etc

AN5L/18471 The Toolbox

Highslide JS

That's a Brabham behind me, and I really did beat him!
Highslide JS

Passing Ian Barberie's 1500cc Turner.
Highslide JS

David vs Goliath, a Matich SR3 with 4 ltr Traco Oldsmobile engine. Sorry, but he is actually lapping me.
Highslide JS


Highslide JS

The Toolbox was painted in these colours in 1968 to advertise Dulux's new range of metallic paints.
Highslide JS


Highslide JS

You too can make a screen like this. Just chop up a full size one and add a sheet of Lexan. Looks good dunnit?
Highslide JS


Highslide JS


Highslide JS


Highslide JS


Highslide JS


Highslide JS


Highslide JS

We built the spaceframe so we could hang the rear deck, and also to ensure the fuel tank is mounted in the original position. It has to look original from the rear, right!
Highslide JS

A removeable aluminium firewall slips into place before the rear deck closes.
Highslide JS

The Toolbox naked.
Named the Toolbox by my mate Chris Dimmock (aka: Stuffer) as both ends open out and the roll bar forms the handle in the middle.

The Toolbox was raced in the USA by Barry Bassingthwaighte, before bringing the car with him when he came to Australia in the mid 1960's. It was found to be uncompetitive in the Production Sports Car class, so Barry removed the bonnet, rear deck and doors and replaced them in fibreglass.

It seems Barry only raced the car a few times, and little is known of its history other than:
  • 16 January 1968 issued with CAMS log book
  • 15 April 1968 raced at Mt Panorama, Bathurst
  • April 1968 log book amended for larger engine and 8" wide wheels
  • 5 May 1968 raced at Warwick Farm
  • 21 September 1969 raced at Oran Park

The Racing Car News report on the September 1969 Oran Park meeting

The Sporties got off the ground at race three with a Division Two scramble and Graham McClintock led the pack away with his Clubman car. Bob Cox (Triumph) moved into second, ahead of Richard Rouse (Datsun) with Barry Bassingthwaighte surprisingly left in the early stages. On the second lap, McClintock's car dropped a valve, much to his natural disappointment. It could have been his first win.

Cox took over narrowly from Rouse, with Bassingthwaighte pressing hard, and then Graeme Laurie (Spitfire), Graham Bland (Honda) and Keith Royle (Sprite). On the third lap, Bassingthwaighte replaced Rouse and was having a big attack on Cox. As they entered Energol, Cox moved over for a retiring car and the two came into contact.

Bassingthwaighte's Sprite came off the deck and crashed heavily onto its roll bar, luckily without injury to the driver (this was the first appearance of the car since its last prang over six months ago).


The wreck was raided for engine, gearbox etc, and sat abandoned in a paddock. It passed through a few hands from 1987 until my purchase in May 1994. All that remained was a rusty shell, warped fibreglass doors, broken fibreglass rear deck and left hand drive dashboard.

During the second half of 1994, I restored the car to it's 1968 specifications, and raced it for the first time at the January 1995 Historic Race Meeting at Amaroo Park. I wanted the car in it's 1968 colours, but we had not been able to track down the code so the car raced in grey primer. In August 1995, a retired Dulux employee found the paint swatches, and Dulux kindly donated sufficient materials for the car to be painted in it's distinctive Chromatic Green with Brimstone and Carnation Red stripes.

The Toolbox has competed in over 30 races since 1995. It's most significant race was the All Healey International Challenge at Mt Panorama (Bathurst) in 1998. With a field of 28 cars, ranging from Bugeyes through 100/4 and Healey 3000s, the Toolbox started in 8th position and finished 5th. During the race it set the fasted ever lap time recorded by a Sprite around the Mt Panorama circuit, a record it still holds.