| Gordon Sutherland and Claude Hill
constructed a single seater (monoposto) to attempt to take the 2 litre outer
circuit record at Brooklands much like Lionel Martin and the Razor Blade in
the 1920's. It was to be a test bed for the rotary valve cylinder head, but
it was complicated and didn't deliver any more power than the overhead cam
head. Sadly, it was 1939 and before it could be fully exploited, war
broke out and the car was put into extended storage. After the war, it
became the property of David Brown when he bought Aston Martin and as it was
of no real use, it was sold to Gordon Garside. Garside fitted a 2 seater
body, changed the engine and raced it as the Garside Special. More body
changes followed until it was purchased by Andy Bell of
Ecurie Bertelli
Now after five years, the Monoposto has been fully restored
to it's original single seater specification including the ex Dick Seaman TT
engine. Despite never being raced by the factory, in it's first AMOC Horsfall
Race in 2006, Andy achieved a first place in this Historic Classic event. |
