Other Makes G80 (1959)
for sale
Price: US $1,125.00
Price: US $1,125.00
1959 Berkeley Sports. Front-wheel drive, left hand drive. This
car started its life as an SE-328, with a two-cylinder, 328cc Excelsior engine.
Sometime in the 1960s the 328 was replaced with the larger 3-cylinder 492cc
Excelsior engine. (Other modifications at the time included relocating the gas
tank from under the hood to the rear of the car, and moving the battery from
beside the engine to its current position behind the engine. A smaller, custom-made steering wheel replaced the original wheel.)
I’ve owned the car since 2005. Berkeleys were popular small
bore racers in the late 50s and early 60s, running in the I-Production and
H-Production classes, and my intent was to set the car up for vintage racing. I
sent the car to a shop in Connecticut (GMT Racing) to get it running and to
make the necessary modifications (mostly safety mods) to make it eligible to
run with the VSCCA (Vintage Sports Car Club of America). GMT installed a
removable roll bar, and replaced the old rusted fuel tank with a racing fuel cell.
They also installed an electronic ignition, and improvised a small holding tank
above the engine that is fed by an electric fuel pump and gravity feeds the
three Amal carburetors. The exhaust was recently replaced with a
newly-manufactured expansion chamber exhaust from the UK-based Berkeley
Enthusiasts Club. The club is very active, and really helpful with spares, a
monthly newsletter, and great advice. And…given the small number of cars that
were built, there are a surprisingly large number of them around – both here in
the States as well as back in the UK.
The car has run at Lime Rock Park and at Watkins Glen. (As a
racer it is best suited for smaller tracks with lots of turns. The car can
carry lots of speed through corners, but can’t keep up with larger cars on the
straights.) I’ve also taken the car on some day tours, including a trip to the
top of Bear Mountain, and a trip with the Westchester Region Antique
Automobile Club, retracing the route of the 1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race. It’s also a
fun car to take to the grocery store or run errands around town. The car has
been shown at the the Scarsdale Concours d'Elegance, and at the Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance.
The car is in good
shape, but has been off the road for a couple of years, and will need a good
once-over.
Unlike many other ”rare cars”, with parts described as being
made of “unobtainium”, Berkeley parts (lights, hinges, etc.) can often be found
fairly readily. It seems that Berkeley wasn’t shy when it came to sourcing
parts from other manufacturers. And, although Lucas electrical components may
have their issues, you can find replacement parts.
It’s also an easy car to keep. The Berk is only ten feet
long and just over four feet wide. It’ll fit sideways in most garages – and you
can move it around by picking up the rear and wheeling it wherever you want it. At 6'1 I have to work my way into the car, but fit comfortably once I get situated. But as small as it is, it’s a real car – and it is a blast to drive.
The car was featured in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car in
2007.
here
and Hemmings described Berkeleys in 2008.
here
An interesting video of the restoration of a 1958 SE-492 as a vintage racecar
is included in this article.
here
Berkeley cars were produced from 1956 through 1960 by Berkeley
Coachworks in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, UK. The original Berkeley Sports
introduced in 1956 was a lightweight, two-seat sports powered by a 322cc Anzani
two-stroke twin producing 15 bhp. Subsequent models replaced the Anzani with a
328cc Excelsior Talisman twin (18 bhp), a 492cc three-cylinder version of the
Excelsior Talisman (30 bhp), a 40 bhp Royal Enfield 692cc Super Meteor, and
finally with a 50 bhp Royal Enfield 692cc Constellation.
The car was unique at the time of its launch in that it employed
not only a transverse engine and front wheel drive, but a complete fiberglass
monocoque body reinforced locally by lightweight aluminum sections. (The
Berkeley engine and drive placement was later made popular by Austin in their
Mini – and the fiberglass/aluminum structure was later employed by Colin
Chapman in the Lotus Elite.)
Berkeley produced about 2, 500 hundred four-wheel cars, as
well as a number of three-wheel T60 models (powered by the 328cc Excelsior
Talisman Twin and appealing to motorcyclists moving into automobiles). Berkeley
ceased production in December 1960 when the company overextended itself in the
development of an all-new model in their attempt to compete in the U.S. market
against the new (and much more traditional/substantial) Austin-Healey Sprite
and MG Midget models.
A $1, 500 payment (PayPal) is required within 48 hours of the
close of the auction. Full payment within 10 days. I can keep the car for some
time after the close of the auction – and I can help with finding a shipper. (Note: The sale doesn't include the trailer that is shown in a couple of the photos.)
update: 2017-09-05
Condition: | Used | Year: | 1959 |
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | 1130 | Mileage: | 99,999 |
Number of Cylinders: | 3 | Make: | Other Makes |
Transmission: | Manual | Model: | G80 |
Body Type: | Convertible | Engine: | 492cc Excelsior 2-stroke |
Warranty: | Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty | Drive Type: | FWD |
Vehicle Title: | Clear | Fuel Type: | Gasoline |
Sub Model: | SE-492 | For Sale By: | Private Seller |
Exterior Color: | Cream | Drive Side: | Left-hand drive |
Interior Color: | Red |