Tale of a Beardmore

Sir,

For many years I have owned a rare vehicle, a Beardmore 2-litre Supersports. I recall articles in “Vintage Postbag” concerning Cyril Paul’s Beardmore and always meant, with the best intentions, to join in the correspondence. I have owned the car since 1959, but only rebuilt it in 1971-72 for the International Rally. She no longer runs on the original 2-litre motor, but a 1,700-c.c. o.h.c. gear-driven motor purchased way back in ’61 from Peter Evans of “Chawner GN” fame, whilst I was working in England, at Laystalls at the time. Regrettably I blew up the original motor in 1968, broke the shaft through no 3 crankpin. Too hard, too fast, too long. A very potent and willing machine but a real beast, a real blood-and-thunder job, with one major fault for one so potent—a two-main-bearing crank. The overhead drive was originally heavy Morse chain. I converted the lot to duplex roller and had no further chain troubles. Now the skew-gear-drive oh. gear is rattling like a bucketful of bolts so new skew gears it is: the 2-litre still awaits an extensive rebuild. Without my being a damn nuisance or a “pain in the neck” I should like to contact Beardmore owners or those interested via Motor Sport to swap lies, information, etc.—and try to scrounge or buy parts.

Invercargill, NZ. DAVID McIVOR