Ernie Sprague

[@desward107]

Driving the Sprague Zephyr was a great experience, We used a mk 2 block bored right out with Vangaurd sleeves to increase capacity to 3000 and titanium push rods to reduce weight on the valve train. The high lift hand ground cam allowed us to pull up to 7000 rpm with 14 inch wheels to increase the top end speed in the flying quarter mile. For the enthusiasts here we also raced the Sprague Zephyr at the Lyttelton round the waterfront and the Dunedin festival of speed in 1990. Des Ward.

[@zephyrv6]

Thanks for the comment, unfortunately Ernie died a few years ago, but he'll always be remembered, he was a real character! The car is still going, somewhere in the North Island NZ

[@mabhekaphansi]

I LOVED this! What memories it brings back for me! There is no engine anywhere that beats the sound of the Zephyr straight six. I had a 61 Mk2 Zodiac and a 66 Mark 3 Zodiac Sport, factory-tweaked, 185-13's, telescopic rear shocks, and with a floor shift and bucket seats as standard. LOL, Ford here in South Africa had no "sport" decals, so they used the Volvo Sport decal at an angle just below the rear "Zodiac"!.

[@desward107]

Yes I owned and raced the Sprague Zephyr . I also own the Sprague mk3 Zodiac which won the 6 hour wills, it also has a 12 port Raymond Mays alloy head with the original wooden crate it arrived in from England .

[@zephyrheaven]

Brilliant stuff, thanks alot Mike - great to share such treasures. Loved it

[@zephyrv6]

He also told me that they had a worked iron head that put out more than the Raymond Mays, which he said they had problems with at the high compression they ran.

[@ZephyrCarClub]

I hope that they put that Mk III Zephyr into a car Museum in memory of Ernie Sprague.

[@moyadapne]

Yes. Thanks. That's how Webers go on relatively easy, and work so well.. and why it's called a 12 port head. Well, mine was :-) And without wishing to lessen the great man's achievements, at 1.46secs we have a cunningly worded photo that seems to suggest the Mk3 went to 128mph in 15.45 secs. More like 90mph over quarter mile, and top speed of 128. That's still moving. 6000rpm in top on a Mk3 diff is 118mph. So another 10mph is pushing a 6cyl. Hand hovers over delete....back me up James.

[@mikesprague8046]

AWESOME Thankyou Very Much

[@desward107]

Gday Yes I am from Oamaru. Ernie was a good friend of mine, We enjoyed racing the mk3 and also went to Melbourne each year for the formula 1. I also am restoring the Sprague mk3 racing Zodiac .

[@moyadapne]

1.00min. " a 6 port Raymond Mays head". Mine had 12 ports. Someone tell me please. Loved my Zefs. Yeah, a good 5 spd would be the deal.

[@zephyrv6]

That''s advertising, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story... :) I'd guess the 128mph was done over a flying quarter that they held near here every year. I believe he had a number of motors for different events when he was racing in the 60s, so it is possible he had a sprint motor capable of pulling more than 6000rpm, and/or a a higher ratio diff.

[@ragnatahgee8166]

Hi Keith,I saw your car at the MG Classic 2 weeks ago.I have some videos of it and will upload them soon.Do you remember Bob Larsen who last drove his Beige coloured 1974 Triumph 2500PI at the 2006 MG Classic?

[@tpvalley]

sounds like a ferrari!!

[@zephyrv6]

6 in and 6 out??

[@gruntabro1]

How much HP did Ernie get out of the zypher 6?

[@pauloconnor7951]

230 about :)

[@ZephyrMk1]

What amazing footage ! Thanks so much for posting this. Just love the sound of a good Zephyr 6 engine.