1948 Connaught L2

Lot details
Registration No: AHC 82
Chassis No: 7004
Mot Expiry: Oct 2007

Opening for business in late 1946, Continental Cars Ltd was run by ex-RAF pilots Rodney Clarke and Mike Oliver (the former a graduate of the Chelsea College of Automobile & Aircraft Engineering). Based at Send in Surrey, the pair soon acquired an enviable reputation for taming pre-war GP machinery. Thus, it was not long before construction magnate Kenneth McAlpine's ex-Whitney Straight Maserati 8CM was being given the 'Continental' treatment. Suitably impressed by Clarke and Oliver's fettling wizardry and conscious that the duo had begun to produce designs in their own right, McAlpine offered his services as a financial backer. First fruit of this high-octane trinity was the Connaught L2 sports racing car. Based on heavily uprated Lea-Francis running gear (Oliver coaxing an extra 32bhp out of a standard Lea-Francis 1767cc engine) and clothed in light, all-enveloping aluminium bodywork by Leacroft of Egham, the streamlined racer's excellent handling and performance belied its humble origins. Debuting at Prescott on June 12th 1949, the L2 proved an immediate success with McAlpine winning the 3-litre unsupercharged sports car class. Coming first and second respectively during the opening Handicap race of the August 13th Goodwood Members' meeting, the L2s of Clarke and McAlpine swapped positions for the subsequent Blandford event where McAlpine took the chequered flag at an average speed of 73.74mph. With the first three chassis 'MPH 329', 'MPH 995' and 'MPH 996' busy collecting silverware, it was not long before the L-series went into limited production. Built to Clarke's exacting standards, each one was thoroughly tested prior to delivery as employee C.E. Johnson later recalled: "Mike Oliver would take a car out on the A3 and drive back to Ripley flat out (which could be anything up to 120mph) and if he had no problem staying on his own side, the car was satisfactory".
The fourth of just six beam-axle L2s produced, 'AHC 82' also has the distinction of being the first privateer car. Delivered to the 'Works' on 30th June 1948, chassis number 7004 was not road registered until 9th November 1949. Equipped with well-damped leaf-sprung suspension, a four-speed manual gearbox and powerful finned drum brakes, it was campaigned extensively in the UK by first and second owners P.L. Jonas and E.N. Petch before passing to Dr Arthur Goldthorpe in 1952. Like his predecessors, Goldthorpe raced 'AHC 82' at Goodwood. Competing wheel-to-wheel against the likes of Frazer-Nash Bristols, BMW 328s and Healey Silverstones, it was not long before the doctor sought a performance advantage. Approaching Lea-Francis directly, he was able to acquire and fit a 2.5 litre four-cylinder engine as found in their contemporary Sports models. Imbued with notably more power and torque (the factory claimed 125bhp @ 5,000rpm and 150lbft of torque in standard tune), 'AHC 82' embarked upon a busy 1953 season tackling a variety of sprint, hillclimb and track events. Participating at no less than three Goodwood meetings that year, the diminutive Connaught seems to have left quite an impression on Goldthorpe to the extent that he later had it modified into a more practical 2+2 seater. Reputedly sold via Performance Cars in 1958, 'AHC 82' was subsequently run by the likes of John Whiffen, Anthony Miller, Massimo Corona, Jeremy Broad and Graeme Simpson (the latter pair using it during the early days of the Griffiths Formula). Purchased by Karl Ludvigsen in 1968, the car was later exported to America where its new keeper used it for touring and racing duties (including outings at Watkins Glen!). Repatriated in the 1970s when Ludvigsen joined Ford, 'AHC 82' was put to one side awaiting restoration. Still untouched a decade later, it was bought by renowned enthusiast Duncan Rabagliati. In his keeping for nearly twenty years, its rebuild was entrusted to Barry Price of Lea-Francis Cars Ltd and Peter Lander of Sigma Engineering, Dorset. With bills totalling approximately £40,000, 'AHC 82' returned to the road in July 1999. Entering the current ownership some three years ago, it has since reverted to its original two-seater configuration and been "fitted with full / correct instrumentation". Further benefiting from a new hood and tonneau cover, the Connaught finished second in class on the 2005 Welsh Historic Trial. Painted in British Racing Green with tan leathercloth upholstery, it is described by the vendor as being in "good" (interior trim, bodywork, paintwork, wheels / tyres) or "excellent" (2490cc engine, four-speed manual gearbox, electrical equipment, chassis) condition. The subject of a recent article in Octane magazine (September 2006 issue), 'AHC 82' is eligible for a host of prestigious events. Able to boast continuous history from new, this ultra-rare sports racer is offered for sale with FIA HTP papers, extensive history file, restoration bills, MOT certificate valid until October 2007 and road tax.