Tag Archives: Clark

Moorland’s Successor – Gemini Mk 2

As we saw a couple of weeks ago after the withdrawal of their backers the Moorland Formula Junior project, designed by Len Terry and built by Leslie Redmond, was taken on by Graham Warner of The Checkered Flag.

Len Terry moved on to designing the Terrier Formula Junior car, which would lead him into conflict with one of his other employers Colin Chapman at Lotus.

Gemini Mk II, Graham Barron, Castle Combe,

Leslie Redmond remained as Chief Engineer for Graham Warner who financed the building of a production version of the Moorland, naming it Gemini Mk2 after Gemini House on Edgware Road, where one of his businesses was based.

Thirty Gemini Mk 2’s are believed to have been built all but four being BMC powered with remainder fitted with Ford engines.

Gemini Mk II, Graham Barron, Castle Combe,

Graham Warner is shown as having been entered in a Ford powered Gemini Mk2 at Brands Hatch in October 1959, but he did not attend.

At the John Davy Trophy on the 26th of December, also at Brands Hatch, Graham was entered in a BMC powered Gemini Mk2 but again did not appear.

Gemini Mk II, Graham Barron, Castle Combe,

Jim Clark did however drive a works Ford powered entry in the John Davy Trophy to an 8th place on the models debut with the private Ford powered entry driven by Geoff Williamson failing to finish the same race after a spin.

Graham finally got to the grid in a BMC powered Gemini Mk II in March 1960 at Snetterton where he finished 3rd behind to DKW 2 stroke powered Elva 100’s and the following month Graham recorded his marques first win at Brands Hatch in a Ford powered Gemini Mk 2 this time leading two DKW powered Elva’s home.

Graham Barron is seen at the wheel of today’s featured Gemini Mk II at Castle Combe.

My thanks to Richard Bishop – Miller for filling in some of the gaps in my Moorland / Gemini knowledge with some comments he left on facebook.

Thanks for joining me on this “Moorland’s Successor” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at the last in the present series of Healey’s. Don’t forget to come back now !

Okay Yah – Ford Capri 2.8i

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Several years ago I related how a school friend’s #44 Ray’s Toys Ford Capri 2.8i Production Saloon car gave me my first hands on experience of motor racing at the Willhire 24 Hours run at Snetterton in June 1985.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

Wandering around the infield at Silverstone Classic last year I was pleasantly surprised to bump into the very car that won the 6th running of the Willhire 24 Hours, having seen it go past many times from the pit lane it looked amazingly familiar and it was almost as if the race had finished the day before, such is the condition of the car.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

I believe the #43 Okay Yah Capri was first registered EVU400Y on the 15th of April 1983, I am not sure exactly when former short oval track Speedworth International Superstox driver Roy Eaton decided that his company, RE Developments based in Winnersh, Berkshire, should turn the car into a Class B, up to 3 litre / 183 cui, production saloon racer, but I believe he may have run the car in the 1984 Willhire 24 Hours in which he finished 3rd.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

For 1985 Roy chose as his team mates a former short oval track Hot Rod and Super Rod ace David Oates and an oval promoter with some rally cross experience John Clark.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

Opposition at the sharp end of the race came from two brand new cars a well funded Ilford Ford Escort RS Turbo driven by Mike Smith and Lionel Abbott which got as high as 2nd before dropping back to sixth and a very controversial, because of it’s cost and 16 valve heads, Mercedes Benz 190/16 driven by ex Formula One driver Mike Wilds, Mike Knight, Gerard Sauer and the cars sponsor Martin Carroll.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

The two Class A Rover Vitesse V8s and two Class A turbo charged Mitsubishi Starions might have edged the multitude of Capris present on paper, but they did not have the staying power to go the full distance at a race winning pace.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

The Mercedes did lead the race on occasion, but superior pit work by the RE Developments crew helped the Yokohama shod #43 Okay Yah Capri, which had been leading at 17 of the hour marks of the race, to cross the finish line two laps ahead of the Carroll’s Mercedes , completing 970 laps during 24 hours of racing in what was considered to have been the best Willhire 24 yet.

Thanks for joining me on this “Okay Yah” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking a Tyrrells 1975 Formula One challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

European Highlights – Goodwood Festival Of Speed

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As the years roll by going to Goodwood Festival Of Speed is more and more like going to the best toy shop in the world with more and more cool stuff to be found every year, this was my sixth visit since 2009 and already having completely failed to compose my thoughts about some of the highlights of this years event, as I write this I am looking forward to next years event !

Kremer K8, Derek Bell, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

One of the highlights of the event was a collection of 15 vehicles celebrating the career of five time Le Mans 24 hour winner, 3 time Daytona 24 Hour winner and twice World Sports Car Champion Derek Bell, seen above in his 1994 Le Mans 24 Hour entry the Porsche powered Kremer K8 with which he Robin Donovan and Jürgen Lässig qualified 2nd and finished 6th.

Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, Hannu Mikkola, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

The Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 was Audi’s final Group B evolution producing an initial 500hp in 1985 when Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer won the San Remo Rally and over 600hp when Walter Röhrl drove one to victory on Pikes Peak in 1987, above 73 year old Rally Legend Hannu Mikkola show’s he still has no problem handling the cars 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds performance.

Jaguar XJ12C, Andy Rouse, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

In the mid 1970’s one used to hope against hope that British Leyland would get it’s act together and thrash BMW in the European Touring Car Championship, but alas despite starting from pole in 6 from nine events the Jaguar XJ12C’s best result was a second place finish at the Nurburgring in 1977 with Derek Bell and Andy Rouse at the wheel, former works driver Andy Rouse is seen demonstrating the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s 1976 example above.

Lotus BRM 43, Andy Middlehurst, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

While Lotus were waiting for the arrival of Ford’s DFV for the 1967 season Jim Clark had to make do with the woefully underpowered Climax powered 1965 Lotus 33 until the arrival of the BRM H16 powered Lotus 43 in time for the last three races of the 1966 season, the car was instantly quick qualifying 3rd at Monza, and 2nd in the USA and Mexico but also unreliable suffering gearbox failure at Monza and Mexico but the car with one of the most complex motor configurations on earth held together at Waltkins Glen where Jim Clark won scoring a fourth consecutive victory at the circuit for a BRM powered car, Andy Middlehurst is seen driving the 43 above.

Mercedes Benz 300 SLR, Sir Stirling Moss, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

Mercedes Benz prepared for the 1955 World Sports Car Championship by building 9 300 SLR’s of the eight survivors seven were at Goodwood, above Sir Stirling Moss demonstrates chassis #0004/55 with which he and navigator Denis Jenkinson won the 1955 Mille Miglia ahead of the sister car #0003/55 driven by Juan Manuel Fangio.

FIAT S76, Duncan Pittaway, Goodwood Festival Of Speed,

Finally with a Herculean effort Duncan Pittaway got his recreation of a FIAT S76 to Goodwood last year, but did not dare try and start it. With help from Leonardo Sordi he has since got the car running and as can be seen above it is a wonderous sight to be hold as the 28.3 litres / 1,727 cui four cylinder motor belches flame from it’s monstrous exhaust stubs.

Thanks for joining me for this “European Highlights” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at some of the American Highlights at Goodwood. Don’t forget to come back now !

Soft Alloy Special – Lotus Ford 38/7

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On the back of their success with Jim Clark in 1965 Lotus took orders for two new Ford powered Lotus 38’s for the 1966 season, while the now STP Oil Treatment sponsored works Lotus team intended to use a new car powered by a 4.2 litre / 256 cui version of the fearsome BRM H16.

Lotus were busy preparing new cars for the new 3 litre era Formula One season and so they subcontracted the building of the chassis for these cars, ordered by Dean Van Lines and Sheraton Thompson to be driven by Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt respectively, out to Abbey Panels of Coventry, when it became apparent the BRM H16 would not be available a third Lotus 38 chassis was ordered from Abbey Panels for works driver Al Unser to drive.

Lotus 38, Autosport International, NEC Birmingham

For reasons unknown Abbey Panels of Coventry built the three Lotus 38 chassis with regular aluminium instead of the high tensile alloy used to build the first four Lotus 38 chassis and as a consequence the “Soft Alloy Specials”, as they are unofficially dubbed, needed substantial strengthening to make them race worthy.

Mario only practiced his Dean Van Lines Lotus 38 and opted instead to race the Dean Van Lines Brawner Ford, AJ qualified his Sheraton Thompson/Anstead Lotus 38 18th after wrecking his Coyote only to wreck the Lotus in the opening lap meleé of the 1966 Indy 500.

Lotus 38, Autosport International, NEC Birmingham

Al Unser meanwhile qualified #38/7 23rd and was classified 12th after crashing in turn 4, 39 laps short of the race full race distance.

Once it became apparent the BRM H16 would not be available for the 1967 Indy 500 Team Lotus hastily prepared two Lotus 38’s for ’65 winner / ’66 second place finisher Jim Clark and ’66 Indy 500 winner, aboard a Lola, Graham Hill.

Lotus 38, Autosport International, NEC Birmingham

Jim was assigned #38/7, which had been “rebuilt” around a new chassis while Graham was given #38/8 and a Lotus 42F, intended for the BRM H16 motor, but fitted with the by now ubiquitous twin cam Ford.

After qualifying #38/7 16th Jim retired with a burned piston classified 31st after 35 laps, lasting 12 laps more than Graham who retired the faster Lotus 42F for exactly the same reason.

Lotus 38, Autosport International, NEC Birmingham

#38/7 became the subject of a legal dispute after Colin Chapman and mid west Lotus dealer Jim Spencer managed to sell the car to two parties.

After the dispute was settled Middleton M. Caruthers bought #38/7 and entered it for Wib Spalding into three events in 1969.

Wib only started on his third attempt at Continental Divide where he retired with a clutch problem that may have been responsible for his non starting earlier at Hanford and failure to qualify at Langhorne.

Lotus 38, Autosport International, NEC Birmingham

Until #38/7 appeared at the Autosport International, as seen in these photographs wearing the 1965 Jim Clark winners livery, the car was believed to have been residing with a collector in Japan.

Thanks for joining me on this “Soft Alloy Special” edition of “Gettin a Li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for the start of a look at the first of next months 26 Le Mans racers. Don’t forget to come back now !

The Ultimate 25 – Lotus 33 #R10

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The Coventry Climax V8 powered Lotus 33 was developed from the 1963 Championship winning Lotus 25 for the 1964 Formula One season to take advantage of the latest 13 inch diameter broad tread tyres which had been developed by Dunlop.