21st Feb, 2004 0:00
Stoneleigh Park
1960 Turner Climax MKI 'Tatty'
Sold for £15,750
(including buyers premium)
Lot details
Registration No: 678 ERC
Chassis No: 60369
Mot Expiry: N/A
Although better known as a low volume sports car manufacturer, Jack Turner was no stranger to motorsport and even went so far as to create a F2 Grand Prix car in 1953. Based around a rigid twin-tube ladder frame chassis equipped with independent coil and wishbone front suspension, a trailing arm / Panhard rod located 'live' rear axle and rack and pinion steering, his lightweight fibreglass-bodied designs allowed John Baldam, Bob Gerard and Robin Bryant to win the 1958, 1959 and 1960 Autosport Championships respectively.
At the same time that Turner's profile was on the rise, Gordon Unsworth and Alan Smith - the two directors of Motorway Sales (Derby) Ltd - were looking for ways to expand their business. Specialising in selling second hand sports cars, the duo were attracted to the idea of taking on a new car franchise and felt that the Wolverhampton-based marque - with its highly capable yet affordable products - would be a good match. Thus, during the early summer of 1960 Motorway Sales (Ltd) became Northern distributors for the recently introduced Turner-Climax.
Believers in the 'Win on a Sunday, Sell on the Monday' ethos, Unsworth and Smith decided to garner some publicity for their new enterprise. Conscious that most of the Turners then competing were little altered save for some engine tweaking and careful assembly, they took a rather different approach. Mindful to stay within contemporary sporting regulations, the pair set about re-engineering a factory-supplied Turner-Climax kit. With metal removed from its chassis outriggers, door sills and even handbrake lever, an aluminium boot floor and inner wings (as opposed to steel ones), thin-skinned doors and slimmed-down GRP lower body panels / valances, the resultant machine was some 3cwt or twenty-five percent lighter than standard!
Riding on lowered, but otherwise unmodified, suspension, the fledgling Motorway Sales racer sported an aerodynamically enhanced nose (complete with inset headlamps) and full-length aluminium undertray. Powered by an 1100cc FWA-series Coventry-Climax engine that Alan Smith - an ex-Reg Parnell mechanic and renowned tuner - had balanced, blueprinted and reworked himself, the two-seater had yet to be shaken down before making its competitive debut at Mallory Park on 31st July 1960. Indeed such was the rush to get the car ready in time that it took to the grid unpainted.
Despite an unpromising qualifying session, helmsman Pat Fergusson battled his way through to an impressive third place overall. Possessed of an entertaining driving style, he not only kept the crowd enthralled but also prompted the race commentator to remark: "Just look at that Turner, it may look tatty but just see how it's going". Normally a stickler for detailed preparation, Gordon Unsworth was rather tickled by this verbal sleight. Thus, when the Motorway Sales racer arrived at Snetterton a matter of days later, its freshly painted bodywork bore the legend 'Tatty Turner' on each front wing.
The self-deprecating livery proved a lucky omen with the two-seater romping to outright victory, a performance it repeated in the up to 1500cc sports car event at Mallory Park during September. Returning to Snetterton the following month, Fergusson rounded off a successful but truncated season with a second place among the up to 1600cc GT cars. Aside from improved cooling for its front disc brakes and the fitting of a ZF limited slip differential, the 'Tatty Turner' received scant attention over the winter of 1960-61. The seemingly fearless Fergusson was retained as its driver - having been one of the resourceful group who intended to hang glide their way out of Colditz towards the end of World War Two he was a hard man to faze - but Unsworth failed in his attempts to gain any sponsorship money from Jack Turner.
However, the latter did entrust the resourceful Motorway Sales crew with a quantity of headed paper which helped the embryonic Team Turner to obtain free oil, free plugs, cheap tyres, easier race entries and cash payments from the bonus schedules of large companies such as Esso, Champion, and Dunlop. Competing as both a sports racer (small aero screen / half tonneau) and GT car (full height windscreen / fibreglass hardtop or sometimes cut-down windscreen / makeshift hood) throughout 1961, Fergusson and 'Tatty' managed an incredible fourteen 1st-in-class, six 2nd-in-class and three 3rd-in-class places from twenty-seven starts. While other notable achievements that season included fourth overall in a Formula Libre race (against 3-litre single-seater opposition), fifth overall in the Autosport World Cup at Zandvoort, and 3rd-in-class in the Autosport 3-hours at Snetterton during late September; a performance which allowed 'Tatty' to secure the 1961 Autosport Championship Series for 1300cc cars.
For 1962, 'Tatty' ran with a 1216cc FWE-series Coventry-Climax engine and ZF gearbox. Faster than ever, the giant-slaying two-seater enabled Fergusson to record seven 1st-in-class, three 2nd-in-class and two 3rd-in-class places from sixteen starts. Venturing onto the Continent once more, car and driver were rewarded with 7th overall at Spa and 4th overall in the Autosport World Cup race at Zandvoort. That year's Autosport 3-hours at Snetterton may have been won by Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO from Roy Salvadori's Jaguar E-type but Fergusson's fine drive to 3rd-in-class was sufficient to gain 'Tatty' the 1962 Autosport Championship Series for 1300cc cars. Although not as glamorous as some of its International outings, a late season race at Mallory Park proved particularly satisfying. Pitted against no fewer than twenty-one Lotus Elites, Fergusson and 'Tatty' capped pole position with a thoroughly convincing 'flag to flag' victory.
Eager to concentrate on his core business and niggled by the lack of financial support from the Works, Unsworth put the three Team Turner cars up for sale at the end of 1962. It had been a great few years packed with excitement and drama as he later recalled in a magazine interview with Peter Filby (Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, May 1977): "Like most of our good humoured competitors, we did terrible things in those days. 'Tatty' had a dashboard switch to turn the brake lights off. With something bigger right up his backside after being caught on a straight, Pat would go three or four times into corners with his brake lights working normally. Naturally, the chap behind would see them and brake himself. But then Pat would flick the switch. On the next corner, the bigger machine's driver would be waiting to see some brake lights, brake far too late when he realised what was happening, and generally get in a huge tangle while Pat cruised off into the distance!"
Having purchased 'Tatty', new custodian Warwick Banks convinced the Motorway Sales' management to do a volte face and support him under the Team Turner banner for one final season. To take full advantage of the new 1150cc class, Alan Smith installed a specially modified FWA-series Coventry-Climax powerplant developing some 95bhp. Progressing from an AC Ace-Bristol and Vauxhall VX4/90, Banks was a smoother - and arguably better - driver than Fergusson. Revelling in the featherweight's 'pointy' handling and rev happy engine, he recorded thirteen 1st-in-class, two 2nd-in-class and three 3rd-in-class places from twenty-one starts during 1963. Outgunned by the likes of Graham Hill's Jaguar E-type Lightweight, Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO and Mike Salmon's Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato during the Sussex Trophy race at Goodwood on Easter Monday, 'Tatty' nevertheless took the chequered flag in 14th place overall (3rd-in-class). Returning to the famous West Sussex circuit some two months later for the Whitsun Trophy, Banks guided the indomitable Turner-Climax to fifth place overall behind Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO, Mike MacDowell's Ferrari 250 GTO, Chris Kerrison's Ferrari 250 GT SWB Drogo and Graham Warner's Lotus Elan. A formidable combination, Banks and 'Tatty' set the following class lap records in 1963 (some of which are still thought to stand today due to layout changes):
Snetterton: 1 minute 51.2 seconds
Mallory Park: 58.6 seconds
Cadwell Park: 1 minute 52 seconds (outright GT record)
Goodwood: 1 minute 38.9 seconds
Brands Hatch: 1 minute 58 seconds
Notwithstanding the considerable success he had enjoyed behind its wheel, Banks advertised the two-seater for sale at the year's end. Though, in a subsequent letter to the Turner Sports Car Club he recalled fondly that "First time out the car gave me the feeling of being a winner - very taut, compact, and very controllable. The engine was magnificent and only required oil and big-end bolt changes as total maintenance throughout the season". Road registered as '678 ERC' on 14th November 1963 - presumably to aid its sale - 'Tatty' was bought by Alan Jones of Coalville, Leicestershire some two months later. Passing through the hands of Roy Lionel Shakespeare of Shirland, Derby (1965-1990) and Jonathan Middleton of Cleish, Kinross (1990 - 2004) thereafter, it entered the current ownership via our February 2004 Race Retro auction.
Determined to have 'Tatty' restored to its former glory, the vendor enlisted the services of DWR (Dave Whitehurst Racing). A former Motorway Sales (Derby) Ltd apprentice, Mr Whitehurst had been one of those responsible for lightening / assembling the car in the first place. As determined as the new owner to make the most famous Turner of them all a front runner again, he stripped it down to a bare chassis before embarking on a painstaking, two-year long refurbishment. Picking up where it left off, the rejuvenated 'Tatty' scooped class victory at its first post-restoration meeting - the HSCC Finals in September 2005. Since then, the historic two-seater has continued to embarrass larger capacity machinery en route to class honours at Silverstone (November 2005 Walter Hayes Trophy, 10th overall), Cadwell Park (April 2006, 5th overall / 1st-in-class), Silverstone (May 2006, 5th overall / 1st-in-class), Croft (June 2006, 6th overall / 1st-in-class), Snetterton (July 2006, 11th overall / 1st-in-class), Oulton Park (August 2006 Gold Cup, 17th overall / 1st-in-class) and Castle Combe (April 2007 Husqvarna Retro Race Day, 7th overall) etc.
A car with a character all its own not to mention a truly enviable competition pedigree, the 'Tatty Turner' is potentially eligible for a host of prestigious events.
PLEASE NOTE: The vendor informs us that the 'Tatty Turner' is currently fitted with a 1220cc Coventry-Climax engine developing circa 133hp.
Registration No: 678 ERC
Chassis No: 60369
Mot Expiry: N/A
Although better known as a low volume sports car manufacturer, Jack Turner was no stranger to motorsport and even went so far as to create a F2 Grand Prix car in 1953. Based around a rigid twin-tube ladder frame chassis equipped with independent coil and wishbone front suspension, a trailing arm / Panhard rod located 'live' rear axle and rack and pinion steering, his lightweight fibreglass-bodied designs allowed John Baldam, Bob Gerard and Robin Bryant to win the 1958, 1959 and 1960 Autosport Championships respectively.
At the same time that Turner's profile was on the rise, Gordon Unsworth and Alan Smith - the two directors of Motorway Sales (Derby) Ltd - were looking for ways to expand their business. Specialising in selling second hand sports cars, the duo were attracted to the idea of taking on a new car franchise and felt that the Wolverhampton-based marque - with its highly capable yet affordable products - would be a good match. Thus, during the early summer of 1960 Motorway Sales (Ltd) became Northern distributors for the recently introduced Turner-Climax.
Believers in the 'Win on a Sunday, Sell on the Monday' ethos, Unsworth and Smith decided to garner some publicity for their new enterprise. Conscious that most of the Turners then competing were little altered save for some engine tweaking and careful assembly, they took a rather different approach. Mindful to stay within contemporary sporting regulations, the pair set about re-engineering a factory-supplied Turner-Climax kit. With metal removed from its chassis outriggers, door sills and even handbrake lever, an aluminium boot floor and inner wings (as opposed to steel ones), thin-skinned doors and slimmed-down GRP lower body panels / valances, the resultant machine was some 3cwt or twenty-five percent lighter than standard!
Riding on lowered, but otherwise unmodified, suspension, the fledgling Motorway Sales racer sported an aerodynamically enhanced nose (complete with inset headlamps) and full-length aluminium undertray. Powered by an 1100cc FWA-series Coventry-Climax engine that Alan Smith - an ex-Reg Parnell mechanic and renowned tuner - had balanced, blueprinted and reworked himself, the two-seater had yet to be shaken down before making its competitive debut at Mallory Park on 31st July 1960. Indeed such was the rush to get the car ready in time that it took to the grid unpainted.
Despite an unpromising qualifying session, helmsman Pat Fergusson battled his way through to an impressive third place overall. Possessed of an entertaining driving style, he not only kept the crowd enthralled but also prompted the race commentator to remark: "Just look at that Turner, it may look tatty but just see how it's going". Normally a stickler for detailed preparation, Gordon Unsworth was rather tickled by this verbal sleight. Thus, when the Motorway Sales racer arrived at Snetterton a matter of days later, its freshly painted bodywork bore the legend 'Tatty Turner' on each front wing.
The self-deprecating livery proved a lucky omen with the two-seater romping to outright victory, a performance it repeated in the up to 1500cc sports car event at Mallory Park during September. Returning to Snetterton the following month, Fergusson rounded off a successful but truncated season with a second place among the up to 1600cc GT cars. Aside from improved cooling for its front disc brakes and the fitting of a ZF limited slip differential, the 'Tatty Turner' received scant attention over the winter of 1960-61. The seemingly fearless Fergusson was retained as its driver - having been one of the resourceful group who intended to hang glide their way out of Colditz towards the end of World War Two he was a hard man to faze - but Unsworth failed in his attempts to gain any sponsorship money from Jack Turner.
However, the latter did entrust the resourceful Motorway Sales crew with a quantity of headed paper which helped the embryonic Team Turner to obtain free oil, free plugs, cheap tyres, easier race entries and cash payments from the bonus schedules of large companies such as Esso, Champion, and Dunlop. Competing as both a sports racer (small aero screen / half tonneau) and GT car (full height windscreen / fibreglass hardtop or sometimes cut-down windscreen / makeshift hood) throughout 1961, Fergusson and 'Tatty' managed an incredible fourteen 1st-in-class, six 2nd-in-class and three 3rd-in-class places from twenty-seven starts. While other notable achievements that season included fourth overall in a Formula Libre race (against 3-litre single-seater opposition), fifth overall in the Autosport World Cup at Zandvoort, and 3rd-in-class in the Autosport 3-hours at Snetterton during late September; a performance which allowed 'Tatty' to secure the 1961 Autosport Championship Series for 1300cc cars.
For 1962, 'Tatty' ran with a 1216cc FWE-series Coventry-Climax engine and ZF gearbox. Faster than ever, the giant-slaying two-seater enabled Fergusson to record seven 1st-in-class, three 2nd-in-class and two 3rd-in-class places from sixteen starts. Venturing onto the Continent once more, car and driver were rewarded with 7th overall at Spa and 4th overall in the Autosport World Cup race at Zandvoort. That year's Autosport 3-hours at Snetterton may have been won by Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO from Roy Salvadori's Jaguar E-type but Fergusson's fine drive to 3rd-in-class was sufficient to gain 'Tatty' the 1962 Autosport Championship Series for 1300cc cars. Although not as glamorous as some of its International outings, a late season race at Mallory Park proved particularly satisfying. Pitted against no fewer than twenty-one Lotus Elites, Fergusson and 'Tatty' capped pole position with a thoroughly convincing 'flag to flag' victory.
Eager to concentrate on his core business and niggled by the lack of financial support from the Works, Unsworth put the three Team Turner cars up for sale at the end of 1962. It had been a great few years packed with excitement and drama as he later recalled in a magazine interview with Peter Filby (Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, May 1977): "Like most of our good humoured competitors, we did terrible things in those days. 'Tatty' had a dashboard switch to turn the brake lights off. With something bigger right up his backside after being caught on a straight, Pat would go three or four times into corners with his brake lights working normally. Naturally, the chap behind would see them and brake himself. But then Pat would flick the switch. On the next corner, the bigger machine's driver would be waiting to see some brake lights, brake far too late when he realised what was happening, and generally get in a huge tangle while Pat cruised off into the distance!"
Having purchased 'Tatty', new custodian Warwick Banks convinced the Motorway Sales' management to do a volte face and support him under the Team Turner banner for one final season. To take full advantage of the new 1150cc class, Alan Smith installed a specially modified FWA-series Coventry-Climax powerplant developing some 95bhp. Progressing from an AC Ace-Bristol and Vauxhall VX4/90, Banks was a smoother - and arguably better - driver than Fergusson. Revelling in the featherweight's 'pointy' handling and rev happy engine, he recorded thirteen 1st-in-class, two 2nd-in-class and three 3rd-in-class places from twenty-one starts during 1963. Outgunned by the likes of Graham Hill's Jaguar E-type Lightweight, Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO and Mike Salmon's Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato during the Sussex Trophy race at Goodwood on Easter Monday, 'Tatty' nevertheless took the chequered flag in 14th place overall (3rd-in-class). Returning to the famous West Sussex circuit some two months later for the Whitsun Trophy, Banks guided the indomitable Turner-Climax to fifth place overall behind Mike Parkes' Ferrari 250 GTO, Mike MacDowell's Ferrari 250 GTO, Chris Kerrison's Ferrari 250 GT SWB Drogo and Graham Warner's Lotus Elan. A formidable combination, Banks and 'Tatty' set the following class lap records in 1963 (some of which are still thought to stand today due to layout changes):
Snetterton: 1 minute 51.2 seconds
Mallory Park: 58.6 seconds
Cadwell Park: 1 minute 52 seconds (outright GT record)
Goodwood: 1 minute 38.9 seconds
Brands Hatch: 1 minute 58 seconds
Notwithstanding the considerable success he had enjoyed behind its wheel, Banks advertised the two-seater for sale at the year's end. Though, in a subsequent letter to the Turner Sports Car Club he recalled fondly that "First time out the car gave me the feeling of being a winner - very taut, compact, and very controllable. The engine was magnificent and only required oil and big-end bolt changes as total maintenance throughout the season". Road registered as '678 ERC' on 14th November 1963 - presumably to aid its sale - 'Tatty' was bought by Alan Jones of Coalville, Leicestershire some two months later. Passing through the hands of Roy Lionel Shakespeare of Shirland, Derby (1965-1990) and Jonathan Middleton of Cleish, Kinross (1990 - 2004) thereafter, it entered the current ownership via our February 2004 Race Retro auction.
Determined to have 'Tatty' restored to its former glory, the vendor enlisted the services of DWR (Dave Whitehurst Racing). A former Motorway Sales (Derby) Ltd apprentice, Mr Whitehurst had been one of those responsible for lightening / assembling the car in the first place. As determined as the new owner to make the most famous Turner of them all a front runner again, he stripped it down to a bare chassis before embarking on a painstaking, two-year long refurbishment. Picking up where it left off, the rejuvenated 'Tatty' scooped class victory at its first post-restoration meeting - the HSCC Finals in September 2005. Since then, the historic two-seater has continued to embarrass larger capacity machinery en route to class honours at Silverstone (November 2005 Walter Hayes Trophy, 10th overall), Cadwell Park (April 2006, 5th overall / 1st-in-class), Silverstone (May 2006, 5th overall / 1st-in-class), Croft (June 2006, 6th overall / 1st-in-class), Snetterton (July 2006, 11th overall / 1st-in-class), Oulton Park (August 2006 Gold Cup, 17th overall / 1st-in-class) and Castle Combe (April 2007 Husqvarna Retro Race Day, 7th overall) etc.
A car with a character all its own not to mention a truly enviable competition pedigree, the 'Tatty Turner' is potentially eligible for a host of prestigious events.
PLEASE NOTE: The vendor informs us that the 'Tatty Turner' is currently fitted with a 1220cc Coventry-Climax engine developing circa 133hp.
Auction: Stoneleigh Park, 21st Feb, 2004
All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.
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