1948 Bedmore Special Single Seat Race Car
Sold: $23,000
Specifications
| Engine | 1483cc In-Line 4cyl |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 4-Speed Manual |
| Body Work | Single Seater Race Car |
| Colour | British Racing Green |
| Interior | Black |
| Trim | Vinyl |
| Wheels | Wire Spoke |
| Brakes | Drums |
Description
A great example of Aussie ingenuity, the Bedmore single-seat racer came into the world when William Jolly crashed his 1929 Morris Minor at a Lobethal race meeting in 1948. It was a decent accident, a rollover on the second lap of his first motor race, but Bill came away with an idea.
Unable to afford an MG motor, he found an old Bedford truck block in a wrecking yard. It was modified to fit the retained four-speed Minor gearbox, while the Bedford's rear hydraulic brakes were also adapted. This was all slotted in to the remains of the Minor chassis. The finished hybrid couldn't fit the drivetrain and Bill in, so the engine was offset to suit and Bill sat on an aircraft seat with a rear-mounted fuel tank, also from an aircraft, being installed. The new machine was christened the 'Bedmore' ('Bed' for Bedford, more for 'more Morris'), and it was bodied as a single-seater and taken off to compete in local events, modifying the car to suit. An example of this was when he took inspiration from the Dunlop disc brakes and created his own version of them, ensuring excellent stopping capabilities for the time. After several years of competing with the Bedmore, Jolly sold it to motoring journalist Tony Lucas in 1953.
