by David Wall

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The story of this project really begins many years before I even set eyes on HWP 916. Having been born into a trialling family, it was near my first birthday that I made the journey with my father to pick up the remains of his well-known silver Mk1, LZ2372. Strange that, 24 years later, I would embark on a similar project with similar aims. Having grown up with the Dellow, I remember evenings tinkering in the garage with the silver car and spectating on hillsides around the country. Having campaigned the silver car and had a brief foray into Escorts, it wasn't until leaving university that the search for my own Dellow began in earnest.

The criteria for the project were that it needed to be cheap, as I had no scope to pay the prices rebuilt Dellows fetch. A 'basketcase' was preferable, since I would probably end up re-engineering most of the car in any case. The ethos for the project was not to build an original spec car, but instead using bits Dellow motors might have used if they were still around today. First and foremost it was going to be a trials car, aimed at class eight like my fathers. Through contact with Jim Harvey I found that he had a car that might suit my needs, a visit was made and money exchanged. It was February 2005, I was now the owner of HWP 916.

HWP 916 was first registered in early 1950. The HWP cars are often referred to as prototypes, as they were constructed from donor parts to avoid the purchase tax just after the war. Dellow started to build cars from new parts sometime in 1950. I'm sure there is someone out there who knows exactly how many of these prototype cars were produced, I'm not sure. Certainly, Richard Andrews car is an HWP car and I think there are a couple more. Pat Reynolds who campaigned it in trials, sprints and hillclimbs into the mid sixties owned from my car from new. By this time it had been heavily modified to maintain an edge against the lighter machinery of the day. The full wings had gone in favour of skimpy cycle wings and same fate had fell upon the screen. At some point, the car had been re-panelled with Tuffnol! I believe Pat Reynolds had a lot to do with Tuffnol company in the early years. From experience, I can't believe these panels had much advantage in the weight stakes, but presumably they came at the right price! This led to the adopted name the Tuffnol special, which the car has been referred to in the past. I have no further information the cars history, but would be very interested to here from anyone who does.

Close inspection of the car showed evidence of much modification by the 'enthusiastic' engineer over the years including a 4" panhard rod which would sweep close to 90 deg! The only way to tackle the project was to strip the car to a chassis/bodyframe and start again. What a demoralising sight to see the car that used to be a runner, sat on the garage floor like a rusty climbing frame! The plan was to get the car rolling as soon as possible, with an aggressive target of Exeter 2006 as the first trial! For years, I had been considering the use of the Rover K-series in a trials car. Attracted to its light-weight and rave reviews about the engine when fitted in Caterham 7's. Now seemed like a good time to try the theory! There were plenty of units in scrap yard. For less money then I could have a crossflow rebuilt, I could have a low mileage unit and ancillaries in my hands.

Throughout the build of the car there were continual challenges with the HWP concept. These cars differ in many respects from the later Mk1, one aspect being a lower scuttle. When I removed the scuttle panel I found ash spacers holding the panel away from the tube-work to facilitate the fitting of a later Mk1 screen and nose. Due to lack of a prototype screen or nose the car has evolved more Mk1 than prototype in shape. By the time I bought the car it had lost its rear quarter elliptic springs, replaced with coils. I opted to keep this setup using coil-overs because of the tuning options.

By mid summer 2005 there were two working on the project. My girlfriend Emma seemed quite keen to get her hands dirty, and I found plenty of things to keep her occupied. Massive timesavings were gained by having someone to cut, file and fettle while I innovated and crafted (at least that’s the way I like to remember it!) Other than that, wherever something was missing I was able to look at my father's car and replicate brackets etc. By the start of 2006 we were able to strip the car again, finish the welding and send the frame to be powder-coated. The appearance on its return was outstanding. I think we wasted quite a bit of time just staring at it! Having removed all of the tuffnol panels I was left with just a nose cone and a pair of fibreglass wings. The rest I made up from 1.2mm and 1mm aluminium, taking measurements from the silver car. Its by no means concurs, but I am pleased with the result. It was almost exactly a year between getting the car and starting the panelling.

Final assembly was more frustrating. Having seen the Exeter target come and go (half expected when I set it!) I committed I must have the car at the 60th Dellow anniversary meeting at Shelsley Walsh. I think it was about 6 weeks from getting the car back from paint, to getting it to Shelsley. My Father and I spent several weeks deciphering the wiring loom, plumping fuel and brake lines, gauges etc etc. That was after Dave Forshew had removed most of the useless bits of loom for me! I was able to drive the car down the drive late on the Thursday night before Shelsley.... twice and then the modified clutch cylinder over-stroked and filled the bell-housing with fluid! Still, the car was there and got some really nice comments. I didn't hear many comments about "wrong engine" or such like, but then I guess you don't, its everyone else that does!!
 

Two weeks after Shelsley the car was on the road. It has just started its competition career in its current guise and in all I'm very happy with it. I entered a Stroud PCT in the summer with the car on 15" wheels, which worked well, but the current plan is to stick with the 18's for Classics which my car was designed around. Looking to the future there is still much I want to try, and I don't think a competition car is ever 'finished' look at Dudley's J'. Its still very early days for the car and engine so it's just take it one trial at a time, with an aim to build up some reliability.

Page added 1 January 2007