Dickie Stoop 904 GTS

[Porschinelle]

Roy

I found the enclosed pictures of the delivery to Dickie Stoop of his bright new 904 GTS 904-045
May be you can answer my following questions
Who was dickie Stoop ? cinema or theater actor ?
Who was WH Adlington the owner of the Porsche shop where this car was delivered ?
Does the mention Frazer Nash mean that WH Adlongton was the owner of Frazer Nash and what were the relation between Frazer Nash and Porsche in England ?

[roy mawbey]

Gerard,

I grew up with AFN ( Frazer Nash Cars ) they are the reason why I bought my 356A in the 60's. My school was one kilometer from AFN and in the middle 50's I used to deliver papers for pocket money. I used to gaze through the windows you show in your photo's to look at brand new 356A's.
My brother then in about 61 worked for them. He also as mentioned many times drove 356 and owned a number of 356 cars. He also met Dickie Stoop a racing driver. He also has a photo of that car in a crashed condition outside AFN. Dickie Stoop died racing I seem to remember that car. ( My brother could confirm that )

WH ( Bill) Aldington brother HJ ( Aldy ) and his son John were everything with regard to AFN. Bill produced the Frazer Nash cars of the 30's and later the 50's. Aldy was the driving force for Porsche representation after the war. There was an agent Connaught cars and another but in 1953 it took off with Frazer Nash cars getting the agency. I have always known the name AFN to be an appreviation of Archie ( Archibald) Frazer Nash. Frazer Nash the engineer had otther companies as well as cars.

It was though AFN Ltd ( or as I have always called it 'Frazer Nash' that made it happen for Porsche in the UK. I did meet for a few words HJ in the late 60's he used to go to PCGB events

I think the history is about right, its from memory.

Roy

[Porschinelle]

Thanks a lot Roy

Did Frazer Nash stopped building cars when they became Porsche representative or did they stopped before ?

[roy mawbey]

Hi Guys,

First of all I want to thank you very much for all those photos of AFN. I am going to pass on these to my brother.

Secondly, I spoken to my brother today and he confirmed some things I was not entirely sure about.

1). Dickie Stoop was a Spitfire pilot during the war and afterwards became a well respected world wide 'amateur racing driver'. He had a very nice home still living with his mother in Hampshire. Before the 904 he had a 356A Carrera and other racing cars. He then progressed to 911 but lost his life in a Carrera 2 ( according to Peter)during a race at 'Croft' in the late 60's. He suffered a heart attack at the wheel and sustained no other injuries but the car did.

2). So, the car in the photo he has outside AFN that was badly damaged was a BMW 507 a rare car indeed but not the 904. The owner's son lost his life in that BMW 507 that's why I was confused.

3). Apart from Porsche AFN represented as a major agent BMW with their motorcycles, Steib motorcycle sidecars, BMW bubble cars, Bristol in connection with their own Frazer Nash cars.

4). One of their Frazer Nash models had the same windscreens and other glass as well as doors from the 356. They produced a number of different style Frazer Nash sports cars during the 50's. Before the war the cars they produced were 'chain driven' no normal propshaft and back differencial.

5). For your info Gerard, Peter told me today Archibald Frazer Nash (AFN) was a designer of great importance as he developed for the UK fighter planes the first system for us to fire bullets through the propeller when flying.

I am not sure when they stopped producing cars but think it was in the late 50's.

Thanks again for those photos

Roy

[Porschinelle]

Hi Roy

Thanks again for all these infos
I have checked on the net and found a site : www.frazernash-usa.com which state that the adlington brothers stopped to built their own car (which had BMW engines) in 1957 when they became officially Porsche distributor for England
Herewith a picture of one of their car a 1952 roadster similar to a MGA

[roy mawbey]

Gerard,

Yes similar to MGA. They also produced a coupe version with the 356A doors and windows. I must try to lacate a photo of that car. They sell for very good money indeed.
By the way before 1953 when Frazer Nash started with Porsche the company 'Coborn garages' sold some very early 356 cars. I think they were also VW agents.

There are a number of Frazer Nash clubs around the world. Apart from
Peter I knew 3 others who worked at Frazer Nash in the 50's and early 60's.

Roy

[roy mawbey]

Gerard,

Two photo's of Dickie Stoops 904 and and interesting account by DSJ on the text yoh can read.

Roy

[Porschinelle]

If obviously this picture was taken in front of the Frazer Nash brothers garage, the car on the tytrailer behind the VW service bus is not a 904 but a 906
May be Roy could tell us more about this car :
Who was the owner and when this picture was taken

[roy mawbey]

Gerard and Justin,

This 906 was owned by Mike de Udy. It was the first 906 chassis 906101 and was registered LJJ 16D in 1966. Mike bought two 906 cars from AFN in London the second chassis 906129. He raced both cars and the car shown in the photo still exists today with the same reg number. It went through other owners in the UK and then USA. It returned to France then to the Harrison collection. I think it has now recently been sold again.

On a secondary note, Martin Hone who owned restuarants in Birmingham in the mid 70's and was at that time quite involved in the PCGB also owned a 906. I don't have the chasss number but maybe its Mikes 2nd 906 chassis 106129?

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy, I knew you would ahve an answer!
Justin

[Porschinelle]

Roy
Justin

Just found to day a wonderful French speaking site entirely devoted to 904
I will try to post on the 904 thread some of what I have read.
On this site every 904 is listed with all owners from new to 2000 and for the ones who were raced their pedegree

Dickie Stoop 904 appear to be 904-045

[Porschinelle]

As you may see the 1st of August 1964 Dickie Stoop raced in the German grand prix on the Nurburing
On the 904 site I referred before one of the participant is a German french speaking
He remenber that in August 1964,a few days after the German Gd Prix, he went to the Nurburing with his parents
At that time he was 14 years old and took the enclosed pics with is small camera

[Porschinelle]

Apparently 10 days after the German Gd Prix Dickie Stoop was still there
One of the pic was taken in front of the Christophorus restaurant
Could somebody explain me the relation between this restaurant and the Porsche magazine ?

[Porschinelle]

I have found the origin of the name "Christophorus" of the official Porsche magazine

[Porschinelle]

But that does not explain why the Nurburing restaurant is also called Christophorus
Anyone has a clue ?