One of six aluminium coupe Sprites
bodied by Williams & Pritchard for John Sprinzel Ltd during
1960/1.
This is
the 4th incarnation of the car to compete internationally
bearing the PMO 200 number. It was built from parts salvaged
from the previous car using a new standard black Sprite
Mk1 body shell, with the steel rear bodywork replaced in
alloy, a Sebring bonnet & works high side screen hardtop.
At this time the doors were probably also skinned in alloy.
Its first event was the 1960 RAC Rally, in this guise it
was also raced at the Brands Hatch boxing day meeting.
Over the winter of 1960/1 PMO & S221 were
converted to full alloy coupe specification to compete
at Sebring in America. Both were painted Silver Grey,
S221 had a blue nose to aid identification.
Following Sebring both cars returned to England
where S221 remained a very competitive race car, while
PMO was prepared for international rallying & doubling
as John’s road car & customer demonstrator. PMO was
also raced with great success, made all the more impressive
because it was about 60kg heavier than most of its rivals
which typically weighed less than 600kg.
The 1962 Monte Carlo Rally was PMO’s last international
appearance, after this it was sold into private hands.
The PMO registration was retained by John Sprinzel &
was seen on many different competition cars. The car was
re-registered 248 DXN & continued to be raced until
the late ‘60s or early ‘70s passing through several owners
including John Aley of ‘Aley Bars’ & Ted Walker of
‘Ferret Fotographics’.
The trail then goes cold until the 1980’s where
it ended up in the collection of Tony Elshoff who stripped
it in preparation for a full restoration. At some time
during this period the roof of the barn where it was stored
collapsed, completely flattening the car down to level
with the door tops. Due to ill health the restoration
never happened & in September 1999 the car was consigned
to auction along with most of the collection.
The current owners acquired the car at the auction
still bearing the 248 DXN registration & purchased
the original PMO 200 registration a short time later.
The restoration has taken 6 years. The main aim was to
reuse every original component which could be safely salvaged,
regardless of cost or time.
The car was finished in rally trim in time for
John to drive it again in November 2005, for the first
time since 1962.
Sir Stirling Moss drove PMO in the Fordwater
Trophy race at the 2006 Goodwood Revival into 11th place
overall.
The February 2007 edition ( issue 44 ) of OCTANE
magazine features an article about PMO’s reunion
with John & Sir Sterling
Moss.
If you have any information or recollections
about PMO please contact us at the e-mail address below.
Owners
Paul & Sharon Woolmer
paul@pmo200.com
