16 replies to this topic

[CoulthardD]

I’m sorry to report the death of my uncle, Jimmy Blumer. Jimmy started his racing career in 1950 and took part in that year’s Monte Carlo Rally, where he was the youngest driver (18) in the oldest car, a 1938 Morris Ten. By the late 1950s, Jimmy had progressed to sportscars, racing his ex-Moss Cooper Bobtail, Lotus Eleven and his beloved Cooper Monaco across Europe. In addition to his own cars, he also drove for Ecurie Ecosse and the Border Reivers, amongst others.

 

Jimmy shared the Equipe Endeavour Mk.II Jag with Mike Parkes to win the 1962 Motor Six Hour Race. In 1963, Jimmy competed in the British Saloon Car Championship, driving the Alan Andrews Racing Cortina GT. He finished 5^th overall. He also finished 2^nd in the Marlboro 12 hours. 1964 took Jimmy to Le Mans, where he drove the ill-prepared Sunbeam Tiger for Rootes Group. Apparently, you can get a cigarette out of your overalls top pocket at the start of Mulsanne and have it smoked before you pass the pits and the beady eye are Marcus Chambers…

 

A lovely chap who will be missed by all who knew him.

 

DC

[Sterzo]

Very sorry to hear that DC.

 

I was one of the many unwashed spectators who Jimmy Blumer entertained in the fifties and sixties.  Remember him in the Cooper very well...

[cooper997]

Sorry to read of the passing of another driver who played a part in racing Coopers.

My condolences to Jimmy's family and friends.

Stephen

[JacnGille]

Sorry to hear your news.

[fuzzi]

That's sad news indeed.

 

He was a great unsung driver, very fast in lots of cars. On one memorabel day he won three out of four events (in four different cars) at Ouston Airfield (aka Albermarle Barracks) in August 1959, only losing the third when the high-tension lead came off the A35 pick-up he was driving and leading the race by half a mile on the last lap.

 

He was quoted with one of the great phrases, when asked why he had come off the road he replied "Cockpit Thrombosis - there was a clot behind the wheel".

 

RIP.

[Graham Gauld]

This is very sad news and Jimmy and I were friends for many years going back to the Austin Healey 100m he used to raced for the Newcastle sweetie manufacturer. I last called in to see him at home when I was writing the Cliff Allison book and we had a good chat about the old days. He was a very entertaining and modest guy who had some great races and was well respected. My condolences to all members of his family.

 

The photo I have attached was taken at one of the Berwick and District Motor Club Sprints at Ouston showing his enthusiastic driving style with the Jaguar XK120

 

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[CoulthardD]

From John Baggott's book Big Healey in Competition - "Jimmy had a hectic day when he entered himself as a one-man team driving three different cars in the Kings College Motor Club's sprint at Blagdon. He competed in the 100S, Murray's legendary racing A35 pick up, and a special Jaguar [DC: possibly the 'Border Reivers' Lister-Jaguar?]. He dead-heated with himself for FTD and took the team prize. The prize giving saw him heckled with shouts of 'pot hunter' when he stepped up to collect the latter award.". That was 22nd August 1959.

 

Jimmy DNF'd in the 8th August 1959 'Up to 1300cc Touring Car race' at Ouston in the A35 pick up. He was leading by "...half a mile..." on the last lap, when the plug lead came off, but he did set Fastest lap. It was a busy day at Ouston, as he came 5th in the GT/Specials race in the A35, then he won the GT race in the Healey 100S and the Unlimited Sports Car race in the Border Reivers Lister-Jaguar. The following day, he was at Thornaby with the Lister and won again. (Jim Clark was unavailable, due to farming commitments!).

 

And I get tired after one race...

 

DC

[D-Type]

One of the many enthusiasts who created the Bristish club racing scene that provided the nurturing ground that led to so many British top line drivers and manufacturers.

 

Condolences to all his family and friends.

[bradbury west]

Via his Alan Andrews link ISTR he was the original pilot in the Marina Rolls Royce. Like others, I recall him as a very good driver in what many of us regard as halcyon days.
Roger Lund

[RobertE]

[DC: possibly the 'Border Reivers' Lister-Jaguar?].

 

 Firstly, My condolences to you and your familiy; he was clearly a very gifted chap.

 

To add my anorak's ten cents' worth:

 

As well as the event mentioned, I have him as winning the  Border MRC Unlimited Sports Car race at Ouston in August 1959, aboard the Border Reivers Lister and also, in the same month,  in the same car, the Formule Libre Race at Thornaby. This will have been BHL 5, the hybrid Lister Bristol (HCH l36) re-engined as a Jaguar in 1957. And there may be others, of course...

 

RIP.

[CoulthardD]

The BRDC obituary has a familiar ring to it.

 

 http://www.brdc.co.u...---Jimmy-Blumer

 

DC

[jeffbee]

I remember the fearsome Marina RR at the 1963 Guards Trophy Race at Brands.  A very brave man!!!

 

More info here:

 

http://www.bonhams.c.../13241/lot/334/

 

http://www.racingspo...1963-08-06.html

[JohnD]

CoulthardD,

Apologies for reviving this memorial thread, but I can't see how to send you a personal message from this board.

 

I'm a student of Motorsport Engineering at Myerscough College, Preston.   Next year, my project may be to race prepare an A35 for the HRDC A35 Academy series.   http://www.hrdc.eu/academy.html

One of your Uncle's exploits was driving an A35 for Murray & Charleston, the Newcastle Austin dealers.

Would your family consider it a suitable memorial to paint this car (which has no race history) in the same way as his was for M&C?

 

I would need to discuss this with the owner, and some details of his campaign and pictures of that car would be of great interest, for that discussion and for the history of A35 racing.

 

Please contact me by personal message if you know how, or post here

 

John Davies

Lancaster

[Tim Murray]

CoulthardD,
Apologies for reviving this memorial thread, but I can't see how to send you a personal message from this board.

John,

Go to any of David's posts and click on his user name (CoulthardD). This will take you to his profile, where you'll find a tab marked 'Send me a message'. When you've sent your message, he should also get an email telling him that he's got a new PM here.

[JohnD]

Thank you, Tim!

It was a matter of 'hovering' the mouse, not clicking!

PM to CoulthartD  sent.

 

JOhn

[Tim Murray]

It was a matter of 'hovering' the mouse, not clicking!

Yes indeed - clicking and hovering both work, but I didn't want to go into too much confusing detail. Glad to have been of service.

[CoulthardD]

Hi John,

Have replied to your PM.

Regards,

DC