'Bromley Performance' - South London, early 1970s - any info?

[PZR]

Has anybody here heard of an outfit called 'Bromley Performance' from the early 1970s period, possibly based in Kinver Road, London SE.26 ( technically Lewisham )?

Possibly involved was a gentleman by the name of Ronald ( Ron ) Parkes.

Seems they might have race prepped a few cars, but were they in fact a small suburban garage business? Anybody remember anything?

I know there was a connection with Rob Grant, but I'm looking for the other side of the story, if you know what I mean....

Thanks!

[Clive Brown]

Now I'm sure I can remember a guy called Ron Parkes from the South-East London area who used to race a Mini- possibly a Mini Se7en. Would have been probably in his late forties in the late seventies. Thin moustache, used to smoke roll-ups IIRC.... Same man?

[haggispeed]

There was a Ron Parkes ran a garage business in Lewisham in the late 80's early 90's. He and his two sons got involved with Production Rallycross at that time with 2 or 3 very quick Fiesta's. I know Ron had raced previously but not for a while because he had to go off to Brands and do his ARDS course to get his race licence again. Don't remember it ever being know as "Bromley Performance" though

[Clive Brown]

Isn't Production Rallycross just a polite term for what most of us call Bangers? Morris Oxfords, Austin Cambridges, and Humber Super Snipes, driven into one another at high speed. Damn entertaining, as I recall....

[PZR]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Bangers, eh? I was kind of hoping for something a little more, er, posh than that!

It might well be that the Ron Parkes connection with 'Bromley Performance' is just me putting two and two together to make five, but his name comes up as the first owner of a car that 'Bromley Performance' were involved with and I believe the two were connected. With South East London's proximity to North Kent I was imagining that the 'Bromley Performance' name might have been seen at Brands Hatch occasionally, and that the company - even if it was a comparative minnow - might have been remembered.

Still got my fingers crossed...

[haggispeed]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

Isn't Production Rallycross just a polite term for what most of us call Bangers? Morris Oxfords, Austin Cambridges, and Humber Super Snipes, driven into one another at high speed. Damn entertaining, as I recall....

Now now Clive... Although some of them did drive like they were in a banger race !
No there was a separate class for "Standard Production Cars" within Rallycross, sort of a "group N" I suppose, mainly populated by Fiesta's, & Nova's in the smaller classes and various Escorts, Golfs in the larger classes, I was building a Mini to Cooper S spec when they got rid of the up to 1300 class but it was still competitive against the 1600 Fiesta's

[Clive Brown]

Ah Tony, so glad you dropped by into this thread.... Can you remember Ron Parkes, who as I recall it was a friend of the Demon Doctor?

[historic racer]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

Now I'm sure I can remember a guy called Ron Parkes from the South-East London area who used to race a Mini- possibly a Mini Se7en. Would have been probably in his late forties in the late seventies. Thin moustache, used to smoke roll-ups IIRC.... Same man?

Quite right Clive ,knew him well ,was a friend of the docs and lived in Cranston Rd ,Forest Hill operated out of the garage at the side of his house IIRC

[PZR]

Many thanks for new input. Feels like we are getting a little closer, but not quite there yet.

Originally Posted by historic racer

Quite right Clive ,knew him well ,was a friend of the docs and lived in Cranston Rd ,Forest Hill operated out of the garage at the side of his house IIRC

This is interesting. Cranston Road is not a million miles from the aforementioned Kinver Road, and it seems that at both addresses there is a home address/small garage setup. Ron Parkes could well have lived at both addresses, but I wonder if only one of these is the one with a small garage business next door to his home?

The Kinver Road address is certainly correct as I have an old green logbook / V5 with his name and that address on it, so I'm wondering where the garage business was....

Any ideas as to whether he's still alive or not? Any relatives / friends that might know?

Reason for enquiry is nothing sinister. I'm just trying to tie up some loose ends regarding an interesting ( to me! ) car that seems to have passed though his hands in the early Seventies.

Thanks!

[historic racer]

As far as I know, he is sadly no longer with us. The address I gave was earlier in the 70s.

[haggispeed]

ah that Ron Parkes, not the guy I was thinking of at all. Yes you're quite right Clive he was a chum of DHE's I thought he was an electrician or something ? I certainly don't remember there being anything to do with "Bromley Performance"
He did build a couple of Mini's and remarkablry enough I came across the pics of his second car when I was searching for pics of the KG Lola. Yes he did sadly pass away at quite an early stage I remember DHE telling me.
One story I did hear about him (although it was rather 3rd hand) was he was towing his Mini down to Lydden on a tatty trailer behind his Mk4 Cortina when he suddenley had to break hard, the car was tied down so that it wouldn't roll off backwards and just pulled up against blocks to the front, (no fancy stuff like ratchet straps then just bits of old rope or chain). Under the heavy braking the car jumped over the blocks and landed right in the boot of the Cortina !! Ah the good ol days eh

[ss_collins]

Ask Martin Chinnery at Sebron in New Cross - he will know

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Ask Martin Chinnery at Sebron in New Cross - he will know

Is that New Cross as in SE London, or Level Cross as in NC....

[PZR]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Ask Martin Chinnery at Sebron in New Cross - he will know

Thanks for the suggestion. I called Sebron and Martin Chinnery is off sick at the moment. I'll try again next week.

Cheers.