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Old 19 May 2006, 13:46 (Ref:1614233)   #1
rbm
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Formula 3 500's in Kenya

whilst try to find some info on our ex-Kenya 1948 Cooper Mk2, I have spoken to a number of Drivers who were racing these 500's/formula 3 cars in Kenya in the 1950's-1970's. anyway my list of these drivers/cars is:

Gunter and Rodney Sachs -
Martin Norton
2 x Copper JAP mk3
Cooper JAP mk7
Cooper Norton mk5

Chris Bates -
Cooper JAP mk2 [1]
Cooper Norton mk4(?)
later raced formula vee

David Beckett -
Cooper JAP mk2 [1]
won 1961 safari, raced TR's and jag C etc.
now races Norton ex TT Bikes

Vic Preston -
Cooper JAP mk3 [2]

Bob Gerrish -
Cooper JAP mk3[2]
won East African Hill Climb Championship 3 times

Peter Sheperd -
Kieft Norton

Don King -
Cooper mk3

Ron Richardson & Monty Banks (shared ownership?) -
Cooper mk7

Colin Hay -
Cooper JAP mk5 1200cc V-twin.

Bill Frithy -
Cooper JAP mk?
ex safari winer

Chris Little -
Cooper Jap mk?

this list is built up from the memories of people who were there and may have errors and I'm sure plenty of ommisions - anyone care to add to it? the suffix [number] is to show know route of cars changing hands.

Last edited by rbm; 19 May 2006 at 13:49.
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Old 20 May 2006, 16:54 (Ref:1614991)   #2
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That looks a pretty full list from what I can remember.

Peter Huth raced a Cooper Norton at one time.

I don't remember a Kieft Norton. Possibly a mis-identification of the Martin Norton.

Are you sure about Colin Hay having a 1200 JAP? I can only remember 500's

Initials and correct spellings from Roger Barnard's Safari Rally - the first forty years who lists all finishers
E C Bates
D A Beckett
V R Preston (Vic snr) won the Safari in 1954 and 1955
R C Gerrish
P Shepherd
D G C King (I think that's the right one)
R G Richardson
T F Banks (Who was known as Monty - I don't know why)
Colin Hay apparently never finished the Safari
W A Fritschy, winner of the Safari in 1959 and 1960
C H Little

Hope this helps
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Old 22 May 2006, 11:46 (Ref:1616204)   #3
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Richard,
I have picked up secondhand information (ie not a report or entry list) of a race in Salisbury, Rhodesia, 15th April 1956. As well as John Love and Tony Ferguson (both Cooper Nortons, and claasified as either Rhodesian or South African), it reports three Kenyan entrants:
C Little, Cooper Norton - presumably D-Type's Chris Little
P Davies, Cooper Norton
TF Banks, Martin Norton - presumably Monty
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Old 22 May 2006, 15:13 (Ref:1616368)   #4
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Rodney Sachs, couldn't remember where his fathers Martin came from or went to so I would think we can assume that it is the same car as the Monty Banks one.

both Rodney and Bob Gerrish had Colin Hay as having a V-twin fitted (I am told he now is in Wiltshire) and Chris Little as having the Kieft (he worked for Marshalls the pugeot agents?)

Bob also made the intresting comment

"......The local hill climbs around Nairobi were relatively smooth with a dirt (murram) surface. I discovered the 5-stud engine gave a better performance than the 4-stud ........ It was extremely reliable and with this set-up I won the East African Hill Climb Championship three times......"

which may run slightly against current wisdom?

any more info on Peter Huth?
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Old 22 May 2006, 16:35 (Ref:1616418)   #5
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Peter Huth went on to race the ex Jim Heather-Hayes and later Louis Jacobz Lotus XV (the 1958 Le Mans 2 litre car) and also did a couple of Safaris with Jack Simonian.
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Old 30 May 2006, 15:34 (Ref:1623067)   #6
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My memories relate mainly to racing at Nakuru in the late fifties and early sixties. I twice went to the Brackenhurst Hillclimb. But I never saw racing at Langa Langa or the grass tracks at Nakuru and Eldoret in the early fifties nor did I ever get to see a Menengai Hillclimb. So there are gaps.
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Old 14 Aug 2018, 20:06 (Ref:3843656)   #7
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a bit late to this thread I'm afraid...but I have come across some slides of the Brackenhurst Hillclimb, one of which is a 500. I am going to be using them in a book I am currently writing but thought you might like to see the image, unfortunately I can't currently upload to postimage otherwise I would, might someone have another suggestion?
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Old 14 Aug 2018, 20:20 (Ref:3843662)   #8
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Gary,


It should be possible to post an image as an attachment so long as you are using the "Advanced" reply option.


However if you have used that and failed to post successfully there may be a reason for it - file size may have some constraints for example. Not sure.


I'm happy to try to help if you need it.
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Old 15 Aug 2018, 15:07 (Ref:3843808)   #9
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Not sure if this will work......trying to attach a pic.
Ah--- success!
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Old 23 Sep 2018, 06:21 (Ref:3852131)   #10
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Not a 500 But

Any ideas on this car. Brackenhurst Hill Climb?
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Old 23 Sep 2018, 12:16 (Ref:3852157)   #11
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Some sort of special I should think. There were plenty of 1172 Ford side valve specials around in the 50s.
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Old 23 Sep 2018, 19:27 (Ref:3852264)   #12
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Any ideas on this car. Brackenhurst Hill Climb?
The KFF registration dates to 1956. It doesn't ring any bells so it never raced at Nakuru at any of the race meetings I attended between 1956 and 66.
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Old 25 Sep 2018, 07:16 (Ref:3852541)   #13
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Some sort of special I should think. There were plenty of 1172 Ford side valve specials around in the 50s.
Fat lot of use that is MG.
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Old 25 Sep 2018, 07:22 (Ref:3852544)   #14
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The KFF registration dates to 1956. It doesn't ring any bells so it never raced at Nakuru at any of the race meetings I attended between 1956 and 66.
When you say 'dates from 1956' would that be a Kenyan number, or English (from the format).

The only information I have is that the venue was Brackenhurst, and I think there is a Buckler look about it.

To be fair to morninggents, it is clearly a 'one-off'.


The fact that the photo has some sort of reference number might be a clue to it's origin.

Thanks for your replies.


Cheers,

Bob

NB; The front wings are from a Morris Minor.

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Old 25 Sep 2018, 08:03 (Ref:3852550)   #15
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Duncan, my information is that the picture was taken in 1956, however, Google advises that the Brackenhurst hill climb ran between 1959-1963.

Can you shed any light on these dates?

Thanks,

B
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Old 25 Sep 2018, 21:10 (Ref:3852678)   #16
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Duncan, my information is that the picture was taken in 1956, however, Google advises that the Brackenhurst hill climb ran between 1959-1963.Can you shed any light on these dates?
Thanks,B

I was just trying to be helpful, Baub.


By the way, Google appears to show a report in Motor Sport dated 17th May 1949 giving the results of a Brackenhurst hill climg organised by E. African MC. A V. (Vic?) Preston won three classes - two in a Ford 10 and one in a Ford Pilot.
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Old 8 Oct 2018, 18:48 (Ref:3855502)   #17
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Brackenhurst hillclimb dates to well before 1959 - possibly even prewar. It was run on one of the roads leading to the Brackenhurst Hotel. In about 1963 the hotel closed and was sold to an American Missionary organisation and the hillclimbs ceased. The name was carried on along with any perpetual trophies at a new venue at Lukenya.
The number looks like a Kenya one, Nairobi to be exact. The registrations began with a K for Kenya and were allocated to different towns. KA* to Mombasa. KB* to Nairobi etc. As most cars were registered in Nairobo, the KB* series ran out and the KF* series started.
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Old 10 Oct 2018, 08:44 (Ref:3855860)   #18
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Any ideas on this car. Brackenhurst Hill Climb?
The front wings and headlamp assembly are Morris Minor, and the rear wings look very much like cut-down items from a Minor. I doubt there's any Ford under there !
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