obituary

AC Westwood

After a lifetime of motorsport Albert Cheney (‘Bert’) Westwood has died, aged 97. He will be remembered as the leader of the successful ‘Black Diamond’ Fiat Balilla team in pre-war trials, rallies and at Brooklands, and a member of the works-sponsored Singer ‘Candidi Provocatores’ trial team.

Trained as an engineer, he became an RNAS pilot in WWI before starting his own motor business, Westwood and Clark, which still operates. Bert drove his Fiat Balilla 503S, CVX 204, in the RAC, Scottish and Welsh Rallies, raced a Healey Silverstone, and competed in major Continental rallies such as the Monte Carlo, Liege and Tulip. He owned a Dellow for driving-tests, a K3 MG, an XK 120, a Lotus 9, a Sunbeam Tiger, and his Iris Special, named after his enthusiastic wife. This versatile and successful competition driver retired the ‘Black Diamond’ Balilla in the mid-1950s after gaining many rally awards.