Owen Wyn Owen
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| Owen Wyn Owen | |
 |
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| Born | 1921 |
|---|---|
| Residence | Capel Curig, Snowdonia |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Occupation | lecturer in mechanics (retd.), car restorer |
| Known for | restoration of antique cars, particularly "Babs" |
Owen Wyn Owen is a world famous automobile restorer and mechanic. He still lives in Capel Curig, Snowdonia. His working life was spent as a lecturer in engineering at Bangor University, but he is best known for his achievements outside this.
[edit] Restoration of Babs
His most famous restoration project, which received worldwide attention, was to excavate and restore "Babs", after 40 years buried on a tidal beach. [1] "Babs" was the car that in 1927, driven by J. G. Parry-Thomas, whilst attempting the land speed record at the time (180 mph or 290 km/h), crashed and killed the driver. The car was buried where the accident occurred on Pendine Sands.
The wreck was recovered from the beach in the 1960s.[2] [3] This recovery was controversial at the time, less so after the successful restoration.[4][1] The prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalvagable for anything more than a pitiful museum display. Few expected that the wreck would ever resemble a car again, let alone be restored to running order.
The car was indeed in appalling condition, although better than had been expected. Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any original material still existing. The mechanical running gear though was in surprisingly good condition. Even where compnents couldn't be used, they were sufficiently preserved to act as a pattern. The engine was salvageable, but many new replacement parts had to be made from original designs.
The car was first successfully tested on The Helyg straight in the early 1970s. The test consisted of being towed by the local garage owner's Land Rover (Dafydd Roberts and his mechanic Allan Hughes), to 60 mph and then "Babs" was bump started. The gearing was so high that being towed was the only way to get "Babs" moving under her own power. It was later successfully tested in front of the world press and television on an air field near RAF Valley, Anglesey.
The restoration work took place in Owen's garage in Capel Curig, however "Babs" is now housed in the Pendine Museum of Speed.
In 1999, Owen was awarded the Tom Pryce trophy, engraved with the words "Atgyfodwr Babs" (English: Resurrector of Babs). [5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Parry Thomas and Babs at Pendine Sands.
- ^ Babs being recovered from the sand, showing the missing fatal drive chain (photograph).
- ^ Remaining drive chain on the left-hand side (photograph).
- ^ History of Pendine.
- ^ Tom Pryce Trophy, 1999. Welsh Group of Motoring Writers.
- Biographical interview (video catalogue entry online). National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales (1997).
- "A ride on the roller Coast". Coast. 24 June 2007. ““a cartoon of a car” with all pistons burning, is let loose on Pendine Sands once again for the Coast series”
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