JAMES RATTENBURY - Inducted 2003

Pioneer - Sports Car and Road Racing

Rattenbury in his Mk 2 special (SCCBC Archives)

Born in 1918 in Kelowna graduated in 1941 from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Among the many interesting pieces of engineering he was associated with was the melding of two wartime steering gears into one which became a steam hydraulic 4 ram power steering set up for the CNR ship, the Prince George.

His first official contact with automobiles was when he learned to drive his father’s 1927 Buick. He obtained a drivers license at the tender age of 14. His own first piece of transportation was a Rudge motorbike, followed by two more, after which he obtained a 1924 Oakland, used primarily for transportation to UBC. This was traded in on a 1934 Buick Roadmaster, and this in turn preceded two FWD Cords, the first of which had a Dodge engine (installed by Jim), the second needing no extra power as it had a supercharged flathead Cord engine.

A ‘47 Studebaker was followed by a Mark IV Jaguar and then a 1951 XK120. It was during this stage that he made the logical step of having one car for going to the grocery store in and one for racing. The racing car turned out to be a Crosley Special which was more

Jim Rattenbury, 1958

by Jim. Lee, 1958, Edited by Tom Johnston, 2004

special than Crosley and soon evolved into the Mk 1a.

Both of the early specials gave Jim ideas which became incorporated in the Mk 2 and 2a (written up in Road & Track magazine) eventually to have a series of Porsche motors exchanged for the blown Crosley. While still developing the Mk 2, a Jaguar D type was acquired in 1957, and was later extensively modified. Rattenbury finished off his driving career with another special, the Genie inspired

Rattenbury Mk 4. The Mk 4 was a rear-engined Group 7 sports racing car.

Jim’s racing career includes many firsts at both Bellingham and Abbotsford in the year 1951 and includes excursions south the Shelton, Payne Field, Kitsap and Ellensberg, as well as the pilgrimage to Pebble Beach in 1955.

Jim was the second President of the Sports Car Club of British Columbia and became one of the pillars who could be called upon whenever sound advice and help was needed.

After retiring from auto racing, Jim went on to a successful career in hydroplane racing. Rattenbury was honoured by being included in the Gulf 100 mph club, one of only a very few Canadians.