A pure, unspoilt, real deal 'Bitza'

In the past we have had several discussions as to what is a ‘Bitza’. A heap of parts thrown together making a car look like something it isn’t? Or a careful conversion with period parts to make a car better than the original? We think it can be both and when buying just make sure you know the cars history. Now take this one that started life as a bog standard 2-seater Riley 9. It was bought by W A. 'Alex' Cuthbert who was a successful works driver for the Riley team. He fitted the Riley with a simple racing bodywork together with a works engine and gearbox. In 1933 a Powerplus supercharger was added. Cuthbert designed a new timing case cover and modified the cooling system. Then Cuthbert converted the engine to a dry sump lubrication system. Girling's prototype rod brake system was fitted and the standard six-stud wire wheels were replaced with centre-lock type ones. In this, its present, form the Riley was extensively raced and quite successful too. Now what do we call Cuthbert’s Riley… a Bitza? A Special? Or an all original 1930’s racing car? You decide! And if you want to check out the Riley yourself, go to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where this weekend it will be auctioned by Bonhams.

(photos courtesy Bonhams)

Gepubliceerd:

woensdag juni 30th, 2010

Geoff Uren

04 Juli 2010, 20:10

Many 1920/30 racing cars were made up from bits of other cars, and the Cuthbert Riley, Dobbs Riley, Halford Special etc. are all survivors of an era when this was the way to go racing.

The Cuthbert Riley has a well documented history which goes back to its original conversion from a Brooklands Riley around 1931. It was built and raced by W.A. "Alex" Cuthbert, a Riley works driver and later "garagiste" from Guildford, Surrey. Cuthbert found the short chassis Riley Brooklands didn't ride the Brooklands bumps very well, so he put the engine of VC 8306 onto a Riley 9 Chassis and this was the start of the Cuthbert Special. The car was developed further in 1933 when it was supercharged, but although this made it fast, it lost some reliability. It won Brooklands races in period, and raced post war at Goodwood, Silverstone etc.

Don't confuse these cars with the later vandalism of converting perfectly usable saloon cars to faux sports cars, these are the real deal!

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Onbekend

01 Juli 2010, 18:05

To me a "bitsa" (I prefer "Special" ) is an opportunity to combine the best / preferred technical parts of any car you like from the period you like (prewar of course) with a body that combines the design- elements from the prewar period you like best. But I agree one should not sacrifice original cars to build one. Build / engineer / assemble one from parts availible in the parts section: you buy as and when required during your build. I hope to build one some day... If any reader wants to sponsor a "bitsa" project built entirely form parts acquired throug PWC's parts section- I am availible ;-)

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Onbekend

01 Juli 2010, 10:33

I wouldn't worry too much about how you will name it. Finally there are so many original ALF racing cars around nowadays that these definitions are slowly getting something between obsolete and boring.

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Halbe Tjepkema

01 Juli 2010, 07:13

This car should be called a period special.
made in the period it was raced.
Not to be mistaken for most of the other replica's /specials
I for one don't enjoy the feeling of having to think whether a car ( mgk3, bentley lemans , gp bugatti) is a fake or the real deal!
If you can't afford the genuine article , dream on but please don't cut up an original car.

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Onbekend

01 Juli 2010, 05:52

It is a special but a good developed one. Making it the perfect racetrack-fighting machine which made it succesfull through the decades left behing us. And how many 'blower bentleys' are 100% original? Must be only very few and the rest is put together of bits and pieces through the 40's, 50's and 60's: so non-original too. My advice is to be fast around the track overtaking the original and non-original cars there, finishing 1ste! Than jump out the single seater, drinking that cool MOET champagne with a big smile.

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Onbekend

01 Juli 2010, 02:56

This is most definitely a very special special, which has been developed over it's racing career, specifically the 30's.
It is not one of those car chassis, "barn/field found", and retro-modded to look as if it was made in the 30's

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A pure, unspoilt, real deal 'Bitza'

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