26 replies to this topic

[f1steveuk]

When I was younger, I won a kart championship. I was awarded the prize for this, at an end of sesaon bash, with a small cup being given to me by James Hunt. As everyone else wore suits and ties, Mr Hunt was fitted out in jeans, Marlboro T shirt and a pair of sandles (no socks!). By his side was Oscar, his Alsation. It's a memeory I was reminded of last year when I was interviewing an elderly gentleman in Surrey. Half way through, his wife barged in to offer tea, and as she did so, in came a very large black Alsation, a very very large black Alsation! It was then the chap told me I was in the room with "someone famous", telling me his dog was descended from Parry Thomas' large black Alsation Toga. He had quite a few pictures of Thomas, some with his dogs, in and around "The Hermitage" at Brooklands, some of which showed his grandfather and father with Thomas, so I have no reason to doubt his story on how his current dog was related to Thomas'.

Not something I've encountered before, or since, but I wondered if any has, or knows of any pets, descended from pets of drivers past?

[Roy C]

Strange topic.

However, I recall seeing a piece of film, on one of David Weguelin's excellent MFQ DVDs, relating to the Napier Railton, in which Reid Railton is standing outside the Hermitage with Parry-Thomas' dog (according to DCN's voice-over), which he appeared to have taken on along with the house, after P-T's death.

[f1steveuk]

Strange topic.

However, I recall seeing a piece of film, on one of David Weguelin's excellent MFQ DVDs, relating to the Napier Railton, in which Reid Railton is standing outside the Hermitage with Parry-Thomas' dog (according to DCN's voice-over), which he appeared to have taken on along with the house, after P-T's death.

That would figure. Railton's daughter Sally told me her father had "inherited" one of Thomas' dogs, but I believe he got Bess, the brown and black Alsation.

What got me thinking about this is the guy down the street who told me his entire Budgie shed is filled with descendants of the Budgie's Geoff Capes bred, which reminded me of Mr Hunt, his budgies, thence to Oscar and on to the chap that has Toga's descendant. I have a strange mind!

[paulsenna1]

Mark Webber has a Rhodesian Ridgeback, so that's a possiibility for the future.

[Odseybod]

I like to think Bira might have had a Siamese cat or three, who dined exclusively on white mice ...

[P.Dron]

Caption to front-page photo, Cage & Aviary Birds, c.1985:

James Hunt and his Light Green cock which won a rosette for best beginner breeders' exhibit.

Even further off topic, a headline in another issue of that IPC publication warned: SMALL CUBANS CAN BE VICIOUS

Edited by P.Dron, 13 July 2011 - 16:35.

[f1steveuk]

Caption to front-page photo, Cage & Aviary Birds, c.1985:

James Hunt and his Light Green cock which won a rosette for best beginner breeders' exhibit.

Even further off topic, a headline in another issue of that IPC publication warned: SMALL CUBANS CAN BE VICIOUS

Sounds like a suitable case for treatment.........................

[kayemod]

Mark Webber has a Rhodesian Ridgeback, so that's a possiibility for the future.

No, I wouldn't want one of those, they're disobedient, won't do what you tell them.

Not sure if the dogs are any better behaved.

[Vitesse2]

I like to think Bira might have had a Siamese cat or three, who dined exclusively on white mice ...

Ohh ... meeeow!

Bira and Chula were very much "dog people" anyway, as is evident from Chula's writings. It is of course true that dogs have families, whereas cats have staff.

[kayemod]

Mark Webber has a Rhodesian Ridgeback, so that's a possiibility for the future.

Further to my last post, with a combination like that, you'd never be short of "number two"...

[RStock]

I've nothing to add except the two pictures of my dogs. They have no racing involvement as far as I know.

[kayemod]

I've nothing to add except the two pictures of my dogs. They have no racing involvement as far as I know.

Two can play at that game.


By null

[RStock]

I'll see your two and raise you one.

[Tim Murray]

This forum's going to the dogs!

[Frank S]

E.T. the Xoloitzquintle (Mexican Hairless Dog).




One of his predecessors who was with us during the middle 1960s and 1970s was a bright young mix named Scooter, after the California racing car driver, Scooter Patrick. They had in common an eagerness to participate and an ability to change directions very quickly. Scooter the race dog was well-known at Holtville Aerodrome International Raceway, where he found some goats and herded them in and out of abandoned buildings. He wore little boots after we found the WWII-era concrete runways were too abrasive for his natural footwear.

Neither of these had any posterity, and their parents were anonymous. Frida Kahlo kept Xolos, but she didn't do any automobile racing that I know of.

WAIT!!

Here's a view of the current animal companion, Eva the Second Alien, as she races in figures-of-eight around the back yard (garden):



</fluff>

Edited by Frank S, 13 July 2011 - 19:16.

[Ralf Pickel]

To add another TNF dog - no racing family ancestry, but named Moss after Sir Stirling( not Kate, of course...).

[David McKinney]

True story (and not much more OT than others...)

I once approached a gent with a couple of terriers and, being a friendly cove, asked, "Are those Jack Russells?"

"No," he snapped. "They're mine!"

[hatrat]

Here is our dog Lola sitting in our Lola.

[GMACKIE]

Jack Bono [356 Porsche racer, '50s & '60s] had a Daschund called "Portia".

[David Birchall]

Mad Max, our Springer/Setter cross in my 1924 Vauxhall 23/60--30/98 cross.
I am the one on the left of the picture.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[GMACKIE]

A 'double-cross', by the look of things. I like the Vauxhall - had an E type 30/98 [E366]. Is it a Wensum body, and which part of the 'cross' is 30/98?

[Frank S]

Mad Max, our Springer/Setter cross in my 1924 Vauxhall 23/60--30/98 cross.
I am the one on the left of the picture.

Our left, or driver's left?

[David Birchall]

Thank you Frank!

Greg, The car was a 23/60 that was rebodied in Toronto in the Wensum style-since they only had photos to go from and didn't shorten the chassis it was a bit out of proportion, bodywise.
The engine on the OE30/98 is essentially a souped up 23/60 engine so I did the same thing: big valves, high lift cam, 98mm bore and domed pistons since the combustion chamber is bigger on the 23/60. In side by side tests against Gary Byrd's 30/98 we could find no difference in performance regardless of which of us was driving which car. The only difference Gary felt was that mine had better brakes-probably due to the stiffer chassis of the 23/60. The gearbox is the same. I used to have great fun leaving modern traffic standing when pulling away from lights if I got the shifts right.

[GMACKIE]

David, that sounds as though it would be a good road car, with the 'firmness' of a 23/60, and performance of a 30/98.

Getting off topic, but when you mentioned Gary Byrd, I felt a little wave of sadness - what a loss, not only for Tyna and the family, but for all his many friends. Until recently, I had an 8th series Lambda, and knew Gary well. We first met when George was a tiny baby, and traveled in the back of Don Wright's grey Lambda to Castlemaine, Victoria. Great memories.

[David Birchall]

We are way off topic now but what the hell! Gary Byrd was one of lifes Gentlemen. I had met him at the Monterey Historics in the early eighties when he was running a supercharged Amilcar that looked to die for but was somewhat, er lacking, in performance. Gary bought a replica MG K3 from Peter Gregory-at the time I owned a similar car but not in running condition-and went very well in it.
Fast forward twenty years and I am living on a small island off Vancouver with a b&B called The Bellhouse Inn (you can Google it). An 1890s farmhouse inn sitting on six acres of waterfront with a beautiful beach and Killer Whales going by every day in the summer. I had put my Vauxhall up for sale and a guy called from California to make an appointment to see it-he said he would be with friends. On the arranged day up drives a Vauxhall 30/98 Wensum accompanied by a Talbot 105! With Gary Byrd driving the Vauxhall, John Lewis driving the Talbot and two friends, one of whom was the potential purchaser of the Vauxhall. They were on a trip around North America and they made it without problems.

We went to a long stretch of private road that I knew and tested the two Vauxhalls extensively as I reported earlier. Then the guys wanted something to do so I arranged for them to go salmon fishing with a friend. Four hours or so later they return with a 44 pound salmon! The biggest caught locally all season. I cleaned and cut it up for them but that is a hell of a lot of salmon and when they left the next day we had most of it still in the fridge...The steaks were the size of dinner plates!

They continued their trip, across to the east coast, down to almost Florida and then west back to California-with no mechanical problems apparently. They sent me a photo of the two cars battling through a snow storm somewhere back east. At Pebble Beach last August I ran into one of the guys and we relived that visit.

Despite my trying to impress the potential buyer with the speed of my Vauxhall apparently I only frightened him. Finally one day an offer came in for it that was adequate and I accepted, minutes later a guy phoned from Germany to say "I am at the airport about to get on the plane to come and buy your Vauxhall" I had to tell him to cancel his ticket. Then the phone rang and it was wassisname, the organizer of the California Mille and he had just got a tax refund and wanted to buy the car-He had been up to see it earlier. All in the same day! So I sold the car and bought an Aston DB2 that I still have.

I very much regret that I never took up Gary and his friends offer to go to California for one of their "Sundowner" parties that apparently occured every day at Gary's place. He is missed.

[Lee Nicolle]

Slightly more on subject my silly old pussycat tried to go to the racetrack with me last year. I stopped at the lights about 3km from home and somebody told me I had a cat in my racecar! Silly old buggar had gone to sleep in the car after I loaded it and I then wound the window up trapping her inside. So I had to take her home again.
I have had her delivered back here a couple of times as she has got into friends cars while in the driveway.

[D-Type]

Coming back to the original question: if Oscar was anything like his owner (James Hunt) then any alsatian/ anything crossbreeds in the Marbella area probably qualify (and the Wimbledon area come to think of it).

Edit: Wimbledon added.

Edited by D-Type, 14 July 2011 - 19:24.