David Potter

MiniMadness · 3 Mar 2011, 22:05 (Ref:2839879)

Maybe a question or two for chunder or rx-guru -

Was David Potter's Mini supercharged ?
Who was in the Car Colours rallycross team ?

rx-guru · 3 Mar 2011, 23:24 (Ref:2839914)

Do not know if David Potter’s Mini was supercharged, but in the 'Rallycross ’81' special of Bill Mantovani and Colin Howard it reads that he used a Wessex engine with supercharger. David and his wife Vivian Potter were in international RX events actually just a bit before my time. But Bill ('GM!' here at 10Tenths) should know about his UK years.

Car Colours was run by the late Allan Franklin. I’ve seen his stickers on the cars of John Welch, John Smith, the late Ron Douglas, Rod Chapman, John Greasley, David Potter, Graham Strugnell, John Clarke, Colin Howard, Dave Wallis and perhaps some more drivers.

MiniMadness · 4 Mar 2011, 17:54 (Ref:2840232)

You come up trumps again. Yes I've seen that article in 'Rallycross 81' as well. I'm currently building a Mini with a supercharger, never know I might return to Rallycross.

I will download a photo of David's Mini later

MiniMadness · 4 Mar 2011, 19:07 (Ref:2840264)

Here's the photo. When & where ?

MESHGA · 4 Mar 2011, 22:12 (Ref:2840365)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniMadness

Here's the photo. When & where ?

Why dont you give him a call ?
Hes still farming near Challock Kent

schanche · 4 Mar 2011, 22:36 (Ref:2840373)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rx-guru

Do not know if David Potter’s Mini was supercharged, but in the 'Rallycross ’81' special of Bill Mantovani and Colin Howard it reads that he used a Wessex engine with supercharger. David and his wife Vivian Potter were in international RX events actually just a bit before my time. But Bill ('GM!' here at 10Tenths) should know about his UK years.

Car Colours was run by the late Allan Franklin. I’ve seen his stickers on the cars of John Welch, John Smith, the late Ron Douglas, Rod Chapman, John Greasley, David Potter, Graham Strugnell, John Clarke, Colin Howard, Dave Wallis and perhaps some more drivers.

Just found out Alan Franklin was infact John Welch's brother in law!

rx-guru · 4 Mar 2011, 23:04 (Ref:2840385)

Yep, that is why Welchie ist first of my list.

http://www.erc24.com/db/news/800_x0612200722550.jpg

Allan (left) with Graham Strugnell.

MiniMadness · 5 Mar 2011, 00:04 (Ref:2840411)

Apologises for the large photo. Thanks rx-guru and MESHGA I have sent a PM to GM

Still like to know where the photo was taken.

rx-guru · 5 Mar 2011, 09:29 (Ref:2840479)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniMadness

Still like to know where the photo was taken.

I guess only the snapper can tell.

GM! · 5 Mar 2011, 11:43 (Ref:2840521)

As far as I can remember, David Potter's mini was indeed supercharged. For the early 1980's I have him down as upgrading to a 1911cc Wessex engine employing a specially developed supercharger, which meant that he now had to run in the 'over 1600cc' class. Tony, Nick & Phil were the guys at Wessex.

David was a regular in the French Challenge series in those days, as were other well established members of the Car Colours Rallycross Team. After every event in France and having usually done very well (he netted his first ever International victory at the Circuit D'Alencon, Essay, in 1980 (I think) David was always to be seen with a big grin on his face - a UK 'v' France lamb 'war' was in full swing and David was a sheep farmer!

rx-guru is correct with the other 'members' of the Car Colours team - Alan was always a very enthusiastic supporter of rallycross and the 'team' would grow depending on the event.

I'll see if I can dig out any info on the photo.

struggie · 5 Mar 2011, 19:40 (Ref:2840739)

david potters car was supercharged for while.engine size was 1602 to be over 1600 cc after the cc loading for having a turbo or supercharged car. built with a 74.7 bore along with a 92mm stroke (i'm pretty sure)
I looked after davids rally cross car for a couple of years at weesex racing with Tony Scott and Nick jesty down in swanage.
I also looked after his two ex works minis CRX90B and LBL45F.
My wessex 1550 engine was transfered in to the gartrac car of mine (any photos about of this rare beast please)
Ah, and Alan franklin what can I say, a very very good friend along with his family, wife Rosalind daughters Tina and Salina.I will miss alan for the rest of my days a true gent and a loverly man.
And we did get up to some misschief over the years with Ron douglas joan douglas John welch etc.....they WERE the days believe me

struggie · 5 Mar 2011, 21:29 (Ref:2840776)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MESHGA

Why dont you give him a call ?
Hes still farming near Challock Kent

Spoke to him at christmas he has sold his minis and is now building/restoring a ex works 1800 land crab

MiniMadness · 5 Mar 2011, 22:35 (Ref:2840795)

Quote:

Originally Posted by struggie

Spoke to him at christmas he has sold his minis and is now building/restoring a ex works 1800 land crab

Are you Graham ?
What's a land crab ?

struggie · 5 Mar 2011, 23:11 (Ref:2840809)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniMadness

Are you Graham ?
What's a land crab ?

yes I am.a land crab is a 1800 morris in the 1100.1300 family.
May I ask who you are please, sorry but new on here

struggie · 5 Mar 2011, 23:16 (Ref:2840813)

david also had a 8 port crossflow 1300.engine(wessex) which i used for my first ever visit to valkenswaard on lucas fuel injection and told not to rev over 8500 rpm (ish)

rx-guru · 5 Mar 2011, 23:21 (Ref:2840816)

Hi Graham, loooooooooong time no see! Eddi
PS: Joan Douglas still okay? Visited them twice, once at Borehamwood and once at Perrancoombe in Cornwall. ;o)

rx-guru · 5 Mar 2011, 23:26 (Ref:2840820)

The famous land crab:

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...corna/Maxi.jpg

Geoff Mabbs had one when he "established" Mabbs’ Bank at Lydden.

struggie · 5 Mar 2011, 23:34 (Ref:2840824)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rx-guru

Hi Graham, loooooooooong time no see! Eddi
PS: Joan Douglas still okay? Visited them twice, once at Borehamwood and once at Perrancoombe in Cornwall. ;o)

as far as I am aware she is fine ,spoke to her and her son gary at the rallycross reunion at Lydden and it was so good to see her and many others but so many are no longer with us

rx-guru · 5 Mar 2011, 23:54 (Ref:2840834)

Quote:

Originally Posted by struggie

as far as I am aware she is fine ,spoke to her and her son gary at the rallycross reunion at Lydden and it was so good to see her and many others but so many are no longer with us

Good to hear! Next time you meet them best regards from Eddi & Hilde in Germany!

struggie · 8 Mar 2011, 22:27 (Ref:2842368)

At Rons funeral Joan recounted the day Ron died he popped in the house for a cuppa and said " ive retired down here and all ive done is dig effing holes well this is the last effing hole i'm going to effingwell dig "
Unfortuinatly it was they found him dead at the holes side.

A good bloke Ron he could be a pest getting up to various tricks that he thought amusing,like leaving me to walk off my extreme drunkness one night in Austria...........3 miles.he laughed.

chunder · 9 Mar 2011, 08:00 (Ref:2842523)

Great stories Graham, anotgher person who really ought to be writing a book!! Car Colours book would be great!

struggie · 9 Mar 2011, 12:43 (Ref:2842680)

tooooo dangerous to put things in print

a lot of the old boys were recounting a few stories at the reunion a few years ago at Lydden before we all got completly pi++ed and fininshed up talking complete gobledegook.

Plus I'm not skilled enough to write a book, if there is another reunion i'll tell a few stories.

rx-guru · 9 Mar 2011, 14:19 (Ref:2842729)

Quote:

Originally Posted by struggie

At Rons funeral Joan recounted the day Ron died he popped in the house for a cuppa and said " ive retired down here and all ive done is dig effing holes well this is the last effing hole i'm going to effingwell dig "
Unfortuinatly it was they found him dead at the holes side.

A good bloke Ron he could be a pest getting up to various tricks that he thought amusing,like leaving me to walk off my extreme drunkness one night in Austria...........3 miles.he laughed.

http://www.rallycrossforum.at/download/file.php?id=353

One of Ron’s "exotic" RX cars, a hairy TVR used in early 1977, but not for long. As I never saw the car myself is anyone here in the know if it was a 2500M (Triumph TR6 2.5 L6 engine) or a 3000M (Ford Essex 3.0 V6 engine)?

struggie · 9 Mar 2011, 14:56 (Ref:2842745)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rx-guru

http://www.rallycrossforum.at/download/file.php?id=353

One of Ron’s "exotic" RX cars, a hairy TVR used in early 1977, but not for long. As I never saw the car myself is anyone here in the know if it was a 2500M (Triumph TR6 2.5 L6 engine) or a 3000M (Ford Essex 3.0 V6 engine)?

99% sure it was a V6 i was mechanicing for smitthy at Valkeswaard and ron with of course Joan was there Ron had a good contact with a F1-2 team in north london so used to get a few suspension bits to build his car and I think thats where the ford connection came from I believe this was the meeting when John welch took umbridge at stig blomqists driving and took a fence post to the roof of his car and turned it in to a coupe

Or was it per eklund

rx-guru · 9 Mar 2011, 15:11 (Ref:2842754)

Stig or Per? Yep, heard that story too about a man going berserk and hammering with an iron tube or something similar for a while on the roof of his opponents car.