Lot Ended
Description
Early pre-production prototype; Alvechurch Team car with period
competition history; well-known to the Register; recent full restoration and
ready to enjoy
Founded in
Alvechurch by Ken Delingpole and Ron Lowe, Dellow Motors Ltd produced road-going
sports cars for the enthusiast to use in trials, rallies and hill-climbs. The
MkI entered production in 1949 and evolved in stages to the MkV before
production finally came to an end in 1956.
The
cars typically used a 1,172cc Ford 10 engine in an A-frame chassis with a very
light tubular steel framework made from military surplus chrome-moly rocket
tubes welded to the chassis. The bodywork was all aluminium. Early cars had the
Ford beam front axle with transverse spring and short Panhard rod, quarter
elliptics at the rear and Andre Hartford friction dampers all round. The Ford
torque-tube was suitably shortened and the vast majority of cars used the
3-speed Ford gearbox and Ford cable/rod operated brake drums. Only around 300
were built in total.
Well-known to the Dellow
Register, this particular car is one of only around 20 pre-production cars made
in 1947/48. Originally registered as BOE 940, it was first owned by a George
Ostroumoff and competed in many sporting trials in the late 1940s/early 1950s.
Photographs and press cuttings on file show the car at the 1949 SUNBAC Vesey Cup
Trial, and an extract from Motorsport shows that it won the Team Award at the
1950 SUNBAC Colmore Trial, competing as part of the Alvechurch Team.
For over 50 years it was owned by a Mr Alan
Lee before being acquired by a Tony Martin of Pershore who fully restored the
car, winning the Dellow Register Andy Holdaway Trophy in 2020 in recognition of
the high standard of the restoration. This included making a new body; fitting
hydraulic brakes; Morris Minor rear shocks; alternator conversion and 12v
electrics; rev limiter; Dellow twin carb manifold; Morgan ‘Silver Top’ cylinder
head; new radiator core; new steering box etc.
As you can see in the photos, the car now looks very smart indeed
and has been starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around on
site, with good 40psi oil pressure. Fully road legal, this historically
interesting trials car has competed in several events since the restoration was
completed and is ready for a new owner to enjoy right away.
For
more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com