Chelsea Walsh/mount Tarrengower Historic It’s hill climbing season down under

Specials spirit strong among competitors at Chelsea Walsh Hill Climb, New Zealand

New Zealand’s Chelsea Walsh Hill Climb for pre-1960 cars attracted a mixed bag of specials for its 2017 running. First staged in 1976, the event is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Worcestershire’s Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, and takes place every November across the bay from Auckland. It’s held on an 800-metre stretch of private access road belonging to a local sugar works.

BSA Watson Special

The original owner of this BSA FW32 Watson Special was engineer Ralph Watson, not to be confused with the late Indy 500 special-builder AJ Watson. ‘Ralph advised Bruce Mclaren in the early days of his Formula One team,’ explained the car’s owner-driver, Ray Ferner.

‘Watson turned a BSA FW32 saloon into a special in the early Fifties. He manufactured a new body, lowered the chassis and modified the engine to double its original horsepower. He sold it on soon after, but bought it back in later life.

‘The second time around, Watson’s engine modifications were even more extensive and experimental – he fitted rotary valves that gave it yet more horsepower and extended the torque curve throughout the rev range.’

Type 59/50S replica

Ten years after Lionel Rodgers started to build a replica of Robert Benoist’s long-lost 1935 French Grand Prix Bugatti, it made its debut at Chealsea Walsh.

Rodgers sourced original design drawings from the Bugatti Trust to ensure total accuracy. ‘I’ve spent more than 2000 hours machining all the engine parts and building the engine,’ he said. ‘I had the chassis made in France and the front axle in the UK, along with the engine block. A local, Robert Ncnair, helped by manufacturing the panels and radiator and building up the car.

‘It’s a dream to drive, with buckets of torque, and probably only needs two gears, not the four that it has’

Morris 8 Special

Bevan Redpath gave his unique Morris 8 Special (bottom right) its classic competition debut at the event. ‘I’ve only owned the car for six months, but the previous owner built it over four years,’ he said.

‘It’s a cut-down 1936 Morris 8 with a Morris Minor bonnet forming its rear end bodywork. It runs a BMC A-series 998cc engine with a Weber sidedraught carburettor.

‘I’ve never driven anything that just makes you laugh and smile like this little car does.’