Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica
Sebring is a favorite race for underdogs. Who can forget Jim Hall’s Chaparral swimming down the pit straight on its way to vanquishing the Ford onslaught in 1965? Or the tiny Crosley winning the first Sebring race ever in 1951 (OK, it was on handicap). Still, the race is not always to the fastest or the best financed, and this was amply shown in 1952 when a newcomer to American racing showed an impressive field the way home.
The stage was set the week before the Sebring race when the SCCA, in a bone-headed power struggle with the AAA, put on a rival 12-hour enduro at Vero Beach. This siphoned off some of the top modifieds that were unable to be bent back into shape in time for the Sebring grind barely 100 miles away. Still, Briggs Cunningham was there with a Ferrari 4.1 for himself and Bill Spear. Bob Greer had a Cad-Allard, Dave Hirsch entered an Aston-Martin and there were numerous Jaguars and smaller Ferraris, as well. A last-minute entry was a Frazer Nash LeMans Replica, owned by Duke Donaldson and driven by Larry Kulok and Harry Grey. Donaldson had ordered the car five days earlier, and it was diverted by the factory, in mid-shipment from Australia to New York, in time for the race. Kulok and Grey picked up their silver steed at the wharf and drove it to Sebring to break in the engine. The engine was dead stock and there wasn’t even time to remove the street equipment. No one knew what to expect of this 2-liter sportster, but it certainly wasn’t considered a threat to the Ferraris and Jags. How wrong they were! When the flag dropped, Spear took off with Kulok hard on his heels. Soon they had pulled away from the field, leaving the Jags far behind. At 5:00 p.m. the fearsome Ferrari shelled a differential and Kulok went onto an unchallenged victory, finishing five laps ahead of the second place XK-120. The Frazer Nash team even snatched third in the Index of Performance!
Although this performance put the Frazer Nash firmly at the top of the American sports car hierarchy, it was nothing new to the giant-killers from Isleworth, England. AFN Limited, builder of the Frazer Nash, was run by the Aldington brothers – H.J., Donald and Bill. Before WWII, they had two businesses involving extraordinary automobiles. First they owned Frazer Nash, which had been building a fine line of traditional sports models since 1925. Additionally, they were importers for BMW, who were selling the magnificent 328, as well as a line of sedans. The Aldingtons had even raced 328s with Frazer Nash badges to promote sales. After the war, Germany was in ruins and Colonel H.J. Aldington, visiting his former business associates in Munich, arranged for the rights to the 328 6-cylinder engine to pass to Bristol who needed a powerplant for their sporty tourers.
`Of course, Frazer Nash needed a replacement for the aged Meadows and Anzani engines they had used in the past, so Aldington rescued BMW design engineer Dr. Fritz Fielder from a military prison and spirited him to England to work on the project. After experimenting with an envelope body, they eventually reverted to a sporty cycle-fendered sports car in keeping with the rustic charm of the “chain gang” (so called because of their chain drive) prewar Frazer Nash models.
The resulting sports car used an updated version of the 328 chassis powered by the Bristol engine. It had a cigar-shaped body mounting twin headlights, set low and fared into the nose. It made its debut at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1948 and was dubbed the “High Speed” model. The 120 hp engine was built by Bristol to Frazer Nash specification and backed up by a Borg-Warner 4-speed transmission with synchromesh on the top three gears. A simple tubular frame with two large side members was used with front suspension (based on the 328) sporting lower wishbones and a transverse leaf spring. However, the rear suspension was based on BMW 326 touring car practice with a live axle, torsion bar springing and an A-bracket for lateral location. Hydraulic brakes with Alfin drums were fitted all around and knock-off disc wheels were located by four pins. The wheelbase was 96” with a 48” track front and rear. Total weight of the Mk I was 1,483 pounds dry.
Photo: Harold Pace
After the prototype had an enthusiastic reception at Earl’s Court, the first production car was shown at the Geneva show in 1949. Much of the attention was focused on the unusual 1,971 cc straight-six under the hood. Although at first glance it looked like a twincam, in fact it had only one camshaft, which was mounted low in the block. Pushrods operated the inlet valves, then relay rockers operated an extra set of pushrods that traversed the head and tickled the rockers on the exhaust valves. It was a rather “Rube Goldberg” design, which actually worked quite well. The inlet ports ran vertically between the valve banks and were fed by three downdraft Solex carburetors. The Bristol six was the only high-performance 2-liter engine in England at that time and continual development eventually raised peak output into the 150 hp range.
The Aldingtons were firm believers in the power of racing to sell cars. They quickly delivered a new High Speed model to Count “Johnny” Lurani who entered it in the tour of Sicily, where his driver Dorino Serafini lead the race overall until he slid into a curb. After a disappointing Mille Miglia, the Frazer Nash was to find glory at Le Mans. Norman Culpan was a former motorcycle racer who purchased one of the first High Speed models. H.J. Aldington codrove with him at Le Mans in 1949, where they sped to a third overall finish in their first attempt! Henceforth, future “High Speed” models were named “LeMans Replica” in honor of the car’s performance at the Sarthe (who knew the term Replica would carry such a stigma, later?). The Le Mans Replica was unbeatable in the under 2-liter class in England and gained a loyal following, frequently finishing well up amongst the bigger iron. Meanwhile on the continent, Franco Cortese finished sixth overall in the 1950 Mille Miglia against strong Ferrari and Maserati opposition. Surprisingly, all this success was achieved without the benefit of a “works” team!
The LeMans Replicas were tough and easy to maintain, making them popular with privateers on a budget. In 1951 Eric Winterbottom and John Marshall finished 14th at Le Mans in their Le Mans Replica, then without returning home, they entered the arduous Alpine Rally where they won their class and gained a coveted Coupe des Alpes. This versatility endeared the Le Mans Replica to privateers, who also drove their steeds to and from most events. In 1951, the Frazer Nash reached its peak, with Cortese winning the 2-liter class in the Tour of Sicily (vanquishing 10 Ferraris) and finishing fourth overall. He followed that up with an 8th overall in the Mille Miglia. Stirling Moss borrowed Sid Greene’s car and won the British Empire Trophy Race on the Isle of Man.
Just to show their versatility, Tony Crook went record breaking at Montlhery with his Le Mans Replica and broke the International Class E record by averaging over 120 mph for 200 miles – despite having to change a front wheel after an errant tread came loose and smacked him in the face at 125 mph! After setting the record, he promptly drove his racer home to England where he also picked up top time of the day at that year’s Shelsley Walsh hillclimb.
But the greatest win in Frazer Nash history took place in September 1951. “The great Targa Florio race” (to quote Nino Barlini) was run on its original “Madonie” circuit for the first time since 1936. The Madonie Mountains in Sicily were host to 357.5 miles of twisting, climbing and dropping roads through villages and wild outback lined with gaping locals. So rural was the area that deals were struck with local outlaw chiefs to prevent competitors from being fired upon! And who should win this most Italian of races? Franco Cortese, the 43-year-old veteran of so many epic races, brought Lurani’s Frazer Nash to do battle with the Ferraris and Maseratis. Thousands of curves and seven and a half hours later he edged Giuseppi Bracco’s Ferrari by three minutes, with Pacini’s Maserati in third. Only eight of the 25 starters had finished. It remains to this day the only victory of a British car in the Targa Florio.
In 1952, Frazer Nash had learned enough to develop a Mk II version of the versatile racer. Although it was visually similar, there were many detail changes. More powerful engines were coupled to a short exhaust system that terminated in front of the rear wheel. The body was lighter and lower to reduce frontal area, and the mudguards were scaled down as well. Lighter bolt-on wheels replaced the knock-offs (wires were optional). Weight dropped to 1,400 pounds. In order to take on increasing competition from Cooper and Aston Martin, a works car was built for Ken Wharton to run. Wharton started out with a strong second to a Jaguar C-type at the Jersey Road Race in 1952 and continued to be successful in rugged road races. However, a change was taking place in British racing that did not bode well for the Frazer Nash. More events were taking place on disused WWII aerodromes where rugged reliability took backseat to lightweight and roadholding. This was to spell the end of the dual-purpose road and racecar, as increased specialization was now required. This did not sit well with the Aldingtons, who held fast to their dual-purpose credo. The Mk II models did well in 1952, then began to slip to the back of the grids. The last Mk II was sold in 1953.
Wharton continued to run the works development Mk II LeMans Replica, which introduced a DeDion rear axle layout that was subsequently fitted to several other cars. It was even run, sans fenders, as a Formula Two car against single-seater opposition like the Cooper-Bristols. This effort was followed by a special F-II version with a narrower single-seat frame and carrying 400 pounds less weight. In 1952 Wharton and Tony Crook took their ‘Nashes Grand Prix racing (run to F-II spec at that time) with Wharton finishing a fine fourth at Switzerland and scoring the marques only World Championship points. However, the single-seaters were heavier than the Coopers and the project was short-lived. The “works” car was written off in the 1955 Tourist Trophy, luckily without seriously injuring Wharton. Frazer Nash subsequently withdrew from racing, but continued to build street cars until the mid-1960s.
American Victories
The LeMans Replica also had a respectable race history in the US, even though the cycle fenders meant it didn’t qualify as a production car. As a result, it had to compete in the E-Modified class (1601-2000 cc) with Ferraris, Maseratis, Arnolt-Bristols, Siatas and modified Ace-Bristols. After the 1952 Sebring win, Boris Said and Paul Smyth chose a Le Mans Replica for the 1953 race, where they finished 14th. Other cars driven by Johnnie Rogers, John Gordon Benett/Gordon Moran and past winners Kulok/Grey failed to finish in the same event. However, the 1952 Sebring winner went on to a class win at Convair Airport in Pennsylvania driven by Kulok.
Jim and Marion Lowe ran a Le Mans Replica Mk II with great success in California. It reportedly had a much-modified 145 hp engine with the rare DeDion rear suspension, and with it Jim won the SCCA E-Modified championship in 1955. Although Marion usually ran a Targa Florio model in ladies-only races, she finished second to her husband in the 1955 championship. It was a dominant year for the flying Frazer Nashes, with Bill Wonder tied for third with Jim Pauley’s Ferrari and Ted Boynton in fifth ahead of Robert Sawyer in 21st. The Lowes had their championship-winning car reskinned by “Nade” Bourgeault with attractive full-width bodywork, but it was written off by Jim Firestone in a fatal accident at Paramount Ranch in 1957. By 1956, the new 2-liter Ferrari 500TRCl and Maserati 200S models were coming on strong and the day of the Le Mans Replica was over. Jim and Marion tied for fifth place in the 1956 championship driving the only Frazer Nashes to score points all year.
My Turn
It isn’t every day you get to try out a classic like the Frazer Nash, so I am deeply indebted to Dr. Julio Palmaz for letting me take his 1954 Le Mans Replica Mk II for a spin. It is chassis number 421/200/193 and was the last Le Mans Replica built. It is fitted with a DeDion rear axle and optional wire wheels, as well as two doors (many cars had only one door). Also, the engine was mounted five inches further back than other Le Mans Reps. The car was sold new to William O’Brian in Connecticut, who passed it on to Robert Richer in 1957. Richer ran the car in SCCA and VSCCA events in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as entering it in concours events. Palmaz bought the car in 1993. So the car has had only three owners and no crashes… I made a mental note to be careful.
I eased the Frazer Nash out onto Palmaz’s private test track and got acquainted. Although it looks (to American eyes) like a track roadster from the ’40s, once underway it felt distinctly more modern, almost like a big Lotus 7. The rack and pinion steering is light and direct, and the shifter is handy once you get the hang of it. Despite the upright seating and large steering wheel it didn’t take long to get comfortable and the responsive Bristol engine is a delight both performance-wise and in the sharp crack of the exhaust. With the DeDion rear end it puts the power down well and the finned drums pull it down smartly (although brake overheating was a problem in its day). A tuned Le Mans Replica will run 0-60 in around 8 seconds with a top speed of just over 125 mph. It is easy to see how most owners couldn’t put their steeds away between races – it’s a very quick car without the finicky behavior of later, more specialized sports racers. A Frazer Nash surely would be one of the nicest “tour” cars around.
Owning a Le Mans Replica
Can’t wait to hop into a Le Mans replica of your own? European sources report real Le Mans Replicas going for over £100,000 (approx. $140,000). There are a fair number of reproduction/bitsa cars out there so beware (building one from scratch is not difficult due to the number of rusty Bristol saloons in England). A reasonable fake (LeMans Replica replica as they call them in the UK) should sell in the sub-$45,000 range. Due to their rarity, Frazer Nashes seldom come on the market, particularly in the US, where reportedly there are only 12 accounted for at this time. Incidentally, the Sebring winner (#160) and the remains of the ex-Lowe National Champ (#183) are both unaccounted for, so keep your eyes peeled!
Specifications
Chassis: Ladder construction of large diameter steel tubes.
Wheelbase: 96”
Front track: 48”
Rear track: 48”
Suspension: Front: Lower wishbone with transverse leaf spring. Rear: Mk I : Live axle with A-bracket and torsion springing. Mk II: DeDion.
Steering: Rack and pinion.
Engine: In-line, 6-cylinder, inclined overhead valves.
Bore and stroke: 66 x 96 mm.
Capacity: 1971 cc.
Horsepower: Mk I: 120 hp. Mk II: 150 hp
Induction: Three down draught Solex Carburetors.
Gearbox: 4-speed and reverse
Brakes: Alfin drums front and rear.
Weight: Mk I: 1483 lb.: Mk II: 1400 lb.
Wheels: 5.25 x 16 drilled disc with center lock or optional wire wheels.
Fuel capacity: 22 gallons.
Resources
Track Tests Sports Cars
Michael Bowler
Automobile Quarterly Vol.11 #1
Classic Cars in Profile, Volume 1 “The LeMans Replica Frazer Nash”
Dennis Jenkinson
British Racing Green
Anthony Pritchard
Directory of Classic Sports-Racing Cars
Mike Lawrence
Sports Car Specials
Bob Rolofson
www.FrazerNash-USA.com
