Harrington Sighting - Many Decades Ago

[Pete S.]

Hello, I just joined the club on the Tiger side, being a long time owner.

But today I have a Harrington related question.

A very long time ago, in the 1979/1982 time frame there was a 1962 Harrington running around St.Petersburg, Fl. I last saw it sometimes in 1982 and then it vanished from the road. At least here. I remember the car being white with a red interior and was LHD. A flicker of memory seems to tell me that it had wire wheels, but the memory is not to good.

This is easily a longer shot than me winning the Florida Lottery, but does anyone here know anything of that car and what became of it? I always admired the Harringtons a great deal.

Thanks!

ps

 

[DanR]

ps, We have some really good softshoes, Bet you get an answer.

 

[alpine_64]

Pete, was it a Harrington or a Harrington LeMans?

Do you recall of it still had the fins on the body or was a smoothed out rear wing line?

 

[Pete S.]

Pete, was it a Harrington or a Harrington LeMans?

Do you recall of it still had the fins on the body or was a smoothed out rear wing line?

I distinctly remembered it looking like this car, so a Lemans?

 

[65sunbeam]

In the early 80's there was a white Le Mans that I saw vintage racing in Savannah and Road Atlanta. It had a black interior though and I have never seen it since!

 

[65beam]

Chuck Shields had a LeMans that he raced in SVRA in the 80's/90's. I have photos of it in one of the photo albums somewhere but he had the car painted silver with a blue tint to the paint. We attend several vintage meets every year and I haven't seen his car for a long time. It may not be the same car and Chuck's car may be back in the U.K.

 

[jdoclogan]

Pete,
The Harrington Le Mans example photo you used was my Promotional Harrington Le Mans (HLM) at a car show after I completed its restoration in 2009. It was the HLM on the cover of Car & Driver April, 1962. I acquired the photos below two months ago from the original photographer one showing my HLM at the 1962 12 Hour Sebring Race's Press trailer for what is believed to be its first showing in the USA. Two ironic additions to this story. I also own a 1964 Super 90 Honda like the 1962 C110 Super 50 Honda motor bike in the HLM photo. In addition, I own the #41 Sebring Alpine (driven by Peter Harper and Peter Proctor) shown at the beginning of the race photo by the same photographer. You can also see #43 (driven by Joe Shepard and Tom Payne) in the second group. #43 is owned by Steve Alcala who restored it in 2009 and raced it regularly until 2019. Right behind #43 is #42 (driven by Ken Miles [yes, the Ken Miles in the new movie Ford v Ferrari] and Lew Spencer). This is all pretty cool Sunbeam history. Good luck on your chase for the HLM you saw in the 80s.
Cheers
Jerry

 

[jdoclogan]

I might add that my Harrington Le Mans #195 was only raced (no street use) in the 1962 season throughout the West Coast by Greg Vederoff. Veederoff acquired #195 from a Datsun dealership in Tacoma, Washington after the car appeared at the New York International Auto show. First photo below is at its first race at Delta Raceway (now Portland International Raceway [PIR]). Second is at Westwood in British Columbia. Third is Vederoff and his crew.

 

[Pete S.]

I might add that my Harrington Le Mans #195 was only raced (no street use) in the 1962 season throughout the West Coast by Greg Vederoff. Veederoff acquired #195 from a Datsun dealership in Tacoma, Washington after the car appeared at the New York International Auto show. First photo below is at its first race at Delta Raceway (now Portland International Raceway [PIR]). Second is at Westwood in British Columbia. Third is Vederoff and his crew.
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Wow, Jerry. This is great stuff. Especially the vintage images. Thank you for responding. I'd love to own a Harrington to enjoy with my Tiger.

Thanks for responding!

ps

 

[65sunbeam]

Great period photos Jerry! Wonder why the rear hatch was propped open in the one photo?
Love the Plymouth tow car and vintage trailer too. Hope to see your Harrington at the 2021 SUNI with other Harringtons celebrating their 60th birthday.

 

[alpine_64]

Great period photos Jerry! Wonder why the rear hatch was propped open in the one photo?

Eric id assume apart from ventilation the hatch would act like a long tail body/wing essentially extending the effective length of the body and helping flow the air further from the car

 

[bernd_st]

Or perhaps it just popped open during race action. A LeMans hatch will not normally rest in half open position...

 

[jdoclogan]

Everyone,
Actually there is evidence that the HLM hatch was intentionally set open and bolted in place via the hinges. Yes, it was for air flow (according to Vederoff) and maybe down force. Vederoff told me he thought the HLM would perform like the Harrington Alpine Thermal Index Efficiency Le Mans winner. Unfortunately, the HLM's pedigreed did not assist Vederoff past either last or next to last place in his races of 1962. The HLM was too heavy for the shorter tracks. According to racing programs and results provided to me by author, Martin Rudow (Weekends of Glory - Long Straights and Hairpin Turns) the previous and subsequent years respectfully, Vederoff raced a Porsche and Forsgrini usually finishing in the top three places out of fifteen or sixteen cars in a race.

Yes, Pete having a HLM is nice. I'm glad your enjoying your Tiger. As for my Tiger I need to get it off the storage rack and put it back on the road.

Eric, I'm still working on the Lyrad (the most modified Alpine [Lotus 19 front end, Jaguar engine/hood, Miata suspension, and 275 GTB Ferrari styling] in existence) and have made significant progress. Daryl Townsend, the original Lyrad builder and author of the article you sent me, passed away over two years ago. I will try and make it to 2021 SUNI. However, I'm very focused on completing the #41 Sebring Alpine project by March, 2022 to celebrate its 60th anniversary Sebring success [3rd in class and 15th overall] at the 68th 12 hour Sebring and vintage races. Hopefully, I can organize Steve Alcala's #43 to be there at the same time. This would be an awesome moment to have two factory racing Alpines at the 60th anniversary of their 1962 debut event.

Cheers
Jerry

 

[DanR]

Nice, Doc!! Sure hope you make it! I am planning to be present also to enjoy the celebration....

 

[bernd_st]

Might be a good reason to plan a journey to attend the 2021 Suni . Always wanted to attend one of the previous - Max Pahmeier organized events but couldn't make it for various reasons. Another chance...

 

[65sunbeam]

Hope you can come over Bernd! Think of all the Sunbeam bits you can get at SUNI-we will have a huge parts room. We will celebrate Harringtons and hope to get a lot of them in one place.

 

[bernd_st]

Wow , that really sounds mouth watering. What a temptation. Just need to convince my family

 

[GlennB]

I thought you might like this document that came with the history file of my HLM 536CNW. A previous owner used this report as a guide when they upgraded my HLM for rallying/racing in the 80's - either that or they took a copy of it when they saw the similarities. The document mentions blue metallic and red interior and of course "Charles" Sheilds. My understanding is that this car came through the UK on its way to The Netherlands and was for sale there for several years. Anecdotal reports to me are that the ID may not be fully as expected by purists but it certainly has an interesting story.

 

[Harrington Jan]

Car is newly restored.

 

[DanR]

Very nice & I really like the wheels too!