Frazer-Nash Archives Trust, Open Day at Henly

FRAZ R-NASH
ARCHIVES TRUST
Open Day at Henley
I represented the BOC Heritage
Trust on an outing to an Open
Day at the premises of the Frazer
Nash Archives Trust in Henley*.
Louise, the sporting club
Captain, explained to me that
the Trust was independent from
the Owners' Club, and received
donations and bequests
from members. Owners of
quite different models such
as chaingang versus
nonchaingang, preversus post-war were
good pals despite
their different
philosophies
(though later,
other members
took me aside
and privily
detailed
exceptions
to this rule).
Above: an expensive line-up! A Le Mans
replica and Sir Stirling Moss's own car.
Top of this page: Tony Crook studies the
trophies, models and general memorabilia
on display. Opposite page: photo of an
early cyclecar flying up the test hill;
Frazer-Nash-BMW Mille Miglia news poster.
The Trust is separate
from the Frazer-Nash Owners
Club, of which there is only one,
so Trust officials are all club members
as well. This Trust has impressive
premises; HJ Aldington bequeathed the
Trust spacious premises behind a working
garage. So whilst viewing the treasures
in the archives one can look through a
window and see Porsche, Audi and other
high-performance numbers being fettled.
And rent from the garage supports the
Trust's activities rather nicely.
MILLE MICLIA
THE
FAMOUS
MOUS
ITALIAN
ITALIAN
I,OOO
I,OOO
MILES
MILES
ROAD
R
RACE
Mr. A. F. P. FANE
FIRST
41
IONAL SPORTS CATEGORY UP
, 3rd und 4ttt-only f i n i s h e r s in 2
AVERAGING 74.05 M.P.H.
4 STARTED 4 FINISHED
WINNING INTERNATIONAL
TEAM PRIZE
•K»ln*t toBml of Grand Prl* Formula ca'l
OF I4O STARTERS
7th,
9th. 10lh and 11 III In GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
ARCHIE AND KIM FLYING AT THE TOP OF THE TEST HILL - BROOKLANDS 1923
There is a display area which contains four 1/2 cars
(see photo overleaf). The earliest car is a 1925 Plus
Power, chassis 21 and one of the oldest surviving Nashes.
Secondly one of the post-war cars, a very dramatically
styled type 180 two seater, the unique long wheelbase
Cabriolet (extra 6 inches = 8'6") first exhibited at the 1949
Motor Show. As such it is similar to a Bristol 402 but
much lighter (under a ton - tubular rather than platform
chassis). Its trans-Atlantic, Million Dollar grin looks
did not appeal to many as no more were built. And on
a ramp one of the light but surprisingly massive, not to
say agricultural-looking, post-war tubular chassis, for
a never to be built 1950s V8 prototype (shades of the
doomed Bristol 220 project). The third car was away for
restoration, leaving Stirling Moss's own Le Mans Replica
sitting quietly exuding a ghostly whiff of its triumphs.
The Trust has half a dozen Trustees and is comfortably
supported by income from rental of the garage storage
space next to their premises. All work is done by
volunteers, including restoration of cars.
There are a couple of offices, and a little shrine to
Jenks, much beloved journalist and racer.
The office's filing cabinets contain some original build
records, maintenance details, receipts and invoices
relating to many of the 350 pre-war Frazer Nash ever
built, of which, it is said, a mere 400 remain (explanation
provided later). Post-war, 85 were built, and about 10
have been destroyed in crashes.
These records are now being digitised into a simple
database. Members will have accesss to car records,
though current high prices mean security is important
to avoid any tampering with provenance.The database
material is free to members.
Michael Sedgwick Trust have just supported the
publication by two members of the life history of Archie
Frazer Nash (later to become hyphenated), who had
initially teamed up with HR Godfrey (later to produce the
HRG) in 1910 to produce GN cars, cracking early cyclecars
with major racing potential. Several photos of these
models taking air at the top of Brooklands test hill were to
be seen. Solid rear axles with chain drive gave terrific (and
terrifying) handling beyond the limits of adhesion.
"Nash and Godfrey hated cogs,
Built a car with chains and dogs.
And it worked, but would it if
They had built it with a diff?"
Archie Frazer-Nash started his own business in in
Kingston upon Thames. The first chain drive cars were
developed from GN models. Alas, the business went into
receivership, re-emerging as AFN Ltd. By 1929,
HJ Aldington was the major shareholder with his
brothers William and Donald. Archie was pushed
out in 1929 and never forgave Aldington. During
1934 AFN became the UK importer and assembled
BMWs, to be sold as Frazer Nash-BMWs. Post-war,
new models emerged including the High Speed, Mille
Miglia, Targa Florio, Le Mans Coupe and the Sebring, all
BMW 328-based. The lightweight High Speed was a
competition version with cycle wings, and a 2-Litre Bristol
engine (under licence from AFN) and Bristol gearbox.
With 125bhp, and weighing just 635kg, the High Speed
did 0-60mph in 8.8 seconds and went on to 110mph.
AFN entered a High Speed for the first post-war
Le Mans 24 Hours, in 1949. HJ Aldington and Norman
Culpan finished third overall. After this success this
model was renamed the Le Mans Replica. Stirling Moss,
Roy Salvadori, Tony Brooks and Tony Crook all drove
Le Mans replicas. Just 34 were built before production
ceased in 1953.
HJ Aldington was involved post-war in the development
of the first "Frazer Nash Bristols" - what was to become
the Bristol 400 - though he parted company with the
Bristol Aeroplane Co. board at quite an early stage.
There is a secure display case for a number of awards,
cups, and medals won by Frazer Nash cars and their
owners including an interesting early model, probably
wooden, of a 400, clearly not in its final form.
Louise explained to me that FN owners tend to be
lively and there is a cherished tradition in the Club,
which members try to adhere to, of very bad behaviour
at dinners and elsewhere.
* NB: It was decided some years ago that the hyphen is never used when talking about the cars (despite the fact that the press used it in the 1950s) but
Continues
always used when talking about the man. So, Frazer Nash cars, by Archie Frazer-Nash. (Frazer was his Christian name, only to become hyphenated later).
overleaf
Frazer Nash Archives Trust Open Day (cont.)
All those present seemed remarkably cheerful.
Outside stood two Le Mans Replicas; the cheaper one
of which was worth upwards of half a million, perhaps
explaining why FN owners are so cheerful. It sat next to
Stirling Moss's very own car, which lives in the archives
and is quite possibly worth a few bob more. There is
something of an issue with post-war replicas - more
precisely Replica replicas. Pre-war, the VSCC allows
"Specials" to be constructed from piles of bits as long as
there is a quotient of original vehicle, and many pre-war
specials eg AC or even aero engined GN or FN chasses
have acheived their own provenance by heroic deeds
on circuit and hillclimb. But post-war, high prices have
induced the construction of replicas of Replicas using a
Bristol engine, maybe parts from a broken 2 litre chassis,
and little else of Frazer-Nash relevance. Crosthwaite and
Gardiner produced some high quality reconstructions,
and perhaps 10 Werner Oswald Kits (WOK) were also
laid down. Pretty reconstructions, which don't claim to
be anything that they aren't, and doubtless fun to drive,
but Caveat Emptor, as the unwary may think they have a
bargain when one turns up in the auction tent after too
much ginger beer at lunchtime. And somewhere, as a
result, another engineless Bristol sits forlornly.
Tony Crook turned up in good voice with Anne Marie
and was delighted to recognise photos of himself taking
off in his Frazer Nash next to Roy Salvador! on the
Boreham circuit. He was able to meet early FN factory
staff from the 1950s including Nick Dyer (author of 'All
For Nothing') who recalled glory days with him.
Bristol cars were represented by my 400 and by Jim
Bayliss's cracking Arnolt Bristol which had travelled
down from Yorkshire.
A good bunch and a grand day out. •
Above: A stunning
illustration of the
Frazer-Nash WMC 180.
Right: the cartoon
caption reads: "I'm
sorry I cannot accept
it, Mr Ponsonby-even
though it is a FrazerNash-BMW."
Left: One of the many photos on display.
Its accompanying caption card reads:
"Three Le Mans replicas driven by Ken
Wharton, Roy Salvador! and Tony Crook,
accelerate away from the Le Mans
type start of the 1hr Sports Car Race at
Boreham in August 1952.
Left on the line is Mike Hawthorn in
the white Mille Miglia as the car would
not start.
Number
146
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Driving superbly, Hawthorn caught and
passed the leaders but then retired with
clutch problems leaving Ken Wharton to
win in the works car'XMG 6'.
Above: Portrait of HJ Aldington, Right: Tony Crook (second left) with one
of the original artisans (far right) from the Frazer Nash works in the 1950s
Below: the main exhibition area, with two of the cars on display; a 1925
Plus Power and a post-war WMC 180 two sealer cabriolet (designed by
Fitz Fiedler for the 1949 London Motor Show. It's the only example built).
-..