C.F.S. |
Charlie Smith was a successful grass track and hill climb motorbike racer who, in 1948, turned his attention to 500cc cars with the first CFS Special. Charlie working with another Battersea based engineer, Don Parker, to develop a second car which, in modified form, became the Parker Special. Charlie was a bearing manufacturer by trade, clients including JA Prestwich, so naturally a JAP was used though he allowed for a twin from the beginning with the intention of swapping engines according to the meeting. The chassis followed established practice of two Fiats placed back to back but with more use of tubes for the rectangular frame than most and it featured Charlie's own ZF type locking differential. By all accounts, the CFS was well built and a cut above the typical special, featuring a de Dion setup at the rear, though Charlie suffered the usual gremlins in his first outings in October '48. Things improved through 1949 until tragedy struck. Dickie Stoop took over the first CFS for 1950. This is how the car was reviewed in Iota. September '49 Charlie's results in the CFS:
Dickie's results
|