9 replies to this topic

[john medley]

Flat Iron Thomas Specials

The two cars built to this design for the 1926-27 1 1/2 litre formula loitered on for some years, one reappearing at Brooklands with a diesel engine, but after that.....? Does anyone have any information or illustrations
# of the original car(s), particularly details of the front suspension? I have already Georgano/Bolster's "Specials"/Bob Shepherd's "Australian Motor Sports" article and illustration/ Boddy's " Brooklands"/ and of course the photo in the Brooklands thread
# of the cars' subsequent history ? In fact, what happened to them/ where are they now?

[Steve L]

John,

There are two particularly good sources of information about these cars.

One is the book "Parry Thomas - Designer Driver" by Hugh Tours that was published in the late 1950s. It is pretty easy to track down.

Bill Boddy wrote a very detailed history of the "Flat Iron" for Motor Sport magazine in 1973, I think in the March issue.

Only the ex-diesel engined car now survives - it hasn't been seen for a number of years, but is alleged to have the original engine from the other car.

[m.tanney]

John,

  I have a copy of Hugh Tours' Parry Thomas: Designer-Driver, and would be happy to scan and send the relevant bits, including an Autocar drawing of the front axle and break layout. Just send me an email, so I'll have your address.
  When Tours' book was published (1959) the first "flatiron" special was owned by Ian Clark, who hoped to restore it, if he could find one of the original straight-eights. At the time of Thomas' death, only three of the eight cylinder engines had been built, and one blew up on the test bench.
  After Thomas was killed, the second car was bought by W.B. "Bummer" Scott. It later passed on to E.M. Thomas, "...and then has become lost. Sometime in 1936 a Thomas Special was known to be in the possession of a metal merchant in North London by the name of Bradley and this was probably the same car. Rumour has it that a Thomas Special is now in America and is fitted with a Mercury V.8 engine, and this may be the same car again...".

  Mike

[john medley]

Many thanks for the info, folks ( the amazing TNF strikes again!)
In regard to Hugh Tours' mention of a Ford V8 engined Thomas Special in North America, I'd hazard a guess that this may well be a reference to the earlier Hooker-Thomas that ended up V8 engined in New Zealand

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by john medley
Many thanks for the info, folks ( the amazing TNF strikes again!)
In regard to Hugh Tours' mention of a Ford V8 engined Thomas Special in North America, I'd hazard a guess that this may well be a reference to the earlier Hooker-Thomas that ended up V8 engined in New Zealand

Nope, that car was still in NZ - albeit in unrecognisable form - in 1959. I last saw it in action in 1963. It ended up in Ron Roycroft's collection

[m.tanney]

  Speaking of Parry Thomas... I recall reading (in Motor Sport - where else?) that someone was working on a replica of the Leyland-Thomas using an original Leyland Eight motor and some other original parts. Does anyone know any more about this project? Who's doing it? How's it progressing? The Leyland-Thomas really was one of the most remarkable racing cars ever built. It would be great to see a re-creation of it.

[TecnoRacing]

Giving this old thread a bump for no other reason than I randomly came upon this photo (of a car I was not familiar with) and was just staggered by the beauty and forward-thinking of this 1926 racer

 

[Dutchy]

The surviving car is currently being restored by Geraint Owen, who has made fantastic progress with the project. 

[ensign14]

Well, this is how it looked in 2016...

 

[Dutchy]

This is how it looked in 2024

 

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