Lot Ended
Description
Rally prepared and ready to go; Holbay head; twin carbs;
overdrive; recent Michelin tyres; 1/2 cage; loads of history and success;
great fun
Built in the summer of 1960 and despatched from
the Ryton-on-Dunsmore plant on 6th July, this Series III Rapier was
sent to Herbert Robinson Ltd in Cambridge and registered LEB 478 a week later -
an Isle of Ely number.
Fitted with an overdrive from new (working on all
four forward gears), our vendor acquired the car in 2009 in
partnership with his brother and has enjoyed it very much since then.
The
engine is a slightler later Series IIIa 1,592cc unit which has been bored and
fitted with a Holbay head which was reputed to give 96bhp when tested. The car
certainly feels very sprightly when driven on site for the photos.
It had
been prepared for long-distance rallies by Malcolm Pickering in the early '90s,
successfully completing the Rally des Alpes, the Monte, Le Jog, Rally of the
Tests, Classic Marathon, Winter Challenge and HRCR events....its last outing was
the Revs Tour in 2021 in the hands of its current owners. There are copies of
copious notes from Pickering's exploits which chart the car's development
and numerous successes and two now expired FIVA Identity Cards.
Other
useful additions include a quick release handbrake, kill switch, toolkit, rally
front seats with lightweight rear seats (the originals are included), rally seat
belts, 1/2 roll cage, extinguisher and a Brantz 2 tripmeter and rally timer.
It has recent Michelin Energy tyres on Mini-Lite style rims, but also
comes with its original wheels with snow tyres fitted.
There are plenty
of bills and invoices on file to show general maintenance and the car is
effectively ready to go. The sale includes its original seats and front wings -
the current set on the car being lightweight examples.
This looks
like a very cost effective way to enter into some competitive motoring in a car
with a proven track record.
Contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com