Swallow Doretti - Cars & Owners

Chassis No.1260
Owner: Scott Drake
Location: Canada

Swallow Doretti - Chassis No.1260

In March 2008, Len Drake of Kelowna, Canada, contacted me to say that he had recently acquired Chassis No.1260, a left-hand drive Swallow Doretti from the USA for restoration.

A previous owner of No.1260 was Michael Measurer of San Luis Osbispo, who sold the car in 1986 to Ray Renick of Los Osos, California. Kurt Oblinger has reported, that the car showed up at the 1986 Triumphest event at Pismo Beach, California. At this time No.1260 was fitted with a six-cylinder Triumph TR6 engine and both the car and owner were known to Tom Householder.

Over the years when I visited with Len Drake we would discuss the car and its missing parts, but it always remained on his "to-do" list. Len died in March 2023 and Drake's British Motors, a well-known British sports car restorer and dealer is now owned by his son, Scott Drake. Meanwhile, Chassis No.1260 is still waiting patiently for someone to begin the task of breathing new life into its tired body.