Whistling Billy to compete at Chateau Impney

Whistling Billy, a faithful recreation of a 111-year-old steam car, will make its competition debut at the Chateau Impney Hill Climb this July, following a 100-year ban on steam cars competing in UK motorsport…

Dr Bob Dyke painstakingly recreated the car, which was famously crashed and all but destroyed in 1912, over eight years using authentic White steamer parts, and is looking forward to putting tyre to tarmac at the Chateau on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July this year.

Originally built in 1905 by the White Sewing Machine Company, ‘Whistling Billy’ was one of the quickest cars racing on the American dirt tracks at the turn of the century but the car suffered a huge crash in 1912 and was then left to rust away on a farm in the US. It was a super hairy thing, the engine pressure was 800psi and the temperature ran at 750 degrees Fahrenheit…

The car was named ‘White Rocket’ by its creators but the crowds and spectators called it ‘Whistling Billy’ due to its howling burners as it tore down the straights. The car was a winner and it shaved nearly 4 seconds off the then World track record for ‘The Mile’ (American dirt track) producing a time of 48.45 seconds. It was the fastest car in the world at the time but driver Webb Jay had a big accident with the driver and car ending up in a pond and although he survived the owners the White Sewing Machine Company decided to walk away from motorsport and the car ended up in a museum in Chicago.

The car was then bought by Charlie Bair in 1907 who managed to persuade White to sell him the car along with re-build it for the sum of $20,000 dollars, serious money at the time. Soon it was back on the dirt tracks winning and this included the Kansas Post Chase in both 1907 and 1908. ‘Whistling Billy’ broke the 5 mile World track record at the meeting meaning the owner scooped up the $50,000 prize money – not a bad return on investment!

Ascot Park in Los Angeles, 1908, the car suffers a front tyre blow out mid corner causing it to dig in and flip three times then was engulfed in flames. The end? No. Owner Charlie Bair refused to scrap the legendary racer and she was re-built saving as many parts as they could although this time some 18 inches shorter and over 400lbs lighter! Officially renamed as the ‘White Flyer’, to the race fans it was always ‘Whistling Billy’ and the car went on to win all of the 29 races it entered that year as it travelled the West Coast.

1912 would become its last racing season, during a practice run in Portland, Oregon, it crashed, went over an embankment ending upside down and broken in two. Fortunately driver Chris Dundee survived but for ‘Whistling Billy’ its final race was run and it was put into storage then later moved to a farm having had its engine removed.

Passionate about steam cars since his youth Bob Dyke bought his first White steam car in 1987, and owns a number of other White steamers. Whilst on a US road trip, Bob purchased a 1906 White steamer also discovering a rear axle used in the original ‘Whistling Billy’ -the axle was sold but he managed buy to recast rear axle casing, crown-wheel and pinion with a two-to-one ratio that had been manufactured for ‘Whistling Billy’. Other parts were assembled from a 1907 White tourer that he had brought in 1990 an ideal base car as it featured many modifications pioneered by the original ‘Whistling Billy’ including the compound steam engine, water and air pumps, heat exchanger, oiler, pedals, instruments and chassis members. The re-creation was built using 9 or 10 photos to the original car enabling the finished car to have exact dimensions along with an underslung chassis made with American oak almost identical to the original but inverted. Bob finished the car in 2012 and it has a current top speed of 70mph but we are told ‘there is more throttle to open’…

The MSA banned steam cars from taking part in any competitive motorsport until September 2015 when the ban was lifted, thanks largely to Bob Dyke and other members of the Steam Car Club.

The Chateau Impney Hill Climb takes place on the 9th/10th July 2016 and the event includes competition along with a Concours d’Elegance, air displays and a classic car auction hosted by H&H Classics. It promises to be another great event this year at at £20 per person go book your ticket.

Image courtesy of Chateau Impney.