15 replies to this topic

[David M. Kane]

Many, many years ago I visited John Thompson with Bill Bennett, the cutaway illustrator. I know he started out with Bruce McLaren and did the first Ferrari monocoque. Whatever happened to him? Does anyone have any stories. He was a great host, very talkative, helpful and gracious.

[WHITE]

Didn't he build the chassis of Tecno-Martinis too at the beginning of the 70s ?

[fausto]

...his company name was (or still his) TC Prototypes, he made a monocoque for Ferrari (1972-73), was associated with Tony Southgate in the early '80s, did a replacement honeycomb chassis for the Ford C100 (originally intended for Alain de Cadenet project), and the stillborn C001 (1983). Had plans for a "complete" Group C car about 1990, before Gp. C was axed, then worked with Honda mid-'90s, NSX Le Mans project

[Gert]

... and several customer Porsche 962 chassis for the Kremer brothers, Walter Brun, Obermaier ...

[Paul Parker]

He also manufactured Chris Amon's Amon AF101 in 1974, sadly an unsuccessful project that Chris dropped after many problems and failing to qualify at Monza that year. It was also driven and crashed by Larry Perkins at the 'Ring during practice for the German GP.

[Richard Line]

John has now been retired fully for about 2 years. Prior to that he was part time. About four years ago he was still at the Northhampton workshop employing two others full time. When one of the chaps became ill and left he rented the workshop to a company who turned it into Gym. John Thompson is s good bloke and very interesting to talk to. When last I saw him about 2/3 years ago he was still running around in an NSX.
Richard

[Mac Lark]

He is hugely regarded by a number of Kiwis - at the front of the line of fans would be David Oxton and George Begg after Dave put a little dent in the FM5 at Brands in 1973.

[ey3]

John Thompson has retired but can not sit still and hence is still doing bits part-time at EY3 Ltd in Wellingborough

[Vicuna]

Although being a fabricator par excellance, I understand his interest in motor racing as such was close to zero.

Or perhaps started out at zero..

[markthompson]

John is alive and well and celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Day.

He is currently putting together a history of all the cars he worked on for his four grandchildren. I will share the list in due course but it included:

McLaren including the camera car used in the film Grand Prix and the wish bonk McLaren used by Patsy Burke. After leaving McLaren he contimued to supply tubs and suspension parts for McLaren

Cosworth 4 wheel drive

Ferrari

Amon

Sana

The Phoenix Indy Car

The Ford B 200 Rally Car

Ford C100

Jaguar XJR9

Le Man Honda NSX.

[Gary Knutson]

Weldor John, as we all knew him in early McLaren days, was one of the all around nicest, hardest working guys I ever was acquainted with in the motor racing business. We worked together in the mid 60's at the McLaren factory in Feltham. He is also super talented when it comes to fabrication. There wasn't anything he couldn't make and the parts were works of art when finished. I don't think I ever saw John again after Feltham, but I noticed his name kept popping up in various places over the years. If anyone is in touch with him, please extend my best regards.

[Nigel Beresford]

Weldor John, as we all knew him in early McLaren days, was one of the all around nicest, hardest working guys I ever was acquainted with in the motor racing business. We worked together in the mid 60's at the McLaren factory in Feltham. He is also super talented when it comes to fabrication. There wasn't anything he couldn't make and the parts were works of art when finished. I don't think I ever saw John again after Feltham, but I noticed his name kept popping up in various places over the years. If anyone is in touch with him, please extend my best regards.

I saw John at the Bruce McLaren memorial gathering just prior to the Revival at Goodwood this year. As Mark says, he's in fine form. He gets a fair amount of coverage in Ted Simon's "The Chequered Year", detailing his contribution to the March 701.

For a bit of arcane detail... the "C" in TC Prototypes was (IIRC) a guy called Chris Charles.

[cooper997]

Mark,

Your father is obviously a very talented man when it comes to building racing cars. I'm sure there's a few anecdotes from those McLaren days and all, worth sharing when he has some spare time.

Just for the record, I suspect your reference to Patsy Burke, should be Patsy Burt. She hillclimbed a McLaren, but previous to that a Cooper.

Happy new year to all.

Stephen

[Nigel Beresford]

Mark,

Your father is obviously a very talented man when it comes to building racing cars. I'm sure there's a few anecdotes from those McLaren days and all, worth sharing when he has some spare time.

Just for the record, I suspect your reference to Patsy Burke, should be Patsy Burt. She hillclimbed a McLaren, but previous to that a Cooper.

Happy new year to all.

Stephen

Yes, get him to repeat the one about welding up a fuel tank in a car at (IIRC) Brands in the back of the truck.....

[ChrisJson]

Does anyone know where TC Prototypes was situated?

 

Through Google I found the following locations ( and I

think in this chronological order) Weedon, Wollaston

and Wellingborough all just outside Northampton.

 

I´ve got the adress in Wellingborough but not the

other two adresses. Also, does anyone know which

years  the workshop was located at the different

locations?

 

Christer

[AAGR]

The long arm of coincidence .... My latest book (GRAND PRIX FORD - thank you for asking...) was launched at a small get-together at Cosworth, in Northampton, last week. John Thompson was there, very hale, very hearty, and good company ....