B
The Berkeley was a very popular British sports car
Its constructor, Laurie Bond was one of the more successful designers of mini
cars in England. In 1956 he joined with Charles Panter, owner of Europes
largest manufacturer of caravans, who wanted to offset seasonal sales
variations by producing a car.
Production began with 3 prototypes, which were seen being tested with
enthusiasm around the neighborhood of Biggleswade in the late summer of 1956.
Stirling Moss drove one at Goodwood in September, and the public saw the new
Berkeley en masse at the Motor Show.
The bodies were made of two plastic parts, with a box-shaped substructure and
suspension and engine compartment reinforced with aluminum, forming a
fiberglass monocoque structure. The headlights were under plexiglass covers.
The first Berkeleys, the B60s, were 4-wheelers and had 322cc Anzani 2-stroke,
2-cylinder motors with 15 horsepower and chain drive to the front wheels.
These in turn were hung on A-arms, suspended by Girling coil-and-damper units.
At the rear there were swing axles, with struts. It was named B60 for its top
speed, but generally referred to as the Berkeley Roadster in the literature.
In the spring of 1957, after some 163 cars with the Anzani motor had been
produced, a switch was made to the 328cc Excelsior twin. This gave a useful
increase of 3 horsepower and more importantly, a much better reliability
record. The car was named B65, again for its top speed. The year saw many
racing successes. In 1958 the new Berkeley Cars Ltd. Company showed the 328
Standard, 328 DeLuxe (twin carbs and better trim), and the new 492cc
triple-cylinder B95 at the Earlbs Court Motor Show.
B
Manufacturer: Berkeley Cars Ltd. Biggleswade England
B
--- On Fri, 1/20/12, Jay <jfishbein at snet.net> wrote:
From: Jay <jfishbein at snet.net>
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Car?
To: "Allen Hefner" <lbc77mg at gmail.com>, "Spridgets list"
<spridgets at autox.team.net>
Date: Friday, January 20, 2012, 12:57 PM
That's a Berkley
jay fishbein
wallingford, CT
________________________________
From: Allen Hefner <lbc77mg at gmail.com>
What's the car in the photo?
http://www.peggyking.org/60Kellys.html
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