Overhead Side-Valve

This immaculate Lowlight Convertible is owned by the best-known author of Morris Minor books and secretary of the UK's MMOC, Ray Newell.

It is absolutely concourse standard except for the rare Alta overhead-valve conversion for the side-valve engine. The Alta head was produced back in the Fifties and was a popular, if expensive, modification. It boosted the somewhat lack-lustre power of the standard sidevalve up to a very useful 48bhp - this 'slow-and-steady' sidevalve can outrun a 948cc Minor easily.

Ray has shown this car for several years now but now he's ready to use it for what it was designed for. These pictures were taken at the Darley Moor racetrack in Derbyshire, UK, where he pushed it around the track at a very respectable rate of knots.