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Super Shelsley – Saturday 1 July

Report Tony Quinn

Photos, thanks to Derek Harvey. 

Seven Morgan crews turned out for the all bike event at Shelsley Walsh.  Set in picturesque Worcestershire countryside and with its first event in August 1905, Shelsley is the oldest motor sport venue in the world still to run events on the original course.  We were indebted to the National Hill Climb Association for their invitation to compete and to the Midland Automobile Club which run events on the hill since its inception.

Hamish Bibby was driving Bill Tuer’s racer and, barring breakdowns, it was inevitable that Hamish and passenger Mia would post fastest Morgan time.  Indeed they did with a terminal speed of 77mph across the line, some 7mph faster than Alistair Rew.

 

However, there was fierce competition for second spot.  In contention were Alistair’s JTOR Aero, Tom Cowley in the 1296cc MX2 powered Super Aero, both on methanol and Dave Pitt’s full road trim 5-speeder.  All three carried ballast.

Tom came out on top with a run that was 3mph slower than Alistair at the finish, but just eight hundredths of a second quicker.  It was first time at Shelsley for Dave and quite an achievement to be just a quarter of a second slower than Alistair.

 

The Touring Modified pre-’53 class was represented by Tony Quinn/ballast and Cathy Quinn/Tracey Cameron.  Cathy kept her clog hard down all the way, but the steep Shelsley hill is a real challenge for side valve Ford engined F types that lack the grunt of the twins.  That great enthusiast Graham Slater turned out in his lovely, entirely standard M type Super Aero and enjoyed best value for money in terms of time on the hill.  On this occasion he was passengered by grandson Harry who was off to Vietnam and Cambodia in a few days time.

                                     

The weather was fine and the organisation was relaxed and efficient as one would expect from the MAC having run events at Shelsley for over a century.  The bikers of the NHCA were great and we understand that they have been promised another all bike event in 2024.

 

Here’s a link to an excellent Youtube video of the Morgans:  https://youtu.be/bj12IrVlttA

 

Hamish Bibby/Mia                                       38.29 secs

Tom Cowley/ballast                                     41.84

Alistair Rew/ballast                                      41.96

Dave Pitt/ballast                                           42.24

Tony Quinn/ballast                                      46.00

Cathy Quinn/Tracey                                    50.71

 

VSCC Shelsley – Sunday 2 July

 

Three Morgans competed at the following day’s Vintage Sports Car Club meeting conducted under MS UK rules with no passengers.  Bill Tuer was back in his own 8/80 JAP racer, Fin Cameron in the post war JAP ‘Chicken’ and Dez Shotton in his Super Aero with the Cameron rebuilt JTOR JAP now run in after appearing at our Curborough twisty sprint a few weeks earlier. 

 

The best times were:

 

Bill Tuer                     37.88secs

Fin Cameron            42.40

Dez Shotton  43.70