Boxer Sprint project now offered for sale

Due to the unexpected death of Ian Shearer (obituary here), his family has decided to sell his much beloved and last project car - the original 1986 Boxer Sprint prototype. The Boxer was a lightweight spyder version of the Nimbus Coupe that Shearer designed a couple of years earlier. The car’s fiberglass body tub was moulded as a single piece with some areas strengthened with Kevlar. The clamshell bonnet hinged forwards and the engine cover flipped the other way for easy access. Brakes, steering column and pedals came from the Mini donor, with the rectangular headlights sourced from VW’s Scirocco. A wiring loom was made for the car, but according to Shearer a modified Imp loom could be used, too. Kitcars and Specials magazine wrote in September 1986: “The Boxer Sprint is designed to be either a club racer and/or a second road car, and as such it makes no pretence of being a refined everyday vehicle. Although, having said that, it will be seen that it has the potential to be made as practical as any two seat sports car.” Still, no more production cars were made, with only the prototype being registered. Shearer found it back on a farm in Kent in 2017 (see here) and started a comprehensive restoration.

Unfortunately he never got 'round to finish that and the whole project is now for sale. It's not just the car itself, fully registered as a 'Nimbus Sprint' with full V5 logbook and all the paperwork. But it also comes with the original moulds, two engines and a whole load of bits and pieces. Ian's son Will: "The car comes with all other items required to get it on the road. There will also be a lot of materials that I am happy for the buyer to have too - things like GRP mat, microfibre filler additives, resins, and hardeners/catalysts. Also, the odd tool that I have no use for, there is a cylinder honing tool for example; basically I'd be happy for anyone buying to rummage through and take what they feel is useful to them. I have taken some photos of all the stuff that will be sold with the Boxer. Everything appears to be complete though it is spread all over! Dad was never one for being organized!"

See the full ad here.

UPDATE 28 November: BLACK FRIDAY Special - only on Friday the 29th offered for £1500!
And I also throw in a signed copy of both Maximum Mini 2 as Maximum Mini 3

A cover star in September 1986: the Boxer Sprint prototype before being registered

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

These are the moulds for the monocoque shell and clamshell front, included in the sale

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Designer Ian Shearer found the car back in 2017 and started a comprehensive redesign

Picture Will Shearer

Due to Shearer's unexpected death, the whole project is now offered for sale

Picture Will Shearer

Included also: one of two engines - this is a modified A-series

Picture Will Shearer

Ian Shearer passes away at 71

It is with great sadness that I learned about the sudden death of Ian Shearer today. Ian was the designer of the Mini powered Nimbus Coupe and Boxer Sprint cars and was an enormous enthusiast of anything Maximum Mini. His wife Hilary wrote:

"Dear Jeroen, Ian sadly died very suddenly and unexpectedly last Monday 28 October. This has absolutely devastated us. We have decided on a personal committal with just us and then we are going to have a celebration of his life early next year on or around his 72nd birthday, we feel if we did anything now we would not do him justice he achieved so much and we want to share that at a happier time and we know that’s what he would have wanted."

A good decision no doubt as Ian was a rather special man. His life was filled with cars and I remember very well that I tried to track him down for years - with no success- when all of a sudden he found me and contacted me from France, where he'd moved to many years earlier. That was a great surprise and ever since that day Ian was an enthusiast of everything I wrote. He often dropped a line after having read my latest scribblings, giving his unique point of view on them - always very optimistic and helpful. 

He also kept me updated on his projects. Ian had managed to buy back his Boxer prototype two and a half years ago after a long process of finding it (which almost even included a helicopter search) and difficult negotiations (full story here). He was very eager to get that car back on the road. In order to restore it, he had just sold another of his projects through this website a week before his passing (here). Days before his death he wrote: "Now I have made the decision to let the Nimbus Sprint go, I feel more relaxed about the work I am doing on the Boxer, I'm sure you are finding the same as me about the cost of rebuilding a powerful 'A' series, wow!"
May you rest in peace Ian. It was a privilege to know you.

Ian Shearer was positive and kind. Here at Blyton Park in 2015 with Wil Ker's Nimbus Coupe

Picture Jeroen Booij

Ian with the prototype Nimbus Coupe in 1983. Very proud indeed!

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

A rare picture taken during the official launch of the Nimbus Coupe in 1984

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Production of Nimbus Coupe body shells in 1984. Note the remarkably flat floor

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Ian's Boxer Sprint prototype was found back almost three years ago on a farm in Kent

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The search was painstaking and Ian almost booked a helicopter flight to find it. Picking it up here

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Boxer prototype back in the hands of its designer

Remember the Boxer Sprint, dreamt up in the mid-1980s by Nimbus Coupe man and great Maximum Mini enthusiast Ian Shearer (seen here at the Maximum Mini action day in 2015)? Well, the sole surviving Sprint prototype was said to be found some two and a half years ago 'somewhere on a farm in Kent'. When Ian heard of it he started a search, which even included a helicopter! (full story here). He did find it, too, but had to negotiate hard to convince the owner he was the man who needed it.

Fast forwards two and a half years and Ian has finally been able to take it over to his place! He wrote: "Guess what I have finally secured, after almost two years of negotiations, it's now heading off to south-west France for a strip down. More details and pics very soon. Thanks for all your help, best regards, Ian" Love it!

The sole Boxer Sprint after just being finished at Tolgate Garage in Rye in 1986

Picture Jeroen Booij archive via Ian Shearer

The moulds for the Boxer Sprint. Unfortunately they were only used to create the prototype

Picture Jeroen Booij archive via Ian Shearer

Ultra-rare flyer for the Boxer Sprint. Despite good press and even cover articles it did not succeed

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The Boxer Sprint is now back in the hands of its original designer and builder and will be restored

Picture Ian Shearer

Boxer Sprint found

You know the Nimbus Coupe, do you? Then you may have heard of the Boxer Sprint, too. This car was developed by Ian Shearer, who came up with the Nimbus, too. However, the Boxer was never a success, and apart from the 1986 prototype, no more cars envisaged despite it being a cover car for Kitcars and Specials magazine in September '86. Shearer sold the car many moons ago, regretting it very soon after, but he never found it back. And so, I dropped him a line immediately after I'd been sent over a picture of the car. It looked rather sorry for itself but at least it was still there. You can imagine Ian's urge to see it. He wrote to me:

"My old Boxer looks complete, any idea where it is?? I would love to get it back."

I only knew it was photographed in Lydd, and Ian replied: "Wow!! Lydd is not far away and I've brought my trailer with me, perhaps I might get lucky." A day later he came back to me: "I have had a quick look around the most obvious yards in Lydd, but as it is very rural and a bit of a rabbit warren, I have not yet found any leads to the whereabouts of my old Boxer. I just hope I can find it before the yard owner disposes of it. I don't suppose the chap who spotted it has got back to you with a more specific location?"

Unfortunately he hadn't.

Ian again: "Thanks Jeroen, I have a couple of places to search tomorrow, but when the weather improves; hopefully at the weekend, a friend who runs air taxi/medivac from Lydd airport said he would give me 30 minutes in one of his helicopters to help with the search."

But then the photographing guy did come back to me with a location. Ian was over the moon: "Well! That's saved a helicopter ride. Today would not be a good day for air recon, everything is covered in a light dusting of snow. We're off to make contact straight after breakfast and too take a few pics. Thank you sooo much for your input Jeroen, lets hope I can secure it quickly!"

So far, so good. Ian went over to the place to have a look, but still hasnt bought it. He wrote: "All is very slow, the owner tells me that the car is part of a company and will only be sold as such? I am meeting with him next week, hopefully to sort out the details. Fingers crossed that it does not take to long, although I am not to worried about extended time scales, as long as I achieve my goal…"

The sole Boxer Sprint, found on a farm place in Lydd recently. Hopefully soon to be moved

Picture Tobe Bailey

The car being built at Ian Shearer's place in the mid-1980s. Note the moulds behind it

Picture Ian Shearer / Jeroen Booij archive

Completed at Tollgate Garage in Rye, from where it was marketed, too. Prices started at 695 GBP

Picture Ian Shearer / Jeroen Booij archive

September 1986: cover star of Kitcars and Specials magazine. It did not help sales though…

Picture Jeroen Booij archive