Racing Cars competing in 1950

Original photographs of historic racing cars

[1950s Motor Racing Page 1 2 3 Le Mans 1950]

These pictures were all found in an old dusty album by David Kiss, a friend of mine and a visitor to this website. They've been scanned in as best as possible, although some are not quite as clear as the originals. Despite this, the cars, circuits and drivers featured in these pages are fascinating. Photographs of many top motor racing events from 1947, 1950, and into 1951, are featured here. Sprints, trials, hillclimbs and circuit racing are all included, as is a great selection of tasty road cars, including real exotics such as pre-war Mercedes, and a swoopy Talbot Lago. All the images are presented across three pages, simply click any link to see a larger picture of a particular car or scene. They are shown in the order they were presented in the album. A set of photos from the 1950 Le Mans 24 hours are on their own page.
For more recent pictures, visit the main Car Photos page.

Photographs taken at a hillclimb meeting, probably Prescott, believed to be in 1950.

HRG Sportscar. DRL 540 is still in existence according to the DVLA website.		Riley 2 seater. NJ 6180 is still around, first registered in 1935 and fitted with a 1479cc engine.		Unknown Believed to be an Aston Martin International MkII Le Mans, alongside a 1930s Austin.		Cooper 500. Thanks to Steve for id'ing this and several others!		ERA Delage at Prescott - also note the array of other cars in the background, plus Ted Lloyd Jones -built Triangle Special.
Prescott Paddock. A general view showing cars parked in the paddock (field).		Hillclimb special. Note the characteristic narrow rear track of this 'Shelsley Special' - can anyone suggest which car is shown here sans bodywork?		Hillclimb special. A typical single seater tackles the ascent on this hillclimb course.

Next, a couple of miscellaneous photos....

MG Tickford Coupe Thanks to Michael who id'd this as a TA or TB by Tickford.

Aston Martin Ulster. CML 719 is an Ulster, no longer registered on the DVLA site but still in existence, in the USA.

Then onto the Brighton Speed Trials (I originally thought 1950, but I am told are from 1947!)....

Unknown car. Perhaps a Riley, just going by the grille! Alongside in the 'paddock' area at Brighton is an Amilcar C6 I'm told (I had thought ERA).		Steyr Allard. Car no. 8 is the Steyr Allard, and parked in the background, a Bugatti? Pico got in touch: "The Bugatti parked on the sidewalk is a Type 57S Atalante, EXK 5. My 1954 edition of "The Bugatti Book" lists the owner as J.J. Virr. At first I thought it was the Corsica bodied T57S but wing profile is different."		Brighton Speed Trials. A general view of cars at Brighton. Note the transporters, semi-covered Bugatti and other racers.		Brighton Speed Trials. Another view of the parking area at Brighton. Quite a few cars, trucks, and even a covered trailer feature.		Brighton Speed Trials. Quite a few transporters are visible in this photograph. The bus on the right was a RAF crewbus at one time.
Single seat Alta. A 1.5L Alta, driver R.C.ROWLAND. Alongside is a Type 35 Bugatti, driver J.E.G.FAIRMAN. The Jeep appears in many paddock views.		Bentley Special. The Bentley-Jackson special is in this photo.		Bentley Special. Another view of car 12, the Bentley-Jackson special.		Amilcar single seater. Car 41 I'm told is an Amilcar C6.

Back to Prescott Hillclimb briefly....

Riley. The driver is suitably attired in leather racing hat, plus goggles.

Steyr Allard. Sydney Allard won the hillclimb championship in 1949 with this car.

Allard? This looks suspiciously like an Allard - correct??

Now some photos of a vintage trial....

Car collection. Cars congregate in a car park - note the HRG and MG TC.		HRG sports car. JKR 253 is still on the DVLA licensing site. The HRG was registerd July 1947, is green, and has a 1494cc engine.		Car collection. A few more sporting cars parked up in the assembly area.		1920s Bentley. This photo shows a very handsome 1920s Bentley - a 3 litre perhaps?		Clearway Cafe car park. All the cars outside the Clearway Cafe.
Trials cars. A variety of vintage cars including Austin 7 ATA 379.		Trials cars. More Trials cars, including something registered CU: 636 and JO 585.		Trials cars. A mixed bunch of cars parked outside a building here including a Tickford bodied MG VA.		Trials car. A small Ford or Austin powered trials car reg LPC 913 or LPC 915.		Trials car. Another unidentified trials special (CUL 636).

A couple of photos showing a streamlined Alvis....

Alvis. Can anyone shed any light on this unusual Alvis? Hubert believes that it is "a spyder by Bid�e of Brussels. Note the registration from Belgium (white with red figures)".

Alvis. Sideview of this coachbuilt Alvis - the registration hints at an overseas coachbuilder, perhaps Bid�e as Hubert suggests.

A visit to another hillclimb event, not sure which venue though....

Car park. A choice of sporting cars, including Bentley YT 6067, a special registered MF 1632, a BMW 328, and an Austin Seven.	Car park. Several more vintage machines parked up at this hillclimb.	1929 Bentley. Still around is Bentley KW 5669, a 1929 (4398cc) 4.5 example, which appears on the Stanley Mann site. It is known as Bluebell, and was designed, raced & owned by Mac McMakenzie.	Hillclimb car. Blasting up the hill is a twin-rear wheeled special.	Hillclimb car. Can anyone i.d. car no.52 for me? seen here after being re-fuelled via 2 gallon petrol tin. Steve advises that it is a pre war single seater Alta with a new body.
Hillclimb paddock. A general view of the assembly and paddock areas near to the Start line. Car nearest the camera could be a Lancia (?)	Bloody Mary. John Bolster is in this photograph with his Bloody Mary special. Also in view, a 1930s' Dodge transporter used by Bob Gerard to haul his ERA. A pre-war photo of Bloody Mary can now be seen here.	Two seater. Not sure what special this is, cruising back down the hill course.	Single seater. This small (500cc ?) car darts past some solid looking farm buildings.	RJW Appleton Special. I think this is the Appleton Special, powered by a supercharged Riley engine, in modified Maserati chassis.
Unknown. Stylish, but what is JB 8284? theres an MG badge on the front, but I doubt this is from Abingdon.	Paddock area. A general view of the paddock and competition cars parked about..