The Deep Sanderson 301 prototype (3)

Over to the Deep Sanderson 301 prototype in racing. It's first outing on the circuits seem to have been at Oulton Park in March 1962, with Chris Spender behind the wheel and with plenty of competition from Lotus Sevens and Austin-Healey Sprites. The result is unknown and unfortunately I don't have any pictures of it there with racing number 23. It was followed a by a race at Goodwood under number 76 a week later and from here there is some pictorial evidence. But again nothing is known about the race results, so again any further information is welcome. It was also raced at Biggin Hill in April 1962 with Len Bridge behind the wheel, two pictures can be found below.

But the international race to put the Deep Sanderson on the map was to become the ADAC 1000 kilometers of the Nürburgring in May 1962. Chris Spender now teamed up with Len Bridge as drivers and a third driver was also mentioned: Robin Carnegie, but he supposedly never drove. The 997cc car was classified in sports cars up to one-litre with competition now coming from Sprites and Midgets, Lotus 23s and Fiat-Abarths. One car that was also entered to the race was the elusive and also Mini powered Gitane GT but that did not arrive. 

From Chris Lawrence's biography: "We had the Deep Sanderson on a trailer behind Christopher Spender's Ford Zephyr. We were allowed to set up the caravan in the centre of the Fahrenlager, right outside the three garages allocated to us, and we either ate up at the Nürburgring hotel outside the pits, or the girls fed us in the caravan. Richard and Penny had what we christened, or rather Carrie Spender christened, a turnip lantern and they lived in that. A turnip lantern is a VW Camper van with a lifting roof for head room. Why a turnip lantern? Well, have a look at one in use at night."

The LawrenceTune team had some troubles getting the car ready for the race. Lawrence: "The truth was, it was a flimsy ultra-light and the German inspectors did not like the look of it one little bit. They were really right about that, but we persevered and after much additional strengthening of seat mountings and fuel tank location, we obtained a one-day practice pass.That was when I learnt my only German to this day: Guten Morgen Herr Doktor, Bitte würden Sie meine Wagen stampen?, meaning Good morning doctor, can you please stamp my car so that it can go out on the circuit for some practice?"

The small team finally did manage to make it to the race. Lawrence: "Christopher started and put in some unexpectedly quick laps, before handing over to Len for his first stint, which also went well, if a little slower. Christopher's second turn at the wheel was even better and the little car was beginning to wipe the condescending and amused smiles off a few faces. There were also one or two astonished looking inspectors wandering about, but as is often the case with these things, it was all too good to last and Len, trying a little too hard, I suspect, to get on terms with Spender's efforts, lost control after the Flugplatz, once again putting a LawrenceTune car in the top of a tree. The pit was informed that Len was allright, but had been taken to a hospital in Adenau for observation. (...) The recovery of the Deep Sanderson was quite an evolution, and many hands were required to manhandle it back onto the track from its perch up a tree. (...) Le had said that he thought the steering might have broken, but that turned out not to be the case."

When you read those passages in the book it seems as if the car spent quite some time on the track during the 1000 kms race, but according to Manfred Rommelsheim, who saw it race and took one of the pictures included below it fell out in its 13th lap already. Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien won the race in a Ferrari Dino, Graham Hill became third in a Porsche 718 behind the Ferrari 330 LM/GTO of Scuderia Venezia.

 

Goodwood, March 1962. Christopher Spender races the Deep Sanderson 301 prototype

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Goodwood again. Results for this race are unknown as they are for Oulton Park a week earlier

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This is supposedly at Biggin Hill in April 1962. Now with Len Bridge behind the wheel

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And again. Result is unknown once more, so any informations would be much welcome

Picture The Filby Files, Jeroen Booij archive

 Over to Germany for the 1000 kms race at the Nürburgring in May 1962. Turnip lantern in the back?

Picture Reilbach, Jeroen Booij archive

Chris Spender and Len Bridge joined the car. I think this is Bridge, who crashed it later

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

LawrenceTune team had lots of trouble to get it through scrutineering. Note replaced rear view mirror

Picture Manfred Rommelsheim

"Len, trying a little too hard, I suspect, to get on terms with Spender's efforts, lost control after the Flugplatz, once again putting a LawrenceTune car in the top of a tree"

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Deep Sanderson shared its class with Sprites and Midgets, Lotuses and Abarths

Picture Racingsportscars.com