Page 34 - The Origin of the Species

THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES
34
Jarick cites as conclusive proof that a vehicle wearing the NOJ 391 plate
competed in club events throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, while AHS 3804
was known to have been running in the United States. What he has failed to
provide is any written documentation in the form of works records, event entry
forms or registration documents from the period in question that the chassis
number of the vehicle wearing the NOJ 391 trade plate during the late 1950s and
1960s was SPL 224B.
As mentioned earlier, Geoffrey Healey wrote that “this was SPL224B, which
had been rebodied with a production ‘S’ body and renumbered AHS 3804. It
succeeded in completing the 1955 Mille Miglia and the 1956 Sebring 12-Hour Race
driven by George Huntoon and Phil Stiles” and his own table contains a notation
that SPL 224B was “rebuilt as AHS 3804.” Jarick believes the October 10, 1955
is dispositive because it shows that SPL 258BN was shipped to the United States
for the upcoming Sebring race, but ignores that SPL 224B is also identified as one
of the other two cars shipped to America.
The physical evidence is perhaps more compelling, with AHS 3804 possessing
cockpit rails stamped with ‘Racer 24,’ which was the factory designation used for
the first four Special Test Cars completed. When sent photographs of these parts
for his comment, he refused to answer, which is telling.
During a meeting with Fred Hunter (who owned SPL 224B before Hillinger),
Geoffrey Healey personally inspected the vehicle and was present when the
paint was removed from the door to uncover the original finish that confirmed
the vehicle was SPL 224B (which William Severin Thompson had recorded on
video). Following this event, Geoffrey Healey wrote to Thompson and said, “Fred
Hunter ought to give you a bag of gold for this production (the videotape) as
(BELOW & OPPOSITE
TOP, BOTH) Joe Jarick uses
the fact that a vehicle wearing
the NOJ 391 trade plate
competed in events in the
United Kingdom (at the time
that AHS 3804 was known to
reside in the United States) as
conclusive evidence that AHS
3804 cannot claim to have
been derived from SPL 224B,
notwithstanding Geoffrey
Healey’s written statements
and his personal records.
(AHCA)