6 replies to this topic

[Hieronymus]

This was posted today on the MOTORSPORT SOUTH AFRICA website. Perhaps something for the TNF experts:

Have you seen this car?

A search has been mounted for a racing car campaigned in Kenya. Not so surprising, there are many car enthusiasts in the country. The difference here is the car has not been seen for 46 years.
The Le Gallais Special was built by Frank Le Gallais in the Channel Island of Jersey and was first raced in 1949. It was used with considerable success until 1959 when Frank Le Gallais retired and the Le Gallais Special was shipped to Kenya.
It was originally bought by Derrick Shepherd, who was General Manager of Car and General in Mombasa and believed to be the brother of Peter Shepherd, who was with Motor Mart in Nairobi.

Beau Younghusband then bought the car from Derrick Shepherd in 1960 and took it to Nairobi. Beau Younghusband used the car with good effect until March 1963, when it was sold to Brian Wood of Nairobi in March 1963 and everything seems to stop there.
Two enthusiasts, Peter Le Gallais - son of the car's builder Frank Le Gallais and Gerard van Dam, have now begun a search to find the car.
A large number of fellow racing car enthusiasts of the period have been in correspondence with them and an ad was place in The Standard in March. Thus far there is no information after the March 1963 sale. If you know of the car, or of Brian Wood, do contact our reporter and help this story to continue.

[D-Type]

Sorry, I've nothing to add.

In period the car appeared in programmes as the LGS and someone scrutinising programmes may not realise that's the same car.

The picture you've posted shows the car after it's nose was opened up , presumably to improve cooling, and it had been repainted red with a white nose band.

Edit: Just after posting, a 45 year old memory emerged from the depths. I think, I repeat think, that a gold coloured restored XK120 used the engine from the Le Gallais. But I am not certain about this.

Edited by D-Type, 11 May 2009 - 18:51.

[Stephen W]

British Hillclimb Championship

1952 - 3.4 LGS-Jaguar 2nd at Bouley Bay

The next appearance was in 1955 when Frank brought the car home in third at Bouley Bay & 7th at Shelsley Walsh

In 1956 Le Gallais was 4th at Bouley Bay in Frank and the cars last BHC appearance.

[RobertE]

Sorry, mispost...

Edited by RobertE, 12 May 2009 - 11:05.

[Gerard88]

Sorry, I've nothing to add.

In period the car appeared in programmes as the LGS and someone scrutinising programmes may not realise that's the same car.

The picture you've posted shows the car after it's nose was opened up , presumably to improve cooling, and it had been repainted red with a white nose band.

Edit: Just after posting, a 45 year old memory emerged from the depths. I think, I repeat think, that a gold coloured restored XK120 used the engine from the Le Gallais. But I am not certain about this.

I can add a little more to the LGS story.

It was acquired by Brian Wood in March 1963, but I have not been able to find Brian Wood.
However it was subsequently acquired by Brian Jeffries, I don't have any dates. It was then acquired by John Salt who used it between1965 and 1967 approx. I have spoken with him and he gave a colourful description of driving it. John Salt put on smaller road wheels and last saw the car in 1967, he had rolled it at Nakuru and it was complete but damaged. It may have been abandoned?

Regarding the story about the LGS engine being used in a Jaguar XK120. It may not be related but Frank Le Gallais loaned the LGS engine to Bob Sangan to use in his XK120 for the 1952 Jersey Road Race.

[Hieronymus]

I can add a little more to the LGS story.

It was acquired by Brian Wood in March 1963, but I have not been able to find Brian Wood.
However it was subsequently acquired by Brian Jeffries, I don't have any dates. It was then acquired by John Salt who used it between1965 and 1967 approx. I have spoken with him and he gave a colourful description of driving it. John Salt put on smaller road wheels and last saw the car in 1967, he had rolled it at Nakuru and it was complete but damaged. It may have been abandoned?

Regarding the story about the LGS engine being used in a Jaguar XK120. It may not be related but Frank Le Gallais loaned the LGS engine to Bob Sangan to use in his XK120 for the 1952 Jersey Road Race.

Brian told me that the car was probably recycled for scrap metal.

[RogerBarnard]

Brian told me that the car was probably recycled for scrap metal.

I have a couple of very brief (and poor quality) home movie clips of the car racing at Nakuru on 11 June 1967.

I'm not sure of how easy it would be to extract them from a videotape and post them on here, but I should be able to put them on a DvD disc if anyone is interested.