119 replies to this topic

[Phil Rainford]

Well you learn something new every day, I didn't know frogs had teeth this big!!;)



Kind regards

Phil

[Haggis 2]

Gordon Mitchell in the 1970 6hr LeMans race at Wanneroo Raceway in Perth.




Same car in practise for the 1971 6hr LeMans race at Wanneroo Raceway. The car almost won the race against such formidable opponents as Lola T70, Porsche 911 etc. Unfortunately suffered brake problem and then front suspension collapse in closing stages.



And during the 1971 race...

I have more pics, plus a few of later Sprites in competition from late 1960's and early '70s but will have to find and scan them. This particular car was built by my father for Gordon Mitchell and was probably the most successful Sprite to ever race in Australia. It was campaigned from 1969 through to the early 1980's with enormous success on the West Coast of Aust holding class lap records and untold class and outright wins. The car was radically lightweighted with aluminium doors (hand made by my father), floors and all flat panel sections of the footwells plus glassfibre front. It was an awesome little car and was a constant embarrassment to much more expensive and serious race machinery.

My father also owned a very nice near concourse Mk1 that he restored from a written off smashed car for many years which we kids loved to bits. My father, John Hagarty, together with Gordon Mitchell and few others were the foundation members and initiators of the Austin Healey Car Club in WA and Dad is honourary life member No. 3.

_______________________________
Brendon Hagarty

[Manuel B]

[IMG]http://img3.glowfoto...1705287411T.jpg[/IMG]
Brenda Johnson, Daytona HSR 2002

[IMG]http://img3.glowfoto...1705188528T.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img3.glowfoto...1705207608T.jpg[/IMG]
Brigette Sagon, Daytona HSR 2002

[garyfrogeye]

Many thanks Brendon,

Great images. The series of bends in the second image look like a blast and ideal for Sprites.

My Friend Ray English raced a Mk1 Sprite (but I don't know what class) in Australia. It was one of the two original imported Sprites to land in Australia and was driven by Stirling Moss at (I think) Stanley Park in 1958. I assume that he raced in and around Victoria. He now runs the only museum in the world dedicated specifically to Mk1 Sprites. It houses many unique items inckluding John Sprinzel's Monte Carlo Rally plates and some of the original factory drawings.
Ray also publishes a quarterly magazine specifically about Frogeyes/Bugeyes call (unsurprisingly) 'Marque One'.
He would love to see these images. Could I have your permission to forward them to him?

Many thanks

Gary

[Haggis 2]

Hi Gary,

Please do forward them to Ray, but the only disclaimer I make (just a note of caution.....;) ) is that I do not know who the photographer was so I haven't been able to ensure that no copyright exists. I took the risk as I thought them of interest to the subscribers of this thread. If Ray wants to contact me he can PM on this forum.

Cheers,

Brendon

[garyfrogeye]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Well you learn something new every day, I didn't know frogs had teeth this big!!;)



Kind regards

Phil

Never mind the teeth, what kind of engine would require nostrils like those, a V6 or V8? surely not a venerable old A series.

[drivers71]

Found another, Gary

Mallory Park 29 July 1973

Andy Bailey




Rich

[garyfrogeye]

Many thanks Rich,

That car looks familliar to me somehow. I'll chck it out when I get home tonight (late).

[Gregor Marshall]

On ebay now - sounds like a good and very well known car.

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...ME:B:SS:GB:1123

[garyfrogeye]

Yes Gregor,
It was on a few years ago. I think that Mike Garton may have raced it at some time also. I know it's on the cover of his book.

[ggnagy]

No pics of my own, but here's a link to the restoration of one of the most famous US racing bugeyes of the 60s
Think Pink!

[David Birchall]

Back in the seventies I was very involved in 'Big' Healeys and went to all the West Coast Meets. In 1978 a special bodied Sprite turned up at one of the meets and the guy insisted it was actually PMO200. He wanted $4000 for it but I was too involved with other stuff to buy it. Anyone recognize 855GNV?
(The photos are flopped! )








Am I the only one who used to be able to post images and now has problems?

[Ray Bell]

I never thought I'd post on this thread...

But life has its turnings, doesn't it?

A week, no, almost two weeks ago I was out Coonabarrabran way. I was there to photograph three cars, but it was raining and I couldn't get that job done. But I did some running around and I wanted to check out the cars owned by Don Hall at Binnaway.

Now, getting to Don's wasn't just a matter of going down the main street of this tiny town and looking for the green house in Elm Street... I had to get directions from Norm. Norm has a '37 Ford he's restored and it was to be the subject of my camera's attention that afternoon.

"So how do I get to Don's?" I asked.

In response I got a bunch of detail, but among it came the strangest direction, or clue that I was on the right path, that I've ever had. Just the thing to make you wonder when you're driving down a dirt road in the bush, watching for wallabies and staying clear of the worst of the puddles the day's rain had left lying on the path.

"And then you'll go through a gate, with a grid," said Norm. And sure enough, out there miles from anywhere there was a grid and gate along the path of this road. But there's more. "There's a big black dog tied up to the post on the right hand side," Norm concluded.

So, sure enough, there he was. A big black dog, tied on a chain or something to that right hand post, standing there watching me coming, wet through and looking like it was saying, "Please, mister, don't splash too much mud on me!"

I wondered further how far someone had to drive each day to make sure the poor animal was fed and, in normal seasons, watered. But it was more important to beat the setting sun that I was relying on to help me get some pictures in Don's collection of cars.

I must say that never before, in all my time of examining these collections, lineups of wrecks or whatever you might call the gatherings of cars, trucks and machinery on farms, seen a Sprite. And here, not only was there a Sprite, but the thing had a fastback hardtop like one of my teachers, Hal Paama, had when I was in my last year of school.

His also had a nose with the headlights blended in behind perspex, so I'd meant to check the front of this one and didn't get around to it (there was a very rare Plainsman caught my eye first, you see...), but I will get back there some time soon. I have to say that there are indications that the nose of this car is similarly altered.

So, from the rural backblocks outside of Binnaway, I bring you:

[David Birchall]

Ray, that appears to be the 'missing' Williams and Pritchard coupe that went to Australia. See the Williams and pritchard site devoted to their special bodies/hardtops on Sprites.

[Ray Bell]

No... their 'Lost in Oz' car is a later model, not a bugeye body at all...

You've got no idea how far this car is from mainstream sports car stuff. Not that this precludes such a thing happening, someone in the backblocks owning such a car, but it's way out of character.

In earlier times you might well expect a 'cocky' to have a Bentley or a 30/98 or something, and many MGBs finished up in the bush, but the '50s and '60s cars with their Armstrong suspension units weren't good on the typical roads of these areas.

Not only that, black dogs could jump right into them... and a good wallaby right over them!

[garyfrogeye]

I will speak with Ray English in Victoria about the fastback car as not only does he run the only Mk1 Sprite Museum in the world and own the 2nd ever sprite imported into Oz (driven by Stirling Moss) but also used to be a dealer for Australian Hard tops.

[Ray Bell]

You might also put me in touch with him... if you don't mind...

Please send details to my e.mail address as shown below.

[W&P Register]

Hi Ray, that really is an intriguing rear fastback hardtop! When Gary has managed to identify it, please may I use your photo on the database page of different sprite hardtops on our website? Interesting to note what looks like a mk I midget / mk II sprite next to it

[Ray Bell]

Sure thing... when I take more pics you can have them too...

And I'd be sure it's a Sprite, Midgets weren't sold here until the mid-sixties at least and were much less numerous than Sprites. I'll get pics of it too.

[watkins]

I know this may not be a UK registered Sprite, but the guy driving it is probably the best known "Bug Eyed" driver in the States: Randy Canfield. He won the SCCA National Championship back in 1969 and did it again in 1971, 1972, 1985 and 1990 with a Bugeye. He was also 2nd and/or 3rd place 14 times in H Production and was the H Production SCCA Champ in the North East Division from 1967 until 2002. He also won the 12 Hours of Sebring Group 4 class in 1968 in a MG Midget. Canfield started racing in 1961 and is still racing as of this year (2008...in a Bugeye).


Randy Canfield in turn 9 at Watkins Glen, 2007.

Some of the above information gathered (not copied) from a great racing web site "The Road Racing Drivers Club": http://www.rrdc.org/members_bios.asp


Turn 6, Watkins Glen 2007

[ggnagy]

Originally posted by watkins
I know this may not be a UK registered Sprite, but the guy driving it is probably the best known "Bug Eyed" driver in the States: Randy Canfield. He won the SCCA National Championship back in 1969 and did it again in 1971, 1972, 1985 and 1990 with a Bugeye. He was also 2nd and/or 3rd place 14 times in H Production and was the H Production SCCA Champ in the North East Division from 1967 until 2002. He also won the 12 Hours of Sebring Group 4 class in 1968 in a MG Midget. Canfield started racing in 1961 and is still racing as of this year (2008...in a Bugeye).


Randy Canfield in turn 9 at Watkins Glen, 2007.

Some of the above information gathered (not copied) from a great racing web site "The Road Racing Drivers Club": http://www.rrdc.org/members_bios.asp


Turn 6, Watkins Glen 2007

Randy Canfield is a legend amongst the SCCA smallbore production racers. I believe 5 of those 2nd place finishes were by less than a second to 1st. The reason he stopped going to the Runoffs after 2006, was because he was less than impressed with the Heartland Park race track. I have not asked him if he will try to qualify for the 2009 runoffs, since they will move to Road America. I know he's run a few more MARRS regionals at Summit Point this year than usual.
That car is the second chassis to carry 41, as the first was balled up at one of the Runoffs in the 80s. He also had a bit of an off in that car the weekend those pictures were taken. It was fixed but still looking a little rough from fiberglass repairs at the Prod Fest in late October. Hes a great guy and a legendary driver

ps. the SCCA recently published online the runoffs results for every driver that has ever participated. Appropriately, Randy Canfield is currently found on pg "948" (subject to change after 2008 runoffs)

[watkins]

I was at turn 6 during the accident. The way his Sprite took off to the right, and into the guard rails, I'm sure something must have broke in the steering or front suspension. From what I understand, he suffered a broken leg from that hit.

[Gregor Marshall]

One for sale:-

http://www.pistonhea...ales/692050.htm

[garyfrogeye]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
I never thought I'd post on this thread...

But life has its turnings, doesn't it?

A week, no, almost two weeks ago I was out Coonabarrabran way. I was there to photograph three cars, but it was raining and I couldn't get that job done. But I did some running around and I wanted to check out the cars owned by Don Hall at Binnaway.

Now, getting to Don's wasn't just a matter of going down the main street of this tiny town and looking for the green house in Elm Street... I had to get directions from Norm. Norm has a '37 Ford he's restored and it was to be the subject of my camera's attention that afternoon.

"So how do I get to Don's?" I asked.

In response I got a bunch of detail, but among it came the strangest direction, or clue that I was on the right path, that I've ever had. Just the thing to make you wonder when you're driving down a dirt road in the bush, watching for wallabies and staying clear of the worst of the puddles the day's rain had left lying on the path.

"And then you'll go through a gate, with a grid," said Norm. And sure enough, out there miles from anywhere there was a grid and gate along the path of this road. But there's more. "There's a big black dog tied up to the post on the right hand side," Norm concluded.

So, sure enough, there he was. A big black dog, tied on a chain or something to that right hand post, standing there watching me coming, wet through and looking like it was saying, "Please, mister, don't splash too much mud on me!"

I wondered further how far someone had to drive each day to make sure the poor animal was fed and, in normal seasons, watered. But it was more important to beat the setting sun that I was relying on to help me get some pictures in Don's collection of cars.

I must say that never before, in all my time of examining these collections, lineups of wrecks or whatever you might call the gatherings of cars, trucks and machinery on farms, seen a Sprite. And here, not only was there a Sprite, but the thing had a fastback hardtop like one of my teachers, Hal Paama, had when I was in my last year of school.

His also had a nose with the headlights blended in behind perspex, so I'd meant to check the front of this one and didn't get around to it (there was a very rare Plainsman caught my eye first, you see...), but I will get back there some time soon. I have to say that there are indications that the nose of this car is similarly altered.

So, from the rural backblocks outside of Binnaway, I bring you:

My Friend Ray English has just seen this image and I quote
"The Hardtop --- This is a J&S unit, quite common in OZ, actually. The J&S was to be the next top in my series. I wonder if anyone has gone to have a look at this car, the top looks quite good, and the rear suspension is still attached, I must contact the wreckers yard."

Not a missing W& P coupe.

If anyone else has some images, I'd be thrilled to see them

[H-NK1605H]

Is there anybody from the Frog Eye Community who can help me with the following problem:
We are running AN5L32300 since two years and we are increasingly annoyed by a mismatch of rpms indicated and rpms actually measured:
indicated measured
1000 860
1500 1400
2000 1800
2500 2300
3000 2600
3500 3000
4000 3600
4500 4200
5000 4400
It looks like when the original engine (948cm³) was changed for a 1275cm³ engine the altenator driving the rpm meter has not been properly adjusted.
Does anybody proposes a solution.
Brgds
H-NK1605H

[garyfrogeye]

The problem is that the original rev counter on the 948 was mechanically driven and positive earth. The later rev counters are elecronic and usualy negative earth. Neiother are usually very accurate.
You may find an answer here
http://www.mgb-stuff...stext2.htm#tach

[garyfrogeye]

Also could I add your car to the international Mk1 Sprite register. Do you have and image you could post here (or send me)?
Thanks

[H-NK1605H]

I would be more than happy providing you with a photo.
But somehow I can't copy it to this e-maol format.
Can you send my your e-mail adress to wolfgang.kurth@advoilar.com.
I'll check your recommendation reg the rev counter.
Thanks

[garyfrogeye]

Hi Wolfgang,

I tried to email you but it bounced back

[Tweddell]

does anybody know something about this car, here pictured at targa florio. i remember it very good at nurburgring 500km event 1969, when it stopped at karussell-bend with tecnical problems, but could continue the race after some time.
so it must have been raced extensivly on the continent during this period. significant are the headlights under plexiglas covers and the bubble-extension on the bonnet.
drivers were Jack Wheeler - Martin Davidson.
perhaps it is still alive?

[garyfrogeye]

Yes it's still alive as are Jack Wheeler and Martin Davidson. Not only is that car still alive but jack has had a reproduction of its previous (Peel bodied) incarnation built as well.
I'll post some up to date images when I get home tonight.
I'm lucky enough that Jack lives about 5 minutes walk from my office and pops in for a chat every now and again.

[Tweddell]

Yes it's still alive as are Jack Wheeler and Martin Davidson. Not only is that car still alive but jack has had a reproduction of its previous (Peel bodied) incarnation built as well. I'll post some up to date images when I get home tonight. I'm lucky enough that Jack lives about 5 minutes walk from my office and pops in for a chat every now and again

oh, that´s fine, i have just looked at my old super 8 film of that race, seeing the car stopping outside karussell banking and driver opening the bonnet to inspect something at engine.
also some photos taken of this fine car at the race.
perhaps you can get information about the reason for bonnet bulb?

[garyfrogeye]

Jack would love to see any moving (or non moving) images of the car at the time. Do you have some way of copying the super 8 film onto disk or posting it online? (although Jack doesn't use the internet).

All images copyright of John Phillips

The car taken a couple of years ago at Goodwood





the reason for the bump? A crossflow head on the A series engine perhaps.
Also the car had a snorkel to allow air into the cockpit

[Tweddell]

thanks for posting,garyfrogeye, i enjoy to see the car still alive and in lovely condition.
it is unique example, i think it was even raced in prototype class up to 1000cc (must have a look in my old race-programs).
i will look for posting my pictures taken at the ring from now nearly 40 year ago.

[frogeye59]

Gary, a selection of Frogs and variants I've taken on the Rally of the Tests over the last few years.

[frogeye59]

Gary, a selection of Frogs and variants I've taken at Goodwood over the last few years including Sir Stirling in PMO 200.

[David Lawson]

I took this picture at Brands Hatch this weekend, a round of the Heritage GT championship supported the A1GP.



David

[bschenker]

Clay Regazzoni's first car

Clay Sprite 1

As learned Bodyworksbuilder hi modified the car.

Swiss hill climb race at Schauinsland
Clay Sprite 2
Swiss hill climb race at Kandersteg
Clay Sprite 3

For the modifications (only Bodyworks, on the Engine only Airfilter) on this car Clay had to race with the Abarth 2l.

One his absolutly first race at Monza, in the Swiss Campionship race, after 3 laps hi was overroundet and black flagged as to low racer.
.

Edited by bschenker, 05 May 2009 - 07:18.

[drivers71]

Gary
Donald Healey entered two Sprites for the Sebring 4 Hours in March 1961 (support race for the 12 Hours). These were 'looked after' by the Cunningham team. One was a Sebring version, driven by Walt Hansgen (8427 UE), the other was a 'normal' Sprite driven by Dick Thompson and Cunningham himself. This latter one was either registation number 8423 UE oe 8424 UE - any idea which one it actually was, and which chassis number it was, please? (info quoted from www.sebringsprite.com)

[Bauble]

Garyfrog eye,

www.picasaweb.google.co.uk/rbmapics

anything on this site may be used free of charge if rbmapics credited.

Bauble

[garyfrogeye]

Very many thanks

[elansprint72]

[David Birchall]

RAM35 would be a replica of the original Paddy Gaston car wouldn't it?
Lovely though....

[elansprint72]

RAM35 would be a replica of the original Paddy Gaston car wouldn't it?
Lovely though....

David, I know nothing about Sprites; this is one of fourteen owned by Keith Hopwood, he told me all about this one a while back, I rather thought that it was made by Downton and was not any sort of replica, i.e the real thing. If he's at the Aintree meeting on Tuesday I'll ask him.




Jeez, this is becoming a full-time job feeding you folks with photos!

Here is a shot of the engine room.

Edited by elansprint72, 12 June 2009 - 15:20.

[David Birchall]

The reason I questioned it is that according to the Sprite 'Bible' (Spritely Years) this car was written off by John Britten in a spectacular accident at Mallory Park.

ps I just read a description of the crash in "Mighty Midgets and Special Sprites" and it says that Britten transferred all the mechanical parts to a 1962 Midget (page 117).

[elansprint72]

The reason I questioned it is that according to the Sprite 'Bible' (Spritely Years) this car was written off by John Britten in a spectacular accident at Mallory Park.

ps I just read a description of the crash in "Mighty Midgets and Special Sprites" and it says that Britten transferred all the mechanical parts to a 1962 Midget (page 117).

David, as I said I know nothing about Sprites (although I owned a Mk1 Midget and a later RWA model) damn, now I've got to buy that book!
I remember the JB adverts in Motor Sport, always a an excruciating poem at the start of the script: one of the less eye-watering ones was:
"If by the sports-car bug you're bitten, take a trip down to John Britten".

[elansprint72]

Here is one from the Le Mans Classic 08 auction; apologies once again, for not knowing what this is (apart from the obvious Scottish thing). Five minutes later the hoi-polloi were admitted and photography was impossible.

Edited by elansprint72, 12 June 2009 - 15:18.

[David Birchall]

That is the Ecurie Ecosse Sprite that was in a very nasty accident. There was a full article on it in, I think MotorSport, not too long ago.

[Gregor Marshall]

A new one from the Luton Festival of Transport yesterday:-

[Gregor Marshall]

I thought I'd posted this earlier today but it seems to have gone missing!!

Here it is again:-



My Mum had it in a scrapbook and tells me that it is John Wingfield and is from the late 1950s or early 1960s. It doesn't look like any pictures I have of John but they are all from the mid 1970s and my Mum should know more than me as he was a good friend and passed away before I was born.

Any ideas where it's from? I don't know a lot about the backgrounds of Hillclimb venues in the UK but if it was a circuit I could almost see it being Thruxton?

Okay, I have to retract my driver and location as I've been reliably informed it's John Miles driving in a sprint/hillclimb around 1961 and the location is Stapleford Abbots Airfield in Essex and the picture was most probably taken by my late father (thank you Mr Roger Bunting for adding this!!) and it has been sent to Mr Miles to verify - fingers crossed he might post on this thread and others on TNF.