44 replies to this topic

[MCS]

I wonder if any other TNFers remember the shoes brought out in the late sixties (1967 I think) by Clarks (or somebody of that ilk) that provided a Grand Prix wall chart as a giveaway in the box?

I'm fairly certain they had a small compass hidden away in the heel of one of the shoes as well - although I can't recall why. They were my highly polished black school shoes - and if they weren't highly polished, it was off to the headmaster's study for the cane!

The wall chart had diagrams of the circuits, pictures of most of the drivers and either drawings or pictures of the cars. I was enthralled.

Like so many other things I wish I still had it, but I'd be delighted to find out that somebody here still had it and could post a picture...

[Twin Window]

I remember them - I didn't have any myself, AFAIR, but I do have the wallchart somewhere!

[MCS]

Originally posted by Twin Window
I remember them - I didn't have any myself, AFAIR, but I do have the wallchart somewhere!

Whoa!!!!

Of course, if you find it and photograph it Stuart, everybody will wonder why I was so enthralled!

But I wasn't even ten...

[RS2000]

Westover driving shoes were the first to be widely known around then?

[MCS]

Originally posted by RS2000
Westover driving shoes were the first to be widely known around then?

not sure what you're getting at RS2000 - these were black shoes for schoolboys.

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by MCS

Of course, if you find it and photograph it Stuart, everybody will wonder why I was so enthralled!

I'm completely confident that I've got one, as I saw it *recently*. Finding it may prove a different matter, but I will try and photograph it if successful!

[Sharman]

Aren't we all still schoolboys?

[ian senior]

Why have a compass in the heel? Wouldn't that be more appropriate to a rally-themed shoe?

I can't recall Grand Prix shoes, but I do remember Clark's Trackers - the sole had a pattern consisting of animal footprints, and they DEFINITELY had a compass in the heel. And it was useless.

[Paul Parker]

I am not with my old Motor Sport collection at the moment but Westover driving shoes were definitely advertised within.

Sticking with the genre what about the many and assorted driving gloves of the 1950s/60s. As a schoolboy I can remember string back gloves being sold in Ilford with Mike Hawthorn's seal of approval. Then of course there were the archetypal Les Leston stringbacks, the late all leather golf style Jim Clark gloves costing 3 guineas in tan or black, the Surtees red and black items, a Graham Hill glove and finally the very smart Richard Shepherd-Barron two tone (red and black again I think) items that cost 49s and 6d or was it 11d.

There were of course many others including the French Chapal and also the more traditional English version made by Dents and others. Perhaps fellow Tnfers would like to add to the list.

[MCS]

Originally posted by ian senior
Why have a compass in the heel? Wouldn't that be more appropriate to a rally-themed shoe?

I can't recall Grand Prix shoes, but I do remember Clark's Trackers - the sole had a pattern consisting of animal footprints, and they DEFINITELY had a compass in the heel. And it was useless.

I think you're right here, Ian.

Logic certainly suggests so and my memory is clearly lacking in that department.

Paul, I am NOT referring to racing shoes!

[JohnS]

The Clarks boys shoes with a compass in the heel were called Pathfinders. I had a pair! Must have been late sixties, I would think.

John

[Vitesse2]

Nope. Definitely Trackers: the name leapt immediately to mind when I saw this thread! I had a pair too ....

http://www.pruck.com...ex.php?m=200502

Scroll to paragraph 4

[JohnS]

A quick google of "clarks pathfinders compass" finds load of references to Clarks Pathfinders. Perhaps they were called different names at different times.

John

[Huw Jadvantich]

I'm not at all sure that the Grand prix shoes were sold by Clarks - or even Pathfinders come to that.
I remember the shop that sold the GP shoes was in my town called Wards, because I desparately tried to get my Mum to go inside, having seen the window display - which she resolutely avoided knowing what a fuss she would have on her hands once she was in there.
I was on a strict diet of Clarks and Clarks only. The Pathfinders seem more familiar so maybe they were Clarks but outside Mum' price range. I remember the animal footprints and compass in the back.
I never got to see the Grand Prix shoes close up so I dont know what their 'features' were other than excellent marketing, but the injustice of it all remains with me to this day!

[petefenelon]

They were called 'Nature Trek' when I was a nipper, but I was a Clark's Commando kid, and (there's a horrible inevitability to this) ended up a Clark's Polyveldt teenager. Shoes that looked like burnt Cornish pasties...;)

My late teens to late 30s have seen a personal decline from leathers and Doc Martens to Goretex and hiking boots. Où sont les nieges d'antan?

[ensign14]

Originally posted by petefenelon
Où sont les neiges d'antan?

They're always in the last place you look.

[Sharman]

When I was affluent I always wore "Church's" shoes. Now as a pensioner I'm back on "Clark's", comfort rather than street cred. Those which I favour are Airsoles (please note that the spelling is correct!!) wearing which I can walk round a paddock all day and not need to rest my dogs.

[Eric McLoughlin]

I definitely remember the TV ads and ads in boys' comics for Clarks' Pathfinders. Maybe they changed the name later.

[Squire Straker]

All seems very confused at present with this thread. The print/poster was for Wards shoes. It shows the GP Circuits in 1967, the cars and cars of a bygone era, ERA, Delage, Blower Bentley etc. Yes I have one but have not the faintest idea how to show it here.
Hoping this helps in a frustrating sort of a way!

[David Force]

The 'shoes' theme reminds me that in 1993 there was a Formula 1 demonstration event held around Porto Cervo in Sardinia the week after the Italian Grand Prix. Organised by Cesare Fiorio and sponsored by the Sardinian Tourist Board amongst other more local 'grupos' it was a fabulous event. Many F1 luminaries were present including Todt, Briatore and Ecclestone. All the Italian based F1 teams sent cars and there was a great selection of historic Formula 1 cars too. Although not in the best of health Fangio was the guest of honour and it is undoubtedly true that like Senna this man had an aura which put him apart from the rest in spirit although very approachable as a person. On producing my copy of Doug Nyes History of the Grand Prix Car which I have signed by many of the great, the good and the not so good and asking the man to sign the front page which I had reserved only for Senna and Moss, on seeing Stirlings autograph the great Argentinians face lit up and he pronounced Ah Mooos and a rapid, happy reflection on his old team mate.

Anyway, sorry, the point was that Lorina was driving her Mclaren M23 there and was chatting to the very amiable Ricardo Patrese on the quay side when he suddenly noticed her rather aging boots. Ah, Westovers he immediately cried and roared with laughter at the 'Historic' boots ! They were the footwear of choice in the seventies for drivers of all classes, very comfortable and clearly long lasting. Patrese is a real gentleman, can you imagine one of todays F1 drivers acting like that.

I think Stirling was one of the first to try using boxing boots as well as his trade mark mocassins.

David Force

[DN5]

This thread got me looking at my first ever scrap book.

Neatly folded away there was a poster of a Red and Gold Lotus 72 from Wards shoes. It must be 1970 as it says the drivers are Jochen Rindt and John Miles.


Geoff

[MCS]

Originally posted by DN5
This thread got me looking at my first ever scrap book.

Neatly folded away there was a poster of a Red and Gold Lotus 72 from Wards shoes. It must be 1970 as it says the drivers are Jochen Rindt and John Miles.


Geoff

Now, funnily enough, Wards rings a bell. Maybe they weren't Clarks after all...

See you next Thursday, Geoff?

[DN5]

Ok the scrapbook will make an appearance next Thursday .......

Geoff

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by MCS

Now, funnily enough, Wards rings a bell.

Me too, as it happens.

Could there be a connection with them and the Ward visible on the Frank Williams de Tomaso, as seen below driven by Piers Courage at Monaco 1970...?


Photo from FORIX

[ensign14]

Seems to be the sole sponsor.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by ensign14
Seems to be the sole sponsor.

Well, Frank was usually on his uppers on those days ...

[Twin Window]

Maybe something to do with heeling and toeing...?

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Vitesse2

Well, Frank was usually on his uppers on those days ...

Definitely a shoestring budget.

[Frank de Jong]

Totally off-topic (as far as there's a topic at all in this thread
I just happened to read a small topic in Dutch Autovisie of 1966:
In almost every shoe shop in England one can buy car shoes of the brand "Jim Clark". Price is 40 guilders a pair (at that time something like 4 pound).

[MCS]

Originally posted by Twin Window
Could there be a connection with them and the Ward visible on the Frank Williams de Tomaso, as seen below driven by Piers Courage at Monaco 1970...?

Curiouser and curiouser...!

[ian senior]

Originally posted by Twin Window
Me too, as it happens.

Could there be a connection with them and the Ward visible on the Frank Williams de Tomaso, as seen below driven by Piers Courage at Monaco 1970...?


Photo from FORIX

#
Wards were a firm of machine tool manufacturers, based I think in Sheffield. They were a low-ish key sponsor of Williams for quite a few years and well as money they also supplied Frank with machinery for the workshop.

[eldougo]

While looking through my SCW magazines Sept 1965 i came across this advert.

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[thirtytwo]

Is the bottom picture what they are capable of in a pre deformable structure head on?

[john winfield]

Looking back at the earlier posts, I don't remember the 'Grand Prix' shoes but, like others, had a pair with animal paw prints and a compass. Am I right in recalling that the paw prints were on the sole, wearing down to indistinguishable in a matter of weeks, and that the compass was inside the heel, forcing you to take your shoe off and stand on one foot in a muddy field trying to find magnetic north? They seemed the thing to have at the time!

[Allan Lupton]

Looking back at the earlier posts, I don't remember the 'Grand Prix' shoes but, like others, had a pair with animal paw prints and a compass. Am I right in recalling that the paw prints were on the sole, wearing down to indistinguishable in a matter of weeks, and that the compass was inside the heel, forcing you to take your shoe off and stand on one foot in a muddy field trying to find magnetic north? They seemed the thing to have at the time!

Presumably the compass was for when you'd escaped from Colditz, after which any inconvenience was of little account. . .

[Chezrome]

Presumably the compass was for when you'd escaped from Colditz, after which any inconvenience was of little account. . .

Yeah. I mean, suppose I am driving Paris Dakar with these shoes. I've lost my way. Now I can't drive on, because I have to take my shoe off to watch the bloody compass!

[john winfield]

Presumably the compass was for when you'd escaped from Colditz, after which any inconvenience was of little account. . .

You're probably right, Allan. And with careful use of the 'compass' shoe, you could press, say, the badger print into the soil at regular intervals, thereby confusing the chasing guards who, obviously, would stop following the tracks of a one legged local out for a stroll with his tame grey/white omnivore. So useful in a crisis.

[Nigel Beresford]

I'm of the right age to have been in the schoolboy target audience for the Grand Prix shoes, and I would only ever let my mum buy me shoes that were "aerodynamic" enough (to help me run faster!! - logic of a nine year old). The sole had a series of grooves like a tyre tread, running axially.

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 03 January 2011 - 08:39.

[john aston]

Nature Treks were a favourite of mine until I swapped from an Escort Van to a Clan Crusader- which was undriveable in them.V V comfortable shoes in quirky asymmetrical shape- just like feet. No compass content however.

[arttidesco]

Clarks Grand Prix Shoes Wallchart link :-)

I remember them being advertised but the penny had not quite dropped about what a Grand Prix was when I was 8, so I got the Pathfinders with the naff compass thinking it would be useful for cubs.

I think they only lasted a couple of months before they became too small anyway.

Doh! Should have read the ad they are indeed Wards !!!!

Edited by arttidesco, 04 January 2011 - 01:02.

[Glengavel]

I must have had at least two pairs of Wards Grand Prix shoes as a boy because I remember two different wall charts - one with Jochen Rindt and one with Emerson Fittipaldi. Both had a large picture of the Lotus 72 in Gold Leaf colours. I must have been 10 or 11 at the time.

I also remember the Pathfinders with the paw prints and compass, and also Clarks Commandos - came in army-style boxes (and possibly with the compass and a secret code book and such like stuff?).

Kids today are more concerned with getting shoes with the correct logo instead of interesting stuff like in my day!

[elansprint72]

Looking back at the earlier posts, I don't remember the 'Grand Prix' shoes but, like others, had a pair with animal paw prints and a compass. Am I right in recalling that the paw prints were on the sole, wearing down to indistinguishable in a matter of weeks, and that the compass was inside the heel, forcing you to take your shoe off and stand on one foot in a muddy field trying to find magnetic north? They seemed the thing to have at the time!

Correct- Pathfinders had paw-prints of various animals on the sole; they wore out just as you said. The compass in mine was extremely accurate; as long as you remembered that it always pointed WNW.

[arttidesco]

I must have had at least two pairs of Wards Grand Prix shoes as a boy because I remember two different wall charts - one with Jochen Rindt and one with Emerson Fittipaldi. Both had a large picture of the Lotus 72 in Gold Leaf colours. I must have been 10 or 11 at the time.

I also remember the Pathfinders with the paw prints and compass, and also Clarks Commandos - came in army-style boxes (and possibly with the compass and a secret code book and such like stuff?).

Kids today are more concerned with getting shoes with the correct logo instead of interesting stuff like in my day!

I wonder how long it will be before kids get shoes with a sat nav device in the heal ?

[Option1]

I wonder how long it will be before kids get shoes with a sat nav device in the heal ?

Already can

Neil

[eldougo]

Not only GP shoes for us Aussie we had GP suits also.


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