Halford Special
Encyclopedia
The Halford Special was a Grand Prix racing car of the 1920s built by Frank Halford on the chassis of an early Side Valve Aston Martin tourer. It was one of the most advanced British-built racing cars of the mid 1920s and had many racing successes.
) produced cars to compete at the Brooklands
racing circuit, for Grand Prix
racing, and to set world speed and endurance records. Two works Team Cars with 16 valve twin cam engines were built for racing, a record car known as the Razor Blade
was built, and a number of other cars were built for customers for racing. One of these customer cars, chassis number 1916, was later re-built as the AM Halford and then again as the Halford Special.
The early racing history of chassis number 1916 is not fully documented but what is certain is that it was crashed in 1924 and Major Frank Halford
bought the chassis and installed an engine of his own design and built a new two-seater body for the car.
Major Halford built two engines for the car. Each had an aluminium block and crankcase with six steel liners, with rubber seals at their base. Bore and stroke were 63 mm and 80 mm giving 1.5 litres, the Grand Prix formula for 1926. The cylinder heads were cast iron with two camshafts, twelve inclined valves, and two 12 mm plugs per cylinder.
Drawing on his aircraft design skills Frank Halford’s first design showed that he proposed to use an exhaust driven turbocharger, but this was unreliable in tests. This was probably the first turbocharged racing car until Renault developed the Alpine turbocharged car in 1968 that went on to become successful Grand Prix cars in the 1970s.
When first raced at Brooklands in the 1925 BARC
in August, however, the car appeared with a two litre Roots-type supercharger mounted on the front of the crankshaft.
The AM Halford first raced in 1925 with the first 95 bhp engine. The narrow Aston Martin radiator was too small and a wider and deeper radiator was fitted and the car was renamed more simply the Halford Special.
The second engine had twin magneto
s mounted behind the two overhead camshafts and developed 120 bhp and is now installed back in the Halford Special.
Frank Halford raced his car twice in 1925 and 12 times during 1926. The car was fitted with a Berk supercharger, manufactured by PressureVac Ltd., 18a North Parade, Bradford, Yorkshire. Halford then sold the car to Captain G. E. T. Eyston
, who would later hold the Land Speed Record
, to race during the 1927 season. Captain Eyston raced the Halford Special car three times at Brooklands and achieved fourth place in the Monthléry
French Grand Prix
in 1927.
In the 1930s the Halford Special was dismantled by its new owner, Viscount Ridley. The first engine was fitted into a Bugatti Type 35
and the second engine was modified to keep the twin magnetos dry and put into a speedboat that sank soon after and the engine spent two years at the bottom of a lake. The present owner of the Halford Special traced the original parts in the 1970s and re-assembled the Halford Special back to its original condition.
The Halford Special is currently kept at the Grand Prix exhibit at the Brooklands Motor Museum and is still used periodically in Vintage Sports Car Club and other events for historic racing cars. The car was involved in an accident at a VSCC
race meeting at Silverstone in 2008 but is now restored back to original condition.
History
In 1922 Bamford & Martin company (that later became Aston MartinAston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
) produced cars to compete at the Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
racing circuit, for Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
racing, and to set world speed and endurance records. Two works Team Cars with 16 valve twin cam engines were built for racing, a record car known as the Razor Blade
Razor Blade
The Aston Martin Razor Blade team car was built in 1923 to break the one hour light car record of held by AC Cars. Although it failed to break the record, it did have success in race and record attempts in the 1920s....
was built, and a number of other cars were built for customers for racing. One of these customer cars, chassis number 1916, was later re-built as the AM Halford and then again as the Halford Special.
Frank Halford
Major Frank Bernard Halford CBE FRAeS was an English aircraft engine designer.-Career:Educated at Felsted, In 1913 he left the University of Nottingham before graduating to learn to fly at Brooklands and Bristol Flying School and became a flight instructor using Bristol Boxkites.He served in the...
bought the chassis and installed an engine of his own design and built a new two-seater body for the car.
Major Halford built two engines for the car. Each had an aluminium block and crankcase with six steel liners, with rubber seals at their base. Bore and stroke were 63 mm and 80 mm giving 1.5 litres, the Grand Prix formula for 1926. The cylinder heads were cast iron with two camshafts, twelve inclined valves, and two 12 mm plugs per cylinder.
Drawing on his aircraft design skills Frank Halford’s first design showed that he proposed to use an exhaust driven turbocharger, but this was unreliable in tests. This was probably the first turbocharged racing car until Renault developed the Alpine turbocharged car in 1968 that went on to become successful Grand Prix cars in the 1970s.
When first raced at Brooklands in the 1925 BARC
British Automobile Racing Club
The British Automobile Racing Club is one of biggest organising clubs for auto racing in the United Kingdom.-History:The Cyclecar Club was formed in 1912, running races for the small and light motorbike powered vehicles at Brooklands as well as rallies and sporting trials. Among the founder...
in August, however, the car appeared with a two litre Roots-type supercharger mounted on the front of the crankshaft.
The AM Halford first raced in 1925 with the first 95 bhp engine. The narrow Aston Martin radiator was too small and a wider and deeper radiator was fitted and the car was renamed more simply the Halford Special.
The second engine had twin magneto
Magneto
A magneto is a type of electrical generator.Magneto may also refer to:* Magneto , permanent magnetic alternating current rotary generator* ignition magneto, magnetos on internal combustion engines...
s mounted behind the two overhead camshafts and developed 120 bhp and is now installed back in the Halford Special.
Frank Halford raced his car twice in 1925 and 12 times during 1926. The car was fitted with a Berk supercharger, manufactured by PressureVac Ltd., 18a North Parade, Bradford, Yorkshire. Halford then sold the car to Captain G. E. T. Eyston
George Eyston
- References :*...
, who would later hold the Land Speed Record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
, to race during the 1927 season. Captain Eyston raced the Halford Special car three times at Brooklands and achieved fourth place in the Monthléry
Autodrome de Montlhéry
Autodrome de Montlhéry is an automobile racetrack, officially called L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, located across the towns of Linas Bruyères-le-Châtel and Ollainville, outside Paris in the southside....
French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
in 1927.
In the 1930s the Halford Special was dismantled by its new owner, Viscount Ridley. The first engine was fitted into a Bugatti Type 35
Bugatti Type 35
The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. Its version of the Bugatti arch-shaped radiator that had evolved from the more architectural one of the Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, was to become the one that the marque is most known for though even in the ranks of the various Type 35s...
and the second engine was modified to keep the twin magnetos dry and put into a speedboat that sank soon after and the engine spent two years at the bottom of a lake. The present owner of the Halford Special traced the original parts in the 1970s and re-assembled the Halford Special back to its original condition.
The Halford Special is currently kept at the Grand Prix exhibit at the Brooklands Motor Museum and is still used periodically in Vintage Sports Car Club and other events for historic racing cars. The car was involved in an accident at a VSCC
Vintage Sports-Car Club
The Vintage Sports-Car Club or VSCC is a British motor racing club. Established "towards the end of 1934" by Tim Carson and Tom Rolt to promote the pastime of motoring, the VSCC was first started in order to allow the "not so rich" to enjoy historic motoring.. General guidelines made the club...
race meeting at Silverstone in 2008 but is now restored back to original condition.
Racing History 1925 to 1928
| Year | Race | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aston Martin chassis number 1916, registration number OR 1 | ||
| 1923 | May Aston Clinton Hill climb (W. G. Barlow) Entry number 22 | ? |
| JCC Spring meeting Brooklands (W. G. Barlow) | 4th | |
| BARC Whitsun, Brooklands (W. G. Barlow?) Entry number 12 | ? | |
| BARC Autumn, Brooklands (W. G. Barlow) Entry number 9 | ? | |
| 1924 | Voiturette Race, Boulogne (G. E. T. Eyston) | Crashed |
| Rebuilt as the AM Halford | ||
| 1925 | August BARC, Brooklands (Halford) | ? |
| JCC 200 Mile race, Brooklands (Halford) | 5th | |
| Rebuilt again as the Halford Special | ||
| 1926 | BARC Whitsun Meeting Brooklands (Halford), 90 Short | 1st |
| BARC Whitsun Meeting Brooklands (Halford), 90 Long Handicap | 3rd | |
| BARC Whitsun Meeting Brooklands (Halford), 90 Long | 3rd | |
| BARC Easter Meeting Brooklands, (Halford), 90 Short | 1st | |
| BARC Easter Meeting Brooklands, (Halford), 90 Long Handicap | 3rd, 107.34 mi/h | |
| BARC Easter Meeting Brooklands, (Halford), 100 mi/h Handicap | 2nd, 104.91 mi/h | |
| BARC 3 July, Brooklands, (Halford) | ?, 102.04 mi/h | |
| BARC Summer Meeting, Brooklands (Halford), 90 Short | 2nd, 109.22 mi/h | |
| BARC Summer Meeting, Brooklands (Halford), 100 Long | 1st, 109.94 mi/h | |
| BARC Summer Meeting, Brooklands (Halford), 90 Long | 2nd, 109.7 mi/h | |
| 17 September Meeting, Brooklands (Halford) | ? | |
| 26 September Meeting Brooklands (Halford) | 4th | |
| RAC British Grand Prix (Halford) | Retired lying 4th | |
| JCC 200 miles (321.9 km) race, Brooklands | 10th | |
| 1927 | Middlesex County AC, Brooklands (Eyston) | 1st |
| AFC French Grand Prix, Monthléry (Eyston) | 4th | |
| Junior Grand Prix, Brooklands (Eyston) | 4th | |
| 1928 | Sold to Viscount Ridley, dismantled. One engine installed in a Bugatti, the second engine installed in a speedboat. |