Since 1963 Barrie Price has been providing Lea-Francis owners with spares, restoration and service operations. He has also been an invaluable source of information and advice and has has ensured the company records and huge library of drawings have been saved and accessible to those of us rebuilding and running Lea-Francis cars, bicycles, motorcycles and tractors.
Many LFOC members will have been concerned about the future of Lea-Francis Cars Ltd having learned Barrie was now looking to retire after 56 years running the business and helping us all keep our cars on the road.
The Club is pleased to announce that Lea-Francis Cars Ltd has been purchased and is in the good hands of Orson Equipment, a long time supplier of components to vintage and classic car owners, including hubs, knock-ons, half-shafts and brake drums. Further details of the company can be found at their website: www.orsonequipment.co.uk
The transfer of the business is at an early stage and the movement of all the spares to their new location will take some time. However, Dave Wood, the owner of Orson, is keen to hear from LFOC members about their spares needs going forward and would be especially delighted to meet up with any Lea-Francis owners who will be a Beaulieu International Autojumble on the weekend of the 7 & 8 September 2019. The Orson pitch (Stand No38) at will be branded as Lea-Francis and may be found in the Red Field throughout the weekend.
The Editor hopes to interview Dave Wood and run an article about his vision for the future of Lea-Francis Cars in a future edition of the LeaFlet. In the meantime the contact details for him are:
Orson Equipment
Camco House
Dale Street
Bilston
WV14 7JY
Tel : 0044 1902 906290
Mob: 0044 7717472794
Email:
As the slightly damp members who had persevered through the morning’s rain turned up for lunch at the designated pub prior to the scatter rally, the rain clouds started to part and this turned out to be the end of the rain and set the tone for what would be a great Lea Francis weekend.
Below is an article from the Allgemeine-Zeitung reporting on the involvement of three local motor sports clubs in the Rheingau, Ingelheim and Bingen with the charity "Red Nose Day". The photo shows, in the foreground, two club presidents with the clown-doctor Pille-Palle and in the background, Lea-Francis Owners' Club member Horst Meinart stands next to his 1928 Lea-Francis P-Type Special, other members of the local car clubs and a 1963 Opel Kapitän.
The story is also available in the online edition of Allgemeine-Zeitung here.
Brooklands Museum to host talk by Graham Rabagliati on the history of Connaught cars.
Saturday 16 March saw the running of the annual Vintage Sports Car Club Herefordshire Trial. There were only two Lea-Francis among the entrants, although LFOC Club members were also competing, rather successfully in other cars, both Peter Tierney and Richard Houlgate were running their Austin 7s in the short wheelbase class and secured a 1st and 2nd class award respectively. Simon Bowyer also secured a 1st class award in his Model A Ford running in the long wheelbase class.
On this occasion neither Lea-Francis drivers, Roger Tolson and Lucy Reynolds managed to get into the awards.