Clive Lones stands as one of the true pioneers of 500cc racing. At Prescott in May 1946, along with Colin Strang, Lones made the very first competitive appearance of a 500 cc racing car. Clive, however was already a major name in motor racing. Born in 1895 in Smethwick, West midlands, he began his competitive career soon after the Great War. Around 1920, he purchased a pre-war Morgan (apparently to impress the young lady who was to become his wife, as well as loyal mechanic and passenger), soon trading it in for a 1922 Morgan-Blackburne. He became a major player in the Morgan scene, winning the Light Car Grand Prix at Brooklands in 1928 and 1930.

In 1928, Clive swapped to the JAP engine stable. He was to set 37 World and Class records at Brooklands with a range of engine sizes. However, the Morgan three-wheelers were soon being banned from car races, and were now outclassed in motorcycle races by the dedicated sidecar units. So Clive converted his 1929 Morgan JAP Aero into a 4-wheel machine, by the simple expedient of bolting a GN axle to the back. This car was known as “Tiger Cat”, and from 1936 until the war was rather handy on the hills.

Lones with his Blackburne-engined Morgan Aero.

After the War, Clive was keen to get back in the saddle, and the new 500cc class looked ideal. Though already the wrong side of fifty, he quickly built a new car, which was appropriately christened Tiger Kitten. The car was fairly basic and outclassed by the Strang and Cooper T2 prototype. So for 1947 Clive re-developed it Fitted with a rather special JAP motor, based on his extensive experience with the motors, the car was much more successful.

In May 1948, Clive became the first 500 to climb the Prescott hill in under 50 seconds (achieving 49.98s). This was a remarkable performance, given that the outright record stood at 45.67s, held by Bob Gerard’s ERA.

Tiger Cat, in 4-wheel form, at Prescott, 1926, left.

More success followed, mainly in hillclimbs and sprints but with occasional forays into racing. At the end of 1949, he purchased the first Iota P1 production car. The car, in Clive’s traditional bright red, became known as Tiger Kitten II. By 1953, Clive had finally surrendered to the Cooper onslaught, and purchased purchased Don Truman's Cooper Mk VI which raced as Tiger Kitten III. It appears that soon after (nearing sixty years of age), he retired from racing, though he continued to hillclimb for another thirty or so years.

Clive fettles Tiger Kitten at Prescott, probably in 1949. Presumably Mrs. Lones looks on, though apparently she was an enthusiastic mechanic.

Clive working on a car sometime during 1955. The coil front, and chain and swing axle rear suspension suggest a Kieft derivative, possibly a Martin.

Clive tells his own story to Iota in May 1947