30 replies to this topic

[Giraffe]

As announced by myself on the 'Northern England & Wales TNF meetings' thread on May 3rd, Colin Bennett has found a gap in his busy racing schedule and extended an invitation to all TNFers to visit his premises in Warrington on the morning of Saturday May 21st.

http://cga-racing.com/

Colin is currently running Katsu Kubota's cars in various different historic formulae, and tells me he has a number of different projects underway at his Warrington HQ that we will be interested to view whilst we drink his coffee and munch on his cakes!

A number of TNFers have expressed an interest in attending, but for ease of organisation and as we are getting nearer the day, I decided on a 'stand alone' thread for this.

Whether you have informed me before or not, if you would like to attend please register your interest here.


By giraffe138 at 2010-04-14

Colin pictured with his long time race / test driver Mike Wilds.

[arttidesco]

Thanks for the invitation Tony, I'd be interested in making that trip, if someone is interested in sharing the cost of the diesel coming from Bristol please PM me.

[Julian Roberts]

Sadly I cannot make it as I have prior commitments, but I followed your link to Colin Bennett's website. What a fascinating collection of photographs, thank you very much for enlightening me. My old boss from the late 70's and 80' knew, and often mentioned, Colin whom he referred to as Bend-it.

Going back for another look !

[Tim Murray]

As Arttidesco has very kindly agreed to give me a lift, please add my name to the list. If we can't find any other Bristol TNFers who want to come, is it permitted to bring some infidels non-TNFers along to help out with our fuel costs?

[Giraffe]

As Arttidesco has very kindly agreed to give me a lift, please add my name to the list. If we can't find any other Bristol TNFers who want to come, is it permitted to bring some infidels non-TNFers along to help out with our fuel costs?

Excellent, the more the merrier, Tim! Derek Lawson has already PM'd me to confirm, so this looks like being a rather bespoke delegation, chaps!

[RS250]

Excellent, the more the merrier, Tim! Derek Lawson has already PM'd me to confirm, so this looks like being a rather bespoke delegation, chaps!

I'm not sure I qualify as 'Bespoke' but please add me to the list.
If anybody needs a lift from the Hinckley/Nuneaton/Leicester area I'd be happy to oblige.

[millau]

Hi

Please add me too

Will link with chauffeur RS250 !!

Bespoke? Are we talking dress code?

Cheers

M

Edited by millau, 12 May 2011 - 09:42.

[beesa71]

Please add me to the visiting members list if you would.

Paul (Warrington) - aka beesa71.

[Giraffe]

Just spoken to Colin confirming Saturday, and a suggested time for us to assemble is 11am.

http://cga-racing.com/contact-us.html

Sounds like there's plenty of interesting cars to look at, and there are about 10 of us signed up for the tour as I speak, but plenty of room for more.

[millau]

Looking forward to it

Crutches serviced, handgrips ready

See you Saturday

M

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Just spoken to Colin confirming Saturday, and a suggested time for us to assemble is 11am.

I should just be arriving in Stevenage then So I wont be there, sorry.

[Giraffe]

Come and join us chaps!


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-18


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-18

Edited by Giraffe, 18 May 2011 - 21:25.

[Pullman99]

Apologies from me too, I'm afraid. Would love to have gone but we've a busy weekend or two coming up at work so will not be able to attend.

Well done to Tony for arranging all of this and I hope everyone has an enjoyable visit.

(PS - may still try and sneak along to Donington to watch the Napier Railton on Saturday!)

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-19

[Giraffe]

Quite apart from the Benetton, Williams, March, Nissan etc that Colin has at his place, I am looking forward to casting an eye over this Lola T70Mk3b pictured early last year by Mike Wilds that I believe is now completed but has yet to see the light of day.


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-20

I believe that he also has another similar Lola that started life as a road car at his place, that is partway through a re-build which has been halted due to funding issues.

[thebullet]

After a being told about this on Wednesday at Mallory and having a very kind offer of a lift by RS250, I have now found out I am unfortunately busy and having to work.

I do apologise and would like to give my thanks for the invite.

And thanks RS250 for the lift offer!

Matthew

[arttidesco]

Got half a tank of diesel and got my sunglasses ! Ready to hit Warrington in the morning !

[Giraffe]

CGA Race Engineering
Unit 15 Riverside
Bridge Lane
Woolston
Warrington
Cheshire
WA1 4BA


11am today!

[Giraffe]

Ever seen a Lola T70Mk3b with reversing lights?


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

Probably not, but you have seen a late arriving Kingsleyrob before.......


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

Edited by Giraffe, 21 May 2011 - 19:19.

[Tim Murray]

What an excellent day we had. Colin Bennett and the team really put themselves out to make us at home and answer all our questions, and the cars were very special. It was good to meet old friends, and make the acquaintance of Paul (beesa71), Ian (RS250) and Mike (millau). Many thanks Mr Giraffe for laying this on for us.

We have also created a new service - TNF Deliveries - which is enabling the nosecone from David Franklin's multi-championship-winning March 782 to be reunited with its owner after some 30 years hanging around in Colin's workshops.

Edited by Tim Murray, 21 May 2011 - 20:08.

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

Edited by Giraffe, 21 May 2011 - 21:47.

[arttidesco]

Thanks to Colin Bennett and his sons for welcoming us to his workshops yesterday morning.



This was 'only' a demo of how simple it 'would be' to fire the B191 - 06 up, not a demo of it being fired up.





The F2 spec March looked resplendent inside and out.



David Franklin's March 782 nose that Tim referred to in post 20 .





FW06 02 awaiting engine installation apparently a half way decent DFV can be obtained for £65k.





Not sure these are photo's of the same chassis,



but so far as I can work out they were at the same meeting.

Thanks to Tony for organising such a splendid day out

Edited by arttidesco, 22 May 2011 - 09:12.

[Giraffe]

This Lola replica is owned by the son of the owner of SL76 / 143. RS250 recognised it as the car built on a highly modified GTD40 kit over a 20 year period by instrument engineer Derek Bell. Paul Radisich is thought to have helped set the car up. It's a proper Specialised Mouldings body, and in addition to a door lock and reversing lamps, the car is fully air-conditioned and has a cd player. It even has sensors on the body pins to advise the driver that they are correctly located! Oh, and it's powered by a 5.5 V8............. What fun!


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

Many thanks to Colin and the boys for allowing us to climb all over his workshop yesterday morning! Their coffee, tea, cakes, biscuits and patience was outstanding! The visit next door to the model helicopter emporium was enlightening too as he's a carbon-composite specialist who supplies components to Lotus F1 amongst other teams racing in Spain today!


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-22

A special thanks is due to Kingsleyrob who directed us to the splendid pub/eatery by the name of "Home" in Little Bollington near Lymm. The food was not only excellent but a starter and a main course was on offer for £6 only! No wonder Rob can afford to run 4 cars! (He was unable to join us however, being "under the thumb" this weekend it seems...... ). Thanks Rob!

Edited by Giraffe, 22 May 2011 - 09:41.

[millau]

Many thanks to Giraffe for organising; top man!

Excellent hosts, excellent company and enjoyed the toys!!

Many vivid images enhanced by as shown above, good to spend time with you all

Ian (rs250) still talking, very animated, about the battery powered helicopter (145 mph); we should all be safe outside a fifty mile radius ! ! !

The visit to Lymm was also most welcome

Again thanks, all in all, a special day

Take care

M

[MODE]

What about that Ligier JS17 restored for A.Kogan if I remember well ?

Edited by MODE, 22 May 2011 - 19:21.

[Giraffe]

What about that Ligier JS17 restored for A.Kogan if I remember well ?

By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

Rear left under the tarpaulin & Benetton engine cover is where it was. We were not allowed a glimpse of it at the owner's request but it should be out with it's newly built Matra V12 at the Silverstone Classic.


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-21

Edited by Giraffe, 22 May 2011 - 19:47.

[MODE]

thanks, good to hear it's finally ready to race, hope to have a look at it in Europe.

[Pullman99]

What about that Ligier JS17 restored for A.Kogan if I remember well ?

All this... and a Talbot Ligier JS17! Now, I'm really unhappy at not having been able to attend! Looking forward to seeing it out and about at Silverstone. Or Mallory???

[Giraffe]

It was just one of those enjoyable days that no amount of planning can create.


By giraffe138 at 2011-05-23

It's a long season Ian............

Edited by Giraffe, 23 May 2011 - 15:24.