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1963 Harrington Lemans -time to do something

GlennB

Silver Level Sponsor
Hi, and my welcome to the HLM community from me too! I'm near Heathrow if you want to eyeball my car for comparison on any parts. As for steering wheels, I have a Moto-Lita equivalent/copy of a Carlotti which came with a load of spares with my car but I can't use because a full roll-cage means I have to use a small wheel. (I'm 6' 5" and my knees get in the way.) Of course I won't be giving it away but it might work for you. Regards, Glenn B
 

g.boat

Donation Time
Glen B/Andrew,

I am a HLM owner near Stansted airport, duty requires me to visit a mother in law in Maidenhead so perhaps a beer could be arranged.

Not sure how to personal message works but if you guys are interested?

I am missing rear trim as well

Andy
 

GlennB

Silver Level Sponsor
Did someone say beer?

Yes, please count me in. I will be moving to Stoke Poges on Thursday 7th Oct so after that I will be available, not even 5 miles from Maidenhead. Before that my family and I are trying to pack 22 years of life into boxes. My mobile phone is 07734 562695 so just text or call when a meet is likely. I have lots of trim in bags which was taken out when the PO installed a roll cage - may be able to make up patterns. Glenn B
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Yes, welcome to the Harrington world and specifically the LeMans group. I've been restoring my car for a couple of years now. It is a 99% complete car (in terms of the parts I have to complete it)...and Bernd and I have been working hard at filing in any gaps and gain a good understanding of the correct original pieces and construction of these great cars....so please shoot me an email anytime with any questions you have.
 

barringtonderby

Donation Time
Side trim

I have made contact with a guy in the SAOCA who says he may be able to make them if he can get his hands on a sample

I bought a set from Ian Spencer minus the rear quarter finishers

The guy I have had a chat with is Andrew Masse who's email is drafting@hurontel.on.ca - he has a website where he sells some interesting Alpine and Tiger bits already - i cant find the URL but when I do I will post it here
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Andrew is very talented, I'm sure if anyone could do it, it would be him. We need the rear quarter finishers for a lot of people and I'd also like to look into the vent covers.
 

barringtonderby

Donation Time
So who do we know who has the trim and might be persuaded to lend Andrew a sample while it's quiet over the winter and classic cars are hibernating???
 

65beam

Donation Time
lemans

i have never understood the reasoning for putting all the trim on the cars. i think it spoils the looks of the car. to me it doesn't fit the racing image of the car.
 

napa 1

Donation Time
i have never understood the reasoning for putting all the trim on the cars. QUOTE]

Simply because it enhances the lines of the car and is THE signature design element to these cars. Since the cars left the Harrington factory with complete spear trim, an HLM without the trim is simply an HLM with the trim missing....like a BMW driving down the road with out it's signature kidney grille....it's incomplete. Nothing wrong with it, if that's the look you prefer, but undeniably incomplete. Just my opinion :)
 

65beam

Donation Time
lemans

michael,
there seems to be some connection to the name LEMANS. and john, keep in mind that your car would not be a complete car with out my red car. you have the side mouldings off of my car. the original owner had it removed in the late 60's. TD felt that the mouldings make it look like a frog squatting. i agree! i did not want it so tom kept it to use on the car you have. and my car was the car used to duplicate several pieces for your car since your car had no seat frames among other things. gosh only knows what parts are original to your car since it was not a complete car and that was the reason tom bought my car. it was to be a donor for several things but i talked him into selling it to me. we also used several of my badges to make duplicates. so i guess if i wanted to be like everyone else and have a car like everyone else and have the same views that some of you do, i would not own the sunbeams that i own. i prefer owning a car that is different and since they are not an investment and i have no reason to sell them, i'll build an incomplete car without asking for permission from other owners.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
michael,
there seems to be some connection to the name LEMANS. .

Bob, I know they built the HLM cars to celebrate the ITE win at LM in 1961.. but instead of releasing a hot road version of the existing Harrington Alpine, (esentially that already existied as a Stage III car) or one with the faired in lamps.. they redesigned the roof, added some trim cut the fins etc and made a luxury GT.. in fact somewhat less "racey" than the stock Harrington Alpine..

The irony is they could have probably modified more cars faster and cheaper with the faired in lights of the racer, but they decided to market was a Luxury GT.. and so went that direction and used the name as a marketing tool for reflected glory.

Also, correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the spear and trim just a method to hide the join lines of the fibreglass to metal? Esentially a quick device that could hide a non-smooth joint so they didn't have ot be so careful?
 

napa 1

Donation Time
I agree Bob, I owe you a huge debt of gratitude for not wanting the spear trim. My good fortune as well, that Tom had the forsight to make sure all of the neccessary parts were there ...especially the all important, undeniably fabulous, irreplaceble, really cool, absolute must-have "squatting frog" signature trim. ;) A big thanks to you as well for all the assistance you provided in obtaining and recreating neccessary missing parts so that this particular HLM can be restored to its former glory - or as close as an amateur restorer like myself can manage :) (this is fun!)
 

65beam

Donation Time
lemans

the cars that i have seen including my moonstone car had filler on the rear fenders that filled the seams and was tapered down over the fenders and over the top also. the seams were not left open . how could you leave an unfinished section under the moulding and have it finished and smooth otherwise. i also know that there are several items on the engines that were rootes competition parts. the headers are not standard series 2 and the carb setup is different. the head had quite a bit of work including porting and polishing along with a different cam, lightened flywheel,etc. at about 4000 rpm ,my red car seems to come to life and the feel of the engine is nothing like my other alpines. as far as luxury of the cars, the seats have less padding and the idea of an arm rest is not something anyone 6' 3 feet and 280 pounds would ever want if you were to drive the car. a solid piece of wood for an arm rest hurts my legs. and once in the seats i like driving the car since i have more leg room. but the original carlotti wheel is too big for me. and yes it did have carpet thruout. i guess compared to other cars of the era, there was more luxury in the lemans. but many original / early owners i have known liked the performance of the car. that's what i like. i have had lots of fun with it at places like VIR,the glen and especially the back straight at mid ohio. it runs like a scared rabbit.
 

65beam

Donation Time
lemans

john,
i'm glad you are happy with your car and i'm sure it will look great. what you want in a car and what i would drive are two different worlds. as far as the mouldings, i have more if i wanted to use them. it's amazing what i have hoarded over the years. i stand by my original comment that i wonder why harrington and rootes used the mouldings. what was their reason? why???
 

barringtonderby

Donation Time
Trim

John
You indicate you have some trim which you don't want to use because you think it spoils the look - did I read that right?

I have a full set minus the rear quarter finishers - do you have any spare rear quarters I could buy or which we could borrow to have some made?

Thanks

Andrew
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Nope , just the opposite. Read through my posts again, I'm completely PRO trim... Bob is the holder of the CON argument.

"Simply because it enhances the lines of the car and is THE signature design element to these cars. Since the cars left the Harrington factory with complete spear trim, an HLM without the trim is simply an HLM with the trim missing....like a BMW driving down the road with out it's signature kidney grille....it's incomplete. Nothing wrong with it, if that's the look you prefer, but undeniably incomplete."

I am in need of a better or reproduced set of the rear finishers as well. The pair I have are quite rough, but I'd rather have rough ones installed than none at all. :) So, It would be great to find a way to have these made.
 

barringtonderby

Donation Time
OK got it - sorry about the confusion trying to read the threads....

So there is a guy over your side of the pond who makes things like this who is a member of the SAOCA called Andrew Masse

He needs a sample to come up with some numbers

Seems like a few guys in this group need the same thing

Could you be persuaded to loan Andrew piece so he can spec a repro?

Andrew is on the following email address drafting@ramdesign.on.ca

What do you think?

Andrew
 
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