Alta Revived

Taylor’s son brings back a famous name

Many readers will remember Geoffrey Taylor and his Alta cars during the nineteen-thirties, especially in the sport of speed trials and hilIclimbs, and also George Abecassis with his coil spring all-independently suspended single-seater Alta and his lone battles against the many ERAs that were racing. His victories at the Crystal Palace were particularly memorable for Alta enthusiasts and when he beat Prince Birabongse (“B. Bira”), Motor Sport carried the headline “Bira Beaten at last”. Geoffrey Taylor began by making road-going sports cars and then built single-seater racing cars, and the Grand Prix 1 1/2-litre Alta was the first racing car to go into production in Britain after the war, and it utilised rubber suspension (there is nothing new Mr. Postlethwaite!). From making complete cars, always powered by engines built by himself, Taylor then supplied engines to HWM and later to Connaught, before he retired and Closed down his business. Now his Son Michael has reformed the Alta Car and Engineering Co. in Epsom. Surrey, and is building cars for Formula Ford using 1,600 c.c. Ford engines tuned by Rowland, and is marketing the rolling chassis, less engine and gearbox, at £2,100. His partner in the reformed business is Mike Barney, a former Cooper, McLaren and Brabham mechanic, and the new Alta is designated BT1F.