Posted 17 November 2012 - 16:54
Alan Mann - A Life of Chance
It must be "progress" but, like so many other new books, this one seems to me a bit thin for its price tag (which is not significantly discounted at present, compared to many others). Despite the title, it is very much the story of Alan Mann Racing rather than Alan Mann. The obligatory early life section is not matched with anything post AMR until we get to "modern" historic racing. Aviation enthusisats may therefore be disappointed to find virtually nothing regarding that major post-AMR phase, other than a veiled reference to classified work, with helicopter anti-missile measures mentioned. Although I was once briefly on the periphery of that subject, I have no recollection of any Alan Mann Group company being involved. His post-AMR private life is dismissed in a couple of sentences. Still, many of us castigated Jackie Stewart's book for spending too much time on his non-driving career, so we can't complain too much and overall this book is "a good read".
There may well be much new insight for those who's interest lies in GT and sports racing cars and there is certainly a view of Ford's "disfunctional" (to use a current buzz word) corporate performance in that area. Shelby and Holman and Moody seem to escape the worst of AM's censure but few others seem to! Even Walter Hayes attracts the odd adverse reference and John Wyer was clearly never ever destined to make it on to AM's Christmas card list. We knew relations with Stuart Turner never rose from rock bottom in period as: "he didn't like me and I didn't like him" dates back some time. That things never mellowed is now indicated by a blunt : "he doesn't speak to me". This raises the question of whether all these people were quite as bad as portrayed or whether AM himself was part of the problem...
I was sorely disappointed to learn little new about the AM saloon cars. The good Mustang listing of car identities/use can already be found on a US Mustang web site that held long telephone conversations with AM some time ago. The Falcon identities/use/fate can also be pieced together far more comprehensively than it is here. For Cortinas and Escorts that detail is disappointingly limited. I had hoped to find confirmation/details of the AM involvement in setting up the works rally Lotus Cortinas for the 66 Coupe des Alpes but no mention is made. Interestingly, AM's entry of two Lotus Cortinas in the 66 Monte, separate from the three works cars, is attributed to a Walter Hayes initiative to "sharpen things up". Totally conflicting statements then follow as to whether or not the AM cars also had dipping headlights and would have been excluded with others. Engine failure on both cars from using the wrong oil suggests it wasn't the works team, by then under Henry Taylor, that was most in need of sharpening up...
A very good story is made of Henry Taylor bringing his works Cortina GT from Ford Comps, then at Lincoln Cars, to AM (then Alan Andrews Racing) in secret to be totally re-prepared and set up for the 63 Coupe des Alpes. It then goes on to record Pat Moss (in her single year with Ford) expressing concern "in the closing stages at Monza" that Taylor's car was clearly faster than the other team cars. Only problem with that is that Pat Moss, already carrying a knee injury, was taken ill in Marseilles, didn't start the Coupe des Alpes, was medevacced to the UK and was in hospital with pleurisy by then....