[Photo supplied by David Hooper copyright holder unknown, this photo will be credited or removed upon request]
Peter Collins seen above, possibly at Westwood Park, on the left drove JWP 800 to victories at two national events held at Gamston and at least one more at Croft where he set an outright lap record.
After passing through the hands of a businessman in the Midlands JWP 800 ended up in the hands of cycle manufacturer Don Farrell who with his wife Stella, a champion cyclist, used the car to compete in hillclimbs and sprints.
In order to improve the stability and straight line speed of the cycle winged J2 Don built an all enveloping body for the vehicle and with the unoffficial aid of Allard draghtsman, later Chief Engineer, Dave Hooper fitted the car with wishbone front suspension.
The Farrallac Mk1 was used by the Farrells for two years until October 1959 when crossing the finishing line on a hillclimb near Marlow, having set Fastest Time of the Day a track rod broke which consequently sent the car over a barbed wire fence rendering JWP 800 beyond repair and left Don Farrell nursing his wounds in hospital.
While recovering Don planned The Farrallac Mk2 which he subsequently built in 1960
[Photo Courtesy David Hooper]
using the 400 hp 5980cc Cadillac engine,
Alvis gearbox and some of the suspension salvaged from JWP 800 which were fitted to a new twin tube chassis along with Alfin drum brakes.
David Hooper tells me the rear body work came from a J2
while the front was sourced from a Maersati.
With a top speed of 165 mph
The Farrallac Mk2 was campaigned by the Farrells covering standing 1/4 miles in 12 seconds.
In the mid sixties the Farrallac Mk2 passed into the hands of Burno Ferrari who replaced the Cadillac motor for a Ford then the car disappeared,
resurfacing in the hands of Tony Bianchi in the late 1970's.
Tony spent seven years bring the car back to health finding a Cadillac engine and fitting it with "Offy" cylinder heads from a stock car. Tony still owns the Mk2 33 years later.
Bob Bull the passenger above tells me he saw an indicated 160 mph as he hung on to his helmet flying along Silverstone's Hangar Straight.
My thanks to Bob Bull, Colin Warnes of the Allard Register, Allard Chief Engineer David Hooper, Simon Taylor, Classic and Sportscar Magazine (July 1985), The Nostalgia Forum members C Drewett, and Fuzzi for their photo's and help with information for today's blog.
Thanks for joining me on today's Farrallac edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' join me again tomorrow for another visit to Castle Combe. Don't forget to come back now !
Offenhouser made only cast covers for the valvegear and no remarkable heads were ever available for the cast iron cadillac engine. I have a Studebaker engine resembling this Cadillac of 4.9 liters, built to the approximate specs of the 200 MPH Bonneville Avanti and the same covers interchange with it or the Olds of the early fifties, can't remember which. Fourth such engine was the 1952 Lincoln, a deep skirt but otherwise much alike unto the first three. Sorry to say the 55 Chevy came in 40kg lighter with somewhat more rpm potential, and with many times more scrapyard candidates it ended any fascination with those others, although its stock virtues were initially exaggerated.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your comments areopagitica :-)
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