While reading about the Tornado Talisman recently I came across some cool pictures of the car in its prototype stage at Williams & Pritchard's workshop in Edmonton, London in 1961. But hang on, what was behind it? Yep, there's no doubt about that being the Butterfield Musketeer prototype in similar build stage, too! It fits in with what Richard Butterfield told me about 10 years ago as he'd trusted the job of body-bulding to them. W&P had previously made the much-modified body for Richard's Triumph TR3 and were now given the job to make the two-seater coupe body for the Musketeer in aluminium. Richard remembered it was finished just in time to have the car assembled for the Racing Car Show of January 1962 - the same show at which the Tornado Talisman made its debut... I found the photos were on the web also, and copied them here.
What happened to the prototype Musketeer remains a mystery to this day. What we know is that the original car was put on display at the Racing Car show in 1962 with a Mini 850 engine. Later that year, it was used to plug a mould to make replica bodies in fibreglass, while at the end of 1962 the car was rebuilt with a Cooper engine. It was then entered for the Peco Trophy race at Brands Hatch with Christabel Carlisle behind the wheel. She spun it and did not finish, but after that every trace ends. Any more information would be highly appreciated.
What happened to the prototype Musketeer remains a mystery to this day. What we know is that the original car was put on display at the Racing Car show in 1962 with a Mini 850 engine. Later that year, it was used to plug a mould to make replica bodies in fibreglass, while at the end of 1962 the car was rebuilt with a Cooper engine. It was then entered for the Peco Trophy race at Brands Hatch with Christabel Carlisle behind the wheel. She spun it and did not finish, but after that every trace ends. Any more information would be highly appreciated.
Yep. That's the Tornado Talisman prototype. But look behind it. That's the Butterfield Musketeer!
Picture through pistonheads.com
Another view. The craftsmanship of Williams & Pritchard was famous throughout the country
Picture through pistonheads.com
And from the front. Musketeer's round headlight just visible here. This must be late 1961
Picture through pistonheads.com
There it is at during the build-up of the Racing Car show in January 1962, it was red in colour
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Behind that aluminium body is supposedly an 850 engine, with double SUs and special rocker cover
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Action on the Racing Car Show of 1962 with the Butterfield Musketeer in the foreground
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Last sight of the prototype was at Brands Hatch at Boxing Day 1962, raced by Christabel Carlisle
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
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