In my ongoing quest for images of Ulsters in the work archives I cam across this;



It's from the 1936 (July) Nuffield Trophy at Donnington, I don't know about the driver or car, (and having looked in Beatrice's book am still none the wiser.) Any info greatly received, (as for any other photos on the site.)

The question being what are the wheels? They look very modern for 1936. Also I'm wondering what the (hastily) cut hole in the bonnet could be for??

I have also started to link the individual cars together by registration and have got a fair few in there now, (currently 19 Ulsters & 1 SuperSports.)

As always more info on cars is greatfully received. The plan being to start putting together a list of cars and the events that they competed in.

I am starting to get the feeling that this could turn into a long term project...

Fantastic. What incredible clarity. You really should think of publishing these images!!

After a bit of googling came up with the name of Stuart Ulph!

...Almack fitted the car with rather exotic "Aerolite" 15 inch alloy wheels, made pre war by the Bramber eng. co....

Its the Almack Ulster, was fitted with the ex Goodacre works engine that is now back in my TT car,but am not sure it was in it in the photo.Have seen a photo of the Almack car with a SU coming out of the hole in the bonnet side its not there in your photo Austin.
Almack fitted a blower above the woks engine and had an SU on the offside.
Stuart will know more

On a different ulster -- can you send me your "snail Mail address" and I will send you some info and photos of another racing ulster (Mentioned by Canning Brown)that is still alive and well in Northern England.

Haven't looked at the forum for a day or two so I missed this!
Thank you David, quite right. "Aerolite" wheels designed by Pete Almack and sold in very(!) small numbers. Those are 15" but some were 16".
Pete's Ulster. I've never found out what its reg. no. was. The driver is Gerry Garman, who owned David's engine at the time. I would have thought it would have been in the car if he is driving. That hole in the bonnet is where the big SU stuck through when the blower was fitted. Perhaps they are running unblown for some reason, don't know.
Beatrice rang me a few nights ago with the sad news that Gerry died recently, age 93.
I did a brief article on this car and the Almack/ Garman association in the 750 Bulletin some years ago, one of the last of the A5 format Bulletins.
Brilliant photo! Never seen it before.

Regards, Stuart
Regards, Stuart

Stuart, What is the connection between the Almack ulster and the Williams/Almack special, are they perhaps the same car?
Have you seen these pics? Ken Jarvis at Brighton Speed Trials, 1946 and 1947.
http://www.motormarques.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=65 scroll down pages 1 and 5.

Oops,
should be,

http://www.motormarques.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=65

then scroll down pages 1 and 5.
I see that the forum is still running British summer time!

Thanks for the reply Stuart, would you mind if I put some of your response as a caption below the photo on my site? (I will of course credit you!)

The cut out for the SU seems very crude, you can see that the louvres are flapping about. There is another photo of the car from the same meeting that I have where it looks like he has just spun the car, the bonnet doesn't look like it fits very well.

Graham,I dont think they are the same car the only common link is the engine.

The book will be out soon (I hope!) and all will be revealed - or possibly more confused!

David is right; the Ulster in these pictures I believe to be an entirely separate car to the Almack car I own, the latter built by Williams. I suspect the 15" wheels on the Ulster may well be those now on my car. The Jarvis car at Brighton definitely used the wheels off my car.
Austin, you are entirely welcome to use the caption.
Graham, by all means email if there is more you wish to know & I will respond if I can! Don't wish to hijack the forum for weeks - and I could!

Regards, Stuart

Oh - no holding back, Stuart. I am, at least, very interested in the history of competition Austins!!!

Regards,
Ralf

Bit slow off the mark here, chaps, but I'm pretty sure the chap in the white overalls and the cap bending over the car is Pete Almack.

Regards, Stuart

So any ideas on the chap who looks like he is on his way to work in the drivers seat?

Ermm...see ones post above at 7.12 am Forum time, I think, Austin.

Regards, Stuart

Thank you Stuart, starting to find that beer and lack of sleep does not make for good logic...

For those who wish to order prints there is now a page outlining the process, sorry to say that they aren't cheap, but the prints are very good.

I'm starting to find less and less in the Autocar archive, (I'm up to 1937) but there are a few gems to come from other sources plus I haven't even looked at The Motor archives yet...

Then I need to start looking up the race reports and start captioning and cross referencing everything. Could be a lifes work.

I just love the fact that the driver clearly thinks standards should be maintained and that he is racing wearing a tie and cufflinks!

Found another fantastic one!



1936 (March) BARC Opening Meeting Brooklands, (I'm guessing after the race judging by the pool of water under the radiator.)

This time its Almack himself driving and it shows the SU on the offside.

As a relative newcomer to this site (and still trying to work out the simple ins and outs of a straight RP saloon), this stuff is so over my head, with names which are clearly legend in Austin Seven circles but completely new to me, but just so interesting.

Andy

I really wouldn't worry Andy, the majority of this is over my head as well, (and I was named after the car!)

It just seemed to good an opportunity to not put these pictures into the public domain.

Really nice to see this latter picture, Austin. Peter Almack's sister sent a cut down copy of it to my Dad some 40 years ago, so this is the first time I've seen the whole thing.

Perhaps I ought to say, in relation to Andy B's comment, that a lot of the people we've been discussing lately are relatively minor players in what nowadays would be called club motorsport. I think it's probably true that you have to be pretty much of an anorak (I refer to myself here!) to know or care! Having said that, Pete Almack was quite a character, whom you would have found hard to ignore at the time. His adverts in contemporary copies of "Motor Sport" make entertaining reading!

Regards, Stuart