Looks like maybe ( I wasnt there
) that this car was numbered 50 in Daytona and 52 in Sebring in '78.
Records Indicate:
1978 24 Hours of Daytona
Finished 33rd overall #50 Charles Kleinschmidt / Lee Culpepper USA MGB-GT Spyder 477laps completed 13th in GTU 68th best practice time.
1978 12 Hours of Sebring
Finished 30th overall #52 Charles Kleinschmidt / Lee Culpepper / Bill Koch/ USA MGB-GT 160 laps completed, 14th in GTU 69th best practice time. Entrant was registered as Native Tan as noted on the entrant list at
https://racingsportscars.t35.com/photo/1978/_Sebring-1978-03-18e.jpg
NOTE: There are Native Tan decals on back quarters.
I dont know any more than what is stated in ebay about the history surrounding this car nor can I verify that this car was in fact the car I'm pulling these stats for. Klienschmidt also raced a #52 MGB in 77 at 12h of Sebring.. wondering if this is the same car?
You are right though the taillights look to be late 60's vintage however those are easily replaced. When on the track 'signaling' your lane change comes generally as the direct result of turning the wheel and sort of just being there. However indicating that your are slowing down might have been a lot more important to help keep the little orange car's backend outta the front seat.
I dont know for sure if this is a 'factory car' It looks like maybe The Works was 'possibly' (sic. congecture) helping to fund Smokey's efforts at the time.. and maybe the 'Best **** Garage in Town' did some of the work (perhaps all of the work) to get the car 'race ready'. Maybe, it was a Works car prior to racing in 78 since the model does appear to be older than a 78 year model. However as I said this is all totaly congecture.
Where did you get the listing of #52 stats for 12 hrs of sebring '78 ? Seems as those may have been mislinked, as I verified the data above over several independant sources. Ah well
Hope this helps,
-D
PS. all this research makes me wish I could afford it .. Alas some other BGT will get my attention, love and money =]