Chassis Number: W171
1949 HRG 1500 Sports - SOLD
Chassis W171
Built on 17th December 1948, W171 was first registered on 28th February 1949 via Caffyns Garage to a Mr T H Coon of Maidstone in Kent, and registered LKL 999 as it is today in green, and originally built with Automarine body.
W171 was then acquired by then-Cambridge student Derek Annable aged 20, with his brothers - to go trialling. His book Derek Annable BOY RACER is available on the internet, and details the many event he did over 60 years, two featured here - one on the 1950 Chilterns Trial on February 12th 1950 when he won the Salmons Cup, the other shows him on the front row of the Goodwood grid on the 12th August 1950 (LKL 999 in white) alongside Frazer Nash 'Patience' which came 2nd.
In the 1950s W171 was then owned by Mr Harvey McWhir who used this car extensively for motor sport in Northern Ireland. Period photos appear here, one from Autosport dated April 4th 1952 on the Omagh Trial, “completing test 4 at no mean rate of knots”. Another shows W171 on the 1952 Circuit of Ireland parked by a ‘Telefon’ box, both competitors dressed in period duffle coats!
17 references to Harvey McWhir competing between 1951 and 1955 are as follows:
Knockagh Hill Climb
Ulster AC Trial
Newry Spring Trial
Omagh Trial – see photo
Circuit of Ireland Trial – twice – see photo
Syonfin Hill Climb – twice
Circuit of Down Trial
Annual Irish Experts Trial
Cairncastle Hill Climb – three times
Phoenix Park, Dublin – road race
Kirkistown Airport Circuit race – twice
Craigantlet Hill Climb
Brian Metcalf is also shown here with stripped front wings at Craigantlet Hill Climb in 1954
Years passed and W171 was sold to a Tom Hanner in Atlanta USA in 1970. He began to restore W171 which was by then in “bad shape”. However, he failed to finish the car. It then passed to Richard Pilczuk, a collector and garage owner who wanted to finish the car, but it turned out that he had too many projects - failing to make much progress - and so it came up for sale in 2007.
A Frenchman purchased this car part assembled with the mechanics left in many boxes. The assembly took 3 intense years and included a new aluminium rear part of the body and a new set of wings too.
The engine was rebuilt with new Fletcher Jones pistons. Top quality new leather upholstery was installed in the correct pattern. Instruments were also rebuilt.
A complete re-spray in dark green with lighter green chassis and new tyres completed the restoration for a first run in 2013.
Today the current owner has enjoyed W171 since 2016.
W171 was inspected by the HRG Association in January 2017 to confirm that the Chassis number, engine and back axle numbers are as originally recorded in the HRG factory records.
Recent work has been carried out on the engine, brakes and several other parts of the car by the respected HRG guru on these cars. Inevitably – as always - a new owner may wish to have further work carried out. Very little mileage has ensued since this work, about 200 miles.
Call 07973 731508
