Spec-R BARN FIND!Rare Geoff Woods Mk1 Hart Escort Special Saloon

[Neil Duke]

Originally Posted by andy97

It's still for sale on RCD, Mike:

https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Adver...thunder-saloon

Getting cheaper all the time.

Good car for the Wendy Wools CSCC Special Saloons and Modsports Series!

Andy,I rang the guy,asked if the crank had been ground,he more or less told me where to go,shame,as I was genuinely interested.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Neil Duke

Andy,I rang the guy,asked if the crank had been ground,he more or less told me where to go,shame,as I was genuinely interested.

How odd? Not sure its a good enough engine for that car anyway but the engine would sell on in to the Escort community. Could be replaced by a Cosworth YB turbo i suppose.

[Andy Clegg]

I took this photo at Aintree in the 70's.
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...97#post2881997

[Speedy norm]

Interesting thread, really looking forward to seeing this car again re the Robinson escorts, who built the mk 11 escort which Davina Galica ran out of Nick Whitings stable in mid 70 's Am thinking this was poss not so well developed and not a space frame

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by Speedy norm

Interesting thread, really looking forward to seeing this car again re the Robinson escorts, who built the mk 11 escort which Davina Galica ran out of Nick Whitings stable in mid 70 's Am thinking this was poss not so well developed and not a space frame

I have a note that Divina Galica's car (Escort 1850 BDA on carbs or was it an FVC) was built by Nick Whiting from an ex-Lawrie Hickman Group 2 car which Whiting had as a spare car. She crashed at Brands Hatch in the first race in 1975. Whiting was advertising a rolling chassis for sale in April 1975 which may have been the damaged car. A replacement car, a new Escort II FVC 1850 was for sale at the end of the season (1975). This went to Brian Davis (Kent) for 1976-77. [https://autoquip.co.uk/news/m-d-bria...cing-history/]

Norman Hodgson had an Escort 2.0, ex-Divina Galica in 1980 and in 1982 Ian Harwood was advertising a Mk II Escort shell, ex-Whiting/Galica.

[Speedy norm]

Thank you Allan and of course Alastair Lyall had a mk2 escort during 77 season winning first meeting at re opened Donnigton park I used to know Ian Harwood well during the '90s

But we are getting Off topic a little

[celes1]

[QUOTE=Speedy norm;3788176]Thank you Allan and of course Alastair Lyall had a mk2 escort during 77 season winning first meeting at re opened Donnigton park I used to know Ian Harwood well during the '90s

But we are getting Off topic a little bit.




I was a neighbour who knew Nick Whiting when we competed at Brands and I often use to end up in his garage with Vic Lee and Charlie Smith enthralled at the work he did on his Ford Escort's. The space frame on his Mk2 was beautifully fabricated, but I must say the work that F1 engineer Cyril Malem did for Jeoff Wood's Escort spaceframe was slightly lighter than Nick's first car.

[andy97]

So Vic Lee and Nick Whiting were mates. Explains a few things........

[911thillclimber]

There are a couple of names in this thread that feature in my Lola's history too.

Hope the restoration is still moving forward, I feel a bit starved of pictures of the rebuild!

[morninggents]

[QUOTE=celes1;3788320]

Originally Posted by Speedy norm

Thank you Allan and of course Alastair Lyall had a mk2 escort during 77 season winning first meeting at re opened Donnigton park I used to know Ian Harwood well during the '90s

I'm pretty sure the Alistair Lyall 1977 Donington opener winning car was a Mk 1 Escort. I believe it was an ex-Alan Mann Escort (possibly XOO 347F) which we briefly owned having bought it from Chris Meek (who bought it from Doug Niven). We sold it to Stuart Turner (the Manchester area one, not the Ford supremo) who in turn sold it to Alistair.

[GregUK]

[QUOTE=morninggents;3788405]

Originally Posted by celes1

I'm pretty sure the Alistair Lyall 1977 Donington opener winning car was a Mk 1 Escort. I believe it was an ex-Alan Mann Escort (possibly XOO 347F) which we briefly owned having bought it from Chris Meek (who bought it from Doug Niven). We sold it to Stuart Turner (the Manchester area one, not the Ford supremo) who in turn sold it to Alistair.

There were no races at Donington until 1978.

IIRC, Nottingham SCC ran a sprint in the autumn as did another club a couple of weeks later.

[VIVA GT]

[QUOTE=GregUK;3788416]

Originally Posted by morninggents

There were no races at Donington until 1978.

IIRC, Nottingham SCC ran a sprint in the autumn as did another club a couple of weeks later.

No, I think it was 1977. Didn't they celebrate 40 years of racing since re-opening last year?

[GregUK]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

No, I think it was 1977. Didn't they celebrate 40 years of racing since re-opening last year?

Most definitely only Sprints in 1977. I couldn't get an entry in the NSCC event (full) - the first MSA licenced event at the 'new' circuit - but got into the second sprint.

For 1978 I gave up sprints and started in the Rivet Supply championship.

[rbs]

Donington reopened at the end of May 1977 andthe first race winner was Alistair Lyall.

[Andy Clegg]

I heard that also.

[GregUK]

Originally Posted by rbs

Donington reopened at the end of May 1977 andthe first race winner was Alistair Lyall.

You made me take a trip to the attic!

How I HATE to be wrong....!

[VIVA GT]

[QUOTE=VIVA GT;3788477]

Originally Posted by GregUK

No, I think it was 1977. Didn't they celebrate 40 years of racing since re-opening last year?

I of course meant this year, not last year, reading too many 2018 threads!

[celes1]

A bit of historic interest that I do know about. The owner of Spec-R is Pete Fulke-Greville, it was his father Peter Fulke-Greville Snr, NSCC, BARC, MROR who worked very hard during the 1960's and 1970's to re-open Castle Donnington Circuit.

Peter Fulke-Greville managed to obtain a licence in the 1960's to hold a restricted Kart event, using the lower hairpin as part of the circuit. I was there at the time, alongside Stirling Moss, Graham Hill and a very young Damon Hill who I use to pushchair around the Paddock and Club area when our parents had a few drinks after the events.

And I remember after a race in the late 1960's Alan Mann driving me from Thruxton Circuit to Andover in his race prepared Ford Escort and doing 130mph down the dual carriageway. My mother had raised eyebrows and I had a big wolfish grin.

Very Happy Memories.

[celes1]

Originally Posted by andy97

So Vic Lee and Nick Whiting were mates. Explains a few things........

Let's just say associated in certain area's of finance.

Motor Sport is very expensive.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by celes1

A bit of historic interest that I do know about. The owner of Spec-R is Pete Fulke-Greville, it was his father Peter Fulke-Greville Snr, NSCC, BARC, MROR who worked very hard during the 1960's and 1970's to re-open Castle Donnington Circuit.

Peter Fulke-Greville managed to obtain a licence in the 1960's to hold a restricted Kart event, using the lower hairpin as part of the circuit. I was there at the time, alongside Stirling Moss, Graham Hill and a very young Damon Hill who I use to pushchair around the Paddock and Club area when our parents had a few drinks after the events.

Any relation to Christopher Fulke-Greville?

[backfire]

As regards to Donington re-opening, there was a problem with the licence (I seem to remember because of public rights of way across the track). The opening meeting was technically run as a trial which allowed the saloon races etc. but not open wheelers. An yes Alister Lyall's Escort won the first "race".

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by backfire

As regards to Donington re-opening, there was a problem with the licence (I seem to remember because of public rights of way across the track). The opening meeting was technically run as a trial which allowed the saloon races etc. but not open wheelers. An yes Alister Lyall's Escort won the first "race".

Being pedantic (and having exactly the same Christian name) Mr Lyall spells his name: Alastair

[GregUK]

Originally Posted by andy97

Any relation to Christopher Fulke-Greville?

Oh-err - there's a name!

I remember him in a red Vectra (or was it a Cavalier?).

A really nice guy but with a few skeletons....

[celes1]

Originally Posted by backfire

As regards to Donington re-opening, there was a problem with the licence (I seem to remember because of public rights of way across the track). The opening meeting was technically run as a trial which allowed the saloon races etc. but not open wheelers. An yes Alister Lyall's Escort won the first "race".

Yes you are right. It took years of paperwork and appeals to adjust and get over certain rights of way. This first kart event held at Donnington circa late 1960's and using the hairpin area was pretty low key and the kart I raced was something out of the dark ages with awful braking from 80mph.

To this day I love the dip down to the hairpin and I would imagine the Spec-R Escort would be suited and flat through it.

[celes1]

Andy97, I use to live in Castle Donnington, way back.