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Rover/BMW F1 car


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#1 RAP

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 16:03

Not a new F1 team rumour ........
At Crystal Palace 2nd August 1954 O E Simpson was entered by Ron Searles in a Rover/BMW 2103cc in the August Trophy F1 race. He also entered at Castle Combe later in the month and at Snetterton 9th October. The car was also entered at Castle Combe in October 53 in a F2 race when the programme shows the engine as BMW.

However, from the engine size in 1954 I assume it was a Rover engine, the contempoary Rover saloon having a 2103cc engine. I think this car was nothing to do with the Rover F2 car that was at this time raced by Dunham as the DHS Rover and later by Frank Lockhart.

Can anyone shed any light on this backmarker of F1?
Richard

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#2 bradbury west

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 16:50

RAP

Probably/possibly the Lockhart car, although Combe is Peter Stowe territory.

A C&SC article in 11/88 by Willie Green makes no mention of Simpson/Searles, nor does Dr Lawrence in Hodges A-Z or in his own GP Cars 45/65 tome. Mike cites a reduced capacity 2.1litre engine, down to 1996cc for F2, and Willie Green, or A N Other lists a special Laystall short stroke crank and special cam installed into the Rover 2.6litre engine from the 90 model, but that it never raced in this 1993cc 170bhp hotrod form, since 2 of the main parties involved had gone off to build Marauders before their return, so in the interim/subsequent period of anonymity it may have had a standard Rover engine fitted prior to Lockhart's involvement.

Mike Lawrence does say that in 54 it appeared in a couple of minor F1 races, one a 5 lapper at Goodwood, so it may have had a larger engine in for those.

The car was in Dunham's hands from 51 and known as the DHS , Dunham Haines Special, before going to Lockhart, a saleman for Dunham and Haines.

Perhaps Dr Lawrence may have more info.

Hope this helps.

RL

#3 RAP

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 17:27

[QUOTE]I think this car was nothing to do with the Rover F2 car that was at this time raced by Dunham as the DHS Rover and later by Frank Lockhart. [/QUOTE ]

I omitted to say that the DHS Rover was also entered for the Crystal Palace meeting, althought in a different Heat, which reinforces my assumption that this is not the semi-works/DHS/Lockhart car
Richard

#4 bradbury west

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 18:12

Richard,

Well, that's stumped me. Only trying to help........................

Roger

#5 Charles Helps

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Posted 18 January 2006 - 12:02

I was looking for the name Searles and arrived at the Motorsport Memorial site where the entry under Ron Searles (d 1957) includes a reference to an email from Bob Searles dated October 2005. Might this be another avenue to explore?

Richard, I wonder if all those entries actually led to arrivals, practice and starts?

#6 RAP

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Posted 18 January 2006 - 17:07

Charles
Thanks for the reply, Bob Searles is worth a try !!
Did it ever appear? Well, at Crystal Palace it was 7th on Grid (last) and finished 7th in Heat 2 but appears to have non-started in the Final.
No mention in Autosport reports of Castle Combe or Snetterton 54 but Castle Combe 53 says "R Searles brought up the rear in O E Simpson's old Rover-BMW which commemorated its resurrection by running on four cylinders only"
Resurrected from what? Well this at Crystal Palace Whit 53 Simpson entered a Rover BMW 1971cc in the Sports Car race although it non-started.
Richard

#7 Pete Stowe

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Posted 18 January 2006 - 18:09

A quick flick through Autosport indexes revealed a picture of the car competing at Ibsley in August 1951, with the caption “Special: OE Simpson’s low-set Rover-BMW bears a close resemblance to a Nurburgring special.” I’m between scanners at the moment, so can’t post the pic, but it shows a front-engined single-seater, with neat bodywork with a low tail.

#8 humphries

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Posted 18 January 2006 - 19:10

Richard

The first appearance of the Oliver Simpson Rover-BMW that I can trace is its entry in the Blanford Trophy on 29 May, 1950. The Rover of George Mackie, Spencer King and Peter Wilks was also in the entry list after being considerably altered at Jack Gethin's Garage in Birmingham over the winter of 1949/1950.

The reference to the resurrection of the Rover-BMW in 1953 may be because Simpson was involved in running an F2 Alta in late 1951 and 1952 when the Rover-BMW was not apparently used.

It seems strange that Simpson would name his special as Rover, unless he was referring to a dog rather than a Viking!

John

#9 alessandro silva

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Posted 18 January 2006 - 22:01

voilà the Rover BMW in 1951. I think it was already shown on TNF, probably in 8W nostalgia

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#10 RAP

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Posted 19 January 2006 - 20:14

Thanks everyone. Still not quite sure about the Rover connection - I like John's idea "unless he was referring to a dog " !!
Richard