Special Saloons - the post 1975 (ish) cars

[Dan Rear]

The Enderby Karmann Ghia was another example, the McLurg Europa too, and the many Stilettos. Any other odd cars we can think of that fit this category?? Was the Hazlewood DAF 55 rear-engined?

[GORDON STREETER]

No the Daf was front engined with a live propshaft connected to the rear transaxle unit .

[driftwood]

Corvair was last owned by martin ?? linked to DB motors in nottingham area
i recall it being for sale early to mid 80`s maybe ran once twice in Donington GT races back then
I think Tony strawson ran it a few times as well
The DAF has been rebuilt by tony hazelwood in his factory not Lynx they may have done the rolling road part
Tony had Ian Richardson ( corvair owner) do his engine rebuild for the DAF

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Corvair was last owned by martin ?? linked to DB motors in nottingham area
i recall it being for sale early to mid 80`s maybe ran once twice in Donington GT races back then
I think Tony strawson ran it a few times as well
The DAF has been rebuilt by tony hazelwood in his factory not Lynx they may have done the rolling road part
Tony had Ian Richardson ( corvair owner) do his engine rebuild for the DAF

I remember when the Corvair first appeared. A stunning machine, beautifully put together. It had problems in practice at it's first race and started at the back. I think it was up to about 3rd or 4th by the end of the first lap! Ian Richardson overtook half the field in the length of the Silverstone Club Straight. Brilliant

[Speedy norm]

The Corvair may have been steel shelled with some fibregalss panels but underneath it was a Can Am Mclaren, Thes cars quite cheep at the time and with no category to compete in.
There was a book published about the Corvair as a road car entitled "unsafe at any speed" They had a tendancy to turn over at the sight of any corner. Cornering of course something the Americans never thought to develop in their road cars.

The CCC cover photo was taken on the Hanger straight and was staged for the magazine article. How I wish my dear mother had not thrown it out!

[GBRM]

If anyone is interested I have 1 or 2 photos of the Corvair when Dad owned it; was a very dark blue colour, not a navy, a bit more green maybe, probably what I would say was a Tyrrell blue. Bad description I know!!

If someone can tell me how to post them I will do so.

[COLIN STUBBS]

Without getting the programmes out im not sure but have a look at these!!
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...dwellstart.jpg


http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...4/File0006.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...mdickinson.jpg


http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...y44/sugden.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...rloonstart.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...superloon3.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...loonstart2.jpg

[COLIN STUBBS]

Im sure the Escort is Tony Sugden. My Hero!! Heres a couple of Dave Millington.....

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...by44/milly.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...vilswelbow.jpg

Ill just do a few more for you but I must go and get the car ready for next weekend at Coombe...

[COLIN STUBBS]

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...MinshawDAF.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...insonskoda.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...tuneescort.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...hemountain.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...alkerskoda.jpg

Enjoy!!

[COLIN STUBBS]

Andy. Heres one of Roy and another for you to identify!!

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...lubhairpin.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...niincedent.jpg

[Clive Brown]

Tony Dickinson had two Skoda Coupe Special Saloons , both powered as I recall by a Hart 420R . The first of these was based on a Lola T290/2 ( too heavy ) , and the latter on a T492 S2000 chassis . It was the latter that I believe Alan Humberstone's dad Harry acquired ; in pink livery , it raced a number of times in Alan's hands , and was later rebodied as a VW Karmann Ghia . The body was indeed taken from David Enderby's moulds , the car was indeed pink , and contrary to previous postings , it did race at least once , at Lydden Hill and with Hart 420R power .

There were many more Skoda Special Saloons about than have been mentioned to date ; most of these were Chevron -based . Tony Sugden had one , Jim Price drove a sister car , mostly at Donnington , and the Sweatie racer Iain McLaren had one based on 'Chocolate Drop' , the legendary B31 , and I think an earlier one based on a B26 . I think the earlier car used a two litre engine ( possibly a BDG ? ) , whereas the later car might have used a Cosworth GA .

I know all this because I was involved with Special Saloons/GTs from 1972 onwards , and the VW Karmann Ghia started out as a joint idea between myself and David Enderby . Apart from building the car's original Imp motors , I designed the panels for the car , which were made by Fibresports at Basildon . The project came about because the Maguire Stilettos were frankly all much of a muchness , and we were looking for a competitive advantage over the similar cars of Brian Cutting and Pat Mannion . The Maguire cars had represented a step forward because they were low and light , but the chassis did have a number of shortcomings . The KG could legally be made 2" lower than a Stiletto ( the later Ray Imps were illegally low ) , it could produce more downforce for less drag , and its longer wheelbase ( a foot more than an Imp ) and mid-engined configuration made it much more stable round Thruxton .

The latter was not David's best circuit , but because the Wendy Wools was a BARC Championship , we inevitably went there several times a year . It was , though , Brian Cutting's home circuit . Both he and Pat Mannion , who had Brian's previous Maguire Stiletto , used strong engines prepared by Ray Payne of Hartwell's in Bournemouth ; Ray himself was no mean racer , and a Thruxton ace in his own right , and consequently , both Brian and Pat had motors which were very much optimised for the circuit . Add to this Ginger Marshall's amazing Reliant Kitten , and clearly , Something had to be done !

Colin Hawker's DFVW was not a Variant , but a 1600TL . Why they missed the trick of using the vastly-superior aerodynamically KG shape I really don't know ; perhaps they didn't believe it qualified as a saloon car ; David and I checked with the RAC and the FIA before we started ! Incidentally , Colin's career met a most unfortunate end ; whilst renovating a house , a fireplace fell on , and broke , his right ankle , which never recovered its motility . As he could no longer properly operate throttle/brake pedals , that was that .

The last time I saw the Mick Hill VW Beetle , Dougie Niven had sold it to Kent racer Gary Charlwood . I remember lying on my back inside the car in a pool of petrol at Lydden changing a failed Lucas HP petrol pump .... Oh happy days !

Anyway , enough of these ramblings .

Regards

Clive Brown

[driftwood]

Jim Price Skoda was chevron B19
Jimmy R skoda Ga was March 74S-6 ex Argylle racing 3 litre dfv 74 WCM racer
restored years ago and raced in Masters sports car series

Mick Hills Beetle was broken up as it used Trojan or Leda F5000 corners i heard it went from Kent oop norf
Gary Gharlwood also had the Janglia ( jag engined Anglia and had a Capri all nicely presented)
Hawkers DFVW with ex J Stewart DFV was the 1972 Duckhams LM car built by De Cadanet car now rebuilt as Duckhams car in USA
Baby Bertha went from Gerry to PH-H then Phil Barak to its current owner Joe Ward

The 2litre Bevan Imp was based on a steel shell with March corners i recall George saying the car was " too square" with its width to wheelbase and was not an easy car to drive by Rob was mustard

Dickenson skoda- i dont recall a 2nd T490 based car car running it must have been a short years racing of that car the original car was based on Lola T290 car and the old chassis is lying in a yard "sans" roll cage

there was a skoda 1300 cc i recall David Auger drove was that a S2000 based car

[Dan Rear]

Auger car was built on a T492 according to Mawp in about 1980. Beetle NOT broken up, I saw it 3 weeks ago!

Did Tony Dickinson have the original Skoda, the 73-74 Chas Beattie/Chris Meek car, at one point, rings a bell? None of them tho' were as quick as Derek Walker's 'home-made' LB14 car. Fastest 2-litre I ever saw.

[driftwood]

i wonder if teh Auger skoda went to TD
his T290 based car was the car that Dorset racing had at LM in 77? entered under Cloud engineering
TD bought the complete team 1 car spares extra chassis and had Pilbeam narrow the tub fitted rollcage skoda body built it up from the spares
the complete Gp 6 car sat for 25 yrs in the barn as it last raced at LM until they restored it to race again in CER

the skoda tub sits a yard as tub rollcage!
VW Beetle i was told was dismantled as the corners where F5000 and of use to some car owner

What was the Derek Walker skoda based on?

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by driftwood

what uprights did he use?
where is this car now as it was not a sports car it obviously was not converted back to its former guise!
before the Skoda he had a quick Escort

Derek would often cannibalise his cars and use them as a parts bin for his next project.


Above: Brian Walker's Escort back in 1977

[Steve Wilkinson]

As requested by a certain Mr Driftwood there are a couple of photos of the Derek Walker Escort taken at Oulton Park in 1977





Enjoy!

[h4887]

Originally Posted by The Shrew

Other cars i loved was Tony Sugdons Skoda fantastic looking car and a Mini 1.6 prob around about 95 - 97 ish. Cant think who drove it but im pretty certain the guy was from Warrington.

This one?

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

May I ask you super saloon experts a question?

I'm trying to trace a F5000 Chevron B28 and one clue is that it was advertised alongside Super Saloons. I'm hoping that somebody may be able to deduce the owner

The Chevron was advertised from 01-883 5338 (Autosport 17 Aug 1978 p68) then later from same number evenings/weekends with a Chevy Corvair Super Saloon (Autosport 9 Nov 1978 p67, also 16 Nov 1978 p52).

Another advert appeared from this number in 1979 offering a reward for the return of an ex-Mick Hill, Tony Rosen Super Saloon Capri and gave addresses in Welwyn, Herts and Stanhope Street, London NW1 (Autosport 8 Mar 1979 p53). Could this have been Tony Strawson?

Any suggestions?

My brother and I were running a 2 litre Escort in special/super saloon races in 1975 to 1977. At the end of 1977 season or early 1978 we saw the Corvair advertised by Gerry Marshall and went down to see it. We met Gerry in a pub somewhere in Bedfordshire and he drove us ( and it was some drive!!!) a few miles to a farm where the car was kept. It was fired up and Gerry and my brother drove it around the farm yard for a few laps before it began to overheat - and I never got a chance to drive it.
I never knew who owned the farm but thought it may have been John Pope of Viva - Aston Martin fame, but I could be wrong. The car had been there for some time and was not in the best of shape - I think it was then sold shortly after to a guy in Leicester -Martin ???????

[big andy]

morninggents

are these your car?
Attachment 20648

Attachment 20649

[GBRM]

I'll double-check the dates and numbers but from memory Dad bought the Corvair from Ian Richardson early '76, did some testing in it but DTV would not let him race it (Dad reckoned with development and sorting it would be quicker than Baby Bertha) so Tony Strawson did at least one race in it for Dad. Dad kept the car for at least a year and then sold it to his old car school friend and racing driver Mick Leary (I did post the advert somewhere on 10/10ths but can’t find it at the moment).

I'm fairly sure Dad kept the car at John Pope's farm in Chiswell Green (just outside St.Albans in Hertfordshire) but the car was road-registered (!!) so could be anywhere really, especially as Dad had trade plates too. The original Marshall Wingfield garage was based in Temple Fortune, Finchley, North London (he moved to Tring about '82/3).

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by big andy

morninggents

are these your car?
Attachment 20648

Attachment 20649

Certainly are. The white was 1976 and the grey/orange was 1977.
Thanks for these Andy. I have a scrap book of racing saloons from 1966 to 1977 and will get my son to scan them for later posting.

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by morninggents

My brother and I were running a 2 litre Escort in special/super saloon races in 1975 to 1977. At the end of 1977 season or early 1978 we saw the Corvair advertised by Gerry Marshall and went down to see it. We met Gerry in a pub somewhere in Bedfordshire and he drove us ( and it was some drive!!!) a few miles to a farm where the car was kept. It was fired up and Gerry and my brother drove it around the farm yard for a few laps before it began to overheat - and I never got a chance to drive it.
I never knew who owned the farm but thought it may have been John Pope of Viva - Aston Martin fame, but I could be wrong. The car had been there for some time and was not in the best of shape - I think it was then sold shortly after to a guy in Leicester -Martin ???????

I think the 'Martin' Peter mentions is Martin Dilks. He ran DB Motors in Leicester at this time, they specialised in big US cars, though OTOH Martin raced in Prodsports Midgets - not much different! And yes, now you mention it, the Corvair does ring a bell with me re Martin. Don't think he raced it much however, maybe a few times in Donny GTs.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Dan Rear

I think the 'Martin' Peter mentions is Martin Dilks. He ran DB Motors in Leicester at this time, they specialised in big US cars, though OTOH Martin raced in Prodsports Midgets - not much different! And yes, now you mention it, the Corvair does ring a bell with me re Martin. Don't think he raced it much however, maybe a few times in Donny GTs.

Martin Dilks did buy a Corvair racer and ran it in the colours of his company, DB Motors of Leicester, In the Donington GT's races, but I don't remember him actually driving. He also ran a pair of prodsports Midgets (didn't DB Motors & CCC Magazine sponsor the championship?) with drivers Bruce Pears & Art Markus I think.
(DB Motors also owned Baby Bertha for a while too, I think they were responsible for removing the Repco engine & putting a big Chevvy in it! Sacriledge...)

[Clive Brown]

[quote=driftwood] Dickinson skoda- i dont recall a 2nd T490 based car car running it must have been a short years racing of that car the original car was based on Lola T290 car and the old chassis is lying in a yard "sans" roll cage[quote]

The later S2000 chassis car Tony Dickinson actually raced for a couple of seasons in the Wendy Wools Special Saloon Car Championship , winning the Championship at least once in that time . The car can be distinguished from its earlier sibling because it used a kind of deep dish design wheel with a large polished alloy surface . As most cars of this type used F2-sized rubber , the original S2000 wheels were obviously discarded .

The car would have used either an FT200 or FG400 gearbox with inboard brakes , so rear brakes would not have been a problem , but the front must have used vented discs with four-poy calipers , so the car clearly used either modified Lola T490/2 uprights , or uprights sourced from elsewhere .

Today , I believe Tony runs the family garage business at Leverton nr. Boston , in his native Lincolnshire . At one point it might have been a Volvo dealership , but it now seems to be an unfranchised business .

[driftwood]

Clive Im afraid the Skoda Lola modified by Pilbeam as r17 is the t290 car
1 ive seen the chassi in a yard - as soon as i saw it i said thats a lola t290 tub but is been played with and it had the roll hoop on it ( yes i have lola t290 so i know what they look like)
2 i spoke to Tony about it and he bought 1 complete car and all the spares form Le man team dragge dit all home
used the spare tub cut down to make the skoda and the complete car sat in barn until 3 years ago untouched and was rebuilt to race in hysterical races

This skoda is the 2nd car he used with Hart 420R as the 1st was the steel shell ex Alec Poole/ Chris meek FVc engined race car

re the Imp i did have CCC magazine from the 70`s with an article on the car when Tony D had the car sadly the mag was left in the shed that leaked and has now been skipped

Re Rob mason- i think the Brands 850 record was 53 dead 1 litre he held was 51.2 FFords where a a gnats tad quicker
Ernie Wood had a trucking firm i recall him arriving at Lydden circa 1980 with a 2 litre Mk1 escort to race then later he had a Rawlson body steel shell Imp vaugley recall the stilleto by then we had gone off from1 litre Imps to do Don GT with bigger engine cars