Turner Tales

Jack Turner

Welshman Jack Turner was one of a band of men who turned to Motorsport after the hostilities of WW2. Suitable cars were hard to find, so Jack, like so many, set out to build his own. Jack’s car was pretty much a pure MG Sprint/Hill Climb car; a single seater based on an 1100cc blown Magnette. Jack competed in his car for a year or two before retiring from competition and setting up in business making cars!

A succession of innovative competition cars followed, culminating in an F2 car which was campaigned by John (Brands Hatch) Webb. Jack also produced F3 cars and even made his own engines for a while!

Jack Turner at Shelsley Walsh in 1949 behind the wheel of the single-seater he constructed using the components from an MG Magnette.	In the early 50’s Jack built a 4-cylinder 500cc engine for Formula 3. It wasn’t successful but later the dohc cylinder head was fitted to a BMC "A" series engine!

It was in the mid-fifties when Jack Turner realised that he was never going to make his fortune making racing cars and turned to road going sports cars. The Turner 803 had Jack’s trademark tubular chassis with rear suspension by trailing arms and torsion bars. It had an 803cc A30 engine and you could buy one for £475, plus purchase tax, ready to drive away. Sales started well but then along came the Austin-Healey Sprite, less expensive and available from your local BMC dealer!

The Turner Mk 1 arrived late in 1959. This was quite a sophisticated Sports Car for the time, with a new stylish body and the well-established Triumph Herald front suspension. The Mk2 followed a developed version with front disc brakes as standard and a host of engine options.

The final Turner produced was a 2+2 GT but only nine had been produced when Jack Turner closed his business when he became ill. He recovered his health to take a number on positions in industry before retiring to South Wales.

Turner Cars

Turner 803/950

The first Turner Sports Car was the A30 Sports which was also known as an 803. This had what was to become the traditional Turner chassis and a whole 803 cc of "A" series to speed it on it’s way! 90 803’s were produced between 1955 and 1957 when the 950 replaced it. This had the same chassis and basically the same body but came with the A35’s 948cc engine and hydraulic brakes! 170 of these cars were manufactured between 1957 and 1959.

Turner Mk I/II/III	Turner GT

Production of the Turner MkI stated in 1959 and this is the car that most people identify with the marque. It retained the Turner tubular chassis but had a stylish new body and a choice of A35 or Climax engines. Ford power was added to the list when the Mk II came along. Along with this choice came Triumph Herald front suspension. The Mk III development had some subtle changes to the body, including a bonnet scoop and elliptical tail lamps. Production dates and numbers were as follows – Mk I 1959-60, 160 cars; Mk II 1960-63, 150 cars; Mk III 1963-66, 100 cars. Most of these models were exported to the United States.

The GT was introduced in 1961. It was a very different machine. The familiar tubular chassis was gone, replaced by a GRP monocoque with a steel floorpan. The front and rear suspension was mounted on tubular steel sub-frames. The GT was offered with Ford or Coventry-Climax engines but only ten had been sold when Jack Turner shut up shop for good.

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