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Lenham Spitfire


oldspa

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Dear All,

I am knew to Triumph ownership having just swapped my Hillman Imp racer for what is believed to be the last surviving Le Mans bodied Spitfire that was built in house by Lenham see below:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Lenham+spitfire&oq=lenham+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0i512j46i175i199i512j46i512j46i175i199i512j69i60l2.11014j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#vhid=ncOH14GkIDe6hM&vssid=l

Stories vary as to the precise number built in house by Lenham, estimates are somewhere between one and six.

We know the car raced at Goodwood and in the HRDC series during the noughties and that it was subsequently used for sprints and  hillclimbs. However prior to its emergence in around 2000 nobody seems to know anything. I tried CCK who bought the rights to the Lenham name but it seems they acquired none of the related archive so know nothing about it.

It is my intention to go racing with it next year but I would really appreciate it if anybody could shine a little light on its history.

Best wishes,

Keith

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Keith,

Suggest you ask Mark Field?    Not only is he a mine of Triumph information, but his firm Jigsaw marketed later Le Mans Spitfire parts, arising from  his own ADU1B, that is a far closer  replica of the original Le Mans Spitfire than a Lenham!  He's on Facebook.

John

Edited by JohnD
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Thanks John. I know of Mark but understood he wound things down due to ill health. The car is running a jigsaw road going engine at the moment. I've had a look on facebook but cannot find anyone that fits his profile, any idea what I should search on?

I have seen his Le Mans replica on the internet and it looks very nice. I don't think lenham set out to create a precise replica of a le mans car but just to use a loosely similar kind of streamlined bodywork for the purposes of the enthusiast drivers and club racers. So yes the car could be viewed as just a Lenham it's certainly not a works car or even a replica of one. But maybe one with some period history, who knows. Hopefully time will tell!!

Many thanks 

Keith

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9 hours ago, oldspa said:

Engine is a road going stage 2 Jigsaw 1500,. Previous owner found the 1320 a bit too fierce...

https://photos.google.com/u/1/photo/AF1QipN4GqPdrHb6y3DmTyvTmk6BUHBraEcwffRsiiFi

 

Keen to see photos but those links aren't working for me; anyone else?

Either way would be great to see the thing racing - I daydream about building or buying a racer but can't afford the time or money. 

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I purchased my GT6 from the Lenham Motor Company back in 1988. Their main business then was selling MGs and also doing a Lenham conversion to MG Roadsters to make them four seaters.  At the time they were based in Harrietsham in Kent. 

I believe that the business as it was was wound down although the Lenham motor company name was taken over in 2008 and is now used by another company called CCK who also took over some of the Lenham moulds.

As a bit of history I've enclosed the original Lenham motor company advert from Classic Cars magazine that listed my GT6 in 1988, a couple of photos from when I went to view it/test drive it and also a picture from 2017 when I dropped by to the old premises in Harrietsham in my GT6. Part of the building was then in use by another company Lenham Sportscars and another part was up for sale but had been recently used by The Vintage Sportscar Garage.

Picture 40.jpg

Picture 41.jpg

Picture 42.jpg

Picture 43.jpg

Edited by cook1e
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