Mini special saloons and Black Jaguar XJ6 Race Car

[paul craymer]

Hi Fans,
I am new to this site,and i am interested if anybody remembers me from my racing activities,from 1975 to 1992
I started in a mini special saloon in the wendy wools,and rivet supply championships 1300 class.
Then a new mini for the BRSCC 1982 MODSALOON series.
Then in 1986 raced a jaguar xj6 for five years in XJ Challenge,and various other series at the time,crash at Spa ended the jag.
Raced a Jag D-Type with a friend at Pembrey 1990 class win
Finally ran an ex Gerry Marshall mk3 Capri 3.0 in 1991 group 1.

[chunterer]

Hi welcome Paul.

Yes, I certainly remember you in special saloons in the mid 80's and racing Jags later on. I don't, however recall you racing a Capri.

Are you still racing, or planning a comeback?

[paul craymer]

The Capri ex gerry marshall was raced in the classic saloon group 1 series,and is still out there today racing the present owners name eludes me at the moment,i will post it when i remember.
I also raced a Honda CRX in 1988 for John Butt Automobiles Honda dealer in southampton,forever replacing body panels,it was like banger racing, but costly,but still good fun.
No plans at the moment to make a return.

[chunterer]

That might be Skid Scarborough's car? Did you do metros as well by any chance Paul?

[Andy Clegg]

Have you any pics of the Mini and Capri. I got a decent camera in July 1991 and was taking photos most weekends. I spent a bit of time at Oulton Park in the 70's.

[paul craymer]

chunterer, thats the name thanks for that.
Andy,yes i have loads of photos just need to find them! will post as soon as i do.
No never did metro's

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by paul craymer

chunterer, thats the name thanks for that.
Andy,yes i have loads of photos just need to find them! will post as soon as i do.
No never did metro's

Beg ya pardon, Paul I was thinking of chap called Paul Gaymer who did Metros, he drove a Nuffield Press or a Bulmers car, can't recall which!!

[paul craymer]

Thats ok i was often mistaken for paul Gaymer,he did mini 7,mini miglia,even recently i was speaking to Peter Baldwin and he made the same mistake,i put him right though.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by paul craymer

Thats ok i was often mistaken for paul Gaymer,he did mini 7,mini miglia,even recently i was speaking to Peter Baldwin and he made the same mistake,i put him right though.

I was going to say that! Wasn't he something to do with BOOPSPEED?, the Mini's were always green?

[paul craymer]

Hi Andy,i enclose a few photos of my mini through the years.
Championship sponsers included Simoniz,foward trust,esso uniflo,century oils,rivet supply,wendy wools,1976 to 1982.

[big andy]

love the mini photos paul .what was the engine spec ?how did it do against the spaceframed cars .do you know what happened to the mini??

[paul craymer]

I always competed in the 1300 class,main rival Peter Baldwin,it was a basic A series engine built by myself,76mm crank,73.5 pistons,slark downdraft 8 port head,split webers,105 bhp @ wheels.
Reliable was the answer,in 1979 i entered 32 races,no retirements.

[paul craymer]

1979 Wendy Wools Championship

[Andy Clegg]

Sorry Paul, I've no pics of the Mini. Moved down to Oxford in 1983. Might have some of Capri from 1991.

[paul craymer]

Andy,found some Capri pics from Snetterton ,1991?

[chunterer]

Nice, yes that's the Capri I had in mind Paul ,Gerry's prodsaloon from the early 80's IIRC? Gerry once told me that it was sold to some chap in Ireland called Harald Hagan who went and rolled it?!

Where/when/whom did you get it from Paul, I know in G1 trim it had been modified a bit but how was it to drive compared to your much more modified racers?

[paul craymer]

Yes we purchased the car from Ireland the chaps name i cant remember will look for some paperwork,we never met was all done on the phone,then the car arrived to us on a transporter.
I raced in the group 1 series and always said i would race it as gerry did,no mods except modern tyres,aeroquip hoses,decent brake pads and some exhaust system mods.The car still did not stop and rolled around a bit on the original shocks and springs,but it was fun.
Oh and the car was straight never been rolled,and you could still see Gerrys name,and sponsers on it in the right light! on the paintwork.

[Andy Clegg]

I used to go to Silverstone, Mallory, Thruxton,( Castle Combe?) and Donington in 1991.
Snetterton when the BTCC were there.

[tbqfh]

I remember your XJ6 very well coming out with Fozzie or Verve on the plate depending on who was driving it.

Both my Dad, myself and his friends from the JDC used to love that car, it used to go round like it was on rails. If I remember rightly it was a short wheelbase car wasn't it?

My Dad lives in Spain now but I am going to ask him to go through the old photos and see what he can find of it.

I am also very good friends with Steven Cook who knows Andrew and have been to the garage a few times too.

The photo of it above, really brings back great memories.

[chunterer]

That's not the Steven Cook who used to race roadsaloons in a Mini is it? Think there was two Cook's a Geoff as well?

[paul craymer]

PM Sent,thanks for your interest.
Paul

[paul craymer]

Hi,no afraid not the same, shows your still watching with interest!

[paul craymer]

The Black Jag was a series 3 so was a long wheel base,built from a new body shell from Jaguar Cars in 1980/81,ran a 3.8 6 cyclinder dry sumped engine producing about 325 bhp on triple dellortos,a Ford quaife 4 speed gearbox.
Competition in XJ Challenge was from mostly 12 cyclinder xj6 and xjs cars,but our car only weighed 1200kg,so held up well against the more powerful cars.

[tbqfh]

Hi chunterer,

Thanks for your reply, unfortunately as Paul says, not the same Steven Cook.


Paul

Did you ever go up against Bernie Breeze in the old Malcolm Hamilton 6cyl E type? I know where he lives but haven't spoken to him for years, I believe he still has the car. I remember it being a quick car.

[paul craymer]

tbqfh,
PM sent regarding pics,thanks.
I did do some AMOC,and JDC events and Malcom Hamilton V12 E-Type was the only E-Type to ever beat us,dont remember ever racing against Bernie Breeze with a 6 cyl.