Sheila Tiller

from  Ringmer, Near Lewes, East Sussex, UK
Born in Southampton 24th March 1936
Married to Jim in March 1958

My father was interested in cars and motorsport and took me to the Goodwood Racing Circuit when I was very young. This must have sown a seed of interest in me and when I met my husband in 1956 it was already a passion with him and six months after we were married we bought our competition car. This was in 1958. The car was a 1950 Allard J2 Competition model and it had a broken gear box and had to be towed home from London.

After the gear box was repaired Jim started to compete with the car and after passing my test in 1961 I also started to do sprints and hillclimbs. The car has been modified over the many years of our ownership and now has an 800bhp Chevrolet engine.

I’ve won “Fastest Lady” awards and class awards and between us we’ve won over 200 trophies. Our biggest project happened in the year 2000 when husband Jim’s ambition was to reach 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. I couldn’t travel all that way and not have a go, and although I was only able to have one run I achieved 152.3mph. Jim did 197.3mph but was not disappointed as the back wheels, on the slippery surface, were spinning at 222mph.

Careerwise – I went straight from school in 1952, to work for Lloyds Bank in Southampton. After a career of over 38 years I retired in 1991 as assistant manager at one of the Hove branches near Brighton. It was unusual for a woman to reach that level in those days and I enjoyed my career. The day after my retirement I opened a small Boarding Cattery, working from home in a converted building in the garden. Cats have now become a passion as well as cars. We also rescue and rehomed unwanted and stray cats and run the local branch of Cats Protection.

As well as our J2 Allard we now have a road going Allard “L” Type, 1947 in which I do Classic Runs in this country and in Normandy, France. Also a 1962 Jaguar E Type (which I adore) also used for Classic Runs and a 1968 Bentley “T” Type. The Bentley has also been to France a few times with four ladies on board! We have a great time. Great fun and lots of laughs. I have three wonderful, special friends. We call ourselves the GITS (Girls Investment Trust Syndicate). Three of us used to work for Lloyds Bank. We lunch, shop, holiday and visit interesting places and have a wonderful time. The other three are widows, but Jim is very understanding when I go out or away.

Jim and I also help to run the Allard Owners Club and I produce a monthly magazine which goes to about 14 countries. I’ve been doing this since 1974 (can’t believe it’s that long, a labour of love!) But when someone from Austrlia writes to say how much they enjoy reading it it is really rewarding.
We shipped the J2 back from Bonneville in September 2000 and it is now being rebuilt to comply with RAC and FIA regulations for competing in this country once again. It was completely altered to comply with the USA SFI regulations for Bonneville. We shall then continue as before, but Jim’s secret ambition is to go back to Bonneville sometime in the future to have another go. Only thing is the first trip took all our savings so this may not be possible.

Sheila Tiller