Dellow Mk2B Competition

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Dellow cars were made in a factory at Alvechurch, Birmingham, between 1949 and 1956. Dellow Motors Ltd was started by Ken Delingpole and Ron Lowe to produce road-going sports cars for the enthusiast to use in trials, rallies and hill-climbs. Initially based on Austin 7 parts, from 1950 Dellows used a 1,172cc Ford 10 engine in an A-frame chassis with a very light tubular steel framework (made from government surplus chrome-moly rocket tubes!) welded to the chassis and panelled in aluminium.

The design emphasis was on light weight and a rearward weight bias for trials. Many sporting awards were won by drivers of Dellow cars in the early 1950s, not only in trials but also in other events such as driving tests and hillclimbs. Dellows also took overall honours in the MCC organized Daily Express National Rally and the Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Styling was created by Lionel Evans at his Radpanels coachbuilding business in Kidderminster. The car evolved through several variants known as MkI to MkV. Early cars had the Ford beam front axle with transverse spring and short Panhard rod, quarter elliptics at the rear and Andre Hartford friction dampers all round. The Ford torque-tube was suitably shortened and the vast majority of cars used the 3-speed Ford gearbox but a very small number of cars were produced to customer order with a 4-speed Morris gearbox.

The Ford E93A engines were mildly tuned and many used twin SUs on a cast alloy 'Dellow' manifold. The MkII saw the introduction of a new and much more robust rear chassis section with coil springs, separate telescopic shock absorbers and a Panhard rod. This stiffer chassis allowed doors to become an optional fitting. About 300 Dellows in total are believed to have been constructed.

Dating from 1953, this Dellow Mk2B is fitted with a Ford 100E Raymond Mays-tuned engine with performance ‘aqua plane’ cylinder head and manifold, plus twin SU carbs. Presented in signal red with a red interior and black tonneau cover, it is fully road legal with 12 months’ MOT. It is said to be “in very good order throughout and very useable both on or off road.”