1952 Kieft CK52

Owning such a vehicle would allow you to race with the 500 Owners Association, which provides a full season of road races, hill climbs, sprints, and vintage sports car meetings and championships in both the UK and Europe with historic trophies to be won. Usually, with a grid of 25, the 500s provide great close-action racing. A particular favourite is the Goodwood circuit, where the 500s are regularly invited to partake in Goodwood Revival and Goodwood Members events.

Also worth noting here is that the car will come with the following items:

• Single axle braked trailer
• Some spare parts, including clutch plate, wishbone, spark plugs, plus more
• Two axle stands for setting up
• Lifting bar
• Pit board
• Powered rollers for starting with battery
• Transponder
• Fire extinguisher (this is out of date)
• Rain light
• One spare wheel and tyre

Looking around the Kieft, the car is in great shape with no dings or dents to the aluminium side panels and nose cone. The side panels are held in place with rubber rings and can be easily and quickly removed to reveal the engine. The nose cone can also be removed to allow access to the steering and pedal assembly, and the same for the rear end allowing access to the chain, sprockets and suspension.

The windshield is free from any excessive scratches, and the yellow paintwork is in good order, with no apparent scratches or damage jumping out. The decals are all in good condition, with the number 30 easily changeable as required.

The aluminium spoked wheels look in good condition, held in place with a centre lock nut, and a spanner is included to fit these. The tyres are Dunlop Racing which have been used.

Inside, the Kieft is pretty much as you would expect for any single-seat racer. The aluminium dashboard holds the rev counter dead centre and is said to be working as it should, and there is a switch to the left to stop the engine. The three-spoke wooden rim steering wheel looks in good order.

The seat sits lower than the rest of the floor, thanks to the cleverly shaped floor, getting you that couple of inches closer to the ground (but watch the rumble strips, it could get painful). The seat is in good condition with some age-related wear, as you would expect. Further forward, there are two master cylinders controlling the brakes and then the pedal box assembly.

The chassis has been constructed from tubular steel on the main structural components, which gave great strength and rigidity where needed. The fuel tank is mounted behind the driver's seat, and behind that is the Norton 500cc engine. The engine is known as the “double-knocker” with an aluminium casing and long stroke.

The engine has been decommissioned after its last race to eliminate any traces of Methanol fuel. The vendor assures us the engine is in fine condition and runs without any issues. The “dolls-head” gearbox has close ratio gears, and again, we are assured that there is no issue with the car changing gears out on the circuit.

Spax adjustable dampers have been used alongside the Kieft unique rubber suspension. This is all said to be working correctly, with no issues reported. The brakes were also reported to work correctly the last time the Kieft was raced in May 2022.

This particular vehicle is an original 1952 Kieft CK52 single-seat racer. It started off life with André Loens, a Belgian living in Britain who was successful from 1952 onwards at Castle Combe and the Nürburgring. The car was well-known in Europe at various events until 1987, when it was imported back to the UK from the Netherlands. In the UK, it was seen at Goodwood, where it has done particularly well, achieving points in its races.

The vendor last used the car at the Goodwood member's meeting in October 2021 and the Prescott Hill Climb in May 2022.

What a great way to get into the world of 500cc racing! The 1952 Kieft CK52 comes with most of the kit to get you racing, including the trailer to transport it. A fantastic example which has been on the 500cc scene for several years and achieved some great results.

Do you see yourself as the next Sir Stirling Moss? If so, this is the car for you!

We estimate this British 500cc racer to fetch in the region of £25,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Macclesfield, United Kingdom. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.