76 replies to this topic

[Giraffe]

Can anyone tell me what became of Merseyside garage owner John Scott-Davies (Scottie)? I used to watch him race the ex- Doc Merfield Fraud Cortina largely at Aintree. I also remember him in the Chevron B5 BRM, and an ex-Vic Elford F1 Cooper-BRM, which after bringing it in fabulous works colours to Tuesday night practice at Aintree, he painted yellow!!! His garage wasn't far from Aintree, and he never bothered with a trailer, driving past me on my pushbike in the Chevron & Cooper on the road as I went to take up my usual Tuesday evening marshalling position at the end of the railway straight! He always gave me a wave; surreal!!!
I seem to remember him emigrating to Oz? What a character!

[David Beard]

The John Scott-Davies involved here?

http://forums.autosp...ghlight=hornsey

[Giraffe]

Highly unlikely; the John Scott-Davies I'm looking for would be too old, I'm afraid.

[Squire Straker]

He raced at Dunboyne in 1966 in the ex Peter Sadler Lotus 30, the car was paainted red with a yellow stripe. Only lasted a couple of laps until the suspension collapsed. Great sight and noise while it lasted, just a pity Lotus 30s were not designed to fly over railway bridges.
SS

[Steve O'Brien]

Scotty was in partnership with my father Harry O'Brien the time you are talking about as regards to the cortina and the chevron that was 1968 I think Scotty went to South Africa and my father went OZ, I think Scotty did end up in OZ, and yes your right they did used to drive the cortina v8 to Aintree I went in it a few times my ear's are still ringing.....great times.

[Giraffe]

I certainly remember your father driving the B5, Steve, and always marvelled at it's maroon livery: I wonder what ever happened to it, as it never appears at Chevron reunions etc.
I remember the flywheel coming off the Cortina on the Railway Straight during a race, narrowly missing Scotty's leg, and going through the roof about 100ft into the air! He rolled to a halt by my post; amazing! Dare I ask if either of them are still with us?

[Steve O'Brien]

The Chevron was sold to Willi Green the last I saw of it was in a museum in Germany the Cortina sorry no idea by the way the cortina was ex Terry Sanger not Doc Mirfield
sorry to say my father died Oct 1997 Scotty Im not sure I have heard he is still with us somewere but Im not 100%
Steve

[Giraffe]

Sorry to hear about your father, Steve: not too many of the old Aintree characters still about. My favourites also included Jim Charnock, Phil Silverston, Bob Vincent & anyone Derek Bennett brought down to drive a Chevron!
Do you know where the Cooper BRM ended up? Did your dad drive it at all? Do you race yourself?

[Steve O'Brien]

I have heard Jim Charnock has passed away I have no idea what happed to the Cooper as regards to myself....well sort of

http://www.fastracki...bum=110&pos=212

http://www.fastracki...bum=115&pos=575
and yes it is Aintree I suppose its a bit deja'vu

[Ray Bell]

He brought a Lola T70 to Australia... and I think he returned to live here later...

Never made any big impression in the Lola.

[Dale Harvey]

I remember the Lola, it was pale blue. No match for Matich at the time. I think the Lola then went to Denis Geary.
Dale Harvey.

[Ray Bell]

Cream I thought... maybe with a pale blue stripe?

There's pictures of it in Geary's hands somewhere on this forum. Or at least there was, I posted pics I took of it when it was converted to a road car.

[Giraffe]

Was it a T70 Spyder, Mk111, or Mk111B? any clues to the chassis number? I never saw him run it in the UK.

[Giraffe]

Sorry! I'll look for it in John Starkey's book.

[Dale Harvey]

Ray, I'm sure it was pale blue when I first seen it run at Oran Park in John Scott-Davies hands. When Geary had it I think the colour went to dark blue with some lighter coloured stripes over the front guards and maybe elsewhere.
Dale.

[Dale Harvey]

Sorry Giraffe, It was a T70 Spyder.
Dale.

[Giraffe]

Does anyone know if Scottie is still around?

[Steve O'Brien]

On page 13 of the Lotus 19 thread there are a couple of photo's of Sotty's Lola T70

[Giraffe]

I can't find that thread, Steve: can you give me a clue?

[Steve O'Brien]

http://forums.autosp...=&pagenumber=13

[Dale Harvey]

John Scott-Davies at Oran Park July 1967.

[Dale Harvey]

Denis Geary in the ex John Scott-Davies Lola at Oran Park Dec 1968.

[Giraffe]

Hi Dale,
Your pic of Scotty would indicate that he was in Oz before I ever saw him race in the UK., which was 1968/69. I understood he went to Oz later, or did he travel back and forth for while?
Have you got your dates right?

[Dale Harvey]

Giraffe, I have the programmes from those race meetings and I checked back to them to be sure of the dates.
Dale.

[Racer95]

I also recall John Scott Davies racing the ex Lumsden/Sargeant low drag Jaguar E type 49 FXN. It was at a Notts Sports CC Silverstone meeting and was in a very tatty condition wih headlight cowls missing and a dreadful orange colour! Went like stink though! Think I have a paddock photo somewhere

[cuffybert]

It really is a small world. I bought a car a couple of weeks ago in Brisbane from Mark Scott -Davies. I turned up at his dealership in an Austin Healey Sprite and he mentioned that his father John had raced a Sprite with a Cosworth engine mainly at Aintree and Silverstone. He also said his father brought a sports car to Oz either a Chevron or a Lola, he could'nt remember which and eventually sold it to Denis Geary. This car ended up minus engine and gearbox perched on a couple of poles above Denis Geary's car yard on the Gold Coast. Mark also said he saw the car not so long ago at a display, fully restored and with the correct engine in it. He said he recognised the car instantly. John Scott-Davies was not a name I was familiar with so I Googled it and much to my surprise found this thread. When I was talking with Mark I didn't think to ask if his father was living in Oz or the UK or still with us.

[Giraffe]

Cuffybert, do you have a website or e-mail address for Mark Scott Davies? Is there any way of getting back in touch with him re his dad, John?

[Haggis 2]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Cream I thought... maybe with a pale blue stripe?

There's pictures of it in Geary's hands somewhere on this forum. Or at least there was, I posted pics I took of it when it was converted to a road car.

Cream with blue stripes.... I guess cream would be close to white, which together with the blue stripes are the Sid Taylor team colours. Sid ran T70's for Denny Hulme during the '60s in both European events and Can Am.

_______________________________________
Brendon Hagarty

[bill patterson]

white, which together with the blue stripes are the Sid Taylor team colours.

Not so, Sid Taylor colours - white with green stripes

[Haggis 2]

Originally posted by bill patterson
white, which together with the blue stripes are the Sid Taylor team colours.

Not so, Sid Taylor colours - white with green stripes

Oops... Of course you're 100% correct. Momentary brain fade

____________________________
Brendon Hagarty

[asaplocks]

G'day Giraffe. I passed your enquiry on to John yesterday and he has spent a while trying to place you. He feels that you might be one of the marshalls. Is this correct.

He is going to write and will be giving me the letter to "post" on this forum soon.

Eric

[Steve O'Brien]

Originally posted by asaplocks
G'day Giraffe. I passed your enquiry on to John yesterday and he has spent a while trying to place you. He feels that you might be one of the marshalls. Is this correct.

He is going to write and will be giving me the letter to "post" on this forum soon.

Eric

Would you please pass on my regards too
Steve O'Brien (Harry's son).

[Giraffe]

Originally posted by asaplocks
G'day Giraffe. I passed your enquiry on to John yesterday and he has spent a while trying to place you. He feels that you might be one of the marshalls. Is this correct.

He is going to write and will be giving me the letter to "post" on this forum soon.

Eric

Hello asaplocks!

This is wonderful news indeed! I was at a TNF monthly meeting in Cheshire on Wednesday evening, and met with Ian Smith who organised many meetings at Aintree; I asked him if he knew of Scottie's whereabouts as I do everyone with an Aintree connection,but he couldn't help. He spoke fondly of John's fame gained by driving racecars to the circuit, a memory I share!
I was indeed a marshal, as you can see from my opening post to this thread. This is the first time anyone has been able to confirm that John is still with us, and it's made my day! I can't wait for you to post his letter! What age is Scottie now, and where does he reside?

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138

Here is a rather poor photo I took from the Marshal's post at the end of the Railway Straight at Aintree of Scottie in the ex-Terry Sanger Fraud Cortina V8 at Tuesday night practice some 40 years ago.
Very much looking forward to you posting his letter!

[Steve O'Brien]

Originally posted by Giraffe

By giraffe138

Here is a rather poor photo I took from the Marshal's post at the end of the Railway Straight at Aintree of Scottie in the ex-Terry Sanger Fraud Cortina V8 at Tuesday night practice some 40 years ago.
Very much looking forward to you posting his letter!

Sorry mate wrong one thats the Doc Mirfield cortina not the ex Sanger one thats probably Brien Bolton driving that one by the way Giraffe I was up in the loft the other day and fond an old practice sheet from Aintree with my dad out in B5 BRM I must try and get to one of the TNF meetings and say hello
Steve.

[Giraffe]

Hi Steve, confusion reigns! Now as noted in my earlier posts, I thought that the car that Scottie and your dad shared was the ex-Doc Mirfield car. You put me right, telling me that it was the Terry Sanger car.
I only ever saw one V8 Cortina at Aintree, and that was the Scottie/O'Brien car which was a frequent visitor and always painted yellow. I never recall Brian Boulton's car turning out!
I know it's a long time back, but surely I cannot be that mistaken?!?!

[Steve O'Brien]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Giraffe
Hi Steve, confusion reigns! Now as noted in my earlier posts, I thought that the car that Scottie and your dad shared was the ex-Doc Mirfield car. You put me right, telling me that it was the Terry Sanger car.
I only ever saw one V8 Cortina at Aintree, and that was the Scottie/O'Brien car which was a frequent visitor and always painted yellow. I never recall Brian Boulton,s car turning out!
I know it's a long time back, but surely I cannot be that mistaken?!?! [/QUOTE


Confusion reigns, certainly does it was painted met blue with a gold strip this little bit is from 10 tenths
For part of its life Terry Drury's V8 Cortina was the "Biggest banger of them all-Clubwise that is. Terry Drury progressively fitted larger V8s to his Cortina until it finally became a regular winner with a 7 litre unit installed", (caption to photo showing the car coming into Druids, Brands Hatch in "Motor Racing Year 1966-7"). I loved the V8 Cortinas, eagerly reading about their exploits in Motoring News and Autosport. I saw the Doc Merfield car at a very wet Crystal Palace meeting in 1966 and again at the Croft meeting mentioned in post 43 when in Brian Bolton's hands, with the ex-Drury car there also. The Merfield/Bolton car was painted dull lemon yellow with central black stripe, while Terry Drury's was standard Lotus Cortina colours of white with green side flashes but when owned by O'Brien/Scott Davies at Croft was (from memory) light metallic blue.

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138


By giraffe138

.....so Steve, here we have a programme from Aintree, May18th 1968, showing your dad entered in the car and showing it to be blue & gold. However by 16th May 1970, also at Aintree, it's now yellow!?!?

[Steve O'Brien]

They sold the car at the end of 1968 I thought Scotty was still abroad in 1970. does anyone know what year he had the ex LeMans Sunbeam Tiger always remember it in his showroom in Smithdown Rd.

[Giraffe]

Right Steve, I'm going to further confuse the issue; 1n the May '68 and '70 programmes, the Cortina is showing as 4.7 litres, but by the September 5th 1970 meeting at Aintree, it is entered in 3 races with a capacity of 7000cc (a la Terry Drury!) Did Scottie and your dad have more than one V8 Cortina over the years?

[Steve O'Brien]

No only the one maybe Scotty bought the ex Dury car when he came back which had a 7.0 fitted as in my earler post have a read through this http://www.ten-tenth...ht=terry sanger
Steve.

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138

Here's another interesting snippet from the programme for the meeting at Aintree, 18th May, 1968.

It's for the GT race! Never had a clue who was entering or driving the B5 that day; when did your dad and Scottie acquire the car? Also, the Cortina was entered by your dad in the Libre race, but driven by "R.Davies"; (it had a total of 3 drivers that day!) Do you know who R.Davies was?

[Giraffe]

Originally posted by Steve O'Brien
They sold the car at the end of 1968 I thought Scotty was still abroad in 1970. does anyone know what year he had the ex LeMans Sunbeam Tiger always remember it in his showroom in Smithdown Rd.

No, but Peter Wynn-Jones had it by 1968; infact it was the next entry in the GT race down from the snippet I just posted! I know Peter bought it from Scottie as my dad knew Peter!

[Steve O'Brien]

They bought the B5 around that time so they must have got it just before that meeting or maybe at that meeting R Davies was Ray Davies who was a salesman at there garage in Altway which as you know was just round the corner from Aintree

[Ian Smith - Diz]

Originally posted by Giraffe

By giraffe138

Here is a rather poor photo I took from the Marshal's post at the end of the Railway Straight at Aintree of Scottie in the ex-Terry Sanger Fraud Cortina V8 at Tuesday night practice some 40 years ago.
Very much looking forward to you posting his letter!

The car in the background is - I think - the Le Riche GT owned by [and presumably built by] Ken Le Riche.

It was subsequently acquired by Charlie O'Hara, an Irish boat builder based in Blackburn [don't ask]. Charlie once tried to sneak Derek Daly out in a Tuesday test without signing him on, but I soon kyboshed that idea.

One day at Oulton, Charlie became a surrogate father to Eddie Jordan squaring up on his behalf against Nigel Mansell's dad when there had been some kind of on track altercation. Quite why these two started scrapping still remains unclear, as IIRC the problem was to do with Mike Blanchet. Oh happy days.

[Giraffe]

If Harry & Scottie bought the Chevron B5 in May 1968, they didn't hang on to it for long, as Willie Green took it along to the TT at Oulton in May 1969, but was not allowed to run it, for reasons I have yet to establish.
Scottie was definately competing with the Cortina in 1970, and also with the Cooper BRM. (Did your dad ever get to drive that?) I remember the Cooper pitching up one Tuesday night, resplendent in works livery, only to arrive the following week repainted yellow to match the Cortina! :

The heritage of the yellow Cortina, the Cooper-BRM, the Chevron B5, Gordon Chubb Racing and John Collinson, the partnership with Harry,the emigration to Australia, the subsequent return and re-emigration and the Lola T70 that found it's way onto the road with Dennis Geary all now stand a chance of clarification with contact having been seemingly established with JSD.

[Steve O'Brien]

I dont think the yellow cortina is the same one as the 1968 car, your right they didnt have the B5 long maybe only 6mths, when Scotty had the Cooper BRM dad and Scotty were not working together my dad only came back from OZ late 70 or early 71
Steve.

[Giraffe]

I remember the Cortina in 1968 as being quite well turned out, whereas the later yellow car, not to such a standard. Infact, the yellow Cortina and the Cooper BRM looked almost as though they'd been painted by hand!
I have to admit, I naturally thought that they only ever had the one Cortina, such was Scotty's penchant for painting all things yellow in that period; I am however having doubts about that now.
How long did your father work with Scottie for, and what other cars did he race? I do remember them both being reasonably quick behind the wheel, so I presume they had a bit of experience.

[Steve O'Brien]

They only worked together in 1968 although they were friends for a good many years, dad started racing stock cars in the 50's then went circuit racing in 1959 with a TR3 a Lotus 11 followed then numerous cars Lotus 18,Lotus 20 a new Elva mk6 for 1962 Lola mk1, Lotus 23, a Coombs 3.8 mk2 Jag the ex UDT Lotus 19 which he had a bad crash in at Silverstone in 1965 while lying 3rd to Jim Clark L30 and John Surtees T70 then the two cars we have been talking about dad retired at the end of 68.

[Giraffe]

In May 1972 at least, his upto 2 litre class lap record still stood at Aintree, and may well have done for some while longer, I suspect. Not bad considering it was 4 years after his retirement!