1956 Kieft 1100 Sports

• One of only six examples built
• The only one with an aluminium body
• Delivered new to the USA
• In-period race history
• Extensively restored, including a new body, 2014-2018
• Currently fitted with a 1,500cc Coventry Climax FWB engine (spare FWA included)
• Eligible for prestigious historic racing events such as Goodwood, Monaco, Le Mans Classic, Mille Miglia, etc

Cyril Kieft's first racing car – a mid-engined Formula 3 design – appeared in 1950, making a significant impact on the class the following year thanks to a certain Stirling Moss. In 1954, Cyril Kieft developed a Coventry Climax-engined two-seater with a complete bodyshell in glassfibre: believed the very first automotive application of this material. Six of these two-seaters were built between 1954 and 1956, the car offered here being the only one with an original aluminium body which was put on in the USA.

These Kiefts were powered by the 1,100cc Coventry Climax FWA engine, originally designed to power a fire pump, which Cyril Kieft had realised would make a good lightweight power unit for his race cars (Kieft was the first manufacturer to use the Climax FWA, before even Colin Chapman at Lotus). The engine delivered 72bhp at 6,400rpm and drove via a Moss gearbox, endowing the Kieft with a maximum speed of at least 110mph and a fuel consumption of 50mpg. The chassis was fabricated from 3¼" steel tube, forming a ladder frame. Suspension was independent all round with coil springs and wishbones at the front and a transverse leaf spring at the rear. The braking was by 11" cast drums, which also served as hubs, while the steering was rack-and-pinion. With its sleek, low-drag body, the Kieft was at the cutting edge of contemporary sports car design.

An early competitor in Historic Formula Junior with a Kieft, our vendor purchased '011-1-56' in 2013 from Howard Banasak Jnr in the USA, its owner since 1993. The first Kieft built in 1956, the car had been sold new in the USA to William 'Bill' Bowman of Minnesota (see hand-written list of four races competed in with various drivers between 1956 and 1958). The Kieft was later modified to accommodate a Chevrolet V8 engine, which was removed in 1968 and replaced with a Ford Consul Mark II unit, necessitating further modifications. As purchased it still had an aluminium body, albeit one obviously made in the USA. It was apparent that the car would require complete restoration.

A qualified engineer, the owner was keen to keep the car as original as possible during restoration, although, as it is eligible for the Mille Miglia, the supply of certain items relating to safety or reliability was entrusted to specialists. The US-built body having been judged below an acceptable standard, a new one to original specification was commissioned in aluminium from Roach Manufacturing of Romsey, who also made a new fuel tank, collector tank, prop-shaft cover, and passenger-side tonneau cover. A new roll bar was made by Robinson Race Cars of Stratfield Turgis, plus a second (removable) one for the passenger side, enabling the car to compete in the Mille Miglia. Robinson's also installed some side-impact protection. The original magnesium brake drums were deemed unsuitable for reuse and had to be replaced. As luck would have it, Typecast Foundry of Leicester had made a set for a customer the previous year and so had the patterns.

The car comes with a Coventry Climax FWA engine in pieces, ready for rebuilding, but currently has a 1,500cc FWB installed. The gearbox is the original Moss unit, which has been overhauled by specialists J.P. Race Shop at Silverstone and subsequently uprated with new gears by Billy Bellinger at JB Sports Engineering. The US-built body and chassis parts that had to be replaced are included in the sale together with an additional set of wheels shod with race tyres, and race front springs and dampers. The Kieft's painstaking restoration was completed in 2018 but, sadly, ill heath has prevented the vendor from racing it. In addition to Monaco, Le Mans Classic and Goodwood, this Kieft is eligible for the new HSCC '50s race, FISCAR, VSCC and the Mille Miglia.

Accompanying documentation includes correspondence from former Kieft employee, Keith Packmore; a letter from Kieft Club registrar Duncan Rabagliati confirming the chassis' originality; and a copy of an article in the The Automobile magazine (October 2018 edition) by Michael Ware. The car also comes with a UK V5C Registration Certificate and historic technical Passport valid until 2028.

1950s sports-racing cars are more and more prized and rightly so: they are beautiful and remarkably good fun to drive, often lively but nevertheless easy to use and maintain. Presented in restored condition with various spares, and possessing an interesting history, the Kieft we offer is a superb example of this mythical barchetta which is, of course, eligible for many of the most important historic events.