Description:

1962 WSM MG Midget Alloy Coupe Race Car

Offered from our private family collection. 
 

History

The WSM brand was the brain child of Douglas Wilson-Spratt & Jim McManus.

Douglas owned Delta Garages in Leighton Buzzard, a BMC dealership, Jim was the sales manager at the time. Douglas had previously raced & rallied Austin Healey Sprites, both with standard production bodywork & an alloy coupe, Being 6ft 4 inches & quite broad in the shoulder, he always struggled for space. The pair had the idea to build an alloy coupe with completely different bodywork to maximise the passenger compartment space and to fit Douglas.

Douglas penned a design which Robert Peel Sheet Metal Works, of Kingston upon Thames, built into what became the first WSM, body number 201. This car is not known to have survived.

Douglas & Jim took 201 to Silverstone in early 1962, there was considerable interest in this new very stylish alloy coupe Sprite. Up to this point, the pair had no plans to build further cars. Following this, enough enquiries were received for the pair to form a partnership, separate to the Delta Garage business, called WSM Cars Ltd.

In total eight WSM Sprites & one MG Midget were built. They were built to order, some as lightweight ‘Sprint’ cars for competition & some as ‘GT’ road cars.

The Sprint specification cars utilised much more aluminium in the under structure including front & rear inner wheel arches, boot floor & closing panels.

The Car
XPP is the oldest surviving WSM, body number 202, the second WSM built & the only MG Midget based car. It is the most historic & successful surviving WSM.

MG Midget 793 XPP was acquired by Mike Lewis from Alexander Engineering in 1962 as a standard specification road car & converted into a lightweight ‘Sprint’ specification WSM race car in aluminium & painted Tartan Red. Using RAC Homologation 106 for the Midget Mk1 & Sprite Mk2. Mike was dating Douglas’s daughter Laura at the time, they later married. Both Mike & Laura competed in XPP, in circuit races, sprints & hill climbs from 1963 until 1965 including Silverstone & Crystal Palace with much success.

Mike sold the car in 1966 to Robin Pinkerton, who worked at Delta as sales manager & mainly used the car on the road.

Acquired by Robbie Gordon in 1969. Robbie was a collector of many different types of ex-works British sports cars, mainly Austin Healeys. He also traded in Italian cars, mainly Ferraris.

The next known owner is Rod Brisby of Dumfries, who acquired XPP n the late 1970’s as a scruffy old race car & partially stripped it for a restoration, which never happened.

With help from Douglas’s son Tony, Paul tracked XPP down & after many phone calls persuaded Rod Brisby that he should part with it. The restoration started in 1999 & was completed in 2001 in time for a celebration of Douglas’s 80th birthday at Rockingham on 21st& 22nd July. XPP took a class win, which delighted Douglas.

Paul continued to race the car including Goodwood Revival in 2003, until it had to be sold to fund the purchase of another alloy bodied Sprite 46 BXN.

Sold to Jim Lowry, co-founder of Equipe GTS, RAC Scrutineer & FIA Inspector. Jim raced XPP in Equipe & also at Goodwood Revival in 2006. Sold to John Pearson in 2008, John had the engine rebuilt to a very high specification & raced the car in Equipe GTS. Acquired by Brian Arculus in 2010, Brian continued to race the in Equipe & again at Goodwood Revival in 2010 before selling it to Graham Robson in 2014. In Graham’s ownership XPP returned to Woolmer Classic Engineering to be prepared & supported.  The engine & drive train were refreshed & Graham’s raced the car in a number of events including the Goodwood Members Meeting in 2015.

Sold to Peter Kappeler of Switzerland in 2017, Peter raced XPP in the Equipe Classic Racing series, before selling it back to the Woolmer family in early 2022.

Paul drove XPP in the 2022 Members Meeting, Weslake Cup. Since then the car has been used for several demonstrations & has recently been on display in the Silverstone Museum for 8 months. The museum wanted the car because of its early history of racing at Silverstone.

Specification

Chassis & Body

Original MG Midget. With original chassis plate.

Original aluminium body, doors & boot lid. Original fibreglass bonnet. With original WSM body plate. Painted Tartan Red.

Engine

Full race Woolmer Classic 1293cc, capacity checked & sealed. Just refreshed, zero run time since refresh.

Carburation

Correct period single Weber 45 DCOE – 9

Exhaust

Full race Maniflow system

Transmission

Gearbox, rebuilt straight cut close ratio with less than 8 hours running.

Differential, rebuilt plate type LSD with less than 8 hours running,

 Half shafts, Peter May race shafts,

Radiator

Original unit with high capacity core & electric fan.

Suspension

Front - 600lb springs, race spec. dampers, Peter May negative camber top trunions

Rear - Original ¼ elliptic springs & radius arms, with original adjustable Armstrong lever arm dampers.

In The Boot

50 ltr ATL Laboratories Racing Fuel Cell.

Twin Facet competition fuel pumps.

Brakes

Standard Sprite/Midget discs & drums.

               Original works Sebring pedal box.

Wheels & Tyres

Original spec 4” wire wheels with used Dunlop Racing tyres.

Roll Cage

Manufactured by Fabricage Ltd to FIA Specification

Interior

FIA Cobra Imola Pro-Fit.

TRS FHR harness.

Lifeline extinguisher will be serviced before collection.

Overall weight – 640kg with all fluids & 10 ltrs fuel.

This is a great opportunity to acquire a well-known & historic MG, which is elligible for many of the best events in UK & Europe. 

More detailed photos are available for serious enquiries. 

We are British sports car specialists with over 40 years experience. We can offer a full range of preparation services. We also offer event support packages to prepare, transport & run this car for you.

Call Paul to discuss the car in more detail or to arrange a viewing.

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