Willment Racing team

[zefarelly]

Does anybody know anything about this team, particularly the Cortina GT's they raced in 63?

Im building a cortina GT at thew moment, and although I doubt much of the preparation then would be applicable now, it would still be nice to know.

[Peter Mallett]

Well, the picture in your post appears in “FORD in Touring Car Racing” by Graham Robson (ISBN I 85960 688 1) and the first mention of Mann is at the Brands Hatch six hours race in 1962 where he shared a Ford Anglia 1200 Super with Tony Hegbourne.

He then approached Ford with a view to running a Lotus Cortina but they instead gave him a GT. A good reason for this was due to the fact that the Lotus Cortina wasn’t homologated until September 1963. So Mann and Willment ran the GT in 1963. You seem to be confusing the two names though, because Jeff Uren managed the Willment cars whilst Mann ran his own show.

Ford was launching the Cortina in America and so they sent three Cortina GTs to the Marlboro 12hour race at Maryland. (Hence the picture). They finished 1-2 and 4. The report shows that the Sears/Ortloff Willment car finished first ahead of the Alan Mann car driven by Blumer/Taylor.

However I think you are really asking about the technical build specs of which I know nothing. I can tell you though that Dave Axisa (Paulerspury Coachworks) ran a very successful GT in both CSCC and FIA Touring Car races in the mid nineties. I’ll look his number up and pm it to you.

As a piece of advice though, I’d recommend fully seam welding the shell as well as the cage. This will serve to give you a really rigid basis for the car.

Hope this is of interest and good luck.

Pete

[zefarelly]

Pete

thanks for that, the shell is on its side and a large roll of mig wire is ready and waiting, gas bottles on standby too, once Ive scraped all the underseal off (fun!)

Ive got the book, a good read, and some great pics.
Id like to know what colour the Mann car (in the middle is, it doesnt look red and gold)

Is Jeff Uren still about? he must be a mine of information

[Peter Mallett]

I've pm'd Dave Axisas number to you.

Good luck.

[TimD]

I think Jeff Uren's still active in the sport. Didn't he share a Ford Zephyr with Tony Dron at the first Goodwood Revival?