1960 Berkeley T60 Coup

For sale by auction on Saturday 31 August 2013 with Historics at Brooklands. Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit. Weybridge. Surrey. Call 01753 639170

The Berkeley was a very popular British sports car; its creator. br/>Laurie Bond. was one of the more successful designers of mini cars
in England. In 1956 he joined forces with Charles Panter and
produced three prototypes. the bodies of which were made of two
plastic parts. with a box-shaped substructure and suspension with
engine compartment reinforced with aluminium. forming a fibreglass
monocoque structure. The first Berkeleys. the B60s. were
four-wheelers and had 322cc Anzani two-stroke motors. International
recognition came from the string of successes achieved by Count
'Johnny' Lurani's team of 492cc cars at Verona. Monza and in the
Mille Miglia.



The B65 then became the T60. a three-wheeler. able to be driven
on a motorcycle licence.

This 1960 Berkeley T60 is a late chassis number vehicle which we
believe to have been originally convertible. In the 1970's. many
Berkeley's were kept on the road thanks to an engineering programme
run by David Ratner who specialised in modifying the cars commonly
with Austin Mini 850cc mechanics and ancillaries giving spritely
performance. This car carries the Ratner hallmarks. in particular
the headlight modification and quite specifically the hardtop which
Ratner's Berkeley Development Company was known to have undertaken
on several cars during this period to match the original
manufactured design. The car is also equipped with the slot-fix
side windows. In 1996. this car was issued a new V5C which notes
first registration and/or use in 1960 and has spent the majority of
its life since in Cumbria and then Scotland within two large
Motorbike and Microcar collections. With all MOT's since 1996 in
the history file. this has seen regular use of up to 1. 00 miles
per year. On 10th August this year the owner drove the car from
Newcastle to London. covering 330 miles in 6hrs. He reported that
what the car failed to deliver in modern comforts. it made up for
in reliability and eager performance throughout the journey. The
current MoT test certificate runs to the end of March 2014 and
shows no advisories. Whilst the car is presented in good mechanical
and structural order there is scope for paint and detailing
improvements. A rare. fun and attractive three-wheel British
microcar ready to be enjoyed.

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