Albert Betts

[John Fielden]

I asked in another thread about Reg Woodcock whom I have now found, my contact with Reg has raised another question.
Those of us of a certain age remember albert Betts as the perennial conductor of a Mk 1 Jaguar, what I was not aware of was that he produced other race cars, does anybody have any knowledge of his background, where he operated from and if there is anybody, family or friends, who might have records of his activities?

[chunterer]

Albert Betts? wasn't he a 'contract' pedaller of some sort?

[gerremlap]

Originally Posted by John Fielden

I asked in another thread about Reg Woodcock whom I have now found, my contact with Reg has raised another question.
Those of us of a certain age remember albert Betts as the perennial conductor of a Mk 1 Jaguar, what I was not aware of was that he produced other race cars, does anybody have any knowledge of his background, where he operated from and if there is anybody, family or friends, who might have records of his activities?

Albert,will always be remembered for his sterling and successful efforts in the Mk1 UXF 363. He was responsible for preparation of Mk 2 and E Type for racing for customers and I recall him driving a Davrian at Crystal Palace also.
The workshop was originally in Clapham where Davrians were made as well as other specialist motor racing companies.He later moved to premises in Southall.
He and Bryan Austin who ran the business AWB helped me no end in the 1980's in preparing a 340 and a 240 for classic saloon racing.Great engineers both and Albert's son Paul later ran the company.

I worked for him many,many years ago and owned and raced the Mk1 myself 1973 to 1975.What a fantastic car and how superb to see it win at The Goodwood Revival in recent years.

[Peter Mallett]

Welcome to the forum gerremlap.

[John Fielden]

I've talked with gerremlap who has been a great help, but I now have another bit of info to add to the story. Albert, it seems, built an E type for Brian Spicer. Can anybody help with details of Brian?

[John Fielden]

When I began this thread I asked about Albert because I knew that he had had something to do with the car I am interested in. That is E Type E141, last year my old friend Bill de Selincourt was 90 and I organised a b/day party for him at Brooklands. The present owner of E141 lent me the car as Bill had owned and driven it in the 70s before selling it on to Reg Woodcock.
The owner has since asked me to help trace its ownership as the DVLA is being its usual unhelpful self.
The car is pictured in 1961 outside Bill Lyons office along with about 50 others, forming what looks like the first batch of production Es.
It appears in a number of books, and is shown racing in "marque" mode in 1964.
The history is continuous as E141 but for the major part of its life it has been a race car, it has suffered the usual trials and tribulations that a racing car undergoes in the world of competition. Consequently after 3 severe shunts in the 60s then the 70s and it languished in a garage for a number of years (we do know which garage) until the then owner eventually sold it for renovation after realising ,at long last,t that the work was beyond his capabilities.
During this time the old green log book was surrendered but a V5 was never issued.
The logical place to seemed to be Jaguar Heritage but I met a brick wall and was told to shut up and listen when I tried to ask about Factory delivery records and chassis number allocations (we do know the CN). All that I listened to was a lecture about not making waves and difficulties.
Does anybody know where to access Jaguar Factory Records?
I really would like to repay the owner for his kindness in lending me. a complete stranger, for the birthday celebration.
Incidentally, Bill must be the only man still alive to have
a) Lapped the Brooklands Outer Circuit
b)To have won a motor race pre war.

[John Fielden]

Just to let you know after many false starts and problems E141 now has a V5 and is confirmed as CN 850066.
Thanks for all the help from various people so generous with their time

[John Turner]

Great stuff, John; another happy customer!

[p261brm]

It wqas indeed in Clapham, 65 North Street, SW4 The premises no longer there, now a block of flats, so Mark Konig informed me, Albert along with Mark (Nomads) Bob Evans (Palliser) Rayrace and of course Davrian, and not forgetting Speedy the dog. I have a copy of the cartoon produced re this doyen of motor sport, unfortuately it is not re-producible in a very clear image, remembered with a moist eye, of happy times, particularly the day Her Magesty's Inspector of Factories called.....Bob Jarvis's conversation with him, a classic

[bauble]

I cannot add any information about Albert, but I did see him race many times.

That's what comes of getting old.

[Alfie72]

Originally Posted by bauble

That's what comes of getting old.

But Bauble, do remember one thing - if you can

Growing old is mandatory.

Growing up is optional

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Alfie72

But Bauble, do remember one thing - if you can

Growing old is mandatory.

Growing up is optional

Who said that? I said who ..............?

Actually, only the body grows old the brain stays at 18.

[John Turner]

or 8 in your case!

Seriously, it might be worth putting together some anecdotes/career info of Albert for the Driver files.

[Alfie72]

My overriding memory of AB was the way in which everyone and everything arrived in the Jag. No messing.

Stately drive to second/third, I can't ever remember seeing him win, but then he did have to get the family home.

[gerremlap]

Albert did take many outright wins at Snetterton to my certain memory,1967 I think was a terrific year in particular.

[John Fielden]

That was the year that Brian Spicer comprehensively modified E141 against the banking guarding the pits. Thereafter the car became a Modsports (built by Albert) and was owned by, among others, John Quick (who denies it but I have proof) Bill de Selincourt and Reg Woodcock. I surmise that Albert got the job at Snet.

[Les Redford]

Albert Betts was a near neighbour, he lived on the adjacent street to me in Hayes, Middlesex. I remember his sons, Tony and Paul, very well. UXF was his daily transport as well as being his race car. If I close my eyes and listen hard, I can still remember the sound of that magnificent car as it started up, drove along Berwick Avenue, onto Delamere Road and then turned left onto the Uxbridge Road towards Southall. To anyone familiar with the area, I reckon it was around about Trinity Road before the glorious sound faded from earshot.

Albert Betts went into some form of partnership with J.A. Pearce, famous for producing the JAP Magna wheels and also the short lived Ferrari powered F1 cars that were destroyed in a fire at Silverstone. In one of those coincidences that life sometimes throws up, prior to the Southall premises, J A Pearce was based on a trading estate in Staines next to where my Dad worked, I always remember the stacks of Peerless fibre glass shells that were in the Pearce yard.

The Betts/Pearce relationship didn't end well and Albert went on to form (or reform?) AWB Motors. Sadly, I believe he succumbed to lung problems as a result of paint spraying over a period of time.

[JAPMagna]

Originally Posted by Les Redford

Albert Betts went into some form of partnership with J.A. Pearce, famous for producing the JAP Magna wheels and also the short lived Ferrari powered F1 cars that were destroyed in a fire at Silverstone. In one of those coincidences that life sometimes throws up, prior to the Southall premises, J A Pearce was based on a trading estate in Staines next to where my Dad worked, I always remember the stacks of Peerless fibre glass shells that were in the Pearce yard.

The Betts/Pearce relationship didn't end well and Albert went on to form (or reform?) AWB Motors. Sadly, I believe he succumbed to lung problems as a result of paint spraying over a period of time.

I'm fascinated to hear your recollections. I've been putting together the story of John Pearce & the J.A.Pearce Engineering company. My understanding is that Albert moved AWB to the Western Road premises of JAP when he moved out of Clapham. Do you recall what brought about the relationship between JAP & AWB falling apart?