Clive Gallop built a car for Count Louis Zborowski at his country residence. It was fitted with an American V-12 Liberty aero-engine of 27 litres and was driven by side chains via a Benz gearbox.

After the Counts death in 1924 John Godfrey Parry Thomas bought the car to challenge the Land Speed Record and modified it over the following year. The car was painted white with blue frame and christened "Babs".

Thomas attempted the record at Pendine beach in October 1925 but conditions were not right. An attempt the following April resulted in Thomas taking the record to 171.02 mph. (273.6 kph).

After Campbell took the record in February 1927 Thomas modified the car for another attempt in March. On the return run the car overturned and Parry Thomas was killed. The car was buried in the sand until 1969 when Owen Wyn Owen exhumed "Babs" and rebuilt her.

See Leyland-Thomas for more details of Parry Thomas's Land Speed Record attempts.

E-Mail: history@britishmm.co.uk