No sports cars were ever been marketed by the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., prior to World War 2, but their chassis was the basis of countless specials and proprietary-bodied cars. The wonderful acceleration of the V8, together with its reliability, made its performance very definitely sporting, even with standard bodies. In fact, the folding head Club coupe was as successful in trials as the highly specialised " trialswagons." Some of these cars were fitted with a handle on the steering wheel, because of the low-geared steering, in order to get round hairpins more easily.
The 8-h.p. and 10-h.p. cars were also successfully modified as sports cars by various body-building concerns, and the Ten was even built by J. Eason Gibson as a racing car, complete with Zoller blower. It is not quite clear who was responsible for making the V8 such a popular trials car, but a great deal of credit must go to the drivers of the original Jabberwocks, Walter Norton, Derek Loader, and Howard Koppenhagen, together with Gordon Wilkins. These famous old yellow cars were slightly modified versions of the 1933 V8, which came out on the old four-cylinder chassis. Their very short wheelbase and good power-weight ratio made them formidable competition cars. Norton, especially, won numerous events, and the team on the whole was unusually successful.
Other drivers who popularised the Ford V8 were J. Whalley, G. Denton, Ken Hutchison, Tommy Wise, G. Burroughs, A. K. B. and R. K. N. Clarkson, Willie Miller, J. G. R. Watson, to name only a few. One must not forget Sidney Allard, who was one of the first to realise the possibilities of the Ford V8 as an entirely individual sports car. |
