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The History - Part 2 |
| Cars, motorhomes, wheels, windscreens and more . . | |
| Home Page | Website front page . . |
| Updates on WSM's in competition in the current year plus archives . . | |
| Pictorial file of events, shows and gatherings with WSM's involved . . | |
| The story from conception of WSM in 1961 to present day . . | |
| Pictorial file in two parts of WSM's in action from 1962 to 2008 . . | |
| New contacts, forthcoming events plus archives . . | |
| Pictorial file on almost everything bar WSM's that DW-S drove . . | |
| WSM family, racers, mechanics, painters, owners, salesmen A - L . . | |
| WSM family, racers, mechanics, painters, owners, salesmen M - Z . . |
The Quest Begins . . ![]() In 1982, Anthony was in touch with Rod Brisby in Scotland who owned WSM 202 and intended full restoration. The standard
Sprite was first registered to Alexander Engineering in 1961, was bought
by Mike Lewis in 1962, and when the WSM designs
were revealed, Mike asked Douglas to apply the treatment to his own car. After Mike raced the car successfully through 1963, 202 passed to Robin
Pinkerton and Robbie Gordon before
surfacing again when an appeal for information concerning the car in 'Practical
& Classic', edited by Rod's brother Michael
Brisby, was answered by Anthony. WSM 301 also needed a new front,
and Rod sent his bonnet over on a fishing boat to the Isle of Man so that
a new mould could be taken. As a deep sea diver, Rods circumstances changed often and he realised in November 2000 that he could not dedicate the
time to the WSM and as had been previously agreed, offered the car to
Anthony. It was clear that as Mike Lewis had run so successfully in 1963
with 202, he should be afforded the chance to re-acquire the car,
but he turned down the opportunity. Rod then came into contact with Paul
Woolmer in December through his connection with brother Michael. By June 2001 Paul had completed a sympathetic restoration which proved
to be a highlight of subsequent events, and included an invitation to the Goodwood Revival in 2003. Peter Jackson,
who owned and raced WSM's and was the Delta Garages manager in the early
1960's, said while
viewing the car in 2001 that he last saw in 1963 . . "Paint technology
etc has moved on and what you see here is probably better than the finished
article in 1963 . . " and proof is in the pictures of the number 88 car at Thruxton in 2002. In 2004 the car changed hands and Jim
Lowry, organiser of the 'Equipe' GTS race series,
campaigned 202 in historic events, pictured right at Donington, and Brands Hatch and Zandvoort in 2005, and in the 2006 Goodwood Revival Fordwater Trophy. In March 2007, 202 passed to MGB racer John Pearson who had admired the design for some time, and in 2008 Brian Arculus acquired what is arguably the best presented car amongst the six known WSM Spridgets in use today. Brian regularly has 202 out with the 'Equipe' GTS grids and will be joining three other WSM's at the Goodwood Revival in September 2010 . . |
The Quarry (1) - A Survivor . . ![]() ![]() The WSM
MG1100 was intended to equip four adults with 30mpg
economy and 100mph performance. Retaining the MG interior and completed in 1965 by Peels Coachworks,
the advent of the 70mph speed limit discouraged Douglas from making
further examples. The car proved a capable family runabout and tow car
for other WSM's, and even competed at Silverstone and Woburn in Mike
Lewis's hands in 1966. It was not a favourite with all the family
however, as the hydrolastic suspension turned some back seat passengers
green. Pictured left with Alec and Fred at Peel Coachworks in 1965 with 301 on
the trailer,
nothing further was heard of the car, although reportedly seen on a scrapheap in the 1980's - until 2001 when Trevor
Jones, who drove the WSM MGB while in Lenham hands in the
1970's, confirmed the MG1100 was in original condition at a Devon address. |
The Quarry (2) and Recovery . .
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The Quarry (3) and Find . . ![]() Malcolm
Bridgeland was a customer of the
Healey Centre in 1965 and knew Jim McManus from previous visits. Malcolm raced a Healey 3000 but had a major shunt
into the Silverstone pit lane wall during a race. Unharmed but unpopular at having caused wife Bennie to
come to grief in her rush to make sure Malcolm was unhurt, he brought
the car to Douglas with a view to applying a WSM design. The resulting car is considered
by many to be the ultimate WSM and certainly had performance to match.
The lightweight and aerodynamic aluminium body, coupled
with taller tyre profiles allowed by the new bodyshell, gave the car
140mph capability and excellent handling due to the perfect 50/50
weight distribution. Malcolm recalled that the nose of meandering. Newspaper
advertisements and postmen bribes brought no luck for years but the
worldwide web did - Healey enthusiast David Moore had seen WSM pictures on the www and contacted Anthony in August 2003
with details that with help from Steve Suckling led directly to the car - and in October 2003 Douglas stood by the WSM
3000 for the first time in over 37 years. The current owner bought the car in the late 1960's and competed in stage rallying before changing circumstances caused the car to be laid up. As other projects took precedence, the WSM remains stored in shelter amongst more planned restorations. |
The Quarry (4) and Restoration . . This car started life in 1959 as a standard 3.8 XK 150 FHC coupe (chassis No. S. 825043 DN) owned by B.G.W Haynes who lived in Northwich, Cheshire. The original engine (VA 1219-8) was later swapped (LB 2049 according the logbook.) The Production Record Trace Certificate of the Jaguar-Daimler-Heritage Trust shows the original colour was cream with a red interior. Douglas Hull bought the car on 14th June 1964 to fulfill his needs for a fast and practical car capable
of carrying the everyday paraphanalia his motor trade business required, and to act as tow car for his vintage ERA racer. Douglas
so enjoyed the Jaguar that in 1967 he asked his friend and fellow aviator at Finmere aerodrome, Douglas W-S, to pen an estate design that Peels Coachworks could fashion. DW-S also modified the engine into a full blown 3.8 S-type race unit with straight porthead and original S carburettors. The end product more than earned
its keep, and on a trip to the Isle of Man in 1969 towing Patrick
Lindsay's ERA for the Tholt Y Will hill climb event, managed a
faster time in the wet than the racing car
it had trailered to the Island. Peter Hull,
younger brother to Douglas, also raced the car in A detailed history from shooting-brake.com.
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A Revival . .
click here for Goodwood report from MG Cars
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A Photoshoot . . In March 2004, quality monthly Octane magazine prompted a get-together of WSM's and personnel at the Wing, Bedfordshire address that was the conceptual birthplace of the car design. Four cars and members of the original Delta Garage team re-produced the 1963 scene of four WSM's for the October edition article - see 'Sixties Survivors' by Andrew Roberts at 'WSM In Print' below. |
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Goodwood Revival - 'Sensational' Fordwater Trophy . . News in May 2006 that the WSM MGB, WSM 207 and Sebring BXN were on the Fordwater grid for the second time in the September classic - and in July came further invitations for 202, 210 and 301 - Sell Out Week-End Audience of 110,000 click here for John Sprinzel interview by Neville Haye click here for YouTube film click here for a two-page Rev Counter 'Spritely Revival' report from Mike Wylie For those petrol heads whose passion is lured by slippery bodied coupes from the 1960's, there was only one place to be on Friday 1st September as practice got underway at 10.15am for the third grid on the card of the stunning West Sussex event. John Sprinzel and wife Caryl made the trip from Hawaii, and were thrilled to watch a grid full of Sebrings, SLR's (Sprinzel-Lawrence Racing), Ashley, Lenham and WSM cars, and with former racing buddies Jack Wheeler, Peter Jackson, Cyril Simpson and Douglas Wilson-Spratt present. Stirling Moss was driving PMO 200 again, a car that both Sprinzel and Moss had raced in period and which had been restored from basket-case condition by Paul Woolmer.Practice - The SLR Morgan Plus 4's of Keith Ahlers and Adrian Van Der Kroft predictably set the pace in dry conditions at the head of a 30 car grid, but Tommasi, Burnett and Hulett were in the hunt, and more so should a forecast wet track materialise on race day. Jim Lowry had a brush with the barriers but with 'Spadge' Hopkins and Rob Cull's help, 202 was ready for the race. Click here for qualifying times and go to 'Race News 2006' for a full event report. |
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Aviation . .
His next
aircraft was a Bolkow Junior registered Zulu Delta, a two seater design
that fitted like a The loss of wife Laurette in 1995 was a devastating time, and he concentrated
on several long term projects to cushion the blow. He
maintains an active role in the
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The Cars . . Click on the cars in chronological order for a brief history of each - |
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WSM in print . . Sprite At Le Mans - Rev Counter January 2010 Historic Racing News - Motorsport August 2009 'Sprite 50th' - MG Enthusiasts magazine Summer 2008 article by Steve Havelock WSM's 2006 MG Revival - Safety Fast February 2007 Rev Counter - June 2006 Austin Healey Club monthly - Clive Cocks at Manx Classic 'Big Healeys In Competition' - John Baggott 2006 - see WSM News for availability 'Unique WSM Uncovered' - Michael Ware Classic & Sportscar June 2006 'The WSM Story' - Healey Marque magazine June 2004 USA edition 'Back In The Fold' - MG Enthusiasts magazine October 2004 edition - John Baggott on WSM MGB 'Sixties Survivors' by Andrew Roberts - Octane magazine October 2004 edition Forty Years On . . March 30th 2004 Leighton Buzzard Observer Jaguar Heritage - 2004 magazine 'MGB The Racing Story' - book by John Baggott 2002 The Healey Book - Bill Emerson 2002, a complete history of the Healey marque Austin Healey - USA monthly magazine, John Sprinzel contributor 'High Speed . .' - Manx Life magazine 2001 Rockingham Re-Union 'Life In The Fast Lane' - Manx Tails magazine 2001 Rockingham Re-Union The Complete Encyclopedia of Sports Cars - book by Rob de la Rive Box 2001 'Mighty Midgets & Special Sprites' book by John Baggott 1998 'Wuzzum Wizard' by Jon Pressnell - Classic & Sportscar magazine February 1997 'Spritely Years' - book by Tom Coulthard & John Sprinzel 1994 British Specialist Cars - book by Chris Rees 1993 'WSM' - article by F Wilson McComb in Collectors Car October 1980 edition Specialist Sports Cars - book by Peter J Filby 1974 'Putting On The Style' - Safety Fast article January 1965 email tony@wsmcars.com |