Run Baby Run

[davemorganfan]

Dave Brodie's famous racing Escort from the early 70s. Can anyone remind me what engine was in that car - an FVA, or was it just a humble Twin Cam?

He also gave that monicker to his Modsports Elan at about the same time. I remember that car well - it was the ex-Jeff Goodliffe hillclimber, and remarkable for the fact that it had the standard Elan interior, with full carpets and walnut dashboard. I think it also had front suspension lifted from an F3 car, or am I dreaming?

[josvandeperre]

I'm pretty sure they were all twin cam but there were some FVA powered cars at the same time as I recall - even some sleeved to 1300 cc

[Peter Mallett]

He also had a black Capri with the same name.

[Andrew Kitson]

A quick scout through some 1971 race progs, I have Dave's Run Baby Run listed as with a 1998cc motor early in the season ( Twin Cam?) and later in the year with a 2150cc BDA.

[tony griffiths]

think it was a BDG built by Racing Services ....

[MikeManNZ]

The car ran a Twin Cam all it's life IIRC.

The BDG was for the Capri.

Started at just under 2L, then 2.1L twin cam. They got the engine out to 2.5L but it was a hand grenade.

My father was Dave's race engineer for the time he was running the Escort, he left as the Capri was about to take over.

This is all from memory, but I have pointed dad at this thread.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by MikeManNZ

The car ran a Twin Cam all it's life IIRC.

The BDG was for the Capri.

Started at just under 2L, then 2.1L twin cam. They got the engine out to 2.5L but it was a hand grenade.

My father was Dave's race engineer for the time he was running the Escort, he left as the Capri was about to take over.

This is all from memory, but I have pointed dad at this thread.

Welcome Mike...we look forward to hearing from your Dad as well

[sterling49]

Originally Posted by MikeManNZ

The car ran a Twin Cam all it's life IIRC.

The BDG was for the Capri.

Started at just under 2L, then 2.1L twin cam. They got the engine out to 2.5L but it was a hand grenade.

My father was Dave's race engineer for the time he was running the Escort, he left as the Capri was about to take over.

This is all from memory, but I have pointed dad at this thread.

I was at a presentation that "the Brode" did just before Xmas, and I asked this question, it was a 2.1 litre twink, FoMoCo couldn't get it to work, but Run Baby did! I used to see this car almost weekly at Brands Hatch, along with young Gerald in a certain Vauxhall

[MikeManNZ]

Yeah the engine uesd liners with a special sealing compound developed by Ciba products to have the same thermal expansion rates as the cast iron Ford used in the Twin Cam blocks. The blocks were machined out to the water jackets and the liners bonded in to give a finished bore of 90mm.

I think the pistons were custom Cosworth items and an 81mm crank from I think Farandon made 2.1L.

The big issue was making rear axels live with the torque apperantly.

If anyone plays GT Legends you might like this http://www.nogripracing.com/details....enr=5427&pic=2

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by MikeManNZ

The car ran a Twin Cam all it's life IIRC.

The BDG was for the Capri.

Started at just under 2L, then 2.1L twin cam. They got the engine out to 2.5L but it was a hand grenade.

My father was Dave's race engineer for the time he was running the Escort, he left as the Capri was about to take over.

This is all from memory, but I have pointed dad at this thread.

I don't recall any Capris with a BDG, Mike. Don't think Brodie ever had one, do you mean the GA?

[Robyn Slater]

a special sealing compound developed by Ciba products

Anyone got anymore info about this substance?

[MikeManNZ]

Originally Posted by Dan Rear

I don't recall any Capris with a BDG, Mike. Don't think Brodie ever had one, do you mean the GA?

Not 100% on the Capri to be honest.

I think the development started before the GAA was available, but certanly the GAA would have been a better engine once it was available in a Capri.

I will check with my father tonight and see if he knows.

[MikeManNZ]

Originally Posted by Robyn Slater

Anyone got anymore info about this substance?

Last time I talked to dad about it he said these days one of the Loctite prolducts would do just as well IIRC.

[MikeManNZ]

OK I spoke to dad tonight and have a clearer picture.

Run Baby Run was always twink powered, starting at 2L and growing to 2.1L for race use, once the car was sorted it had a record of 48 wins from 50 starts (Two minor mechanical DNF's). There were plans to rebuild the car with a 2.1L BDA engine but it was decided to go with the GAA powered Capri instead.

The twink was eventually run out to just under 2.5L but was never used in anger as it would not hold together on the dyno.

[driftwood]

who had the capri after Brodie?
Mick Hill Doug Niven Birrane strawson??
a new thread as we are names of cars
Bay B minis of peter Baldwin ??!!

[Dan Rear]

DW, I posted on the other place, the Brodie/ShellSport 3.4 Capri 2, went to Adam MacMillan or John Olding. They shared it in about 1975-76-77 or so. Don't know after this.

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by MikeManNZ

Run Baby Run...the car was sorted it had a record of 48 wins from 50 starts (Two minor mechanical DNF's).

Was it not beaten in races by Norman Abbott in his Escort or Gerry Marshall in Old Nail or did it not run against any of the top line cars/drivers to begin with?

I do have a great film of a race from Lydden Hill in 1971 when Run Baby Run was beaten and it certainly wasn't a mechanical failure that day!!

driftwood - The Capri that Tony S had was Mick Hill's old car, I don't know about Brode's car. I'll check CCC tonight, there's a great article from early '74 with a picture of all the cars on the front and then inside a review on each car and driver.

If it helps I could always ask Brode directly.

[VIVA GT]

Didn't someone's car sport a 'Run faster baby' logo on the back at one time? (Presumably after befeating The Brode somewhere)

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by driftwood

who had the capri after Brodie?
Mick Hill Doug Niven Birrane strawson??
a new thread as we are names of cars
Bay B minis of peter Baldwin ??!!

I was always under the impression that Mick Hill built his car from scratch. Well from bits of F5000 cars etc. It was later brought by Tony Strawson. (There is a thread here somewhere where Tony's daughter gives an insight into it's purchase).

Rennen (Ant Davidsons dad) repainted it in a mettalic brown with strawberrys along the roof line!

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

I was always under the impression that Mick Hill built his car from scratch. Well from bits of F5000 cars etc. It was later brought by Tony Strawson. (There is a thread here somewhere where Tony's daughter gives an insight into it's purchase).

Rennen (Ant Davidsons dad) repainted it in a mettalic brown with strawberrys along the roof line!

Yeah, Mick made it from bits of a Lola T70, GT40, Jag and a few other things!!

I think Nina's posts are in "The Driver File" section.

[Rod Birley]

I think Brodie's GAA Capri ended up with Bernie Harris.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by GBRM

Yeah, Mick made it from bits of a Lola T70, GT40, Jag and a few other things!!

I think Nina's posts are in "The Driver File" section.

That's right, but I didn't do the paintjob for Tony Strawson, that was done by The Barnet Motor Company run by Liam Churchill, (who built and ran the first Funny Car dragster in the UK, which had a stretched fibreglass Capri body and was called 'The Sting')
Tony Strawson's brief was for it to be painted 'Black' with strawberry's down the roofline...well Liam's brother Mike was the sprayer, and into custom car/hot-rod type trick paint and his version of 'Black' came out a sort of metallic brown! Which didn't impress Strawson at all as I recall!
I just did all the signwriting and looked after the graphics (incuding that cartoon sticker you can see on the side window) and I helped out with a bit of spannerwork during the season. As Tony went well at Silverstone (and liked their Clubhouse BAR) it was me that suggested he concerntrated on the Esso Uniflo Super Saloon series as most of the rounds were there, winning the championship in 1975 with some good drives. It was nice to see him again at Big GM's leaving bash.

Back to Brodie's 'Run Baby Run' I think I'm right saying that slogan was from a 1960's Rock n Roll pop-song by the Tremoloes that he liked?

[driftwood]

Yes i recall Bernie having the Capri with GA circa 84 ish at brands i dont think the car ever raced

[RTH]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Didn't someone's car sport a 'Run faster baby' logo on the back at one time? (Presumably after befeating The Brode somewhere)

Yes I remember that too.

Was it John Bloomfield , who had a similar Escort as well ?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Yes i recall Bernie having the Capri with GA circa 84 ish at brands i dont think the car ever raced

Bernie's name was down on the entry lists for the winter special saloon races at Thruxton in the early 80's. He entered a Capri with a 3.4 or 3.8 cc engine sponsored by Flashpoint Spark Plugs. I wasn't there so I have no idea if he/it ran but would this have been the ex Brodie car?