1953 Frazer Nash Targa Florio MKII Chassis : 421/200/187 Registration: 6652 H 1 of only 14 Targa Florio ever produced, the first of 5 MKII examples and the first to be fitted with the rarer BS4 Bristol Engine. Sold new to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), where it was regularly used up to the time of the partition. Accompanied by a well documented and wonderfully rich history file, containing extensive correspondences dating back to the early 1970 s, invoices and MOT s dating back to 1974, original registration documentation, racing licences and membership cards, as well as its old style FIA papers and FIVA passport. Cherished, raced, rally and toured in its current ownership since 1986. The demand for blue chip 1950 s Sports Cars such as this continues to increase, bolstered by the ever growing number of prestigious events, both on road and track, that they are so eligible for. This is an ideal entry for the Woodcote Trophy, Goodwood Revival, VSCC and so much more. Frazer Nash has the distinction of being the only British manufactured car ever to win the famous Sicilian Targa Florio. The name Frazer Nash is synonymous with and epitomises, Britain s passion for motorsport and motoring both before and after the war. A passion and following that has not diminished to this day. British engineer Archie Frazer Nash had formed the GN company with H.R Godfrey in 1910, building lightweight V Twin powered cycle cars using an uncommon transmission system of chain and dog clutch to drive the wheels. Archie Frazer Nash developed some of their cycle cars highly and began racing them. The great successes that the racing brought, contributed to their popularity.
In 1922 GN production ceased, and in 1923 Archie Frazer Nash started the Frazer Nash company. AFN continued with his chain and dog transmission concept, and produced an evolution of the GN. These proved relatively popular, with 165 cars built in the 1920s mainly using Anzani engines for power. Through the 1930s, Frazer Nash - rebranded as AFN Limited after entering receivership in 1927 - continued producing chain drive sports cars in relatively limited numbers. Their lightweight design lent itself to competition use, and many Frazer Nash s frequented the race circuits and hillclimbs of England. AFN Limited had become importers and assemblers of BMW cars in 1934 and as the official British BMW importer, sold them as Frazer Nash-BMW until the outbreak of War in 1939. The outbreak of the Second World War also halted AFN ltd s production of the chain drive cars, with the company not restarting production until 1948. The new designs, one of which was dubbed the Mille Miglia, no longer employed chain drive transmission, and instead used a conventional Bristol gearbox matched to the 2-litre inline 6-cylinder Bristol engine, one of BMW origins. Although mechanically different, the sports cars still carried the same lightweight, competition orientated principles that had forged it s reputation in the chain gang era of the 1920s.
Introduced in 1952, the Targa Florio replaced the Mille Miglia model and used the new lightweight parallel-tube chassis frame around which was wrapped a beautiful full-width aluminium body. The chassis boasted rack-and-pinion steering, torsion bar rear suspension and twin-leading-shoe brakes, while the 1,971cc six-cylinder Bristol engine came in either Gran Sport (120bhp) or Turismo (100bhp) variants, either of which was good for over 110mph. Named the Targa Florio in honour of Franco Cortese s famous victory in the 1951 Targa Florio. A total of 14 Targa Florio s were built by AFN Limited between 1952 and 1954, with the last 5 produced being of a different body shape - open versions of the Le Mans Coupe - and powered by the Bristol BS4 Engine. This car, chassis No. 187 is the 9th Targa Florio built and the first of the batch of 5 produced in this body style. It is also the first car to be fitted with the Bristol BS4 engine. It appears only 10 BS4 engines were ever fitted to Frazer Nash. Sold new to a Mr. Patel of Pakistan in October 1953. Mr Patel later changed his name to his mothers side of the family - G. H. Abasy - presumably due to the troubles and the partition. He had the car built to his specification before taking the car out to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) where it was regularly used up to the time of the partition. There even remains a blessing painted in Arabic script on the inside the doors to this day. Mr. Patel then bought it back to the UK in 1974, stating he was very lucky to get it out in time and that it was probably the only Frazer Nash to be fought over!
The original BS4 engine was stolen while being overhauled in Bangladesh. This is documented in a letter sent to a then Mr. Patel, on the 16th of September 1971, from H. J. Aldington, the then boss of AFN, where he sends his condolences for the loss of the engine and that they do have a re-built engine he could purchase should he desire. A Bristol 100B was subsequently fitted upon its return to the UK. Once repatriated back to the UK the car was advertised by Rod Leach in 1975 and was sold on the 19th of August 1975 to Richard Gaskell of The Old Rectory, Iron Acton, Bristol. Mr. Gaskell registered the car in his name on the 4th of September 1975 and the extensive history file that accompanies the car contains numerous correspondences, invoices and hill climb entries from 1975 onwards. There are correspondences from Mr. Abasy dated 1974 and there are even Mr. Gaskell s 1975 HSCC membership card, Bentley Drivers Club membership card and his 1978 Competition licence. During his ownership the car was maintained by TT Workshops. He kept the car until the 25th of July 1979 when it was briefly bought by Mr. B Watson before then passing to M. V. Taylor within a year. Mr. Taylor s 1980 HSCC Vehicle Identity Form still remains in the history file. The current owner, a well known in the historic racing world, bought the car from Mr. Taylor in 1986 and has owned and used it ever since. He has raced, toured and rallied the car all over Europe with his wife, including taking the car to Sicily for the Targa Florio retrospective in 1999.
In 1998 the car had a full bare metal paint restoration. Photos of the car stripped back to bare metal, dated May 1998, show how remarkably well preserved it has remained. In more recent times the engine was rebuilt by RW Racing Services utilising a set of Roddy MacPhearson cam-shafts and has relatively low miles on it since. The car comes with a disable spares package, the full screen, hood, metal passenger tonneau cover for racing and a spare set of wheels. The history file for this car is exactly what one wants to find when looking at a car. Containing extensive correspondences dating back to the early 1970 s, invoices and MOT s dating back to 1974, original registration documentation, racing licences and membership cards as well as its old style FIA papers and FIVA passport. There are photos of the car in its previous ownership and throughout its current ownership. The demand for blue chip 1950 s Sports Cars such as this continues to increase, bolstered by the ever growing number of prestigious events that they are so eligible for, both on road and track. An ideal entry for the Woodcote Trophy, Goodwood Revival, VSCC and so much more. This is a rare chance to acquire a true British sports car and one with such a rich and well documented history.