Sadly, another motoring great is gone....
HARRY Webster, 89 years old was a British automotive engineer who left an
indelible mark on the motor car industry of Great Britain. Sadly Webster passed
away on February 6, 2007 He was a much-admired and respected automotive
engineer whose team inspired the birth of successful Triumph sports cars such
as the TR2 family, the Spitfire and the Stag, and was also responsible for the
Herald, Vitesse, 2000 and 1300 family car ranges; in the same period, he
supported the building of special cars which raced successfully in the Le Mans
24-Hour race.
Having become director of engineering in 1957, Webster assembled an
enthusiastic team which produced a series of charismatic new models to
near-impossible development schedules, even though investment finance was
always very
limited.
It was Webster who discovered the mercurial little Italian stylist Giovanni
Michelotti in 1957, signed him up as a consultant to Standard-Triumph and
ensured that a new generation of Triumphs would have much more flair than
their
ancestors.
Webster (a fast and enthusiastic driver) would often drive from Coventry to
Turin and back in a weekend to confer with Michelotti about future products.
TR-4-TR-5/250 and the TR-6 More on his story at
_www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2007/02/09/db0904.xml_
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2007/02/09/db0904.xml)
Albert Escalante Central Coast British Car Club-USA
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