104 replies to this topic

[MichaelW]

Here is (I hope) an image of the BVRT Capri in it's current form.  If anyone has any period images I would be delighted to see them.

 

[Thornts]

Hi Everyone. Sorry, coming very late to this thread (or even Forum) - how brilliant! Lots of fabulous pictures, mostly of Mini's and Escorts and there's nothing wrong with that. Mention of the demise of Autocross and the change in farming practices certainly rings true. A local star where I grew up in rural Hampshire was the great Tom Airey who as I recall built amongst the biggest capacity A Series engines ever - barely fag paper of metal between the bores. He used to test a couple of his Minis around a school friend of mines fields not far from his base in Cheriton near Alresford. The fields were from memory (it was some 45 years ago!) left to grass and as my mates dad was a motorsport fan, he obviously thought it worth loosing a few bales of hay to help a local Autocrosser. Sure they left fields 'fallow' every few years back then. It is probably all a bit intensive nowadays. I think Tom moved on to Rallycross - I remember seeing him on 'World of Sport' on rainy Saturday afternoons.

 

Slight digression as the main thrust of this post is, does anyone remember any of the slightly 'left field' machines, the sort of stuff that wouldn't immediately spring to mind as suitable for this type of motor sport? The Europa in this thread is a case in point though I'm specifically interested in a Lotus 7 that I now own which I'm told was Autocrossed and even sand raced back in the late 1960's and early 1970s. Not very helpful I know but the then owner was a Mr R. W. Smith. The car had (and still has) long trailing links that came through the rear wings and ran outside the body to pick up the chassis near the driver's thigh. It ran on JAP Magna wheels in 'generous' 8" and 9" widths though possibly had other wheels on from time to time. Ring any bells with anyone? Any information would be much appreciated as I've owned the car for over 25 years and am still researching its history - these things take time!

 

Great thread and resource

Best wishes

Rob

 

 

[MichaelW]

Not sure if this has been posted before but is worth another watch

 

[RS2000]

What's the copyright on that now? Is it BP? (made for Duckhams by Colin Taylor)

 

I hate watching autocross films of dusty events. How there wasn't a major disaster with a car totally unsighted and ploughing into the crowd is a miracle. Diving into a seemingly solid dust cloud in my heavy and thus slow starting rally car to overtake three spinning autocross cars to win the heat was probably one of the most stupid things I ever did in motorsport. 

[john aston]

Great thread, great pictures, great memories.

We had Autocross in Yorkshire at Eggborough. Most of the "circuit" was in an old sand quarry. The very nature of the surface (i.e. sand) made for some spectacular driving. I think the coffin-nail championship made it to Eggy at least once. Stan Clark was a Very Big Deal in those days, and he slid his Escort around beautifully on the loose surface. Must have been a family trait.

Like others, I can remember some oddball cars appearing. None more oddball than a slow and dangerous looking Renault Dauphine. There have been some unlikely competition cars over the years, but how anyone could expect such a device with its built in mega-oversteer to deliver the goods is beyond me. Still, it was good for a laugh and made a change from Anglias and Minis.

Missed this first time round - I was a regular marshal at Eggborough .Lots of weird cars there- an odd Ariel Atom -esque Healey 3000 special, a maroon S2 Seven (Arnold Pratt the driver I think) and of course the legendary , and now late Colin 'Mad Dan 'Grewer in the K cars of York Cortina Volvo.