Beschreibung:

FROM THE ESTATE OF THE LATE STUART HENRY SHARPE 1952 FRAZER NASH MARK 1 LE MANS REPLICA Registration No. JYS 3 Chassis No. 421/100/159 Engine No. BS1/144 Dark green with green leather upholstery. Engine: six cylinder, overhead valve, 1,971cc, 132bhp at 5,750rpm; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drum; Suspension: front, transverse leaf spring and inclined telescopic shock absorbers, rear, torsion bars and live rear axle, located by "A" bracket. Right hand drive. The Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica is quite rightly regarded as one of the best sports/racing cars of its time and to many enthusiasts the most satisfying car they have ever owned. In the Volume 11 No.1 issue of Automobile Quarterly which road tested and featured the Le Mans Replica, writers encountered many owners with great affection for the model: "I've owned them all - Ferraris, Maseratis, C and D type Jaguars, OSCA's, Lancias - but there was something about that Frazer Nash. The balance of it. The way everything seemed to work together. That was one beautiful automobile". It is still not uncommon to find collectors with examples who simply state it is the last car they would ever sell. With only around 60 examples built this is a rare opportunity to acquire an example at auction. The Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica made its debut at the 1948 London Motor Show under the AFN banner and was initially known as the High Speed or Competition Model. The car was very much a post-war version of the highly successful German BMW 328 sports car and had been designed by the 328's original creator, Dr. Fritz Fielder who had been imprisoned by the Allies during the war and assigned to the Bristol Aeroplane Company and also spent time helping AFN. Similar to the 328, the chassis was a welded tubular type with transverse independent front suspension like the 328 while the rear live axle was held on BMW Type 326 longitudinal torsion bars and located by a central A bracket. Steering was by rack and pinion and with up to 150bhp from the three-carburettor engine in a 690kg car, produced a very quick and nimble vehicle. Bristols built the engines in 85bhp form for their own saloon cars and also for supply to AFN. The latter wanted higher performance engines and carried out their own modifications to produce the F.N.S. Series, using a counter-balanced crank, lightened valve gear, bigger inlet valves etc., and thus increasing the power output to 126bhp. Bodywork was a rather stark yet highly purposeful and aggressive sports racing two seater. In June 1949 a private entry (with Works support) entered the famous Le Mans 24 hour race driven by the owner, Norman Culpan and co driven by H.J. Aldington (Aldy). With an average speed of 78.53 mph, and being driven conservatively, the Frazer Nash finished in an impressive third place overall. Following this great result Aldy decided to rename the model the Le Mans Replica. Even prior to the Le Mans result the Italians had become fully aware of the little car's superb potential as Rudi Heller and Dorinio Serafini had led the entire field in the gruelling Tour of Sicily up to half distance before crashing. It was not long before Le Mans Replicas started winning and producing high placements at a huge variety of events from short hill climbs to the Mille Miglia (sixth overall). With such a favourable power to weight ratio, impressive reliability and delightfully light and precise steering major race victories soon came. In 1951 Franco Cortese won the Targa Florio which was the first and only time a British car achieved the feat. In the same year Stirling Moss won the British Empire Trophy on the Isle of Man. Anthony Crook also broke an international class record at Montlhery, averaging 120.13 mph over 200 miles despite stopping to change a front wheel. This was followed in 1952 by victory in the Sebring 12 Hour race, driven by Kulok/Grey. The Le Mans Replica was much favoured by famous drivers of the day such as Moss, Salvadori, Brooks