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John Pearce & JA Pearce Engineering


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#1 JAPMagna

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 14:56

I write seeking help from fellow "TNFers" with my research into the J.A. Pearce Engineering company (1962-1973), and the life of John Pearce himself.

 

After much intensive research into the story, many unanswered questions remain to which no one individual is likely to have the answers. What started as simple curiosity has grown into a labyrinthine investigation. Nevertheless, it has become my ambition to publish as accurate a record as possible of JAP’s extraordinary story.

 

John Pearce (not to be confused with his contemporary Jack Pearce of the Kincraft project) worked at the Warwick (/Peerless) car company in Slough, at the Cooper Car Co of Surbiton and LawrenceTune in Acton while also building a car spares business operated from a double-decker bus in the old Staines railway sidings, before establishing his base in Southall. From there he sold the JAP Magna-branded wheels, set himself up as a Formula 1 constructor and traded in increasingly exotic cars before vacating the motor/ motor sport trade around 1973, transferring his energies to farming in the Maidenhead area with his wife and daughter where he may well have stayed for the rest of his life.

 

Magna wheels were also sold through an agent in the USA; The Motoring Shop (on Pearl Street, La Jolla, California) which no longer exists.

 

Pearce’s activities still polarise opinion and he was certainly nothing if not a colourful character.

 

I would be delighted to hear from his friends, colleagues, associates, customers and - especially - from any family members who might wish to share relevant memories or anecdotes, however seemingly insignificant, that might help bring his story to life.

Messages can be sent directly to me through this forum, or via the Contact page of the J.A. Pearce Engineering website: http://japearceengineering.com/ or the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/japearceengineering , the contents of which might help stimulate fading memories.

 



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#2 Tim Murray

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 16:19

If you haven't found them already, these earlier discussions may be of interest:

http://forums.autosp...errari-250-gto/

http://forums.autosp...ut-transporter/

http://forums.autosp...arcej-a-pearce/

http://forums.autosp...-martin-f1-car/

There are also several threads on associated themes, eg Martin V8 engines.

#3 JAPMagna

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 16:40

Thanks Tim,

I re-visit those discussions regularly. My reaction to the bulk of what's in there is covered by most of those little yellow faces that you can apply to posts - except for the references to Allen Brown's misplaced interview notes, at which point the other colours seem more appropriate! Such a shame.

Cheers,

Roger



#4 RS2000

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Posted 23 January 2015 - 20:27

They made/sold wide rim steel wheels for Minis, so collected standard wheels to convert. I needed some standard (3.5") Mini wheels and, rather than go to a breakers who would want to sell me the tyres fitted to them as well, I got some from JAP, who were fairly local. Only later did I discover some they sold me were the early Mini wheels that were prone to failure.... 



#5 JAPMagna

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Posted 24 January 2015 - 08:34

Hi RS2000,

Presumably you bought the wheels from the Western Road, Southall premises. I'd be interested to know if you remember much about what you saw when you went there.



#6 RS2000

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Posted 24 January 2015 - 18:14

Yes. Left at T heading to Southall from Norwood Green and Heston, on right side of road just along from junction. Basically a shop front with parking for a few customers' cars in front. Inside almost entirely devoted to wheels. Never went round back, where presumably workshop/storage was located. This would have been 68 time. They did 4.5" Cooper S wheels as well as 4.5" (reverse rim?) steel wheels to fit ordinary Mini and Cooper and of course their own alloys (which were never used in the rally circles I moved in). I never had any problems with their S wheels and used them on Internationals. When I had the experience of being sold early dodgy standard Mini wheels for another car, I never darkened their doorway again... 



#7 retriever

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Posted 24 January 2015 - 18:53

RS2000 - that is how I vaguely remembered their premises. In 1968, whilst staying at my grandmother's in Uxbridge for a few days, I drove over to their Southall premises to have wider steel wheels fitted to my Mini. What does stick my mind even now was the exhorbitant charge they made for fitting them.  One morning, back home in Somerset less than six months later, I found my Mini down to two wheels with the rear end supported by bricks!



#8 JAPMagna

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Posted 25 January 2015 - 18:48

This photo shows the Southall premises in the background. The FINA sign hangs above the J.A. Pearce sign. I believe it belonged to Flexman Coaches before Pearce took up residence.

 

http://japearceengin...all-195-bus.jpg

thumbs_western-road-southall-195-bus.jpg



#9 RS2000

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Posted 25 January 2015 - 21:30

If you took the right fork at Norwood Green you'd end up where those AEC "RT" buses were made - in a factory believed to have once been used as a sprint course, to complete the motorsport connection.



#10 JAPMagna

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Posted 27 January 2015 - 09:47

You're correct. There's a rather charming website about it with some nice period photos at http://www.aecsouthall.co.uk/ set up by someone who grew up around there.

You don't happen to know the name of the sprint course, do you? I knew there was one just off the A40 on an old RAF base at one time, but hadn't heard of one in Norwood Green.



#11 Allan Lupton

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Posted 27 January 2015 - 11:16

You're correct. There's a rather charming website about it with some nice period photos at http://www.aecsouthall.co.uk/ set up by someone who grew up around there.

You don't happen to know the name of the sprint course, do you? I knew there was one just off the A40 on an old RAF base at one time, but hadn't heard of one in Norwood Green.

See p99 of Motorsport Explorer for details of Southall: AEC Works Sprint course, used 1935-7



#12 retriever

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Posted 27 January 2015 - 17:50

2342.jpg

 

 

As Southall and AEC appear in this topic here is a picture from the period under discussion.

 

This AEC MK V Mammoth Major tanker of Express Dairies is about to turn right into AEC's Southall works to attend a LDoY (Lorry Driver of the Year) competition in the late 1960s. The bridge behind (carrying the Western Region tracks out of Paddington) adorned with an AEC hoarding was the location for a number of adverts promoting the AEC product, especially the buses built for London Transport. The picture was taken by Arthur Ingram. (copyright roundoak publishing)



#13 DogEarred

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Posted 27 January 2015 - 18:17

If the driver turned right there today, he'd be in a McDonalds drive through, which in turn has been converted from a classic pub.

That junction is still a bottleneck. (No pun intended..)



#14 bradbury west

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Posted 28 January 2015 - 17:09

That would have been a local journey for the Express Dairy lorry as their main creamery, and presumably their fleet base, was in the Acton area, ISTR. A lovely shot of the 8 wheeler, btw.
Roger Lund

#15 JAPMagna

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Posted 29 January 2015 - 09:01

When John Pearce moved out of Southall - and seemingly (but not necessarily) away from the motor / motor sport business - to Horns Farm at Lower Common in the Hook / Eversley area, someone told me that they remembered regularly seeing a blood-orange Porsche (or succession of Porsches in that colour) with JAP4 registration being driven locally.

Does that ring any bells with anyone?



#16 JAPMagna

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Posted 05 February 2015 - 16:44

WOEIT2.jpg

Can anyone identify this car? It's probably FF2000 or Formula Atlantic, but I haven't seen another car with precisely the same nose section details. Suspect there would have been some rear bodywork, that isn't fitted here, with a rear wing - but only guessing. I can't quite read the notices on the garage doors, but I think this might be a clue to where the photograph was taken. Would obviously love to know who was racing this with the JAP Magna wheels.



#17 andyrp26

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Posted 05 February 2015 - 19:12

 It's not a FF2000 as the exhaust is on the wrong side,the engine is probably a FF1600 as the carburettor is pointing skyward.If it were a Formula Atlantic there would be be a pair of Webers. Probably used as a Formula Libre/Monoposto car,although the lack of rear wing is a little odd.



#18 JAPMagna

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Posted 05 February 2015 - 21:58

To me, the proportions look wrong for FF1600 (i.e. the car just looks too big), but it's difficult to judge without a driver in situ. If it were a F Atlantic, wouldn't the Webers be obscured from this angle?



#19 ian senior

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Posted 06 February 2015 - 11:01

The cockpit and side panels look like those of the Lotus 61 FF car.  Obvously the nose and wheels are not Lotus items. A 61- based sprint/hillclimb/ F Libre creation?



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#20 JAPMagna

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Posted 06 February 2015 - 20:24

I've also been unable to identify the car in the background of this photo at Snetterton 1969. It looks quite similar and there's a hint of yellow bodywork, but the exhaust manifolding is clearly different.

69sn0511slnfilbeejagpet.jpg



#21 Cirrus

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Posted 08 February 2015 - 09:21

The yellow car is a modified Lotus 61. It's featured on this Dutch site on the "Stad den Haag" page.

 

http://www.racehistorie.nl/



#22 JAPMagna

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Posted 08 February 2015 - 20:47

Thanks Alan. It's mystified me for ages. The lengthened chassis probably explains why I thought it looked too big to be FF1600.



#23 Nick Savage

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Posted 12 February 2015 - 07:58

In post 1030 of the "Nurburgring : a few pictures ..."  thread (above) there's a Nurburgring pits picture from 1966  ...  is the s/seater on the left one of JAP's cars ?

Nick



#24 Tim Murray

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Posted 12 February 2015 - 08:34

Yes indeed. B Squared reposted that photo which was originally posted by JAPMagna as post 982 of the Nürburgring thread, captioned as follows:

Nurburgring 1966. Surtees (7) leaving the pits passing the J.A. Pearce Engineering Cooper-Ferrari of Chris Lawrence(20)



#25 JAPMagna

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Posted 12 February 2015 - 17:20

That Nurburgring picture is one of a whole series taken by a spectator from the grandstand opposite and elsewhere at the event. They are of remarkable quality and the only ones I've seen of the pitlane activity at that race. In fact, they're the only colour pictures I've seen of the event anywhere. I'm hoping to establish the identity of all of the Pearce team, including the lady sitting far left in the No.20 pit with the headscarf, from that photo and some of the others. The JAP pit and that of Surtees were side-by-side for the British Grand Prix in '66 and I heard recently that Pearce & Surtees were quite matey at the time. I intend to write to John Surtees to see if he has any such memories. Lawrence managed to knacker the gearbox when landing over the Flugplatz, hence his lowly qualifying position. A new one was flown out from Hewland overnight for the race and Lawrence was well up the order until the (original Cooper) front suspension gave up the ghost about three-quarter distance. I think that the Flugplatz was probably responsible for that too!



#26 JAPMagna

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Posted 18 February 2015 - 11:09

I thought that fellow TNFers might be interested to know that since my initial post, I am now in contact with John Pearce's family. They have been incredibly heplful and are very enthusiastic about the project. They have provided some stunning previously-unpublished photographs of the Cooper-Ferrari and Pearce-Martin Formula 1 cars including a full reel of the Brands Hatch testing in 1967. As a result of their input so far, many of the popular perceptions of John Pearce will be significantly swayed and a lot of disparate snippets of information will be given context and cohesiveness.

I am still keen to hear from anyone who had direct dealings with John Pearce, and particularly anyone who was involved in the development of the racing cars.



#27 Morris S

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Posted 20 February 2015 - 20:13

That's great news Roger, look forward to reading the results!

 

Pete



#28 Paul Parker

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Posted 22 February 2015 - 12:49

In period I recall that one of the regular modsports E type used J. A. Pearce wheels, Brian Spicer perhaps and also the weekly ads in Autosport.



#29 JAPMagna

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 17:02

In period I recall that one of the regular modsports E type used J. A. Pearce wheels, Brian Spicer perhaps and also the weekly ads in Autosport.

You're correct. Brian Spicer drove a two-tone green E-Type with Magna wheels that were colour coded. If you put "Brian Spicer E-Type" into Google Images, it should be the first picture you see. I was told by Reg Palmer that it was prepared by Albert Betts (AWB Motors). Albert used to prepare & race a similarly coloured 2.4Litre Jaguar saloon (UXF363) from 1957-68. Reg took over that car from Albert with AWB's support. With triple Webers they managed to squeeze 275BHP out of it. It still races at Goodwood with poxy Minilites on, so it doesn't look very distinctive these days. I discovered recently that Albert worked for John Pearce at some stage. I think, perhaps, that Albert needed to get out of some premises, and moved into the JAP garage at Southall, but I'm meeting someone soon who should be able to clarify this.



#30 JAPMagna

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 17:27

That's great news Roger, look forward to reading the results!

 

Pete

I've been reluctant to publish anything so far that I thought might be gossip / myth, because I'd be running the risk of perpetuating (or adding credibility to) half-truths or worse. For quite some time now, I've felt as if I'd hit a glass ceiling - in terms of getting closer to the truth, but now I'm beginning to suspect that the real story will be even more incredible than the speculation that has increasingly shrouded JP & his reputation over the years.



#31 JAPMagna

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 16:27

Motoring News 1966/67

I have a copy of an article which is titled "Little Firm in the Big Time" and subtitled "J.A. Pearce Racing Team". It features a picture of the company's Southall premises with their three F1 cars parked on the pavement outside.

This was given to me by John Pearce's nephew and is an invaluable piece of information for my research. I have only recently found out which magazine title carried the article, and I don't know which edition featured it, but I would guess somewhere between December 1966 and March 1967, or a couple of months either side of this. (There is no page number / issue number printed at the top or bottom.)

There is a reference to "See also Page 1" which, I believe, would carry an advertisement inviting potential backers to support the company's F1 programme. I've read that this may have appeared in other motoring magazines around the same time.

It would be very helpful if anyone in possession of Motoring News magazines (or similar) could check to see if they can find the advertisement and, if so, let me have a scanned copy.

Thanks in anticipation.



#32 bradbury west

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 21:19

I have a similar, possibly the same, article at home, from Autosport IIRC. Certainly the photo rings a bell. I will find it and contact you.
Roger Lund

#33 JAPMagna

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 07:50

I have a similar, possibly the same, article at home, from Autosport IIRC. Certainly the photo rings a bell. I will find it and contact you.
Roger Lund

Thanks Roger.

I'm not 100% certain the article was in Motoring News, but as it refers the reader to "Page 1" it seems more likely to have been a newspaper format. However, I've also read that the advertisement appeared in several publications at around the same time.

Much appreciated.