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Jack Pearce sold the car to David Bridges of Manchester for 1966,who took a 2nd and 3rd place in it before selling it on to Welshfarmer Robin Darlington, who promptly won no fewer than 18 raceswith the increasingly charismatic car – in effect a Formula 5000design before its time. Darlington shone in it at Snetterton, OultonPark, Llandow, Silverstone and Mallory Park. But at Oulton onAugust 20 Darlington crashed, and the Kincraft was returned to JackPearce for repair.Jim Moore, a Thornton heath garage owner, then bought the car onlyto crash it upon his debut at Brands Hatch that November. Fortuneschanged in 1967, as Jim Moore then accumulated no fewer than 20club-level race wins at Brands Hatch, Rufforth, Mallory Park, CastleCombe, Lydden Hill, Snetterton and Silverstone. He also crashedthe car at Mallory Park, repaired the damage before a mid-week testat Brands Hatch and promptly overturned it, breaking his shoulderand collar bone. As ‘Autosport’ reporter Michael Kettlewell wrote:“Undeterred, Moore attempted to race the car four days later, but thepain from his injuries caused him to crash again! The car was off thetrack for three-and-a-half months for repairs...”.1Robin Darlington on route to another victory, Snetterton, 1966© Ted Walker2The Kincraft on pole, Snetterton, 1965© Ted WalkerJim Moore’s brilliantly successful career with the car continuedthrough 1968, winning 18 times at Silverstone, Mallory, Rufforth,Castle Combe, Croft and Snetterton, and adding five lap records,plus the BRSCC Northern Formule Libre Championship. But atthe end of the Thorton Heath garage owner’s career with the carit abruptly disappeared from public view. It was sold reputedly toLiverpool’s John Scott-Davies. It was entered for the first Formula5000 race at Oulton park on Good Friday 1969, by Lord Cross, aveteran Cobra driver. But the Kincraft would not re-emerge until 1971when Max Reinhard drove it in northern club events, recalling he hadfound the car “somewhere in Brighton”. It passed to Ian Stronachwho raced it again on the northern circuits but found it uncompetitiveagainst more modern F5000 and Libre machines.Jack Pearce also built Kincraft trials cars, and a CanAm-style sportscar under the same name, but this Libre single-seater remained hismost prominent and successful product. It was owned for many yearsby Trevor Needham before passing to dealer Roger Cowman, fromwhom it was purchased by Graham Galliers c. 2003. A set of originaldrawings were then acquired from Jack Pearce and as offered herethe car has been almost completely rebuilt and restored, by respectedspecialist Hardy Hall at a cost of circa £50,000 (bills on file). Its engineis understood to have been rebuilt by DWR Racing in 1999 at a costexceeding £3,000 and the LG 500 gearbox by Tony Wilson of LongEaton. We recommend the closest inspection of this fascinating andextremely successful single-seater – the quintessential British clubracing star car of the mid-to-late 1960s.£30,000 - 50,000€37,000 - 62,000End of Collection313No Lot2Motor Cars | 95