10 replies to this topic

[Jagjon]

Restorer of Parry Thomas " Babs" and other vintage cars sadly passed away last night.

[David McKinney]

Sorry to hear that

I remember the furore over its disinterment, and then its first try-out at Silverstone

Condolences to Geraint and the rest of the family

[Doug Nye]

As Dave says above. Owen Wynn Owen pursued his enthusiasm to a truly extraordinary degree in exhuming what remained of 'Babs'. Condolences to his family and friends.

DCN

[cpbell]

RIP.

[Alan Cox]

Sad news indeed. His enthusiasm will live on - sincere condolences to Geraint and family.

[Marticelli]

Have a very happy memory of visiting him at home circa 1990 to collect a rare Calcott rear axle, and having a look at Babs in his shed. Apart from the car itself, I was most struck by the rusted rear drive chain hung on a nail on the wall, which was the one that was still in place when the car was disinterred from Pendine Sands.

It was of course rusted into the shape of the driving and driven sprockets, but what was most striking was the fact that there were visible cracks in almost every sideplate, a reminder of the fact that Parry Thomas was racing on a proverbial shoestring in those fateful days, so a mechanical failure was almost inevitable.

RIP, and fond farewell to another irreplaceable character.

Marticelli

[arttidesco]

RIP and condolences to Owen's friends and family.

[fuzzi]

A great enthusiast and a most inspiring speaker. My wife and I went to hear his story of disinterring Babs at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers years ago, and my better ( a non motorist) half still talks about how good it was.

My condolences to Speed and the family.

[RTH]

It was an amazing story at the time and was heavily reported. A truly remarkable feat of engineering to restore that car to full working order.
Sad news . Remarkable man. Any recent photos of the car, doesn't it have its own museum open to the public ?

http://en.wikipedia....eed_record_car)




http://www.flickr.co...N03/4983268130/

Edited by RTH, 15 March 2012 - 17:25.

[Alan Cox]

Any recent photos of the car, doesn't it have its own museum open to the public ?

It certainly spends some of the time at Pendine http://www.carmarthe...m_of_speed.html

[MCS]

Sorry to be reading this. A very driven man and a great achiever.

Edited by MCS, 16 March 2012 - 09:59.