L type 0617

Current Owner: Allan Wettenhall, Victoria

MMM No: 2478

Infomation: Built 17/10/1933 fitted with one of 98 Continental Coupe bodies,  carrying UK registration number AXW 363.  An early owner (if not the first) was Charles Ward, a part of the coach building company Park Ward.

History: After Ward disposed of the car is was purchased by an Australian; Pat Kerr and shipped to Western Australia minus bodywork in 1936.  Carr’s Fremantle Shack Motors fitted a 2-seat body using the original wings etc.  Kerr competed in support races for the “Round the Houses” events staged at Albany, Pingelly, Bunbury and Dowerin 1936-1940. It was little used during the fifties and sixties and by 1967 the body was dilapidated beyond repair. It was given to Kevin Horsfield by his father as a Birthday present, but it was a basket case.

In 1965 a CSIRO rocket scientist, Bob Irvine with Mike Sherrell exchanged a damaged TF for L0617. (Ed’s note: You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know who did best out of that deal!).  Driven from Adelaide to the 1977 Katoomba M.G. National Meeting it was subsequently restored by Finch and Hocking to L2 specs.  Bob returned it to Perth for the 1995 National Meeting.  Following Bob’s death in a gliding accident it was sold to Georg Leitl and then to John Lawson.  Mike Sherrell reminised in the July 2016 Newsletter here.

• Listing ID: 1919
• Maga: L Type
• Chassis Number: 0617
• Year of Production: 1933
• Previous Owners: Charles Ward, UK 1933-36.
  Pat Kerr, W.A. 1936 - 49.
  Kevin Horsfield, W.A. 1967
  Bob Irvine, S.A. 1967 - 95.
  Georg Leitl, Vic.
  John Lawson, Vic. -17
• Current Owner: Allan Wettenhall
• Original Engine Number: 927/AC/97C
• Date Acquired: 2017