1959 Turner MKI Roadster

In the early 1950s, Jack Turner of Wolverhampton, England began building small sports and racing cars for himself and his friends. By 1955, his cars were in high enough demand to enter limited production. The steel tube-chassis roadster was clothed with an attractive, lightweight fiberglass body and powered by an 803 cc engine borrowed from the Austin A30. By 1975, the base engine was a 948cc BMC 'A'. In 1959 buyers could choose the Turner Sports MK I, powered by either the BMC engine topped with a modified cylinder head or the all-aluminum 1098cc SOHC Coventry Climax engine. Power went to the rear wheels via a BMC A-series gearbox with close-ratio gears with five different rear axle ratios offered. The Turner automobiles were available in kit form as well.

The Turner factory racing team proved to be very successful, and Tuners won a number of series championships in both the UK and the United States. The company remained in business until 1966.

This Turner MKI Sports Climax was the sixth of approximately 159 MK I roadsters built in 1959-1960. It was the works Climax demonstrator and featured in a January 1960 road test in The Autocar.

Road tax documents that accompany the car indicate that it was first registered to the Turner works on December 14th of 1959 and sold to Ronald Courtney of Surrey, England, in 1962. It then passed through a series of British owners before coming into the care of John Wright of Tewksbury, Gloucester, during the 1980s.

The car was imported to the United States in 1990 and completed restored in 1997 for VSCCA racing. The engine was rebuilt in December 2000 by Auto Specialties in California.

The car is finished in its original color scheme of Olde English White with a black leatherette interior. There is a period-correct Moto-Lita steering wheel, and a rare 8,000 RPM tachometer and 120 mph speedometer, both made by Turner.

This car has participated in many VSCCA events including Lime Rock and Pocono. The 1098cc SOHC Coventry Climax FWA 4-cylinder engine is fitted with 2 Weber 45 DCOE Side-Draught carburetors and produces 75 horsepower. There is a 4-speed BMC 'A' gearbox and Girling disc brakes in the front. In the back of this lightweight and nimble roadster is drum brakes. The suspension is independent in the front with wishbones, coil springs, and an anti-roll bar. In the back is a live axle setup with a laminated Torsion Bar and trailing arms.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2013