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Lotus 20 Formula Junior 1960/61/62 UK


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#1 PaulieG

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Posted 27 February 2012 - 07:50

Hi guys. I have a challenge for someone in the UK who followed the formula juniors in the early 60's. I have a 1961 Lotus 20 that is currently under resto. The car was bought in the uk in late 64 or early 65 and was first registered on 28 th Oct 1965. I have been in contact with a man named Hank ( Bryan) Rossiter who was the workshop foreman for John Sprinzel in the early 60's and he informs me our car had one uk owner and was quite well known on the circuit in the uk and for some reason he believes the driver was sponsored by a radio station or was a disc jockey or personality at the time. The name is on the tip of his tongue but unfortunately he lost all his data and photos and records of the car in a massive earthquake in Christchurch in February. Can anyone think of an names to offer up to jog his memory? I am in the process of going through the F2 register website and recording all Lotus 20 drivers but it is quite a laborious task. Car is now. In Napier, New Zealand

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#2 Vicuna

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Posted 27 February 2012 - 08:27

Hi guys. I have a challenge for someone in the UK who followed the formula juniors in the early 60's. I have a 1961 Lotus 20 that is currently under resto. The car was bought in the uk in late 64 or early 65 and was first registered on 28 th Oct 1965. I have been in contact with a man named Hank ( Bryan) Rossiter who was the workshop foreman for John Sprinzel in the early 60's and he informs me our car had one uk owner and was quite well known on the circuit in the uk and for some reason he believes the driver was sponsored by a radio station or was a disc jockey or personality at the time. The name is on the tip of his tongue but unfortunately he lost all his data and photos and records of the car in a massive earthquake in Christchurch in February. Can anyone think of an names to offer up to jog his memory? I am in the process of going through the F2 register website and recording all Lotus 20 drivers but it is quite a laborious task. Car is now. In Napier, New Zealand


Keith St John

#3 David McKinney

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Posted 27 February 2012 - 09:33

I don't recall Keith StJohn racing a Lotus 20...

#4 PaulieG

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Posted 27 February 2012 - 10:04

Thanks Vicuña. I have passed the name onto some contacts and will hopefully get a reply.
Hi David, Keith st John raced a lotus 20 in the 1964 F3 class under speedwell racing. That is according to the F2 register website. The car ran a speedwell/BMC engine which is a good link considering the John Sprinzel involvement in the sale of the car to his ex workshop foreman Brian (Hank) Rossiter. This would fit in with Keith racing for radio London in the brabham BT 15 in 1965.

#5 David McKinney

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Posted 27 February 2012 - 12:30

I didn't check as late as 1964 :)

If that checks out (and it looks good), all you need to discover is who raced the car in 1961, 1962 and 1963...

#6 PaulieG

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 04:36

I didn't check as late as 1964 :)

If that checks out (and it looks good), all you need to discover is who raced the car in 1961, 1962 and 1963...


Great news today! After a year of searching I have confirmed that Keith St John was the last owner in the UK of our Lotus. Thanks David for your help so far and let me know if it would be worthwhile enlisting your services from your end to see if we can take it further back!

SO HAPPY TODAY. :clap: :clap: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:



#7 Vicuna

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 05:17

Great news today! After a year of searching I have confirmed that Keith St John was the last owner in the UK of our Lotus. Thanks David for your help so far and let me know if it would be worthwhile enlisting your services from your end to see if we can take it further back!

SO HAPPY TODAY. :clap: :clap: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


Is this the first thread ever involving more than one post where every post is from a kiwi?...assuming you are PG

Glad I could help for once

#8 PaulieG

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 05:54

Is this the first thread ever involving more than one post where every post is from a kiwi?...assuming you are PG

Glad I could help for once


Sure am vicuna ...... kiwi through and through.
Thanks for the name you gave it was spot on.
Found the original chassis number and owner Malcolm Templeton, just trying to trace who had the car between Malcolm and Keith and then will have the full 52 years of history! Pretty fantastic.

#9 David Beard

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:17

Sure am vicuna ...... kiwi through and through.
Thanks for the name you gave it was spot on.
Found the original chassis number and owner Malcolm Templeton, just trying to trace who had the car between Malcolm and Keith and then will have the full 52 years of history! Pretty fantastic.


I've just met a chap who showed me his home movies of racing at Kirkistown in the early 60s. Malcolm Templeton and various Lotus 20s appear.

#10 Richard Young

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 12:57

Hmmm.....Wonder who the movie maker was ? I'm at Kirkistown as I type this, and wondering if Jack Slater - see next thread down - features in the movies as well. He was certainly a regular visitor here at that time.
We're always keen to hear of old Kirkistown footage and photos as we have a very poor archive thanks to a number of office moves over the past 40 years or so.
Malcolm Templeton was Northern Ireland Lotus agent then and raced Lotus 11, 15 and then 20 and 22 Juniors before moving to various Brabhams. His son Trevor was a British F3 regular with a Ralt RT1 and (I think) British Atlantic Champion in an RT4.
Grandson Ryan has been our Pre-82 FF1600 Champion for the past three years in a Crossle 32F.

#11 PaulieG

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 20:26

I've just met a chap who showed me his home movies of racing at Kirkistown in the early 60s. Malcolm Templeton and various Lotus 20s appear.

Hi David
David McKinney informed me you had seen this footage. :clap: Do you think the chap would be persuaded to have some copies made? I know it is expensive but it would be well worth our money to have it with the car. It would be amazing to see the car in action in its heyday.
Regards

Paulie

#12 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 19 March 2012 - 08:23

Since my 20 also had Irish racing history I would be interested too, if the car might be visible in that footage.


Ralf

Edited by Ralf Pickel, 19 March 2012 - 08:24.


#13 David Beard

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 11:05

Since my 20 also had Irish racing history I would be interested too, if the car might be visible in that footage.


Ralf


Paulie and Ralph. I don't want to put the chap concerned's contact details on here without asking him, but I will see what I can find out about the possibility of copies.

#14 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 20 March 2012 - 11:27

David - thank you very much for that.
Of course, no need to put details of him here.
For me it would also only make sense if my car would be in there.

Ralf

#15 PaulieG

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Posted 23 March 2012 - 08:57

Really appreciate it David. I would be super keen for a copy.

#16 silicanza

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 12:56

I've just met a chap who showed me his home movies of racing at Kirkistown in the early 60s. Malcolm Templeton and various Lotus 20s appear.


Merv McKinney raced his Gemini Mk3A a couple of times at Kirkistown in 1961. Would he be featured?


#17 David McKinney

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 14:46

I've only heard one person refer to him as anything but Mervyn :)


#18 silicanza

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Posted 15 June 2012 - 12:39

I've only heard one person refer to him as anything but Mervyn :)

David, yes, that would be me. Did your Irish contact ever come back with a clearer photo of McKinney's Gemini?

#19 David McKinney

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Posted 15 June 2012 - 16:30

No, still waiting...

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#20 Rob29

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Posted 16 June 2012 - 08:16

David, yes, that would be me. Did your Irish contact ever come back with a clearer photo of McKinney's Gemini?

Seem to recall McKinney in a Gemini at Crystal Palace around 1962-not sure if I shot it with the plastic Brownie camera I had at that time-more likely 8mm movie-since copied on to VHS-will run when I have time :wave:

#21 silicanza

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Posted 16 June 2012 - 10:34

Seem to recall McKinney in a Gemini at Crystal Palace around 1962-not sure if I shot it with the plastic Brownie camera I had at that time-more likely 8mm movie-since copied on to VHS-will run when I have time :wave:


Hi Rob. I would be most interested to find out if he was in a Gemini Mk3A as I don't have any results for him in a Gemini after 1961. In 1962 McKinney appears in a Cooper T59 and races this through 1962. Its recorded as the T59 he appeared in at Crystal palace. I figured he had passed the Gemini on.

Results for McKinney in 3A:

July 1 1961. R.C. of Ireland , Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
1st on grid, 1st place Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini Mk 3 – Ford First appearance of McKinney in the Gemini Mk3A.

July 29 1961, Dunboyne Trophy, Dunboyne Circuit, Ireland
15 on grid, DNF Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini Mk 3 - Ford Petrol pipe

Aug 26 1961, 500 Motor Racing Club, Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
7 on grid, DNF Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini - Ford Gearbox

May 26th 1962, M.R.C. of Ireland 1962, Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
Mervyn McKinney driving a Cooper T59 – BMC. no longer racing Gemini?

June 11th 1962 Anerley Trophy B.A.R.C. Championship, Round 7, Crystal Palace Circuit, London, Great Britain
#72 Mervyn McKinney McKinney Pollock Racing Cooper T59 – BMC
same event John Pollock, IRL McKinney Pollock Racing DNA in a Gemini Mk 4 – the first appearance of Pollock in the MK4.

Anything you can shed most appreciated.

#22 David McKinney

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Posted 16 June 2012 - 11:18

McKinney shouldn't be IRL - he wasn't from the Republic

I suspect Pollock was from Northern Ireland as well

#23 Rob29

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Posted 16 June 2012 - 16:09

Hi Rob. I would be most interested to find out if he was in a Gemini Mk3A as I don't have any results for him in a Gemini after 1961. In 1962 McKinney appears in a Cooper T59 and races this through 1962. Its recorded as the T59 he appeared in at Crystal palace. I figured he had passed the Gemini on.

Results for McKinney in 3A:

July 1 1961. R.C. of Ireland , Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
1st on grid, 1st place Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini Mk 3 – Ford First appearance of McKinney in the Gemini Mk3A.

July 29 1961, Dunboyne Trophy, Dunboyne Circuit, Ireland
15 on grid, DNF Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini Mk 3 - Ford Petrol pipe

Aug 26 1961, 500 Motor Racing Club, Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
7 on grid, DNF Mervyn McKinney, IRL Gemini - Ford Gearbox

May 26th 1962, M.R.C. of Ireland 1962, Kirkistown Motor Sport Circuit, Ards Peninsular, Northern Ireland
Mervyn McKinney driving a Cooper T59 – BMC. no longer racing Gemini?

June 11th 1962 Anerley Trophy B.A.R.C. Championship, Round 7, Crystal Palace Circuit, London, Great Britain
#72 Mervyn McKinney McKinney Pollock Racing Cooper T59 – BMC
same event John Pollock, IRL McKinney Pollock Racing DNA in a Gemini Mk 4 – the first appearance of Pollock in the MK4.

Anything you can shed most appreciated.

Thanks-you have it right.Since checked film-is very poor quality but clearly yellow Cooper#72 seen & Mervyn emerging wearing black overalls which must have attracted my interest at the time when nearly everbody else had pale blue bar Trevor Taylors yellow :wave: