JABRO 1959 MK III "BIRDCAGE"
Original owner/driver Frank Righetti and then followed by Stu French, a Navy fighter pilot and test pilot for Grumman aircraft. The car was well known because Stu French used to drive around the pits at Lime Rock with a very large gorilla stuffed animal as a passenger. The car was also featured in Mark Brinker's book. Stu French hired Ray Heppenstall, of Howmet Turbine car fame, to do chassis work including stressed panels. Tom O'Brien, the current owner, was Stu's crew chief. Tom did suspension work on the Jabro, changing it over to a Jaguar "D" type rear end with a low pivot leading arm front.
Tom also redesigned the steering and transformed the car from not cornering well and being difficult to drive, to being one of the best handling cars Tom had ever driven. It has broken the class lap record time at Lime Rock Park.
Tom O’Brien bought the Jabro from Stu and continued to develop the car. He improved cooling, cam timing, and ignition and it resulted in a fast, reliable, and consistent race winner. The trans is a Taylor/Hewland which allows ratio changes, and which shifts with a Ferrari gate and lockout Type arrangement.
There is a 3 race old AH Sprite square cut close ratio gear trans as a spare.
Spare bare block is ready for parts and assembly. Part of the success is the crank and there is a spare, nitride with the special flange or their 6 bolt alum. flywheel.
There are other misc. spares inc. rear end dif. gears.
This is an absolutely spare no expense car.
Put fresh rubber on it, prep it, go win.
