1953 Turner 1.5-Litre Sports Racing Car (Chassis #006)

The car presented here is one of just seven cars built by Turner Sports Cars between 1950 and 1954, one being an F2 car and the others sports cars. This example is chassis #006, built in 1952 and first road-registered in 1953. It was originally purchased by Wilfred McDougall of Wolverhampton, who raced it at a number of different circuits and hill climbs around the UK during the mid-1950s including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, Oulton Park, Shelsley Walsh, Castle Combe and Charterhall in Scotland. The full race history of Turner #006 is still to be fully researched but race programmes in the history file for this early period of the car’s life include: Charterhall International in August 1953, Castle Combe in April 1954, Brands Hatch BRSCC and International in May 1955 and August 1954 respectively and Silverstone in August 1954.

Although no evidence at this stage has been found linking #006 to Goodwood, it is interesting to note that two of its sister cars (Chassis 003/JDA 555 and Chassis 004/MAB 121) did race at Goodwood in period. Following McDougall's early racing with the car, #006 was then advertised for sale by him in the January 1956 edition of Autosport Magazine. Subsequently it was raced by Sid Diggory, Gerhard Krassner and Peter Hill amongst others, with the car being re-bodied by Gerhard Krassner in c.1960 with Rejo bodywork. It raced with this body during the early 1960s, in some instances actually entered as a Rejo, including when raced by Krassner on 14th July 1962 at Oulton Park. Krassner continued to race the car until 1964, when he sold it to Peter Hill, and replaced #006 with an HWM-Jaguar.

In c.1968, Peter Hill decided to restore the car back to its original specification and was fortunately able to buy back the original body. By that stage, the well-known VSCC competitor, Dr. Malcolm Brydson, had acquired the original body from Krassner to fit to a Riley Kestrel Sprite chassis. Fortunately, Brydson had changed his plans and decided to race an Alvis instead and offered Peter Hill the original body in exchange for a collection of pre-war Norton Model 30 International parts. The car was then returned to its original specification and the Rejo body was sold and allegedly fitted to a Lotus XI. Peter Hill owned the car for almost 40 years, from 1964 to 2003, when it was sold to Ivan Dutton, the well known Bugatti restorer and expert. Ownership of #006 was later transferred to a gentleman in Ireland who used the car in a number of displays and historic events in over there.

An extensive history file and photo album documents a great deal of #006's history in what has been a fascinating life for this rare British sports racing car. The current specification is as follows:

Chassis frame: 2" x 3" diameter 16-gauge T45 tubes with front and rear crossmembers

Steering: Rack and pinion

Suspension: Independent all round with lower wishbones and upper transverse leaf springs. Telescopic dampers

Brakes: Magnesium alloy brake drums, 11" in diameter with mag alloy backplates. Twin leading shoes all round hydraulically actuated by twin master cylinders split front and rear

Engine: 1.5-litre sports racing Lea-Francis with twin high camshafts and twin SU carbs. Mag alloy sump

Transmission: 4-speed gearbox and ENV final drive

Wheels: 16" diameter mag alloy carrying 5.50x16 Dunlop Racing R5 tyres. -

Body: Aluminium alloy on a steel tube frame.

Please see here: http://www.turnersportscars.co.uk/

Turner #006 not only boasts an impressive specification but was previously supplied (in 2015) with FIA/HTP Appendix K papers and the VSCC buff form. The car benefited from extensive work by INRacing in preparation for the 2015 season, including work on the engine, gearbox, brakes and running gear. The car has also had a roll cage fitted by Andy Robinson Race Cars at the beginning of 2015. The vendor at the time described Turner #006, in 2015, as 'ready to race', having only completed one race meeting (Silverstone in June 2015) since the race preparation work was completed.

Iconic Auctioneers sold Turner #006 to its current owner back in 2015 and the car has remained in his private Collection without use as far as we know. It's running and driving, but any potential buyer would need to satisfy themselves with its current condition and fitness to race. As one of the early creations of legendary engineer and sports car builder, Jack Turner, we feel that it would be a fitting tribute if this little Turner racer could be returned to its former glory.