119 replies to this topic

[MichaelW]

Here is (I hope) an image of the BVRT Capri in it's current form.  If anyone has any period images I would be delighted to see them.

 

[Thornts]

Hi Everyone. Sorry, coming very late to this thread (or even Forum) - how brilliant! Lots of fabulous pictures, mostly of Mini's and Escorts and there's nothing wrong with that. Mention of the demise of Autocross and the change in farming practices certainly rings true. A local star where I grew up in rural Hampshire was the great Tom Airey who as I recall built amongst the biggest capacity A Series engines ever - barely fag paper of metal between the bores. He used to test a couple of his Minis around a school friend of mines fields not far from his base in Cheriton near Alresford. The fields were from memory (it was some 45 years ago!) left to grass and as my mates dad was a motorsport fan, he obviously thought it worth loosing a few bales of hay to help a local Autocrosser. Sure they left fields 'fallow' every few years back then. It is probably all a bit intensive nowadays. I think Tom moved on to Rallycross - I remember seeing him on 'World of Sport' on rainy Saturday afternoons.

 

Slight digression as the main thrust of this post is, does anyone remember any of the slightly 'left field' machines, the sort of stuff that wouldn't immediately spring to mind as suitable for this type of motor sport? The Europa in this thread is a case in point though I'm specifically interested in a Lotus 7 that I now own which I'm told was Autocrossed and even sand raced back in the late 1960's and early 1970s. Not very helpful I know but the then owner was a Mr R. W. Smith. The car had (and still has) long trailing links that came through the rear wings and ran outside the body to pick up the chassis near the driver's thigh. It ran on JAP Magna wheels in 'generous' 8" and 9" widths though possibly had other wheels on from time to time. Ring any bells with anyone? Any information would be much appreciated as I've owned the car for over 25 years and am still researching its history - these things take time!

 

Great thread and resource

Best wishes

Rob

 

 

[MichaelW]

Not sure if this has been posted before but is worth another watch

 

[RS2000]

What's the copyright on that now? Is it BP? (made for Duckhams by Colin Taylor)

 

I hate watching autocross films of dusty events. How there wasn't a major disaster with a car totally unsighted and ploughing into the crowd is a miracle. Diving into a seemingly solid dust cloud in my heavy and thus slow starting rally car to overtake three spinning autocross cars to win the heat was probably one of the most stupid things I ever did in motorsport. 

[john aston]

Great thread, great pictures, great memories.

We had Autocross in Yorkshire at Eggborough. Most of the "circuit" was in an old sand quarry. The very nature of the surface (i.e. sand) made for some spectacular driving. I think the coffin-nail championship made it to Eggy at least once. Stan Clark was a Very Big Deal in those days, and he slid his Escort around beautifully on the loose surface. Must have been a family trait.

Like others, I can remember some oddball cars appearing. None more oddball than a slow and dangerous looking Renault Dauphine. There have been some unlikely competition cars over the years, but how anyone could expect such a device with its built in mega-oversteer to deliver the goods is beyond me. Still, it was good for a laugh and made a change from Anglias and Minis.

Missed this first time round - I was a regular marshal at Eggborough .Lots of weird cars there- an odd Ariel Atom -esque Healey 3000 special, a maroon S2 Seven (Arnold Pratt the driver I think) and of course the legendary , and now late Colin 'Mad Dan 'Grewer in the K cars of York Cortina Volvo. 

[Rupertlt1]

The Player's No6 National Autocross series ran for four years 1967-1970.

The Champions were:

1967 Peter Watkin, Lotus Elan, JTW 2C

1968 Rod Chapman, Ford Cortina-Lotus

1969 Mike Day, TVR Tuscan

1970 John Bevan, Naveb

New to me was the involvement of Peter Westbury who prepared the Felday Mokes.

He must have had a pilot's license, and an aircraft, as he flew to a meeting up north.

Where was it?

We can see the Ogle Mini, 7617 RW; white TVR, 339 YTD.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 16 October 2024 - 13:41.

[john aston]

Where was it? Possibilities include Croft and High Eggborough , where as a young marshal I was once very nearly hit by a rolling Healey 3000 . 

 

And crikey- a TVR Tuscan  the winning car in 1969. Short wheelbase and 4727cc of Ford V8 (or was it the then new V6 ?) ....

[Rupertlt1]

Another curiosity in the film at 15:41 is EME 211B: "the 7-litre Thunderbird-engined Player's van."

Is this the van that Don Garlits used in England during the 1964 Drag Festival?

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 October 2024 - 06:43.

[Rupertlt1]

Where was it? Possibilities include Croft and High Eggborough , where as a young marshal I was once very nearly hit by a rolling Healey 3000 . 

 

And crikey- a TVR Tuscan  the winning car in 1969. Short wheelbase and 4727cc of Ford V8 (or was it the then new V6 ?) ....

 

Mike Day appeared at Ditcham here in 1968.

This is DFR 157C? (Blackpool registration.)

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 October 2024 - 07:17.

[Dick Dastardly]

The Felday Mokes....were they the Players No 6 Promotional Mokes driven by celebrities, inc Gerry Marshall [I have a photo somewhere of him]? Don't think they were used in the actual competition [happy to be corrected on this] but were used to ferry people round inc Miss World at 1 or 2 of the Morecambe CC organised ones ! 

 

Around 25 years ago, I heard that John Bevan still had the trophy from winning the last championship as there wasn't one in 1971, so he never got asked to return the trophy!!

I think there were a few goes at getting the National Autocross Championship back up and running, but events were only in 2 or 3 areas...SW and NE spring to mind, so they ended up being regional championships.

Jumpin Jeff Williamson even had a go at organising a Retro Pn6 event in Worksop back in 1997 [?].....he had all the advertising banners etc...and inviting competitors from back in the day to come and play.

I spectated, remember helping one elderly gent change a wheel on his TVR....he looked too old to be doing that on his own....

 

I think 1967..the year Peter Watkins won...was a very wet final, organisers had to keep changing the course otherwise most competitors couldn't get round.

1968 Final...when Rod won....was at Silverstone, so no hills..

 

Edit....I was just a young schoolboy...easily impressed... when these Pn6 events happened, and was so captivated by them. Also, they happened around the time of the early TV Rallycrosses with a lot of the same competitors. I have fond memories of those days.

 

Edit again....heard something [unsubstantiated] that Jumpin Jeff Williamson is writing a book.....if his history, then it'll include his Pn6 days as well as his works Mini driver in TV Rallycross days. Don't know how true the rumour is..... 

Edited by Dick Dastardly, 15 October 2024 - 20:35.

[Rupertlt1]

The Mokes were thrashed at many autocross meetings and competed at Santa Pod drags in 1967 and 1968. (There was also a Players Aley Mini, seen in the film.)

Known drivers Geoff Howard and Michael Scarlett.

Eoin Young appeared at Hollingbourne in 1967 running solo.

1966: "DAVID HOBBS, more used to thundering round smooth tarmac in a Lola T70 or a Ferrari, is going to try his hand at autocross on 2 July. He will be driving the Players Aley Mini (No. 6, of course), at Thoresby Hall, near Nottingham. The meeting starts at 1 p.m."

1967: "JASWANT SINGH, winner of the 1965 East African Safari, has accepted an invitation from the Chiltern Car Club to drive the Players No. 6 Mini-Moke in the fourth qualifying round of the Players No. 6 National Autocross Championship, which is being held on a 1,000 yard grass circuit at Beacon's Bottom, High Wycombe, on 11 June, starting at 2p.m."

Ref Jumpin' Jeff Williamson, Moorgate Service Station, he was entered at the Cars and Car Conversions Autocross Festival in Hillingdon, Middlesex, 21-22 Sept 1968. Class win in the Cooper S, also BMC award. Event organised by B.A.R.C. North Thames Centre. Crowd said to be "well over 10,000."

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 16 October 2024 - 14:08.

[Rupertlt1]

Where was it? Possibilities include Croft and High Eggborough , where as a young marshal I was once very nearly hit by a rolling Healey 3000 .

 

This is still bugging me. See film at 15:54: "up the A1" — "final round" — is it the East Midlands area championship?

Is the film 1966?

It doesn't look like Croft (no sign of circuit) or High Eggborough (said to be in an old quarry).

Where was an autocross held up north with a convenient landing strip with quite substantial buildings?

Can anybody identify the aircraft, maybe read the reg number? G-ATNB?

Westbury drove the Player's No.6 Aley Mini in round 3, 1966.

(Peter Westbury was quite the boy.)

Chris Lambert was due to drive in round 4 at:

Worksop & D.M.C., Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Worksop (on the A61 to Chesterfield).

Roger and Stan Clark?

Final at Thoresby Hall, Sunday 2 October 1966?

Actually held at Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Worksop (on the A61 to Chesterfield). So where was the airfield? Netherthorpe?

Other: 24 Sept 1967, B.A.R.C. East Midlands Centre, Woodhouse Farm, Sutton Cheney, near Market Bosworth, Leicestershire.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 16 October 2024 - 15:18.

[BRG]

Can anybody identify the aircraft, maybe read the reg number? G-ATNB?

 

For what it is worth, it is a Piper Cherokee and still seems to be on the register today.  Probably a bit like Trigger's Broom, everything single part replaced but it still the same aircraft.  

 

Not many clues in the video about the location.  A field somewhere in England....

[john aston]

It's definitely not Eggborough nor Croft , having now studied the video closely .  . 

[Rupertlt1]

The film is packed with clues.

We see Bertie Sayers (Aberties) receiving the plaudits at the final.

Here is the original calendar for the East Midlands series in 1966:

"YOU AUTOCROSS exponents will

be glad to hear that John Player (of

tobacco fame) are to sponsor a Cham-

pionship this summer in the East Mid-

lands—their first venture into the field

of motor sport (and an indication of

the advertising value therein that yet

another vast concern should associate

itself with it). It will be run by the

Association of East Midland Motor

Clubs, with six qualifying rounds,

which are as follows: 24 April, Thoresby

Hall, Notts.; 29 May, Edwinstowe,

Notts.; 26 June, Thoresby Hall; 3 ]uly,

Hallaton, Leics.; 24 July, Thoresby Hall;

18 September, Thoresby Hall; and 2

October, Thoresby Hall."

John Player were based in Nottingham so they started locally.

This calendar was not adhered to closely as

they found Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Worksop.

This was felt to be more suitable, allowing two-car running.

So what really happened? Six qualifying rounds and a final: 

April 24, Thoresby Hall, near Ollerton, Notts, Worksop & D.M.C. (cancelled, course waterlogged)

R1: May 29, Broom Hill Lodge Farm, Edwinstowe, Notts, Dukeries Motor Club

R2: June 26, Thoresby Hall, near Ollerton, Notts, Rolls Royce Motor Club 

R3: Sunday July 3, Hallaton, near Market Harborough, Leics, B.A.R.C. East Midlands

R4: July 17, Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Worksop & D.M.C.

R5: July 24, Thoresby Hall, near Ollerton, Notts, Eastwood & District Motor Club

R6: Sunday Sep 18, Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Nottingham S.C.C. 

Final: Sunday Oct 2, Firbeck House Farm, Steetley, Worksop & D.M.C.

RGDS RLT 

 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 17 October 2024 - 11:51.

[glyn parham]

Here in Kent and Sussex nearly all autocross events (including the JPS Championship) had four car fields and the Hollingbourne venue is better known locally as the Great Danes Hotel near to Leeds Castle.
I cannot remember if it was 67 or 68 when Win Percy turned up from Weymouth showed the locals how to drive in the Kent round of the regional JPS Championship.
Glyn

[Rupertlt1]

DAVID TURNER, of Summer

Place, Haddon Road, Bake-

well, who drives a Toyota

Corona, has been accepted as

a competitor in the first round

of the Players No. 6 Autocross

Championship, to be held at

Thoresby Hall, near Ollerton.

Notts, next Sunday. This will

be the first appearance of the

Japanese Toyota in competition

in this country. David Turner,

a past Chairman of the Matlock

Motor Club, is a keen judo

exponent and sporting shot. He

has many awards for motor

sport, and sells Japanese cars

for a living.

Buxton Advertiser, Friday 22 April 1966, Page 3

 

As we know this event was abandoned, but did David Turner turn up later and make history?

RGDS RLT

[SteveJones]

It's definitely not Eggborough nor Croft , having now studied the video closely .  . 

Certainly not High Eggborough. I can see what was the High Eggborough site from my window and we don't have any stately type houses near here!!  It was in a former sand quarry and events were run by De Lacy MC of Pontefract. What they, and anybody connected with the events, didn't know was that in the past the quarry had been used as a dump for drums of very toxic chemicals. These had been buried and then covered over. As time progressed, these drums started to become uncovered and their contents became apparent leading to the end of all activity on the site. The cost of removing the chemicals and recovering the site was astronomical. It's now used for grazing horses. Looking at the video, there is a large, stately type, house that appears now and then. Soil appears to be a natural red colour and these both suggest Thoresby Hall. 

 

In the late 1960's I worked with a chap who competed at High Eggborough in his company Hillman Imp. He got away with it for a while until one week, the local 'Pontefract and Castleford Express' printed a photograph on its front page of an Imp airborne. He might still have been OK if only he's bothered to remove the car's very obvious front number plate

 

SJ 

Edited by SteveJones, 17 October 2024 - 18:38.

[RS2000]

I'm sure I was at the Hillingdon round (68?) but maybe it was for practice only as I remember more like 10 than 10,000. I also remember a round on Hounslow Heath that was cancelled in a mud bath so we were denied the dubious privilege of seeing DJ Dave Lee Travis drive a beach buggy.

 

I entered a couple of Autocross events that used the "4 at a time" format almost within sight of Win Percy's Weymouth in 88/9 in my rally car and actually won one of the heats ( the 2 faster cars spun off) but suffered more damage to screens in flinty fields than was acceptable to anyone as far as I was concerned. 

Edited by RS2000, 17 October 2024 - 18:38.

[Rupertlt1]

1967 Player's No.6 Autocross Area Champions

South — Rod Hamilton, Mini Cooper 1200 c.c.

West — Ian Foster, Lilfo Special, 1650 c.c. — area final at Taunton

(The name Lilfo appears as early as 1956 with John R. Burry from New Milton, Hampshire.) 

East — Peter Watkin, Lotus Elan 1598 c.c. — a private investigator 

North — Tim Baker, Austin Healey Sebring Sprite 1098 c.c. — a solicitor from Birmingham

RGDS RLT