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Paul Lee, Sunbeam-Talbot, Jaguar, fifties


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#1 Rupertlt1

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Posted 04 February 2016 - 16:16

The story so far:

 

Paul Lee was living in Canada, where he competed in a Sunbeam Talbot convertible in 1952, including racing at Edenvale, Ontario, 2 August 1952.

(He may have been going back and forth across the Atlantic?)

 

1952 Morecambe Rally P Lee & ?? in a Mk2 S/T, no 75, started from Manchester (16-18 May)

 

Thousand Islands Rally, 11-12 October 1952

 

1952 Daily Express Rally PB Lee & ??, no 100 started, from Manchester (12-15 November)

 

Canadian Winter Rally, 23-25 January 1953: John Panks/Paul Lee/Freddy Hislop/B. Thomson, Sunbeam-Talbot

 

1953 Coronation Scottish (25-28 May)

 

Paul Lee, Sunbeam-Talbot Mk2A, on the 1953 Alpine Rally:

He was comp no 515, reg MWK 16, 37th overall, 10th in class, with Robert Dando on the maps.

 

Yorkshire S.C.C. 5th Yorkshire Rally,  12th-13th February 1954

 

1954 Lyon Charbonnières P Lee & Peter Easton Mk2A S/T reg, no MWK 16, no 130

(See: Autosport V08 N14 2nd April 1954, Page 424)

 

1954 Rally of the Midight Sun, Paul Lee/Peter Easton:

 

http://www.bilsporta...rallyt-1954.pdf

 

#45 Jaguar, Utgått = retired

 

Crashed #45 Jaguar on the Monte in 1955:

 

Edit: Monte pic now at: https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

HORS DE COMBAT is the Lee/Dando Jaguar which spun off the road on the Col de Bayard, only 4 km. from Gap.

 

He was listed in R.S.A.C. Monte entry list as domiciled in Eastbourne, Sussex.

 

1955 Brighton Rally, P Lee & ?? in a Mk3 S/T reg no JNJ 808, no 47

 

RPM, Journal of the Sports Car Club (Toronto), July 1953, Volume 1, Number 9

REPORT FROM PAUL LEE IN BRITAIN

Club member Paul Lee who has always been a regular competitor in

any event going, with his Sunbeam Talbot, is spending the whole summer

on a glorious motor racing spree in the U.K., arriving in time for the

Goodwood meeting.

To compete in the Alpine trial has always been one of Paul's far-

fetched ambitions, and according to a recent letter it looks as though

this very worthwhile dream may be realized, as he has purchased an ex-works

Sunbeam Talbot which is at present at the factory in England being fitted

with a close ratio gearbox plus a general check over. Michelin S tyres

are to be fitted which, he informs me, are supposed to stand up well to

hard driving. He competed in the Sunbeam Talbot Owner's club Southport

rally and finished 12th out of 80-odd entries. He lost no marks on the

road section of 200 miles, but was not quite quick enough in the tests

which were evidently the most difficult he had yet encountered. One

particular hill test seemed quite interesting, consisting of crossing a

water splash immediately after the start, followed by a right angle turn

to the left and up a bumpy gravel hill for 300 yards to stop astride a

line. He made 6th fastest time in this test.

This was followed up by the Coronation Scottish rally which consists

of a 1000 miles in Bonny Scotland, and run in four daily stages. It was

evidently quite an enjoyable affair, and Paul finished 5th in his class.

He has just returned from Le Mans (lucky old man) and mentions one

or two interesting points. The Jaguar 120 C were fitted with standard

bodies, lighter chassis, disc brakes, and he thinks and overdrive, and

evidently Ascari on the 4.5 Ferrari could not pass them! - he lost his

clutch trying. A Pegaso crashed in practice, and the other was a non-

starter. The pace was terrific, even after 8 hours the three leading

cars were on the same lap. In practice Ascari lapped at 112 mph with a

120 C only one second slower. Paul flew to Le Mans via Silver City Air

Ferry which is much quicker and easier than the boat, and not much dearer.

He stayed at the same hotel as the famous German driver Kling and Herr

Neubauer. Kling drove an Alfa Romeo and I wonder if the famous pit

manager was taking the odd note.

It seems as though German, French and Italian cars will soon be

appearing on the British market, but will prove costly with a 33 1/3

duty and 50% tax imposition.

Paul is moving in high competition circles "over 'ome" and was

recently chatting to John Cutts and David Humphrey, two of the drivers

of the Humber which rushed across Europe at a fair clip not long ago.

All the best for the Alpine, Paul.

 

RPM, Journal of the Sports Car Club (Toronto), Nov-Dec 1953, Volume 1, Number 12

FOR SALE

1951 Sunbeam-Talbot Convertible. -- ex Paul Lee who has now return-

ed to England. First registered May 1952. Very good condition,

including extras such as, Machal lamps, radio, windscreen washer,

tachometer, flashing indicators, raised compression ratio, enlarged

ports with larger choke and jets. $1950. For demonstration please

telephone Freddy Hislop MA.0655 after 6 p.m.

 

[Torontonian Fred Hislop later moved to England, and according to an article in the Globe and Mail, was known to be living there in 1994.

In the early fifties he was an officer of the Sports Car Club (Toronto) and competed in a Jowett Javelin.]

 

Was Paul Lee the same man who was a Rootes dealer at Beaumont Street, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire?

 

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 22 February 2022 - 04:51.


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#2 Rupertlt1

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 00:37

B.A.R.C. Gazette, Nov/Dec 1954, Page 343

"Paul Lee wishes to contact mem-

bers in the Eastbourne area, where

he has recently moved from Lincoln."

 

See also: https://forums.autos...-2#entry7429399

 

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 18 November 2018 - 13:00.


#3 Rupertlt1

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Posted 23 November 2018 - 19:07

The 5th St. John Horsfall Race Meeting, A.M.O.C. Silverstone

Saturday, July 24th, 1954:

#48 P. Lee, M.G. Sal. ZA, 1489 c.c., B.O.C., Event 1

 

National Silverstone, August 14th, 1954:

#80 P. Lee, M.G. Magnette, 4th O/A

 

See: http://www.racingspo...p._-lee-gb.html

 

Paul Gibbons, Archivist – Bugatti Owners’ Club says:

 

Yes we had a P. Lee member of the Bugatti Owners’ Club and entered in the ‘Blue’ members Pocket Book for 1953-54 address; 192 Nettleham Road, Lincoln.

He became a member in 1953.

He is then entered in the next issue which was 1957 at The Gables, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, Lincs.

The next and final ‘Blue Book’ is 1967 and he is no longer listed as a member.

 

I think we can conclude that all three posts here refer to the same person?

 

RGDS RLT



#4 Rupertlt1

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Posted 23 November 2018 - 23:33

For Paul Lee garage see:

 

https://www.flickr.c...koda/5056482321

 

RGDS RLT



#5 Rupertlt1

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Posted 24 November 2018 - 17:21

Coventry Evening Telegraph, Friday 18 June 1954, Page 16

Jaguar Crashes

in Rally

Paul Lee, one of two British

entries in the 1,680-mile Midnight

Sun motor rally, which began

in Sweden yesterday, was one of

the first drivers to be penalised

when his Jaguar crashed into a

ditch after 125 miles.

Lee and his reserve driver

Peter Easton, continued after

minor repairs, but received 177

penalty points.

A total of 122 cars out of 173

starters had lost points after 125

miles.

Five Swedish teams had retired

by last night.

The other British driver is

Charles Florman in a German

Porsche.

 

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 30 January 2022 - 21:57.


#6 Rupertlt1

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Posted 02 February 2022 - 05:57

Yorkshire S.C.C. 5th Yorkshire Rally,  12th-13th February 1954

Team Prize: Sunbeam-Talbot (P. Lee); Sunbeam-

Talbot (D. Hindle); Jaguar XK120 (T. J. R. Mansbridge).

The Jaguar was a fixed-head coupé, registered GFE 111.

Autocar, 19 February 1954, Page 260

 

RGDS RLT