Bill Blydenstein
#1
Posted 12 September 2007 - 21:51
A bloody good bloke, a brilliant engineer, innovator and too often looked over as a bloody good racing driver too.
Apologies if this is the incorrect forum; without Bill Dad would never have got to where he did (and he was on record saying that) and I think there would be quite a few innovations we all would have missed out on.
If there is a better place to post this then please move it; I know Bill's family would love to hear from people and the funeral is a week on Friday, just outside Royston, all race and rally cars welcome, I'll post again in whichever forum this is moved to with the details and hopefully Autosport and Motoring News for once will do the right thing and post correct details.
GM
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#2
Posted 12 September 2007 - 22:23
RIP, Bill, and sincere condolences to all his family and friends.
#3
Posted 12 September 2007 - 23:02
#4
Posted 12 September 2007 - 23:16
Sad news. I can't put it better than Tim did.Originally posted by Tim Murray
RIP, Bill, and sincere condolences to all his family and friends.
#5
Posted 13 September 2007 - 06:14
#6
Posted 13 September 2007 - 07:14
RIP
#7
Posted 13 September 2007 - 07:39
Last time I talked to him, he did sound pretty poorly, but I got no impression it would be terminal that soon.
#8
Posted 13 September 2007 - 08:02
#9
Posted 13 September 2007 - 08:53
#10
Posted 13 September 2007 - 08:56
#11
Posted 13 September 2007 - 13:25
The first was to ask him to sign an Andrew Kitson print 'Marshall Art' ( donated by Andrew for our charity auction) depicting all Gerry Marshall's race winning cars..see photo
I was so touched by his deteriorating breathing condition during hours of chat that I decided to get another print and get it signed by various luminaries for his birthday in March..the following signed..
Andrew Kitson
Paul Michaels...Marshall's Lister entrant
Gerry Johnstone..he built Marshall's winning Vauxhalls
Gregor Marshall and me.
He was very touched when I presented it to him.
There is a moral here....if you want to do something do it now
#12
Posted 20 September 2007 - 19:42
I know Willem Benjamin Blydenstein was born in the Netherlands.Originally posted by hipperson
I was so touched by his deteriorating breathing condition during hours of chat that I decided to get another print and get it signed by various luminaries for his birthday in March.
Obviously you know WHEN.
Would you mind to tell us?
#13
Posted 20 September 2007 - 20:17
#14
Posted 20 September 2007 - 20:34
#15
Posted 20 September 2007 - 21:31
When I did my biography of Peter Brock in 1978/79 I needed a quote from Bill as a team manager for whom Brock had driven. He obliged, of course, but I'm sure the result would have been more personal and meaningful had I been able to talk to him directly.
Communications those days certainly were different to now!
My condolences to all who knew him.
#16
Posted 21 September 2007 - 21:05
#17
Posted 22 September 2007 - 14:53
I remember him racing his VX 4/90; both were quick, Bill as a driver and the cars he built. A brilliant engineer and a gifted driver; it's there where it all started for Gerry Marshall.
Very sad to see him go, RIP.
John Hugenholtz
#18
Posted 22 September 2007 - 16:05
#19
Posted 22 September 2007 - 19:05
#21
Posted 03 October 2007 - 14:38
I did some magazine articles with him over the years - first I wrote one about him, and later he wrote for me when I was editing a magazine - and it was always a pleasure to work with him. I spoke to him for the first time in ages earlier this year, when he was after a copy of that first feature for his archives and I realised he wasn't 100% then - but I never realised we would lose him so soon.
#22
Posted 03 October 2007 - 14:59
Whatever, it worked very well as the Isabella was very quick, what with his mods, and the Michelin X tyres blown up to about 45/50 psi, and his brave driving style. All from a different world. I suspect that recognising skill and resolute driving is a reason why he regarded Gerry Marshall so highly.
RIP
Roger Lund.
#24
Posted 11 September 2008 - 11:13