1938 Hawker V8 Special. Registration No. Unregistered. Chassis No. N/A. Engine No. 76VK. This unique Hawker V8 is believed to be the first mid-engined car produced in Australia. This individual machine resulted from many years work by Jim Hawker, foundry superintendent at Russell Manufacturing and it has a longer and more complicated history than most of its kind. In its day the Hawker was one of the least conventional of cars, having its engine located almost exactly amidships. This was originally a sidevalve Ford V8, with the clutch and gearbox at the rear, opposite to a rear-engined arrangement but giving almost exactly equal front/rear weight distribution. This is one factor contributing to the Hawker's exceptional road holding and cornering capabilities. Another is the suspension, which differs from other all-independent systems in preserving constant camber on both front and rear wheels regardless of spring movement. All four wheels move vertically on tubular slides, two per wheel, against coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers, and no geometry changes occur from full bump to full bounce. The chassis incorporates large tubular side-members, giving great rigidity, while the two-seater body's boot space is arranged behind the engine and above the transmission/differential. Access to the engine is through removable side panels. Jim started work on the car in 1938, in conjunction with Bob Chamberlain, then a noted racing driver and innovative designer, who later manufactured tractors in West Australia. Originally it was intended to place the engine across the frame, but when Jim took over the interrupted project after World War II he adopted the present layout, changing the body design from racing to sports car. Construction took many years, for the car was built entirely - panel-beating and body included - by Jim and his brother Alan, who owned a country garage with well equipped workshop and body repair department in Leongatha, Victoria. Altogether it is estimated that the Hawker cost about £3,000 ($6,000) and took 2,000 hours to build. Only the engine and transmission were 'bought-in'. Work was finally completed in 1962 when the Hawker featured in the Melbourne 'Age' and the Repco house magazine, 'Repco Record'. It has also featured in the Clymer publication, 'Hot Rods and Specials of the World'. The car weighs approximately 27cwt, the construction of 'one-offs' ruling out many of the weight-saving techniques available to volume producers. Its weight distribution enables the V8's torque to be fully used in acceleration without wheelspin, while plenty of rear-wheel loading permits the use of decent-sized brakes at the rear, giving exceptional stopping power. In Ford-V8-engined form the car was timed at a genuine 100mph (approximately 160km/h). In pursuit of even greater performance a Studebaker Avanti V8 motor was fitted in the early 1960s. The Hawker was purchased in February 1985 from Terry Healy, of First Auto Wholesalers in Melbourne, for display at the York Motor Museum. Mr Healy had in turn purchased it from Bill McManus of Mrc Motors, 421 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Victoria who was acting on behalf of Alan and Jim Hawker. Freelance journalist Geoffrey Bewley wrote an extensive article on the vehicle in 'Wheels' magazine (December 1986 edition) while Harry Hawker detailed more of its history in a letter to the Museum following his visit in October 1991 (copy available).