Freik

The Private Life of the Freikaiserwagen
By Rob and Hugh Dunsterville

One of the outstanding amateur-built specials of pre-war times was the Freikaiserwagen, which also raced from 1947-50 when it crashed and its usual driver Joe Fry was killed. It is the subject of this very excellent book, beautifully produced on high-class art paper. Freik – the Private Life of the Freikaiserwagen by Rob and Hugh Dunsterville is one of the most interesting technical books I have read, explaining the development of this so-successful Special year by year. Driven by Joe and sometimes his cousin David, this remarkable little 1097cc car scored innumerable FTDs at the leading speed events and in 1949 took the outright Shelsley Walsh course record from Raymond Mays in his ERA.

Hugh Dunsterville built the car originally, after competing with a PA MG and his own Special ‘Borborygmus’.There are over 60 excellent pictures of the Freikaiserwagen, showing the many changes made to achieve better and better results, up to the sad fatal accident. Other writers round off this exceedingly interesting account with descriptions of the Alfi-Caesar Special and the 500cc cars. Our own Simon Taylor wrote the Foreword.