59 replies to this topic

[RTH]

A friend of mine Ray, lives in a tiny village in deepest Norfolk. He happened to be across the road chatting to neighbours, when just a chance remark in passing about motor racing was made.

Knowing my interest, he persued it and at my request got his neighbour Allan to send me an e-mail which is below.



Ray has mentioned his conversation with you regarding the results of too much hospitality at his house the other evening which lead to memories of a misspent youth. In the sober light of morning I also realise how long ago it all was !
Your own collection of cars far outshines anything that I was fortunate enough to own and it would be much more interesting to see your photographs. After all, motor racing in 1956 is only history, today's cars can make you buzz. . . .
Anyway, in case you are interested that far back, the car in the picture I am attaching was known as
the Spikins. Named after Bob Spikins, Director of Alexander Tuning Co, who as you probably are well aware was a major engine building and tuning company during the 50's.
Bob was also a motor racer and built a number of sprint and racing cars of his own. This was the largest of the breed having a three litre MG WA engine ( From an MG project to rival Jaguar's large saloons that never went into production ), mixed with a few bits and pieces of Hudson and Fraser Nash.
It soon gained a good reputation at various sprint meetings around the country and fitted with twin rear wheels established several records at Shelsey.
At this time he was also driving for Fraser Nash in major events and was unfortunately killed during the Belgian Grand Prix.
Having been working around all the current circuits as a mechanic for three years, the Spikins gave me the chance to step up into the world of driving. I graduated through all the usual Club events to some more major meetings, so can claim to have been around with all the subsequent `names` of the era.
I think the major thrust of my ramblings to Ray was a nostalgic account of boozing in The Swan at Pulborough with the best of them !
He also suggested a picture would be of interest to you, so I am attaching a picture of the grid at the Daily Express meeting, Silverstone June 2nd 1956. The Spikins is in sports car form with an early Lola immediately behind. Two Fraser Nashes are on the left and two Healey 3000's at the rear.
( Of course I won ! )
Hope you like the grandstand and commentary box. Still in the same place and not greatly altered. . . .
Plenty more where this all comes from if you are interested.

Best regards, Alan Gillo.






Although I was well aware or the Alexander Tuning Company , I have to say I did not know the name Spikins.

I wonder if anyone can come up with any more details history about Allan Gillo and Bob Spikins and the Alexander Company . I have directed Alan here to look and hopefully contribute himself

[ensign14]

Originally posted by RTH

At this time he was also driving for Fraser Nash in major events and was unfortunately killed during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Actually at the Grand Prix des Frontieres at Chimay in 1951. He was 51 at the time and was at the front in the first heat on lap 3 when Vermeulen collided with him in a Veritas. Spikins was thrown out and killed. (Source: Biaumet, Les Grand Prix des Frontieres a Chimay, with accents somewhere on there, a must-have for anyone who loves motor sport.)

[WGD706]

F. R. G. (Bob) Spikins was always interested in building specials and few will forget the remarkable performances he put up in pre-war days with his single-seater, supercharged 972-c.c. Singer, "The Bantam." As chief of the Laystall Engineering Co. Ltd., of Wolverhampton, Bob felt that the best method of putting theories into practice was to build and race a car which could also be regarded as something of a guinea-pig for certain Laystall ventures. The Cromard was financed entirely by himself, and he regarded it as a spare-time hobby.
In the beginning the car was called the Spikins Special.
It made its first 1951 appearance at the Easter Goodwood meeting on the 26th March in the Lavant Cup race over 12 miles. Basil de Mattos finished 9th, one place ahead of the new Formula 2 Connaught which used the same Lea Francis based engine. In the Madgwick Cup race that followed, Smethwick Garage owner Ken Wharton took the wheel to finish in 6th place. Afterwards the car went to the G. P. des Frontieres at Chimay on the 13th May, having been altered to two S.U. carburettors. It ran well and de Mattos was leading the first heat when a radius arm fractured, putting it out of the running on the last lap. It was in this same race that the owner of the car, Bob Spikins, was involved in a fatal accident whilst driving his Frazer-Nash and, rather naturally, that curtailed the car’s racing for most of the remaining season.
It was indeed a major tragedy that Bob Spikins lost his life. British motor sport lost one of its most popular figures and there is little doubt that, if he had lived, the Cromard would have been fully developed as a pukka Formula 2 car for International racing. The Raybern chassis had shown up well in 1951 events, although a certain amount of trouble was experienced with the swing-axle suspension. It was no secret that Spikins was interested in the production of an entirely new power unit and that plans had already been formulated for its construction.


http://www.localhist...ard/cromard.htm

[LittleChris]

I believe the left hander at the end of the Salles Straight at Chimay just before Salles Village is actually named after him

[RAP]

He also suggested a picture would be of interest to you, so I am attaching a picture of the grid at the Daily Express meeting, Silverstone June 2nd 1956. The Spikins is in sports car form with an early Lola immediately behind. Two Fraser Nashes are on the left and two Healey 3000's at the rear.

Nice picture but the identification is a bit dubious!! I think it is the Eight Clubs Silverstone 2nd June 1956. The start of Event 12 a 5 lap Handicap. This fits with #61 being A G Sheath Spikins Spl 2560cc. On his left #56 is W J Watson Alvis Spl. The car behind with the registration HXR is certainly not a Lola. Logically it is one of the 10 " starters and I think HXR is Bluebelle Gibbs' HRG #139. The race number looks as if it could be this. Alongside is a Healey silverstone, either G Morgan or H Cutler but the cycle-winged car behind doesnt "fit" the handicaps in the programme so it was either a re-handicapped car or I've got it all wrong!!

[Huw Jadvantich]

I wish Silverstone still looked like that.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Huw Jadvantich
I wish Silverstone still looked like that.

Mind you those GRANDSTANDS were far from grand! I remember being sat in one in a howling gale, bets were being placed as to whether the roof blew off before the thing collapsed!

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by RAP


Nice picture but the identification is a bit dubious!! I think it is the Eight Clubs Silverstone 2nd June 1956. The start of Event 12 a 5 lap Handicap. This fits with #61 being A G Sheath Spikins Spl 2560cc. On his left #56 is W J Watson Alvis Spl. The car behind with the registration HXR is certainly not a Lola. Logically it is one of the 10 " starters and I think HXR is Bluebelle Gibbs' HRG #139. The race number looks as if it could be this. Alongside is a Healey silverstone, either G Morgan or H Cutler but the cycle-winged car behind doesnt "fit" the handicaps in the programme so it was either a re-handicapped car or I've got it all wrong!! [/B]

The line-up definately looks like a handicap start rather than one for a GRID start - i.e. the cars immediately behind are behind and not staggered as they would be on the 4 - 3 - 4 grid layout.

[Huw Jadvantich]

Do you remember when someone large sat down in your row at Silverstone your seat popped up underneath you?
Apologies to serious readers of this thread.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Huw Jadvantich
Do you remember when someone large sat down in your row at Silverstone your seat popped up underneath you?
Apologies to serious readers of this thread.

Yes, the knack was to rise up just before their posterier hit the canvas! A technique known as the Woodcote Lift!

Now back to the serious side!

[RTH]

Many thanks Gentlemen for your contributions, as ever amazing and fascinating detail with just so little to work on.

I will see if I can get any more pictures. Anyone know what happened to Laystall and the Alexander Tuning Company ? I seem to remember the former specialised in crankshafts and the latter cylinder heads.

[Charles Helps]

Laystall are still in business in Wolverhampton, making cylinder liners and hydraulic cylinders. The Cromard name is still in use for their specially treated steel liners.

I contacted the company in 1992 when I was trying to find some information about the Laystall modified Ford Consul engine in Jabby Crombac's 1953 Lotus Mk VI. This has a Laystall cylinder head with inlets ports modified to suit twin 1 3/4" SUs. Their Sales and Marketing Director, D H M Burrell, was kind enough to write to Sean Deal, the former manager of the London office which had been closed.Through him Mr Burrell received a letter, which he copied to me, from Alfred Clark who was retired but had previously been Engine shop Foreman. He wrote:

I am sorry but I have no records at all, but can remember doing work for Colin Chapman, such as Boring and fitting Cromard Liners, Grinding Camshaft, Balancing Crankshaft, Flywheel and Con Rods. We also built one or two engines complete.

He also mentioned Wally Fullerlove who was Manager at the time of the Engine Shop closure, but the latter had died in 1991.

The engine still has its engraved red Laystall plate, marked with the details Bores CROMARD, Mains .010, Ends .010, REF 14591 and Date 1.9.54 . At the bottom of the oval plate London & Liverpool. The Consul engine was fitted for Jabby by Lotus at Hornsey some time before the start of the 1955 season.

[David Beard]

Originally posted by RTH
Many thanks Gentlemen for your contributions, as ever amazing and fascinating detail with just so little to work on.

I will see if I can get any more pictures. Anyone know what happened to Laystall and the Alexander Tuning Company ? I seem to remember the former specialised in crankshafts and the latter cylinder heads.

Alexander Engineering used to be at Haddenham, I think on the same site as Ted Martin. Alexander went away from tuning to sell just gimmicky accessories, especially screen wash additive I seem to recall. ("ClearAlex"...still availble from here..http://www.decosol.co.uk/)

I used to have an Alexander modified 12G295 head on the 1100 engine in my Mini...

[Sharman]

The Consul engine was a race winner even in very good company. Peter Gammon's Lotus 6 so fitted won the Empire Trophy in '53. Turners with Alexander heads were a common part of the scene in the late 50's early 60's

[Charles Helps]

I thought that Peter Gammon was still racing his MG engined Gammon Special in 1953? He then put the engine from that car into his new Lotus Mk 6 for the 1954 season.

The only Consul engined Lotus Mk 6 racing in 1953 that I know of was Denis Wilkins's.

Which Empire Trophy are you thinking of, Sharman?

[David McKinney]

Gammon won his class in the 1954 Empire Trophy at the wheel of his MG-powered Lotus VI

[bruce mansell]

Gentlemen,
The Spikins Special, Supercharged Singer is resident in Perth, Western Australia. Sorry, the name of the owner escapes me but it was there in his private collection, (all used by the way) last year as I took many photos of it for my son who is building a blown Singer "in the likeness of" the Spikins Special. Nice piece of history and a great little car.
Cheers
Bruce Mansell, still slaving away on the Costin-Nathan paint removal process!

[RTH]

Latest picture from Alan Gillo, along the lines of "What happened next" He has also found the programme on that day in 1956.

[RTH]

The latest 'finds' from Alan Gillo.

Sorry about the delay in answering. Life seems to have a bad habit of getting in the way of e-mails.
Apologies.
As requested, here is the cover of the Silverstone programme for the 2nd June '56 and the page relevant to the previous photographs.
Now I think of it, reading down to No 61 you may be a bit puzzled to see some guy called A.G.Sheath in charge. I did mention that it all seemed a very long time ago and it was, so long ago in fact that this was something else I had forgotten all about !
Anyway, with a bit of effort I have managed to recall a bit more about him. Fifty years ago he was slim, had a full head of hair and passed for reasonably interesting to anyone who bothered to know him. It wasn't long before someone pointed out the relevance of the registration letters on the Spikins to his name. The joke was easily accepted but the surname humour continued long after ownership of the car. With a sudden new direction to life came a good reason for a new name. I'm poorer by one initial but a lot more relaxed.
Can't really find any new pictures of particular significance but have included a few more for your enjoyment of `atmosphere`. . . . . .
The cover of the programme and the page will be easy enough to identify from the attachments. I am also enclosing another picture from the Silverstone meeting just to let you see not only A.G.S but what a lovely June day it was too. The second picture of the Spikins has been included because I haven't the faintest idea of where or what it was, but it looks fun. . . .
Just for your possible interest I am also including a picture of Lt/Col White of Church Farm Vintage Cyder fame. Here he is making second place in the 50 mile event at the BARC Silverstone meeting 1955.
The car is a Coventry Climax Lotus 7 with a most alarming rear fairing that he liked to believe made all the difference to achieving his successes. As he was also believed to be the oldest man regularly racing at that time and achieving some successes, most people thought he must be running the car on supercharging shots of his cyder supplied from the incredible `boot`.
Neither he or anyone associated with him would deny this, but as his mechanic one of my heavy responsibities was to ensure the generous distribution of `samples` that arrived with the transporter.
Although not gaining us any direct advantages it certainly helped the meetings along with such happenings as the commentary box completely forgetting how to count, or the more difficulty named drivers becoming unpronouncable. . . .
The picture of car No 46 is the same Lotus at Brands Hatch.
Don't know if he's ever gone into the records of those times, but we were very involved during the Peter Gammon days. My own claim to fame is being black-flagged with Peter in his Lotus 11 (?). I found it quite easy to share the cockpit with my legs on top of the battery.
Sorry about all the lack of technical details, but my memories are far more attracted to the atmosphere of those days rather than waxing lyrically on about S.U.Carbs, Cromard liners or Laystall Nitralloy drums.
All these details will have been listed is some book or other and may I wearily suggest it, learned by heart by some Laystall Nitralloy crank.
Here's to nostalgia. . . . and the tantalising whiff of methanol, the scent of Castrol and hot rubber, or the unforgettable smell of all of them and the damp tarmac after a meeting. I like to remember all the characters who populated these places and how lucky I was to be able to be amongst them. It's an added thrill that they could also all drive. . . . .

Hope some of this is interesting, new or just plain enjoyable,

Regards Alan.

[Charles Helps]

Originally posted by RTH
[B]The latest 'finds' from Alan Gillo.
...The car is a Coventry Climax Lotus 7 with a most alarming rear fairing that he liked to believe made all the difference to achieving his successes.
...
Hope some of this is interesting, new or just plain enjoyable,

Regards Alan.

A bit OT but the ex-Peter Gammon UPE 9 is a Lotus Mk 6 and was always MG 1466 cc engined AFAIK. Carbs and exhaust on the same (driver's) side. Peter Gammon transferred the engine from his Gammon MG Special to the new Lotus for the 1954 season. The same engine went to Claude Rye's Lotus Mk 6 and is still in it so there are three cars with a claim to that engine! Lt Col R White used it in the 1955 season. Lovely pictures though. I will make sure the current owner sees them.

[RTH]

Charles,

Thanks for your help and kind remarks I will pass them on.

Incidently Frank Tiedeman on that 1956 entry list is still racing today at the age of 86.

[CRX Lee]

Originally posted by Sharman
Turners with Alexander heads were a common part of the scene in the late 50's early 60's

I know of one such Turner with an Alexander cross-flow head that sits in a garage in rural Kentucky awaiting a future. An old family friend bought it new and raced it until about '70s and always made a big deal about how special the Alexander head was and how it caused a ruckus back then with the rules committee. He passed away 10 years ago and his daughter wants to make the car run again.

[Charles Helps]

Originally posted by RTH
The latest 'finds' from Alan Gillo.

. . . .
The picture of car No 46 is the same Lotus at Brands Hatch.
. . . . .

Hope some of this is interesting, new or just plain enjoyable,

Regards Alan.

It is, it is, all three! OT again but the paddock here looks very similar to the arrangement at Goodwood - did they have these roofed shelters at Brands Hatch too and when did they disappear?

[RTH]

Oh yes the top part of the present Brands paddock on the steepest area , these corrugated steel roofed stalls were I can remember still in place in the late sixties , I think were removed in the early years of the 70's Alan says he thinks he has a lot more photos in the loft.

[Gary C]

what a great thread this is! Keep the info & photos coming, RTH!

[Charles Helps]

I've got a photo of David (Bunty) Scott Moncrieff in his Lotus, competition number 145 at the Eight Clubs Silverstone event but it is Copyright Charles Dunn so will this do instead?

[RTH]

Interesting picture Charles, where and when was it taken.

Its the Lotus Mark 3, three examples of which were actually built in the Valance Road , Wood Green workshops of the Allen brothers Nigel and Michael however by the end of 1951 the Allen's cars had been reduced back down to bare chassis to keep Colin's car running !

This was the Austin Seven powered 750 formula car that Colin performed the "de-siamese" inlet port trick on which gave it much more power and subsequently let to the rules in this area being changed.

It was the first Lotus designed solely for circuit racing and was highly successful.

The Allen brothers were good engineers with a very spaceous and fully equiped workshop and were key to the progress of the Lotus project at that time.Subsequently Nigel stuck to his dentistry career and Michael and Colin went in to partnership forming Lotus Engineering Company on 1st January 1952 The Mk 3B and 4 being built from the remains of the Allen's MK 3's

[Charles Helps]

Thanks, Richard.

In the September 1956 issue of Motor Sport there is a two page article by David Scott - Moncrieff entitled Lotus Salad . Coincidentally the picture of the author in his Lotus shows the same competition number 145. He bought the ex-works 750 c.c. Mk III in 1955 and the photo I posted was, as far as I know, taken during his ownership in 1955 or 1956. He writes about the manifold: "When the 750 formula was brought in it outlawed siamesed-ports with tongues projecting into them. The problem now is to design a new manifolding which complies with the Formula and still maintains the same power. It look as if I shall have to borrow Uhlenhaut's sodium-cooled slide rule for that one. At present the car has to run with the 1,172 c.c. boys, and although I can, occasionally, catch one or two of the slower ones, we have little hope of doing any good."

He also says he drives the car to meetings and "Being so small and light it does a very honest 50 miles to the gallon on the road. I think I shall keep it for a decade or so till Colin wants it for a place of honour in his New Bond Street showrooms and offers me a Mark XXXIX Lotus in Exchange"

Both photos at Silverstone show Scott-Moncrieff well wrapped up in a thick overcoat. The caption to the Motor Sport photo taken on the grid reads in part "Nowadays, when Bunty is on the starting-line, a still small voice murmurs in his ear ' you're not only an old man, you're a very silly old man to go on doing this sort of thing.' "

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by CRX Lee
I know of one such Turner with an Alexander cross-flow head that sits in a garage in rural Kentucky awaiting a future. An old family friend bought it new and raced it until about '70s and always made a big deal about how special the Alexander head was and how it caused a ruckus back then with the rules committee. He passed away 10 years ago and his daughter wants to make the car run again.

Now that sounds nice!

I'm a bit amused that the first picture in the thread has a TR2 misidentified as an Austin Healey, though I can forgive Allan Gillo for forgetting that the Healey 3000 was still a year or four away at that time.

The 2560cc MG engine also catches my attention, undoubtedly based on a Wolseley unit? This is definitely not the kind of stuff you'd expect to find in Kentucky, but then Lee has a friend there with a Turner with an Alexander head. What could be more surprising than that?

[RTH]

The MG WA was the largest car MG ever made a car of similar character to a Derby Bentley (for about a thousand pounds less) large 4 door saloons, and a variety of special bodied coupes, all well appointed and spaceous, built in 1939 only, a total of 363 cars produced before the war intervened.

A straight 6 the standard pushrod engine was 2561cc just 95 BHP @4400 rpm on twin 1 1/2 " SUs despite the entry details the Spikins has a much modified experimental version at a full 3 litre which never made it in to the road car

[David Birchall]

Does the Spikins in the pictures still exist?
David B

[RTH]

Originally posted by David Birchall
Does the Spikins in the pictures still exist?
David B

Neither Alan Gillo or myself know, I was hoping someone out there could tell us. It remains a mystery.
It seems as well as this car Bob Spikins produced other specials under his own, Cromard, and Laystall and Alexander monikers.

I spoke to Alan last night he says he has 2 tea chests in the loft of photos and other material from that period in the fifties, working with Bob and LT Col White, a man in his late 70's in the mid 1950s, At the time Alan and Col. White's cider factory were based in Kent.
Alan says he has not looked at any of it since .

[Steve L]

The Spikins Hudson Special does indeed still exist.

It is owned and used in VSCC events by a Dr Neil Thorp.

Although I do not know him personally, I'm sure he would be interested in any new material about his car - I would be happy to find out his contact details and put him in touch with you Richard?

Send me a personal e-mail and let me know if you would like me to do this.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Steve L
The Spikins Hudson Special does indeed still exist.
It is owned and used in VSCC events by a Dr Neil Thorp.

What about the Spikins MG Special (the subject of this thread)?

[Steve L]

That's an extremely good question ;) !

I guess if anyone is to know, it is likely to be Mr Thorpe?

[RTH]

Originally posted by Steve L
The Spikins Hudson Special does indeed still exist.

It is owned and used in VSCC events by a Dr Neil Thorp.

Although I do not know him personally, I'm sure he would be interested in any new material about his car - I would be happy to find out his contact details and put him in touch with you Richard?

Send me a personal e-mail and let me know if you would like me to do this.

By all means Steve, thank you, - see what we can find out.

[Ray Bell]

Hudson?

What manner of Hudson was that?

[Charles Helps]

Have a look here . Dr Neil Thorpe's car seems to share the registration number of the Spikins Special. Found it by Googling

Edit: Just found a VSCC Wiscombe 2003 programme

116		 N. Thorp Dr	 Hudson Spikins Special		   4168 cc	  Year 1935

[RTH]

Alan Gillo's reaction after looking at the link to the current pictures of DRX 67 posted above by Charles : -

What an amazing sight . . . . .

I suppose I can't argue because of the registration, but it's rather like looking at a `good try` copy !
Does this mean it is still around and that I could run into it somewhere ?
Fascinated by the date of 1935 and try as I might, I can't find any other references to it on the site, so here goes. . . . . . .
How the heck did you find it, is there anything else to find and when were these pictures taken ? They are obviously very recent and I assume at Prescott. Despite the registration it is a strange looking beast. It's appearance would bear out the only news I had after parting with it to a character called Barclay, who according to gossip destroyed the engine and left the car for dead.
It certainly looks as though it no longer contains the MG WA engine, as the air scoop for the SU's is missing and there appears to be some sort of cooler (filter ?) on the nearside base of the bonnet. I would suggest it has been entirely re-bodied as the upper line of the car appears to be considerably higher than in my days, the rear section behind the cockpit seems to be a different shape both in height and width and the panelling is now fastened in a much more professional manner than the aluminium beading I came to love ! The paint finish is of course exquisite compared to the old cellulose and ( am I being too judgemental ?) the colour is very delicate. Having completely changed the front grill, the nose fairing is entirely different giving the car another appearance. I'm not really trying to be over critical, but the cycle wings are also very different as are the giant headlights which never had fittings to allow them to appear in that position. I don't like the new treatment handed out to the dash panel, that does look to be 1935 !
I can have no argument if this is how the researchers claim the car should be, but the question was `Is this your car..?`. . . . .the answer is NO !

This is quite a fascinating site especially the ballooning bits. As you seem to have a considerable working knowledge of such sites can you suggest one that deals with British aeronautical history 1930-1939 ?
You've started something going here now. I have a box of interesting pictures of the period I'd very much like to know more about, if only to confirm some details in the folklore of my childhood. . . . . . .

Looking forward to hering from you again soon,
Regards, Alan

[RTH]

Latest................




Would be very pleased to hear from Dr Thorpe, if only to see why the Spikins needed so much new bodywork.
I have been examining the pictures more closely and have come to realise how `civilised` he has made it, even including a hood (?). Following on the shock of seeing it so deformed, I again dug through my boxes and came up with the picture enclosed. It shows a good rear aspect and clearly illustrates the difference between his rear fairing and the way it was. If you care to enlarge the picture and compare with those at Prescott you will see the difference between the two dash panels. In its present state the poor old Spikins even has a time clock on the passenger side and starts with an ignition key !. . . . .
In the glory days we were much more macho, you just thumbed a great red button on the right hand side....
I'm glad you agree with me about beauty. I feel its all rather like meeting your mistress again after many years. She may be poised beautifully, her make-up faultless and her accessories perfectly matching her aura of glamour yet the lust doesn't come. At first you wonder why, but then you see something that was never there before. Her belly button is in the middle of her forehead.. . . .

Why the interest in historic aircraft ? Father was a builder/designer from before the 20's until 1950's, associated with such names as Percival, Moss, Miles, Slingsby. I have quite a collection of very interesting pictures, memories of all sorts of names in and out of the house and lots of flights in lots of things I was too small to see out from. Would just enjoy identifying all the fragments that have come down to me.
Keep the e-mails coming, they've taken over my life !
Alan.

[David McKinney]

Aren't we talking about two different cars?

[RTH]

So far David we think not it looks over the 50 years in between the B&W 1956 image has been altered into the colour one of Neil Thorpe. I hear Alan and Neil are about to communicate so we may soon find out for sure. That new radiator cowl is definitely from a 1935 Hudson S6 SV 4 door saloon a US car that unusually was also on sale new in UK

[Charles Helps]

More recent (2000) pictures of the Hudson Spikins Special at VSCC Loton speed hillclimb . Click on Hudson Spikins near the bottom of the page.

And going back to the ex-Gammon Lotus which Alan Gillo fettled for next owner Lt. Col R. White, I wondered why its bonnet bulge was a bit crinkled when I saw it in the early 1980s. Some photos recently received from its then owner Ken Le Riche gave the answer.

A bit of an accident he had in Jersey while over there for the Bouley Bay hill climb in July 1960.
Ken Le Riche had the car repaired and raced on Northern English circuits until June 1962

[RTH]

Great pictures Charles, thanks............Alan can't believe how any of this is being found after 50 years !!!

[NeilThorp]

The Spikins Hudson Special is alive and well and currently sitting in my garage!

I have only quickly skimmed this thread on the forum having been told of it earlier this evening. Where to start? There are lots of errors in the previous threads as far as my understanding goes but I am delighted to find out more about the car in the 50's where my researches are rather sparse.

Bob Spikins career I cover in a recent article (see "The Automobile" September 2005). As far as I know he had absolutely nothing to do with Alexander’s but was Chairman of Laystalls until his death in Belgium.

The Hudson was built in 1935 with twin centric superchargers in a body by Berkeley coachworks. Still identifiably a Hudson grille but cut down to lower the bonnet line. I wont go into its prewar history here.

Post war it was sold by the then owner CG Fitt but was returned to him as it did not run. He tore up the cheque put redex in the bores , fitted a new battery and it then started. However the battery was shorting out and the car caught fire. The remnants were bought by Paul Emery (of Emeryson fame) and he rebuilt it from the bulkhead back, putting the spare on the outside and adding a hood. More successes.

Emery ran it on trade plates having passed on the registration CMP1 and when he sold it in 1948 it became DRX 67. The buyer was Major Alex Tulloch of Aston Tirrold. He ran it for 2 years and removed the superchargers adding a bonnet scoop for a downdraught carb on the Hudson inlet manifold. He also had a crunch as the grille changed shape and the lovely Marchal lights disappeared too. He sold it to Ruck-Keene of Wheatley, Oxford but I cannot trace any activity with him.

The Hudson suffered an engine failure in the early 50's and the MG engine was fitted in Michael Samuelson's yard in Edenbridge. It was still in the car when I bought it in 1970 and was a bog standard WA engine to all appearances.

The car passed to Ian Barclay in 1957 (a 21st birthday present) he said in 1987 "it was raced in club events but not by me" - is this when Alan Gillo raced it?

The last know user before me was Mike Potashnuik who also entered events at Silverstone the car being rather battered by then.

It is now restored to its state circa 1936 with a Hudson 4.2 litre straight eight and twin centric blower.

I could go on for ages but my fingers are getting tired!

Neil Thorp

[RTH]

Neil, welcome thank you for all that. There are a few things I'm not clear about.

Do we know who built the car originally and when ? Was it a case of taking a 1935 american car with a big powerful engine removing the body and fitting a minimal aluminium sports 2 seater body , a one- off to suit by a coachbulder ? To make a lively road car that went on to do some racing ?
Exactly what period does Bob Spikins fit in to the story ? As the car carries his name both in the fifties and still today was he actually the man who built the car in the 1930's.........what age would he have been in the mid thirties, if so presumably very young, how I wonder did he afford such a thing then as again recently motor racing even at club level was the preserve of the wealthy . Times for most people in the '30's were very hard indeed .

Why I wonder was the nose cowl so very different in the fifties, a little in the style of an ERA or Alfa Romeo. When it was first built did it from day one have the instantly recognisable rounded nose from the '35 Hudson saloon was the bonnet also from the road car ? Why I wonder did someone fit the MG WA engine .....2 cylinders less and 1 1/4 litres smaller normally aspirated probably half the previous power ? Presumably Bob Spikins engine building, tuning company Laystall who specialised in major engineering modification would have had a profound effect on any project he was involed in ?

Was the car heavily destroyed by fire ?

In short I wonder are we absolutely certain there was only ever the one car when you hear about number plates being changed, and we know motor racing is riddled with swapped number plates and chassis plates for all sorts of reasons. Undeniably it does look very different now to those photos in the mid fifties. Perhaps not so surprising in the passage of 50 years,...... do any photos of it exist from the mid 1930's ?

Most interesting of all , when is it next due out ?

[NeilThorp]

Richard,

To answer some of your questions:

Who built it?
The Hudson Special was built in the Hudson works in Chiswick (where cars where assembled from kits sent over from North America – Canada rather than the USA for tax reasons) and in Spikins’ own establishment in Twickenham. Body work was by Berkeley in North London as I have said previously. It was therefore a sort of semi works car. There is no question of a saloon body being removed to make the special, they just took what was required from the parts bins and modified accordingly; for example the chassis was shortened in the Hudson factory. Of the bodywork only the cowl and grille came from Hudson and even then was cut down. The rest is a very light aluminium construction over ash.

I have explained that the cowl was different in the 50’s as a result of a shunt when it was owned by Alex Tulloch. I know from personal experience at Wiscombe Park that those bits are very vulnerable and do not survive an impact with a tyre wall!

The car was built for rally work initially as Spikins had been very successful in the RAC Rally in Singers. He entered the Hudson in the 1936 RAC Torquay Rally with equal success, winning The Motor & Daily Telegraph prizes. This was a long day and night affair culminating in driving tests held on the front at Torquay. Adverts imply that he wished to go into small scale production but at £750 in 1936 there were no takers. He did not keep the car long and by 1938 he had sold it to CG Fitt. His involvement with the Hudson Special ceased then – none of the subsequent owners I have talked to mention any further contact with him or with Laystall.

How did he afford it?
Well the brief biography below (largely from my Automobile article) tells how.

FREDERICK ROBERT GEORGE SPIKINS came from a fairly well to do family in Kingston with one other brother and two sisters. He was apprenticed to Dent as a watchmaker and after that he started his first Jewellers shop and in a short time had seven scattered over London, Kingston, Guilford, East London, and a partnership in one in Bond Street. With the jewellers shops bringing in a lot of money he then proceeded with the purchase of Laystall and the Twickenham garage (Singer and later Hudson agents) which enabled him to fund his racing from the companies. A brief curriculum vitae appended to an article which Spikins wrote in Motor Industry in April 1949 reads:-

“FRG (Bob) Spikins, Chairman and Governing Director of Laystall Engineering Co. Ltd and Spikins (Twickenham) Ltd. Born in Guildford, Surrey, on 3 March, 1900. Worked at watchmaker’s bench 1915/16 and then at Vickers Weybridge, machine shop. During 1917/18 he was on active service as observer in day bombing, RAF After the war he went back to watchmaking and jewellery at Dent Ltd., until he left in 1919 to become Managing Director, Spikins Ltd. Always a keen motorist, he was motor cycling and driving from twelve years old. Started competition work in 1919 and won over 250 awards in trials and speed events. Also Official Timekeeper to R.A.C. etc., until connected with motor trade. Flew own aeroplane until 1939. Keen cruising yachtsman. Hobbies: motor racing, yachting, golf – and work.”

Why was the WA engine fitted?
The car was bought circa 1954 by Robert Macpherson-Grant. He recalls that it was in a pretty rough state with the engine blown up and some damage to bodywork. He was a partner in the breaker’s yard at Edenbridge which I referred to (GA Brooks Ltd?). The Hudson 8 cylinder engine was beyond repair so he fitted the 2.6 litre WA engine from a wrecked MG saloon. It is therefore highly improbable that this was an experimental unit with 3 litres swept volume as has been suggested. I stress again neither Spikins nor Laystalls had any hand in this transplant.

Question? - Did Alan Gillo buy the car from Macpherson-Grant?How extensive was the fire?
The post war fire seems to have been limited to the rear of the car; this is a deduction from the amount of new bodywork that Emery constructed – certainly the engine was not affected. I gathered from Fitt it was not a merry blaze, rather a smouldering probably via the frame. At that time there would have been no petrol left in the tank because of rationing through the war – perhaps as well!

Is it the same car?
Photographic evidence says absolutely yes confirmed by those who I have managed to talk to or correspond with (Fitt, Emery, Mrs Tulloch & Basil de Mattos –Spikins friend and co-director at Laystalls, and Macpherson-Grant). The major appearance change into Alan Gillo’s pictures was in Tulloch’s day (1948-50) and I have pictures of him driving it before and after the appearance change. (He embroidered the fire incident and claimed it was due to an incendiary bomb!!) . Same means different things to different people. Using the late Dennis Jenkinson’s definition the car is “authentic” but with as it is now back in prewar form it bears little resemblance to itself in the 50’s when Alan Gillo drove it.

Are there 1930’s photos?
Yes lots and lots. Starting with those taken by Monty Bowers at the coachbuilder before it went onto the road (no lights at that stage), during and after winning the1936 RAC Rally, at Shelsley, Prescott, Lewes, Brooklands (airborne at the crest of the test hill), etc. The Spikins family albums have supplied many and others are from the usual sources plus published ones in contemporary journals. Post war photos are available too up to the time that Tulloch sold it and then, until Alan Gillo’s pictures came to light, just one or two.

When is it due out next?
Gremlins and oversubscribed entries permitted, I do most of the VSCC hill climbs and sprints each year, some driving tests and I also plan to do some rallies too. Track racing is out for me! Come and say hello!

I would post a picture or two but being a forum novice I cannot work out how to. Cut & paste into the reply panel does not seem to work. Help!

Neil Thorp

[RTH]

Fascinating chronological history Neil, thank you for taking the time to write it.

It's easy to forget this is a 70 year old car lucky to survive at all , through crashes, races, rallies, many owners and many repairers and indeed a world war , so I suppose it's not such a surprise it's been through different guises.

The impression I had gained was that Bob Spikings had some hands on post war involvement that now sounds less likely.






Neil if you read the instructions in the sticky thread at the top of the TNF menu page "A solution to posting your images " you should see how to put photos up on the threads, yes it is'nt so straight forward , but would be nice to see them !

[Ray Bell]

Gotta love those mid-thirties Hudson Specials...

Very fond memories of driving one in South Australia.

Now, for Image Shack, here's the simple guide...

Open up Image Shack, then browse, select and click 'open'... then click on 'host it!'...



Shortly you'll see the page come up with the various options for you, there's a thumbnail there to confirm the picture you have uploaded. Normally you'd use the full size pic, so click on 'Hotlink for forums 1' and right click, then click on 'copy' as shown...



...then paste to your post...



Notice the other options... direct link, thumbnails...

These pics remain viable for twelve months after they're last accessed. With Image Shack you can actually create a register of the pics you use and go back to them to re-use them if you wish.

[D-Type]

Ray,

Can you explain how to 'hotlink via thumbnails'.

For those of us without broadband, the posts open up far quicker and you are only a couple of clicks away from a full image. At work we seem to have a bandwidth limitation and often the big pictures don't open, particularly on a thread full of pictures..