photo (press release) send to me by Robin Human - 28 April 2000

The Imp Site

K9

Fraser's experience with Imp saloons led to the development of this GT car.

Announced at the Racing Car Show in 1966, it caused a great deal of interest in the motoring circles throughout the world. The Fraser GT Group 6 competition car was based on Imp components. Great technical interest was shown in the suspension: a beam front axle and De Dion suspension at the rear.

By April 1967 it still hadn't been seen on the track. The delay had not been mechanical, but one of labour and time.
K9 unfortunately never raced at all.

It had been designed with endurance events in mind.
The rear suspension incorporates a De Dion rear axle with parallel trailing arms transversely located by Watts linkage. The De Dion tube incorporates standard Hillman Imp rear stub shaft bearing housings.
The front suspension has a beam axle of tubular construction incorporating Hillman Imp stub axle carriers.
wheelbase: 92"
track: 55"
overall height: 40"
overall width: 67"
weight: about 10cwt
engine: 1040cc

Alan Fraser

Press Release

Issued by Good Relations Ltd. 20, High Street Canterbury, Kent

Not to be released before midday
Tuesday 3rd january, 1967.

Alan Fraser Engineering - new design project
Fraser GT

Alan Fraser Engineering are today releasing preliminary details of a new design project currently under development by the company's team of engineers.

The new car (under development) known as the Fraser GT, is an advanced Group 6 competition car with a monocoque body designed for Alan Fraser Engineering by Tom Killeen. The specification of the car developed by the Alan Fraser Engineering has been designed to cope with power units raging from the Fraser 1140 c.c. Imp racing engine and gearbox - to be used for initial testing - up to 2-litre V-8 units.

The suspension unit is unusual in the fact that both front and rear are of identical geometry. The rear suspension incorporates a De Dion rear axle with parallel trailing arms transversely located by Watts linkage. The De Dion tube incorporates standard Hillman Imp rear stub shaft bearing housings. The front suspension system has been designed to make use of ultra wide section racing tyres with the aim of introducing entirely new standards of cornering ability.

The braking system on the car uses outboard Girling disc brakes on the front with drum brakes at the rear.

The monocoque body designed by Tom Killeen has an overall height of 40 inches, an overall width of 67 inches, and weighs with the 1040 c.c. engine some 10 cwt. The wheel base of the car is 92 inches and the track 55 inches.

Alan Fraser (during 1967) will be carrying out an intensive development programme on the car, which has been designed essentially for long distance endurance events.

From: RDH
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 18:32:12 +0100
Subject: Re: [imps] RE: Sidecar outfits + not fantasy-land

Hi All

The process of getting an imp engine to run backwards is not of course a simple task. The engine I was referring to was a project contracted to Ian Carter by Alan Fraser destined to go into a fibreglass bodied two seater sports car ala ASP that was to finance Alan's racing team. One of these engines was actually built and ran sucessfully in the back of the prototype CUB which Alan took with him to Tenerife when he was there for a short time.
It was decided to build a second engine that was destined for my car when it was discovered that a 2 litre BRM engine that was the original idea, would not fit. I actualy have some bits of the engine notably a bronze drive gear with the gear teeth cut in the opposite direction.

Hope that clears up some confusion

Regards
Robin

The prototype survives. It is in bits awaiting restoration. (still so - Spring 2010)

Literature

A car for cornering : the Fraser GT, project K9 / Tom Killeen. - Motor 1967, 8 April. - p.29-31

Imp specials
The Alan Fraser Racing Team
The Imp Site

Bob Allen has the prototype K9 sports race car that was built for Alan Fraser but never raced.
The Killeen cars / R.J. Allan. - chapter 14: Fraser Le Mans Prototype GT K9

Franka