in his school colours.
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The tired and slightly injured frog! |
restoration begins |
Top fitted ~ |
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The body-shell goes for painting |
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Fitting up commences with front and rear suspensions, windscreen and rear window |
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Dash and interior |
and now, on its wheels |
Checking axle alignment |
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Fitting the CCK roll-cage |
Lights & black wires |
Power unit and SCCR box |
Panhard rod |
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Setting up the motor on the rolling road |
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The beautifully finished car emerges ready for the road and the 2014 competition season |
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After being stripped to bare metal and sand-blasted the shell was fitted with new floors, floor strengtheners, sills, front inner wing assemblies etc. Then it was fitted with the Archers coupe top and bonnet. It has 4" wheels for road use and 5" for competition, the latter with Dunlop CR65 x 450 L section track only tyres for HRDC, and
Kumho Ecsta V70A 185/70 for sprints/hillclimbs.
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The cosy and purposeful interior |
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