2 litre Speed Model Monoposto
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2 litre Speed Model Monoposto

2 litre Speed Model Monoposto

(1939)

Gordon Sutherland and Claude Hill constructed a single seater (monoposto) to attempt to take the 2 litre outer circuit record at Brooklands much like Lionel Martin and the Razor Blade in the 1920's. It was to be a test bed for the rotary valve cylinder head, but it was complicated and didn't deliver any more power than the overhead cam head. Sadly, it was 1939 and before it could be fully exploited, war broke out and the car was put into extended storage.

2 litre Speed Model Monoposto

After the war, it became the property of David Brown when he bought Aston Martin and as it was of no real use, it was sold to Gordon Garside. Garside fitted a 2 seater body, changed the engine and raced it as the Garside Special. More body changes followed until it was purchased by Andy Bell of Ecurie Bertelli

Now after five years, the Monoposto has been fully restored to it’s original single seater specification including the ex Dick Seaman TT engine. Despite never being raced by the factory, in it’s first AMOC Horsfall Race in 2006, Andy achieved a first place in this Historic Classic event.

A slightly different frontal look for the Monoposto with a much wider radiator aperture (to assist with cooling?) whilst racing at Laguna Seca, California in August 2007 against oddly a 1959 Kurtis Indy Roadster. Andy Bell took the Monoposto to the Monterey peninsula for both the historic races and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance which that year featured Aston Martin as the featured marque.