The Guy North Special

The Guy North Special

From time to time reference is made in the Motoring Press to Guy North, but apart from the following instance, I have no knowledge of this gentleman or his cars. I think it was in 1980 you published a short letter from me regarding the Guy North Special, but no other reader appeared to come up with further suggestions.

This car, unless there were others carrying the same name, was originally a 30’98 Vauxhall, but fitted with the ‘H’ type o.h.c. engine, which unit was intended by the manufacturers to replace the side-valve ‘E’ type. Development work was in progress under Mr. l.aurence Pomeroy, but was discontinued when other interests took him to the USA at the end of 1919.

The Directors of Vauxhall Motors decided not to proceed with the o.h.c. design, settling for the push-rod o.h.c., subsequently the ‘OE’.

The ‘H’ type had a bore and stroke of 100 x 140 mm. and developed around 100 b.h.p. at 2,500 r.p.m. I was verv familiar with this car and its power unit in the early 1930s, and understood it had been raced at Brooklands, although I cannot corroborate this statement.

If I remember correctly, the flutes in the bonnet had been beaten out, and the radiator was fitted with a cowl. Unfortunately I have no photograph.

My late father had a Talbot-Darr, and Bleriot Whippet at the same time. The Talbot-Darracq was registered OK 5434, but I do not remember the registration number of the Bleriot Whippet, just that its letters were AB. Brighton G. R. SANDERS