This unique car bodied by Williams & Pritchard in alloy in 1961, with substantial club racing pedigree, is co-owned by Russell Filby, FSCC Turner Registrar, and his dad Terry. Having located the car pretty much as a wreck in a farm in Shropshire in 2003, they have completed a lengthy and painstaking restoration. The car has now been fully restored and is in MOT. The car has to be put back on the road in its original 998cc BMC guise with, appropriately, an Alexander Conversions 7-port head, although it had a second incarnation with Climax power later in the 60s.
The car was built (in conjunction with Alexander Conversions special tuning company), owned and raced by Wing Commander Bill Mackenzie DFC AFC, a decorated Battle of Britain Hurricane ace who once downed a Messerschmidt by "nudging" its tail off after his ammo ran out, and a very keen club racing driver after the war. It is perhaps best described in his own words, taken from a letter he wrote to Motor Sport magazine in October 1985 correcting some errors in an article about the car:
"Following several successful seasons racing Elva/Climax, MG "A" and running and racing Team Sprite, I teamed up with Michael Christie to race an Alexander / Turner ... at this time closed GT cars were the "IN" vehicle so ... I designed a closed, streamlined body for the latest Mk 2 chasis. This was approved by M. Christie. We also thought that Jack Turner would take it up as a new project, but he was not interested, later of course coming out with his new 2+2. As we were "with Shell" [sponsorship-wise] Keith Ballisat of Shell Comps backed the project and, after further titivating by M. Parkes, the design was given to Williams & Pritchard, who made a beautiful miniature "GTO". Initially powered by a 948cc BMC unit this car was very successful ... later fitted with an uprated FWA 1098 cc unit it was again successful. As Jack Turner was not interested in it, we sold it."
For lots more historic racing and restoration photographs, and a very detailed history of this very beautiful and unique car, please click on the link below to the Turner Register website (who have suppled this material, with clearances):
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