18 replies to this topic

[richie]

His name has appeared over many years as a driver, entrant, garage owner.

Has he given up racing?

I've never seen any pics of the man- can you help?

What's his CV?

[ReWind]

Originally posted by richie
Has he given up racing?

What can I say? He isn't alive anymore.

[Allen Brown]

Bobby moved to Florida (in the early 1990s IIRC) and later contracted skin cancer, which unfortunately proved fatal. After Alderley Edge, the change in climate might have been more than he realised.

He was a real wheeler-dealer, a reasonable racer in his day and ran the team that won the last domestic F1 series held in this country. Not a bad CV. And he wasn't anywhere near as big a rogue as he's sometimes been painted.

[alansart]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
Bobby moved to Florida (in the early 1990s IIRC) and later contracted skin cancer, which unfortunately proved fatal. After Alderley Edge, the change in climate might have been more than he realised.

He was a real wheeler-dealer, a reasonable racer in his day and ran the team that won the last domestic F1 series held in this country. Not a bad CV. And he wasn't anywhere near as big a rogue as he's sometimes been painted.

Was Bob Howlings AMCO racing which operated out of Northenden sometime in the 80's.

The reason I ask is that I did some work for a customer in the building attached and parked my car in the AMCO spot. When I got back to the car and saw what was behind the doors I apologised and asked for a look, but was unfortunately refused.

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by alansart


Was Bob Howlings AMCO racing which operated out of Northenden sometime in the 80's.

The reason I ask is that I did some work for a customer in the building attached and parked my car in the AMCO spot. When I got back to the car and saw what was behind the doors I apologised and asked for a look, but was unfortunately refused.

Would that have been at Mill Lane? I went there after he bought the Ensign stock (mid 1982 I think) and it was full of old F1 cars.

[elansprint72]

Bob operated from various locations at different times; including under the arches in Manchester, Alderley (hence AMCO- Alderley Motor Co), Northenden and latterly at Congleton, where I (very) briefly considered a white LHD Dino 246 for £2000. Only the paint was holding the rust together.

[Squire Straker]

In the early 1980s he appeared at Gerry Kinnane's garage on the Falls Road in Belfast and bought everything left from Gerry's racing days. This included bits of various Lotus cars, 11, 35, 48, 62 and 69. Some Modus, Chevron, assorted Brabham bits and pieces. Makes me weep. Gerry told me a bit later seemed like a good idea at the time.
SS

[alansart]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
Would that have been at Mill Lane?

Longley Lane.

[MCS]

Bob Howlings had the Amon AF1/01 in his possession for quite some time - just wish I'd made a better offer all those years ago...

I've always wondered where that chassis was kept since I saw it in the late eighties - does anybody know?

(And, yes, I realise that there is a car that now appears at shows and in historic F1 events, some twenty years on).

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by MCS
Bob Howlings had the Amon AF1/01 in his possession for quite some time - just wish I'd made a better offer all those years ago...

I've always wondered where that chassis was kept since I saw it in the late eighties - does anybody know?

(And, yes, I realise that there is a car that now appears at shows and in historic F1 events, some twenty years on).

I heard it was in the Nurburgring museum for some time and it spent some time in the Donington stores.

[rdmotorsport]

If I remember correct after an AMCO entered Ensign won the British F1 championship with Jim Crawford I guess that would be in 1982 Bobby was also instrumental in Jim Crawford s Can Am drives the following year probably using the same chassis.

Bobbys son Steven continued into motorsport, in fact worked for me for a short while then ran his own team in Formula Vauxhall something or other, not sure what happened to Steven since these times.

Rodney Dodson.

[72xa]

Bobby may have been involved in the 1982 Crawford Can Am effort but I don't remember him being involved with either of the Crawford 1983 or 1984 efforts.

[Peter1969]

So I recently found out Bob howlings was my uncle (mother’s brother) I only met him once when I was very young. Would have been nice to have got to know him, bet he had some great stories.

[Rupertlt1]

See Autocar, 15 April 1971, Page 45 — Duckhams advertisement — there are seven folk pictured — not identified but Howlings has to be among them.

Ref Bob Howlings Racing/Team Ensign: Bev Bond, Mo Nunn, Bernard Lewis, Bob Howlings.

#41 Ensign-Ford F3 pictured.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 12 August 2024 - 05:43.

[Rupertlt1]

CHEVRON B21

Canon Cameras car, driven by John Burton, as new condition,

never bent, and obviously the quickest B21 this year. R/C

only or complete with FVC. Offers.

Bob Howlings

14 Trafford Street, Manchester 1

Tel.: 061-834 8033 and Bollington 74022

Autosport, 1 March 1973, Page 56

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

Caribbean Club Championship, Timehri Circuit, Guyana, 4 November 1973

"...Andrew Cheekes in the ex Schenken Brabham BT 28 TC that he raced last year.

Cheekes had Bob Howlings in attendance as chief adviser and mechanic."

Cheekes possibly later connected to Trinidad & Tobago?

Autosport, 15 November 1973, Page 43

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 August 2024 - 07:28.

[Rupertlt1]

1973:

"John Hine will be joining Bob Howlings in racing a Chevron B23 in European sports car races this year.

Under the Ember racing title, Howlings/Hine will race in the same team as another Chevron B23 driven by Bill de Selincourt/John Quick, starting off with the Spa race." 

https://library.revs...a-1000-km/32853

Estoril, Saturday 7 July 1973:

"Tony Goodwin was happy with 1 m 2.42 s driving the Ember Racing B23 prepared by Harrogate’s jovial Peter Kaye." DNF.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 15 August 2024 - 06:10.

[Mallory Dan]

Any truth in the story I heard years ago that Steve Worrad is Bobby H's son? 

[Geoff E]

Any truth in the story I heard years ago that Steve Worrad is Bobby H's son? 

 

Robert D Howlings married in 1964.  There was a son Stephen born the following year.

 

Mrs Howlings remarried in 1983, Robert in 1984, his second wife being a Beverley Worrad.  I think she may have been quite a bit younger.

 

In 1992 Stephen married a Beverley Loydall-Worrad.

 

Make of that what you will.

Edited by Geoff E, 15 August 2024 - 08:05.