>I heard that the Harrington factory used special pop-rivets to secure
>the body tags.
Haa haa haa..I like it Jan.
Actually, that is a good question. (How to tell a fake Harrington?) Let me direct this towards the Harrington Tiger that started this whole topic.
If I were interested in this car, which I'm not, I would first contact Norm Miller. Since he isn't in England, It would be difficult to get him to inspect the car to insure that it was infact a Tiger and not a conversion. Sending Norm to England could be expensive, but he could probably help find someone who could give a reputable opinion. Proving this car to be an actual Tiger is a key step because I think it would be more likely for someone to convert a Harrington Alpine to a Tiger, than a Tiger to a Harrington Tiger. ( Does that make sense?) Harrington parts aren't just laying around, they are literally non-existant.
I would next contact someone who owned an authentic Series 'D' Harrington. Rick Kellett in England owns one of the two remaining Series 'D' Harringtons that are based on the SIV Alpine. His car still has the actual build papers proving it to be a Series 'D' Harrington. I would want to do a comparison of his car to see how the top was crafted to the body and study the structual additions made to the body to give the car strength once the rear top brace was cut away. This is important on the Le Mans, Series 'C' and Series 'D' Harringtons because they actuall cut away the part of the body that seperates the trunk from the drivers compartment. (Where the trunk hindges would mount.) Modifications had to be made for the car to keep it's structural integrity. Since these cars had a hatch back, they needed to open up room for stowage and the fold down rear seat.
These cars weren't just Alpines with hard tops bolted onto them, There was an intense amount of craftsmenship involved in building them and it's really safe to say that no two Harrington are created equal. Except the Le Mans which was built under a more closely regulated eye (Rootes). A customer could literally create his Harrington to his or her own liking. Some were even built with leather interiors and a couple even received egg box grilles. (and you thought that was originated with the MK II Tiger!)
Finally, I would consult Clive Harrington. Clive has an unmeasureable amount of Harrington knowledge stored in his head. His memories of the people and everyday goings on around the factory could fill a bookshelf. Clive was telling me about the trouble they had restoring 3000RW (The Thermal Car) It had been involved in an accident and the whole front clip was replaced with one from a regular Alpine. His father worked with a local body man who recrafted the original front end exactly the was it was in '61. According to Clive, there were certain ways that their craftsmen did things. My Harrington, for example had chalk marks from different people who inspected the car. He was able to tell me who the marks were made by and a little story about them. Really cool stuff!!! I'm sure Clive could Identify the real thing from a copy.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that even though the Series 'D' Harrington was under production, Rootes was sharpening the axe and had already escorted Clive's Uncle G.H. Harrington out the door. Things weren't on solid ground and the Tiger project never really made it off of the drawing board. It wasn't built until the doors were shut, and that's why it is such a controversy today. I would feel very confidant persuing any Harrington Alpine that was up for sale, but a Harrington Tiger....well, that's another story and Iwould only procede with caution. (Unless it was Bill Van Velkinburgs)
This is just my opinion. Open for discussion. - ian<ian(at)sunbeamalpine.org>
Ian Spencer
Client Services
IS&T, Health Alliance
513/585-7123
spenceic(at)healthall.com
>>> "jumpin'jan" <servaij(at)cris.com> 01/04 9:31 PM >>>
Clivepococ(at)aol.com wrote:
>
> Happy New Year!!
>
> With all this discussion about fake Harringtons - just how does one determine whether you are looking at a fake Harrington or not ?
>
> Clive
> Series II now on a ship half way towards the Panama Canal and heading to the UK
I heard that the Harrington factory used special pop-rivets to secure
the body tags.
Jan
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