Roy Shadbolt, destined to be one of the original founders of the Sports Car Club of BC (SCCBC) and its first President, was born at the start of the First World War, in Victoria, BC, which was also the venue for his first motoring acquisition, a 1912 Cadillac for $15, sold one year later for $20. He left day school in 1929 and took technical training in specialty and night schools for the next three years, with particular emphasis on engines. During the depression he was with Hemphill Diesels in Vancouver, on Granville Street, and then went Deep Sea as an engineer in 1936. During the war he was with Boeing Aircraft on Sea Island where he met his business partner to be, Fred Leverington. They both finished as crew bosses of pre-flight servicing.

Except for a year spent with Simplex Engineering, he joined forces with Fred after the war had ended and together they formed the repair firm of Shadbolt and Leverington, situated at the rear of 981 Hornby Street. This was so successful that after three years they moved to 1046 Richards Street.

In 1954 Roy decided to strike out on his own and commenced operation on West Broadway under the title of Shadbolt Cams, a name which became become synonymous with both industrial and automotive cams of all types.

Roy's first entry into the sports car field began with the purchase of his first MG in 1938. That was followed by nine

ROY SHADBOLT - Inducted 2001

Pioneer - Sports Car and Road Racing

by Jim Lee, 1958, edited and augmented by Tom Johnston, 2004

Shadbolt in his Alta on Grouse Mountain  (SCCBC Archives)

Roy Shadbolt, 1965

motorcycles, an Alvis Speed 20, Rolls Royce, Sunbeam Talbot, G.P. Alta, Blown TC, Olds 8, Blown Morris Minor and many others including Porsche powered ex-land speed record Cooper.

In 1950 and 1951, he journeyed with the Alta (flat-head Mercury V8 powered, alcohol fueled) to Pike's Peak where a nineth over-all in time trials became his claim to fame as the Alta followed a mad run over the side of the road for over 200 feet, returning to the course to finish in one piece with Roy slightly white around the gills.

One of his most interesting ventures in racing machines was the Minoda Panparra, an 1100 cc Skoda engined, Morris running-geared special, with 10 pounds boost from a Roots type

blower which in turn was fed by a gigantic 2 1/4" SU carburetor.

Roy managed the career of fellow pioneer Bob McLean when McLean won the 1965 Canadian Driving Championship. Shadbolt also managed a similar program for driver Dave Ogilvy

The success of the SCCBC is based upon the foundation laid by men like Roy who battled adverse public opinion, disinterested publicity rnen and hostile officials to show their fellow citizens that they were not a bunch of wild, speed-crazy kids but serious and inventive motor enthusiasts with a proper place in the business of promoting automotive safety and recreation in their community

Roy Shadbolt died suddenly in December of 1969 at the young age of 55; the Shadbolt Cams business continues to be successful