|
By
DAVID PIKE
Early Aston Martins varied in detail specification, but one stood far
above the rest: the Ulster, which was named after the venue of Britain's
oldest road race, the Tourist Trophy. Only 21 of these fabulous machines
were produced for customers between 1934 and 1935, with a few extras for
the works team to race. Aston Martin owed its existence to competition
and was started by two former racing cyclists, Robert Bamford and Lionel
Martin, who appeared independently in car trials and hill climbs racing
small Singer sports cars soon after the end of World War l. Martin was a
more aggressive driver and often forced his car to the very limit of its
power - so much so that he often had engine trouble.
Bamford was just the man to help. Between them, Bamford and
Martin resolved to build their own car, incorporating all the good
qualities of the Singer, notably its nimble handling, and
hopefully avoiding its faults, the main one being its lack of
reliability. But, most important, their new machine had to be a
road car which could also be raced. It took its name, Aston
Martin, from Martin's early exploits with a Singer at the Aston
Clinton hill climb in Buckinghamshire.
Martin was a gregarious fellow with many sporting friends.
Inevitably, Bamford and Martin began building cars for them and by
1921, no meeting at the national racetrack, Brooklands, was
complete without Aston Martins in the paddock. They were never
quite as fast as the chief competition because they were really
intended for use on the road and weighed more than spartan track
cars of the day. In any case, Martin was a big chap and liked a
sturdy chassis beneath him. But despite their weight, Astons could
always be relied upon to put on a good performance. Both Bamford
or Martin ran their business for pleasure rather than profit so it
was hardly surprising the firm nearly went bust in 1925.
The general feeling was that there should always be a place for
such a marque in Britain and it was revived in 1926 by two society
enthusiasts. They appointed as managing director a man who will
always be remembered as the 'Father of Aston Martin' _ Augustus
Cesari Bertelli. He was a gifted Italian mechanic. Along with his
partner WS Renwick they produced a new Aston Martin, a two-seater,
with a new 1.5-litre single overhead cam four-cylinder engine.
Bertellis' good humour and tact stood them in good stead making
them a favourite with customers. Needless to say, such customers
entered all the best races and Bertelli was able to offer just
what they wanted: almost limitless variations on the 1.5-litre
four-cylinder engine and chassis that gave Aston Martins their
character.
By this time the company was seriously involved in sportscar
racing and trials, and were successful at Le Mans. Around this
time a two-seater Le Mans was introduced. The Ulster was
effectively a replica of the works racing cars. The Ulster became
the greatest of the early Astons, not only because it was the last
and most highly developed of the original 1.5-litre machines, but
because it was the closest to an outright racing car. For a small
car weighing nearly 1016kg, it displayed a remarkable turn of
speed thanks to its highly tuned and beautifully built overhead
camshaft dry sump engine. It had four forward gears and a live
rear axle. A top speed of 161km/h was claimed.
All great things must come to an end however and Bertelli
retired in 1936. From then on Aston Martin lurched from one
financial crisis to the next, frequently surviving thanks only to
the heroic efforts of an enthusiastic English clientele.
|
|
