May 19, 2024
Lea-Francis Company
Richard Lea and Graham Francis entered into partnership in August 1895 to make advanced and relatively expensive bicycles in Lower Ford Street, Coventry.
From 1903 they branched into building cars under licence for Singer , followed in 1911 by motorcycle production. Cars under the Lea-Francis brand were built using externally-sourced components from 1919.
1941-1952:LEN SIDNEY
Originally a Type ‘O’ 12HP variant, the car featured was acquired in 1941 by Melbourne toolmaker and engineer, Len Sidney. It had raced, reputedly, at Phillip Island and served as a shooting brake on kangaroo hunts in the Northern Territory.
Ever resourceful, Len Sidney evolved the Lea-Francis in stages – first commissioning Giles Motor Body Works to fashion an attractive, close-coupled four-seater tourer body complete with mudguards, windscreen and all-weather trim for around £90.
Necessary modifications included repositioning the radiator down and back to aid a lower bonnet line.
3-litre, 6-cylinder
Around 1945, Len addressed inadequate brakes, replacing with a cable operated set from a 7th Series Lancia Lambda. Happy with the way the car looked, handled and stopped, Len’s next move was to replace the original 4ED 1.5 litre power plant with a 3-litre, 6-cylinder OHV Meadows unit which had been in a vintage Bean. The engine change involved detailed correspondence between Len and the top brass at Henry Meadows Ltd. in Wolverhampton.
This confirmed the origins of the original engine, as well as much good information on the later 6-cylinder ESC engine. Meadows records verified this very motor was supplied to Bean Cars Ltd. In January 1928. Furthermore, these engines were still in use, even in WW2 tanks in North Africa.
Many and detailed modifications ensued, among them a gated-change 4-speed reverse H-pattern non-synchromesh gearbox and heavy-duty clutch. In March 1950, AMS [Australian Motor Sport magazine] covered the car in detail….noting its use as a mix of touring and competition.
Competition
During 1949, Len recorded 21.3 seconds for a standing ¼ mile, winding up across the line at 80.4 mph. It is believed Peter Menere, a busy post-War competitor, also drove in an Australian Motor Sports Club speed trial achieving 20.7 seconds and a class wine in Over 1500cc Sports for the standing ¼ mile.
In a Stock Car High Speed Trial at Fishermen’s Bend the car showed well before cracking by far, the fastest practice time against a stellar field at a Vintage Rob Roy hill climb meeting. Alas tailshaft issues prevented the car from running . Refer AMS October 1949.
Covering a major meeting at the Ballarat Aerodrome circuit on November 18-19, 1950, AMS December 1950 refers to “another car which showed out from the ruck was Len Sidney’s Lea-Francis Special”. On this occasion Len ran in a 7-lap, 21-mile Sports Car Scratch Race finishing 4th. in 1500-3000cc class in a race which included Doug Whiteford and Harry Firth.
Impressions
Wearing a storied Lea-Francis radiator badge, the ancient steed is of schoolboy scribble proportions – rakish, medium-sized, low slung and easily accessed through scalloped doors. First impressions take in understated black livery, generous silver-painted 19” wire wheels, period Lucas headlamps, nickel-plated radiator and a dashboard of aircraft complexities and functions – and a nicely patinated 1948 Australian Sports Car Club Concours d’Elegance plaque.
Bucket front seats fold to permit rear seat passengers. The steering wheel with four spokes is of proper vintage proportions and the gated-four speed gear lever at once speaks both of a time long past – and the challenge of a 4-speed non-synchromesh box of old cogs.
Start-up is simple. Power on. Fuel on. Magneto on. Timing to Advance. Rotax starter button pressed. Large twin SU carburettors and elegant six-branch exhaust header set-up help the “Leaf” move forward to a mechanical melody as torque takes up and speed takes over.
In short, this remarkable ninety-six year-old machine oozes by-gone origins, yet is perfectly at ease, effortlessly matching today’s traffic.
1953-1966: ANDRE CHALEYER / PETER ROBINSON
Advertised in AMS December 1952 the car, which Len had repainted in ivory, passed to Andre Chaleyer and onto Peter Robinson of East Bentleigh, Victoria, who raced it sparingly. In a letter from Peter Robinson, he confirmed running the Lea-Francis – known among the fraternity as a “Leaf” - at an Australian Sports Car Club meeting at Fishermen’s Bend in 1954.
By 1962, Peter had moved the car onto a school teacher in Ballarat from whom Neville Webb acquired the car in 1966.
1966-2000: NEVILLE WEBB / BILL POTTS / JOHN STEVENS / GAVIN SANFORD-MORGAN
An architect and collector of vintage performance cars, Neville Webb of St. Georges, an Adelaide suburb, refurbished the “Leaf” , returned it to the original black livery and competed at Mallala and Collingrove Hill Climb. Often driven by Neville’s colleague, fellow enthusiast, Rob Harcourt, the “Leaf” was an ideal race/rally car. As happened between vintage enthusiasts, Neville swapped the “Leaf” for a 1500cc HRG with another prominent Adelaide collector, Bill Potts. Bill was a cycle-guard man and believed if the car was of British sporting stance, it should be painted British Racing Green. And so the Len Sidney “Leaf” changed appearance yet again. Some time later, Potts sold the car to John Stevens who traded it with famed dealer, Gavin Sandford-Morgan, for a Bean Special.
2000–2024: NEVILLE WEBB [AGAIN] / PAUL SAMUELS / RON HARRIS / WARREN WEBB / RICHARD DYSON HARVEY
At an auction of Gavin Sandford-Morgan cars and parts in 2000, Neville Webb acquired the car once more, along with an extensive cache of Meadows engine and gearbox components. Dispatched to “The Vintage Garage”, Webb’s family operation in Queensland, mudguards were reshaped to the current cross between cycle and original full sweep, Bill’s BRG paint job was taken back to black, engine and gearbox were re-commissioned and seats and cockpit re-trimmed.
The next owner – in 2006 - was Paul Samuels, well-known proprietor of the Goulburn racing circuit, Wakefield Park and a racer and collector of many a car over decades. Fortunately, the engine parts Neville Webb had accumulated came in handy when Paul needed to have the motor replaced after a major failure. L.W. Parry in Sydney – along with Highlands Race & Classic at Mittagong undertook the task, aided by a block and crankcase parts from the Webb stocks.
After troublesome back surgery, Paul found the car uncomfortable to drive and on-sold it in 2007 to Ron Harris of Gympie in Queensland. In Ron’s hands, the car performed reliably until 2015 when it returned – almost on script – to Neville Webb’s son, Warren.
From there it passed to noted collector Peter Bell before it current custodianship with Richard Dyson-Harvey.
Since 1941, this unique Australian special has been owned and exercised by a colourful line-up of our best-known vintage car enthusiasts: Len Sidney, Andre Chaleyer, Neville Webb, Bill Potts, Gavin Sandford Morgan and Paul Samuels among them.
In a 2009 letter to Anne Harris, Ron’s wife, Pamela Sidney, daughter of Len wrote: “The Lea-Francis seems to cause endless curiosity and keeps rising again and again over the decades like a phoenix.”
