jdoclogan
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When I acquired my USA Promotional Harrington Le Mans in 2003 it was claimed to be the most original HLM in the World. While delving into its history through contacting the original owner, Greg Veederoff, and working with Janne Iggbom, the guru of Harringtons, in Sweden I discovered many amazing facts about this, only one on the road, Promotional Harrington Le Mans (PHLM). Veederoff had acquired the PHLM in May of 1962 to race it as #195 for the '62 West Coast racing season. Veederoff purchased the PHLM through a Datsun dealership in Tacoma, Washington. Immediately Veederoff set forth to prep the PHLM for racing. With the June 1962 Rose Cup at Delta Raceway Park (now Portland International Raceway) quickly approaching.
Veederoff said, "I ordered a limited slip differential from the factory" to complete the race prep. Indeed as I restored the PHLM I found it had a limited slip differential (LSD). During restoration the PHLM's LSD was disassembled to insure everything was in order. Close attention was paid to securing the pinion bolts. I removed the wire tying all bolts together and then the bolts. Returning each bolt to its original hole with loctite I torqued them down. While placing the connecting wire back through the bolts I wondered how unique is the LSD in an Alpine or HLM. Discussing the topic over the years with fellow Sunbeam enthusiasts I concluded that my PHLM's LSD must have been made by Doane Spencer from California. I have never found any written word about any Rootes LSD until yesterday. In the 2006, 17th issue of The Alpine Marque (http://sunbeamalpine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/issue_7.pdf) I found an article written by Ian Spencer about the mystery of a Rootes factory LSD. Not only did it clarify that indeed the Rootes factory most likely made a LSD, but, it only seemed to be associated to a "prototype" made and sold in 1965. Ian Spencer closes the article with, "What do you think." Well, what I think is that Baugh's had the Alpine LSD available from the Rootes factory in 1965. My PHLM's LSD is exactly the same design as the Kimes' LSD and was obtained in the Spring of 1962. Whether my PHLM's LSD came from Baugh's, Baugh's source or was direct from the Rootes factory is not clear. Unfortunately, I can't find the photos I took during the restoration of my HLM's LSD. Fortunately, my memory is still intact and it deems the Kimes' LSD to be the same as my PHLM's LSD.
My PHLM and Kimes LSDs aren't like the Dana type LSD that was acquired by a previous #41 Sebring Alpine owner and came with the #41 Sebring Alpine when I purchased it (note: I don't believe the Sebring Alpines used an LSD).
Veederoff said, "I ordered a limited slip differential from the factory" to complete the race prep. Indeed as I restored the PHLM I found it had a limited slip differential (LSD). During restoration the PHLM's LSD was disassembled to insure everything was in order. Close attention was paid to securing the pinion bolts. I removed the wire tying all bolts together and then the bolts. Returning each bolt to its original hole with loctite I torqued them down. While placing the connecting wire back through the bolts I wondered how unique is the LSD in an Alpine or HLM. Discussing the topic over the years with fellow Sunbeam enthusiasts I concluded that my PHLM's LSD must have been made by Doane Spencer from California. I have never found any written word about any Rootes LSD until yesterday. In the 2006, 17th issue of The Alpine Marque (http://sunbeamalpine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/issue_7.pdf) I found an article written by Ian Spencer about the mystery of a Rootes factory LSD. Not only did it clarify that indeed the Rootes factory most likely made a LSD, but, it only seemed to be associated to a "prototype" made and sold in 1965. Ian Spencer closes the article with, "What do you think." Well, what I think is that Baugh's had the Alpine LSD available from the Rootes factory in 1965. My PHLM's LSD is exactly the same design as the Kimes' LSD and was obtained in the Spring of 1962. Whether my PHLM's LSD came from Baugh's, Baugh's source or was direct from the Rootes factory is not clear. Unfortunately, I can't find the photos I took during the restoration of my HLM's LSD. Fortunately, my memory is still intact and it deems the Kimes' LSD to be the same as my PHLM's LSD.
My PHLM and Kimes LSDs aren't like the Dana type LSD that was acquired by a previous #41 Sebring Alpine owner and came with the #41 Sebring Alpine when I purchased it (note: I don't believe the Sebring Alpines used an LSD).
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