Special Saloons - the early cars (1965 - 1975ish!)

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by aaronwalsh

I was 10 when I took this picture. One of the few of my early photos that wasn't blurred, too far away or completely black ! It was 1974 and my memory is that it was the meeting where Ian Richardson started at the back with a 10 second penalty and was up near the front after 1 lap and went on to win by a long way in a very short race. I believe the sponsor was 'Anglia Nuts & Bolts'. Great memories.

Welcome and thanks for the photo Aaron.

What looks like lines on the bonnet are dozens of little louvres. I'm not sure what they were for as the engine was in the back, but it was extremely well done

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

Welcome and thanks for the photo Aaron.

What looks like lines on the bonnet are dozens of little louvres. I'm not sure what they were for as the engine was in the back, but it was extremely well done

Probably exit vents for the front mounted radiator.

[driftwood]

yes highly likely
down side is if you did not know or understand high and low pressure air flow on the cars you may find the "exiting" air is being pushed back into the car as was the problem with the Imp front rad and bonnet exit when it needed to be out thru the floor ( spare wheel well) and under air would suck/pull it away
Oh ignorance was Bliss back then!

[col rooney]

driftwood, I can see your point with air flow on say a steel imp but with say a semi spaceframe car its so open under the front end that you cant realy channel the air out under the car, so on my car i just try and get it out by any means so a hole in the bonnet i think helps

col

[driftwood]

the principles could be the same for teh shape of teh car regardless of steel shell or tube frame cars but ride height will be a factor as well so i guess only a wind tunnel can sort it out but it is a natural thought to the un trained that a hole is cut in the bonnet
Is it correct or wrong who knows!

[Kevin Bolton]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Tat'll be this one (Taken by Fred Scatley)

This looks like a picture my dad, Brian Bolton has above his fire place!!
Not sure if it is the Doc Merfield car. Does anyone know where this was taken? Dad is trying to find the car again to restore and race again? Anyone have any info?
I'll get some pics scanned & uploaded of his car as he has lots. For posterity!!

[william jones]

Ref the posting and bw picture of the supermodified Morris Minor, I think this was featured in Car and Car Conversions round about late 1960s. My recall is that it had a smallblockV8 Ford engine but not 100% sure. Must have been one of the very first supersaloons.
William Jones

[Mike Harte]

Hi all.

I come to this discussion a little late, but I have only just come across this forum. My name is Mike Harte, and I raced in the Redex and other Special Saloon races between 1966 and 1970.

The opening poster asked about the Janglia, and if my memory is still intact, this was built and prepared by a guy called Richard Scantlebury. We met in a bodyshop in Pinner, Middx (North London), where we both altering some of the bodywork.

It was a fearsome machine down the straights, but a bit of a handfull around the corners, like some of the other exotica of the times, like the sit-up & beg V8 Ford Poplar and the V8 Morris 1000.

But in the end, we were all swept aside by the Escort driven by, was it a Roger Taylor whose father was a director of Ford Motor Co (UK) - my mind is hazy on this - but it was prepared at Boreham and spannered by men in spotless white overalls and coats.

The Redex Championship was great fun, and although the competition was stiff, as a group we got on really well, and often helped each other out. My first overall win was at Snetterton, and that was only possible as a competitor gave me a set of flywheel bolts when mine sheared at the end of practice. And other mechanics assisted mine, in torrential rain (there was no cover in the paddock, nor was it tarmaced) to remove the gearbox and re-attach the flywheel.

I am typing this while watching the BTCC meeting at Silverstone, and this reminds me that circuit racing was a no contact sport, and I cannot recall one incident in my 4 years of competing that anyone swapped paint, or nudged a car in front to remind them that we were still there!

[petestenning]

2nd July 1967 Brands Hatch entry




CLASS A OVER 1300 CC
231 BRYAN THOMSON BRYAN THOMSON FORD MUSTANG 4727
233 TERRY SANGER FORD CORTINA V8 4727
234 VINCE WOODMAN FORD LOTUS CORT 1865
235 W.F.VAUGHAN FORD LOTUS CORT 1598
236 D.N.SMITH FORD ANGLIA 1822
237 E.A.R.C. ROGER TAYLOR FORD ANGLIA 1820
238 R.DADE FORD ANGLIA 1650
239 PAUL TOMLIN FORD ANGLIA 1600
240 ZEKIA REDJEP FORD ANGLIA 1600
241 STAN CLARK FORD ANGLIA 1558
242 ARNOLD DENMAN FORD ANGLIA 1558
243 MARTIN BIRRANE FORD ANGLIA 1558
245 JOHN FILBEE PETER DODD JAGUAR MK2 3871
CLASS B 1001-1300 CC
247 DOC MERFIELD FORD ANGLIA 1298
248 PETER WARDLE RENAULT R8 1275
249 ALEC POOLE WOLSELEY HORNET 1293
250 MIKE LAWLOR DAVID BRODIE FORD ANGLIA 1298
251 JOHN WALES AUSTIN COOPER S 1298
252 BARRY PEARSON AUSTIN COOPER S 1275
253 TEAM CHARLES CLARK WILLIE GREEN AUSTIN COOPER S 1298
254 TERRY HARMER AUSTIN COOPER S 1293
255 D.JACKSON R.PARKINSON AUSTIN COOPER S 1293
256 WOODFOLD COMPETITIONS HOLMAN BLACKBURN AUSTIN COOPER S 1275
257 CRIPSPEED KEN COSTELLLO MORRIS COOPER S 1298
258 RON MASON MORRIS COOPER S 1298
259 BRIAN COX MORRIS COOPER S 1294
260 A.B.GREENWOOD MORRIS COOPER S 1293
261 DESMOND GIBB MORRIS COOPER S 1275
262 DAVID DUNNELL W.A.COOPER MORRIS COOPER S 1148

[celes1]

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

Hi Mickj - This one was 2 litre and very quick! Brodie's 'Run Baby Run' should also be added to the list of great Mk 1s.

You are forgetting the Mid engine, fully space-framed Mk1 Hart Escort of Geoff Woods. The chassis and bodyshell was fabricated by the legendry chassis builder Cyril Malen who made Grand prix race car chassis's for Collin Chapman of Lotus, Emmerson Fittipaldi's GP car and many more.
This car has just been discovered in a barn where it had been stored 30ft up on a rack for the last 38 years and is fully complete and original, they even found a dead rat in the drivers seat that had eat so much foam it couldn't get out.
The new owners of the car Spec-R Alloy are going to do a full sympathetic restoration on the car and are to unveil it at Goodwood when ready.
This is one of my favourite cars from the 70's so will be following the build with interest on Ten-Tenths.

[celes1]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Absolutely right - it was an M8. Fantastic car and well put together. Does it still exist?
Can't quite make out where the shot was taken and if it was just before a Super Saloon race.
Could be wrong (again) but it doesn't look like Geoff Wood's Escort. Wasn't he from Skegness or Cleethorpes area?

Wrong, it is Geoff Woods on the fourth row with his Blue space framed Hart Escort.
Geoff always wore glasses.

[GWOOD1170]

I wish folk would spell my fathers name right, it was Wood not Woods, it really ****ed him off....

[Watts289]

Hi, this my first post on here, just seen the last entry list , I worked with Terry Harmer at DJ Bond racing during the 70s and early 80's .My dad was sponsored by DJ Bond racing in the later part of the 60's and early 70's ,he raced in mini 7 & 850 free formula , I have been going through old photos , and found some of Martin Kent, rapier v8, Martin mauldling, corsair , Gill orchard ,Capri, Maurice winch, wanglia, DJ Bonds ex Alan peer group 5 Anglia, Gerry Marshall ,Firenza & viva ,John pope viva,Bill shaw rover v8 ,Dave Brodie escort, Alec Poole turbo mini clubman , paul emery imp ,I think ,Chris montague mini , Terry Harmer minis and Barry lee escort which I think was one of the first escorts to race, Also a picture of the King lengthened wheel base fast back imp ,would like share these photos but not sure how to attach them to the site , but hopefully sort this out soon. DJ bond racing also sponsored several single seaters , saloons and paul butlers Sprite .which I also have photos of.

[allenbrown]

Welcome!

You'll need to put the images up somewhere else and then link to them here. I would suggest you try Flickr, as it's free, doesn't try to claim ownership of your pictures, and doesn't delete them if people stop looking at them.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Watts289

I worked with Terry Harmer at DJ Bond racing during the 70s and would like share these photos but not sure how to attach them to the site , but hopefully sort this out soon. DJ bond racing also sponsored several single seaters , saloons and paul butlers Sprite .which I also have photos of.

Most of us that have been on T Tenths for years just go on "go advanced" at the bottom and upload photos direct from the computer, however I don't think you can do it until you have a certain number of posts .