Ray Petty is best known as an engine tuning specialist but, in 1955, he built a his own car. It first appeared at the Boxing Day meeting at Brands Hatch in the hands of Alan Cowley and lead it's first race until Alan spun. The Petty is a slim, tidy design using a space frame chassis and is notable for it's suspension arrangement which consisted of inboard coil springs and rocker arms at the front and a de Dion rear using a transverse leaf spring. The Engine was, not surprisingly, Norton. The Petty is still competing and is a regular pace setter.

The Petty Norton during the Silverstone 100 mile race in 1956. For this race, it used a short stroke Norton engine and ran on petrol, rather than the normal methanol, in order to compete for a special award for petrol powered cars over 50 miles. (Photo courtesy of Ian Frost)

The Petty on the grid at Brands Hatch in 1958

Front suspension detail showing the rocker arms.

and at Woodcote Corner, Silverstone.

Dave Lecoq leaves the assembly area, Goodwood Revival 2005.