697 replies to this topic

[MCS]

MCS, I'm sure that you can walk into the reception area at Cosworth and I'd be pretty sure that they would be quite happy for you to look at the car.

Please don't mention the lack of oil tank......

 

Well, my plan is one day next week, so I will report back.  Thanks Barry.

 

What oil tank...?

 

Mark

[swintex]

Well, my plan is one day next week, so I will report back.  Thanks Barry.

 

What oil tank...?

 

Mark

Not sure, but I think it's made of the same material as the brake pipes

 

Richard

[Stephen W]

Not sure, but I think it's made of the same material as the brake pipes

 

Richard

 

Unobtainium per chance?

[swintex]

Actually, nonfrabricatum, I believe.

 

R

 

PS: the Cosworth and Hewland internals may well be unobtanium.

 

For lightness, you understand.

[cooper997]

March 1973 Road & Track ran a review of the 1972 F1 GP season with Werner Buhrer illustrations of each car

 

Here's the Connew

 

 

Stephen

[Nemo1965]

http://members.atlasf1.com/barry_boor

I offer a multitude of apologies to those who have seen and heard far too much about this racing nonentity during my 2 years at TNF, but there just may be one or two people left on the planet who might like to read it and marvel at the unbelieveable stupidity exhibited by a small band of loonies more than thirty years ago.

 

Didn't Mark Twain say: 'Sometimes nothing can stop you from making mistakes. It is called enthusiasm.'

[bradbury west]

Excellent find, Stephen. Many thanks for posting.
There are many of us, I am sure, who realise that the history of motor racing is not based on a handful of major marques  and   “champion” drivers.  If anyone wants to talk about success or failure in Formula One they need look no further than the likes of Toyota with their 400 plus people in their team and design office etc, plus many others who can be listed in that series and most others. Peter and his team set out to design and build  an appropriate car and  present it for a race,  with the proverbial five eighths of bugger all in core resources, success or otherwise being dependent from that point on so  many outside  and extraneous factors.

The more you read about what they achieved, and with what they had, and to hear Peter and Barry tell the full story, you realise just what a huge success they  actually were.

Usual disclaimers…. Other than being an arch Connew supporter,

Roger Lund

[John Ginger]

The Connew was a tad before my time (1 season to be exact) and like many others found the story fascinating… a group of mates making it to F1 with a car they designed and built themselves…

I would most certainly call that a success

[Barry Boor]

I am now able officially, to confirm that the above F.1 failure will be making a (static) public appearance at the Formula Ford Festival in October this year.

 

I guess that most TNEffers who might have wanted to see the car, have probably already done so, either at Goodwood in 2017 or Race Retro in 2018 but for anyone who hasn’t that’s where it will be - in a marquee in the paddock, along with a number of much more famous racing cars.

 

Mr. Connew and I will be in attendance and look forward to saying hello to anyone who cares to drop in.

[Gary C]

Sounds good. Plus, the Fford Festival is one of the best meetings of the year.

[ensign14]

 the Fford Festival

Is that the one at Pembrey?

[glyn parham]

Look forward to seeing you both in the tent Barry.
Glyn

[Barry Boor]

Brands Hatch, Ens.

[Vitesse2]

Can you hear that whooshing noise, Barry?

[Bikr7549]

I am now able officially, to confirm that the above F.1 failure will be making a (static) public appearance at the Formula Ford Festival in October this year.

 

I guess that most TNEffers who might have wanted to see the car, have probably already done so, either at Goodwood in 2017 or Race Retro in 2018 but for anyone who hasn’t that’s where it will be - in a marquee in the paddock, along with a number of much more famous racing cars.

 

Mr. Connew and I will be in attendance and look forward to saying hello to anyone who cares to drop in.

 

I am confused by your word 'failure'. The Connew certainly seems to me to be a success in every way!

 

Bob

Edited by Bikr7549, 05 September 2023 - 20:39.

[Sterzo]

I guess that most TNEffers who might have wanted to see the car, have probably already done so, either at Goodwood in 2017 or Race Retro in 2018...

Brands Hatch 1972 for me, but it's about time I saw it again.

[Lee Nicolle]

I am now able officially, to confirm that the above F.1 failure will be making a (static) public appearance at the Formula Ford Festival in October this year.

 

I guess that most TNEffers who might have wanted to see the car, have probably already done so, either at Goodwood in 2017 or Race Retro in 2018 but for anyone who hasn’t that’s where it will be - in a marquee in the paddock, along with a number of much more famous racing cars.

 

Mr. Connew and I will be in attendance and look forward to saying hello to anyone who cares to drop in.

For us TNFrs it is the most famous car of the period. 

I would love to see it but am literally half a world away from it.

I was at Goodwood 2017 but missed it,, probably because it was June 2017.

Even then by chance, I saw a sign that said Goodwood circuit so turned off for a look. There was a drive day/ test day happening at the time.

[Porsche718]

Anybody have a working link for the original BB article?

[Barry Boor]

http://www.barryjboor.co.uk/

 

and this is the story of the rebuild:

 

http://www.barryjboo...storation1.html

Edited by Barry Boor, 06 September 2023 - 07:26.

[Porsche718]

Thanks Barry

[RTH]

http://www.barryjboor.co.uk/

 

and this is the story of the rebuild:

 

http://www.barryjboo...storation1.html

You are just the man now Barry  for a self published book on the subject . Maybe 1000 copies softback along the lines of those by  Michael Hipperson and Gary Critcher  the publisher printer is in Cambridge  and you sell them  via your own website mail order from home  at the cover price plus P&P  - you probably will not sell as many as Harry Potter  but it would  engrave the story on history for eternity  ....... and there will never be another !

[Macca]

Work in progress, in 1/55 scale, but not using jelutong for the airbox:



Paul M

[Gary C]

Good idea, RTH, a book is eminently doable!

[FrankB]

You are just the man now Barry for a self published book on the subject . Maybe 1000 copies softback along the lines of those by Michael Hipperson and Gary Critcher the publisher printer is in Cambridge and you sell them via your own website mail order from home at the cover price plus P&P - you probably will not sell as many as Harry Potter but it would engrave the story on history for eternity ....... and there will never be another !

You could certainly put me down for a copy.

[Ralf Pickel]

You could certainly put me down for a copy.

Same here !

[John Ginger]

...and me

[alansart]

An illustration of the PC1 produced earlier this year

Connew PC1 - Austrian GP - 1972 by Alan Raine, on Flickr

Edited by alansart, 24 September 2023 - 13:44.

[WonderWoman61]

From GP Rejects, the story of the Connew's driver, Francois Migault.
https://gprejects.co...rancois-migault

[Tim Murray]

The Connew at Brands Hatch yesterday:

[Tim Murray]

It was good to catch up with Peter Connew and Barry Boor again. Here’s Peter in the red jersey, with Ralph (arttidesco):

[Tim Murray]

Barry between me and Peter:

[Roryswood]

Put me down for a copy

[Gary C]

What's the Marlboro car on the left?

[Tim Murray]

F3 Ralt, Gary. It’s for sale, if you fancy a new project. 😉

[Barry Boor]

No engine in it yesterday.

[Barry Boor]

We had a lovely weekend.  Even on Saturday, which was very wet - rivers of water running through the marquee for much of the day due to the slope of the Brand’s paddock - we had plenty of people coming in to look at the car and talk to us.

 

On Sunday the car was reunited with Tony Trimmer who was the last person to drive it (F.5000 version) exactly 50 years ago.  Still as trim as ever, at 80 years old, Tony slipped into the car as easily as he did all those years ago.  Getting out wasn’t quite so easy but somewhat easier than for our elderly female cousin, for who, I had to remove the bodywork to enable her to be lifted out.

 

I must publicly thank Alan Bowles who invited us to take the car to Brands, organised the collection and return of it and produced the excellent graphic displays for people to look at and read, both of which we are delighted to be able to keep for future events - if there are any - in the future.

 

Following the restoration in 2017 the Connew was first seen in public at the Festival of Speed that year.  Now, six years later, it has made its fourth appearance.

 

You never know, it might pop up again at some point.

[Gary C]

@ Tim Murray - if only!

[2F-001]

It's always nice to see the Connew (and Peter and Barry) - such a story!

 

There was no history displayed with the RT3, so it wasn't clear what its backstory is.

There was also an ex-Cheever Indycar on display - and for sale (complete with drivetrain, at £200,000) - but what would one do with it?

[68targa]

The Ralt RT3 for sale might be this one ..

 

https://racecarsdire...4/1982-ralt-rt3

[Barry Boor]

Yes, it was that car.

[Gary C]

Blimey, they couldn't have put any less detail in that ad if they tried!

[ReWind]

They cannot even spell the late Walter Lechner's name correctly.

[Michael Ferner]

An illustration of the PC1 produced earlier this year

Connew PC1 - Austrian GP - 1972 by Alan Raine, on Flickr

 

Lovely!   

[Michael Ferner]

They cannot even spell the late Walter Lechner's name correctly.

 

If it was Lechner's it would have had Jim Beam signange, not fags! 

[Lee Nicolle]

We had a lovely weekend.  Even on Saturday, which was very wet - rivers of water running through the marquee for much of the day due to the slope of the Brand’s paddock - we had plenty of people coming in to look at the car and talk to us.

 

On Sunday the car was reunited with Tony Trimmer who was the last person to drive it (F.5000 version) exactly 50 years ago.  Still as trim as ever, at 80 years old, Tony slipped into the car as easily as he did all those years ago.  Getting out wasn’t quite so easy but somewhat easier than for our elderly female cousin, for who, I had to remove the bodywork to enable her to be lifted out.

 

I must publicly thank Alan Bowles who invited us to take the car to Brands, organised the collection and return of it and produced the excellent graphic displays for people to look at and read, both of which we are delighted to be able to keep for future events - if there are any - in the future.

 

Following the restoration in 2017 the Connew was first seen in public at the Festival of Speed that year.  Now, six years later, it has made its fourth appearance.

 

You never know, it might pop up again at some point.

It should pop up on occasion, and interesting part of UK motorsport that looks the part for displays.

[D-Type]

Was the Connew always red  Or was it a different colour in its Formula 5000 guise?  I don't recall ever seeing a photo of that phase of it's life.

[Barry Boor]

When we set off for the French Grand Prix in late June 1972, the car was plain red. At Le Mans the yellow was added to reflect François Migault’s Shell sponsorship.

Charlie Purley, the owner of Lec Refrigerators paid for the rebuild of the engine so that son David could drive the car at Brand’s in the Victory race 51 years ago last Sunday, so the car was painted dark blue and red. (As an aside, Peter Connew hated that colour scheme.)

Finally, in answer to Duncan’s question, it was returned to plain red in 1973 although the red and yellow bodywork was stored away and it is that bodywork, repainted now of course, that is on the car now.

The plain red nose was destroyed after Tony Trimmer hit the Armco at Stirlings 50 years ago this week (I believe) but we still have the other cockpit canopy.

[funformula]

I don´t know if we had that photo of the Connew already.

It´s from a 2022 issue of Motorsport Magazine