Unique Bedmore Offers Fast Track to Historic Racing

MELBOURNE – Feb 27, 2012: Historic racing is booming in Australia, with record 573 cars entering this year’s Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport over the March 9-11 weekend.

Now Shannons, who have supported the Historic movement since its infancy in the late 1970s, are offering enthusiasts a chance to join in the fun at the affordable end of the racing spectrum.

One of the most interesting vehicles in Shannons March 5 Melbourne Summer Auction is the unique Bedmore Special – a single-seater racing car built 64 years ago but still eligible to race today.

The car was created by South Australian William Jolly in 1948 after he rolled and destroyed his 1929 Morris Minor on the second lap of his first motor race at Lobethal.

Unable to afford an MG motor, he found an old Bedford truck block in a wrecking yard, modified it to fit the Minor’s four-speed gearbox and slotted them into the remains of the Minor’s chassis.

The finished hybrid initially couldn't accommodate both Bill and the drivetrain, so Bill offset the engine and he sat on an aircraft seat, almost beside it, within his self-styled single-seater body. Later, he took inspiration from the Dunlop disc brakes used by Jaguar at Le Mans to create his own similar braking system.

Sporting cars those days were said to attract women, so there must have been a twinkle in Bill’s eye when he christened his creation the 'Bedmore' ('Bed' for Bedford, more for 'more Morris')!

After several years of competing with the Bedmore, Jolly sold it in 1953 to motoring journalist Tony Lucas. The Bedmore was then acquired in 1988 by Ray Finch, of Finch and Hocking, who restored and rebodied the car to its current condition.

Today it runs an enlarged 1483cc engine and is being auction with a CAMS Certificate of Description, allowing participation in Historic Group K.

This is an extremely rare opportunity to purchase a unique and special slice of Australian racing history at an affordable price.

Offered with no reserve at the March 5 auction, the Bedmore is expected to attract bids in $25,000-$30,000 range.