1953 H.R.G. 1500 Roadster WS Series
For Sale
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UK registered
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Period competition history
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One of only 12 with Singer SM engine
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Restored
The H.R.G. Engineering Company Ltd. was founded in Kingston-on-Thames in 1935 by ex-Brooklands racers E. A. Halford and H. R. Godfrey who had previously produced designs for G. N. sports cars. The final member of the H.R.G. team was G. Robins from the Trojan car company.
H.R.G. produced the 1500 between 1939 and 1956 with a total of 241 examples built. The 1500 was equipped with a Singer 12hp single overhead-camshaft engine and Singer gearbox.
Chassis WS222 was ordered new by Paul Flickinger of Oak Ridge, Tennessee in March 1953 and is believed to be the first of a run of only twelve examples equipped with the SM short-stroke Singer engine.
The chassis was laid down on the 1st June that year and the car was fitted with engine number 4AD2492W and gearbox number T4AD2407. The H.R.G.s original colour scheme was black with green leather and it was equipped with Girling hydraulic brakes. The body was constructed by the St. Leonards Engineering Company of St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex.
The completed car was shipped to the US on the 9th December 1953.
Paul then competed at the Savannah Sports Cars races and achieved a 4th overall and 2nd in class in the 52 mile Shamrock Cup of 1954. More races followed and posting seven starts, six finishes, one first place, two seconds, two thirds and one sixth. Unfortunately Paul was killed in 1956 when he lost control of a single seater Maserati at the Mount Equinox Hill Climb.
It is believed the H.R.G. was then acquired by US H.R.G. agent Jack Berry and was subsequently sold to wealthy US enthusiast John Moir of Chocorua. Moir won first place in the foreign car class at the Second Annual Mt. Washington Valley Old Car Show in 1992.
The car was sold sometime in the early 1990s and was later bought by UK dealer Brian Classic who sold it on to John Harper of Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire. In 2016 Harper had the cylinder head rebuilt which included new rocker arms, inlet and exhaust valves, guides and head gasket.
The H.R.G. was then purchased by Brian Gent of Carmarthen, Wales in 2019. This very rare H.R.G. 1500 has been restored to its original specification and remains in very good condition.
The car is now offered for sale on behalf of its current owner.