Engine Punk

The DHS 3 special has tremendous patina Simon Knight was my scratch bouncer for the 2020 Exeter Trial. Binky still hadn't recovered from some tumbles on the 2019 Testing Trial so I asked for a last minute substitute and Simon was the result. We'd had nothing to do with each other beforehand but got on like a house on fire during the 2020 Exeter trial and when he bought the DHS special later in 2020 I was very intrigued by it. David H Small was the son of Reginald Small, partner of Farnham Jowett dealers  Barnett and Small. David built a series of specials - possibly as many as seven - for racing and trials and this particular example features a h andmade tubular chassis not unlike the contemporary rocket tube Dellow chassis . All up and running and ready for Heritage Trials Simon has contacted members of the Small family in his research into the car and was able to speak to Peter Figg, David Small's long-standing friend and frequent trials passenger. Although 92, Peter coul...

In the dark on Simms. Did we get up? Read on (Photo : Peter Browne) For once preparations were well in hand for the Exeter Trial. I had proved the car was running well in a couple of day trials and fitted a new hood. It was even clean and polished before Christmas. Then I got a phone call from Binky. The prangs we’d had with the Honda outfit on the Testing Trial back in the summer had damaged his shoulder and a combination of poor posture and stress at work had put him in a lot of pain. He said he would come down to Cornwall for the start but then went on to ask me about comfortable seats and what was the heater like because the cold upset his neck. I pondered my options. I couldn't put my pedigree chum through a trial in that state. Everyone I knew down this way was either competing or marshalling or on holiday. Nigel Cowling was keen but full of cold and had volunteered to send off the entrants from Betty Cottles at Okehampton. He was prepared to re-arrange but his wif...