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Shelsley Walsh Launches Search for 72 Specials Ahead of Summer Reunion

We're calling on the motorsport community to help reunite the ‘Shelsley Specials’ – unique cars created specifically to earn the best time of day on the venue’s challenging hill – in time for our Reg Phillips meeting in July.

The tradition of building Shelsley Specials began not long after the Midland Automobile Club (MAC) had moved to the Worcestershire hill climb course in 1905, with the most famous Special arguably being Spider I, created by Basil Davenport.

Davenport’s mismatched car helped him become the first driver to break the 50-second mark in 1926, beating a field of the best drivers of the day, including the legendary Raymond Mays. In total, Spider I broke the hill record four times between 1926 and 1928.

An important part of our history, the Shelsley Specials are testament to the ingenuity of hill climb competitors throughout the years. Each with their own unique look and with names such as Wasp, Bloody Mary and the Gnat, a number of the cars are still in action today and remain a force to be reckoned with on hill climbs and at sprints across the country.

While a register was originally kept of all the Shelsley Specials as and when they were certified, it needs to be updated as the whereabouts of around 72 cars are currently unknown. Can you help us find them?

Those who have a Shelsley Special or know the whereabouts of one of the cars are asked to contact Amanda Palmer at the Midland Automobile Club on 01886 812211 or by emailing amanda@mac1901.co.uk

The cars that we're keen to locate are listed below.

  1. Austenity

  2. BFM

  3. Borborygmus Special

  4. Buzzie

  5. Caesar Special

  6. Carlmark

  7. Chatterbox

  8. Chawner GN

  9. Chitty Bang Bang

  10. Cobweb

  11. Cowlan

  12. Delilah II

  13. Djinn

  14. Eldridge

  15. Emeryson

  16. EWS

  17. Farley MKII

  18. Felday Daimier

  19. FHB 500

  20. FMS

  21. Gitane

  22. Goldwell G 100

  23. Grasshopper

  24. Gryphon Mk.II

  25. Hammond Special

  26. Hardy Special II

  27. Harker Special

  28. Harrizes Rheigold

  29. Hart JG 79

  30. Horton Special

  31. Hydrastumper Special

  32. Jabberwock Mk.II

  33. Killick Special

  34. LG 92

  35. March Austin Turbo

  36. Megapin Honda

  37. Meldrum Special

  38. Mephistophelgatti

  39. MG Bitza

  40. Mini Buick Vita D

  41. Monaco

  42. Myers Special

  43. Nitus Bedford

  44. Old Gold

  45. PR2

  46. Project 2

  47. RBS4C

  48. Red Biddy Special

  49. Rudeani

  50. Salome (Joystick Special)

  51. Smith Special

  52. SPA 390-01

  53. Spikins

  54. SRC 88 01

  55. Strang

  56. Stromboli

  57. Swift Ford

  58. Takhas

  59. TDP Williams Two

  60. The Spook

  61. The Terror

  62. Tiger Cat/Kitten

  63. TN Terror III

  64. Trakstar

  65. Triangle Flying Saucer

  66. Viper

  67. Walton Bristol

  68. Walton Jakaranda

  69. Ward Mk.8D

  70. Wharton Special

  71. Worsley Harris

  72. Yamaharvey

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