H B Special

Hector Bossaert from Meteren in the north of France was one of the first to build a 500cc car in Europe.

It was powered by a front mounted Zundapp engine, "recovered" from the occupation, which was sleeved down and had special pistons and aluminium cylinders, fed by two Amal Carburettors. The chassis was a modified Simca 6 with the drive shaft passing alongside the driver to unequal length half shafts. Rear suspension was by rubber. His first race was at Doullens in 1950. Hector finished third in GP des Frontiers at Chimay in May 1953.

Hector Bossaert at the wheel in 1952 at Brands Hatch.

Resting in the Paddock at Brands in August 1952

Some results for Hector:

Avus 1st July 1951, 9th in heat, 12th in final

Nürburgring 29th July 1951 Grand Prix, DNF

Grenzlandring 9th September 1951, 15th

Amiens 15th June1952, 7th in heat

Montlhéry 28th September 1952, 2nd

Chimay 24th May 1953, 3rd

Braine Le Comte 27th June 1954, 4th in race 1 and 2, 3rd on aggregate

In the early 1960s, Hector began offering tuning parts for Citroëns and undertook a more serious re-engineering of  the Citroën DS, styled by Pietro Frau, as coupe and cabriolets.

If anyone has any more details or photos of this car, please get in touch.