1959 Turner 950S

Description

This vehicle will be sold via live auction on Saturday 14th March at Concours House, Bradford on Avon, with auctioneers Dore & Rees. The price listed is the bottom auction estimate, bids will start at around 25% below this figure on the day. Go to [Website URL removed] for more details.



1959 Turner 950S

Registration Number: LGR 5
Chassis Number: 30/210
Engine Number: 2110-2108J6
Recorded Mileage: 58,010

-Long-term enthusiast restoration

Turner Sports Cars of Wolverhampton established a formidable reputation during the 1950s for producing lightweight, competition-bred machines of exceptional capability. Conceived by Jack Turner and clothed in sleek, hand-formed aluminium bodywork, the Turner 950S combined a simple but immensely effective multi-tubular chassis with independent front suspension and a well-located live rear axle, endowing the model with precise handling and outstanding road holding. With its low weight and finely balanced proportions, the 950S proved highly successful in club racing, international small-capacity events and hill climbs, frequently outperforming larger-engined rivals.

At the heart of the car lay the ubiquitous BMC A-series engine, in period typically specified in 948cc form and renowned for its robustness, tunability and willingness to rev. In a Turner installation, fed by twin SU carburettors and breathing through a free-flowing exhaust, the unit provided lively performance in a car weighing little more than 500kg. During its comprehensive restoration, the original engine was enlarged to 998cc and uprated with sympathetic internal improvements, a well-established and period-style enhancement that offers increased torque and flexibility while preserving the essential character of the car.

This example is understood to have seen racing use prior to its registration on 2 April 1959, an origin entirely in keeping with the Turner’s competition-focused ethos. Little is recorded of its early years before it emerged in the late 1960s, at which time it was acquired in a damaged condition, subsequently repaired and repainted from its original dark blue to a distinctive mustard yellow before returning to the road.

Over the following decade the car passed through a small number of custodians in the South of England before being discovered in 1979 as a dismantled, non-running project in a barn near Hastings. A painstaking restoration then commenced, carried out over many years and completed with great attention to originality. Apart from essential structural chassis work entrusted to specialists, the rebuild was undertaken in-house and included the careful reassembly of the car to correct specification, together with the enlargement and upgrading of the A-series engine as noted above.

In 2017 the bodywork was refinished in Triumph Primrose, a period hue well suited to the Turner’s compact and purposeful lines, and at the same time a replacement exhaust system and manifold were installed.

Most recently, during 2023, the car was extensively recommissioned by marque specialists, with particular focus on the suspension and braking systems at a cost in the region of £2,500–£3,000. This work has resulted in a well-sorted and highly usable example that is reported to drive extremely well, retaining the immediacy, balance and engaging performance for which these cars are celebrated.

With its evocative early competition history, long-term restoration and desirable uprated A-series power unit, this Turner 950S represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most charismatic and competitive British small-capacity sports cars of the post-war period — equally suited to historic motorsport, hill climbs, sprints or fast road use.



About Us:
Dore & Rees run regular auctions of classic and collectors cars, motorcycles and automobilia, in addition to art and antiques auctions. For a full calendar of our auctions please go to the website.

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Ad ID: 1510372850

Exact specification may vary from the details on this page. Please contact the seller to reconfirm any details before purchasing. See Terms & Conditions for further information.