Built in 1952 XMG 6 was one of the first Mk2 Le Mans Replicas and was
destined to be the 'works' racer. It was debuted at Monaco where, driven by Stirling Moss, a
pole position was achieved but a race retirement unfortunately followed. An illustrious career
followed and the car was to be
driven by Franco Cortese (Targa Florio), Ken Wharton (British Empire
trophy - Isle of Man, TT - Dundrod, Jersey Road race, Shelsley, Boreham and many others) Tony
Brooks, Tony Crook, Roy Salvadori, Dickie Stoop (Goodwood 9 hrs), H. A. Mitchell, and Odlum and
Vard (Dundrod - TT). It went through a substantial metamorphosis during its life having at least
3 different bodies fitted, a prototype de Dion axle fitted by Von Falkenhausen, aluminium
radiator, aluminium rimmed wire wheels, and was the only car other than the works Bristol 450s to
be fitted with a factory 12 port Bristol head during its 'in period' racing life. In its final
form the car was fitted with a Microplas Mistral fibreglass body for the 1955 TT during which it
was substantially destroyed when driven by Ken Wharton.
The factory had cut off all the 1953 body together with the upper parts of the chassis to
add the glass body and this remaining 'original' body was retained by the factory along with
other parts. The engine was fitted into a Frazer Nash Sebring with a different head. The
body/chassis remains were sold by the factory together with chassis plate which was numbered
421/200 176A presumably during the 60s when a large clear out took place
and were then fitted
to a Singer chassis. In this form it ran around for a few years being described as a Frazer
Nash 'special' and with the chassis plate and registration number still attached. By the
1980s the remains had been detached from the Singer chassis and had passed through various
hands before being acquired by Jonathan Bradburn in the early 1990s.
Bill Roberts was then commissioned to rebuild the car and as much of the original car as
possible was used together with other original parts. The rebuild took 10 years during which
time even the original engine - BS4 Mk2 504 - was acquired and is fitted with a 12 port
head complete with triple twin choke Solex carburettors and geardrive cam and front mounted
distributor or Scintilla magneto. Also rebuilt (with new steel crank, FNS head, new cam and
valve gear, new Cosworth pistons, Delco distributor, magnesium sump with baffles, Ruddspeed
air-straighteners etc.) to use in the car is another ex FN engine - BS4 Mk2 505 which is
presently fitted.
The car has works de Dion back axle, Bristol limited slip Diff, aluminium rimmed wire wheels,
aluminium radiator, competition overdrive gearbox with new CR gears, and weighs about 12 ¾ cwt.
There is quite a spares package also included (apart from engine) such as factory supplied wire
wheels, original unused brass radiator, differential, new aluminium wire wheels and others.
