60 replies to this topic

[MOTORSPORT RESORT]

Does anyone out there have any information on a Formula 1 car built for the "New" Return to Power day's of 1966-67, In most books and programs it was Called a "PEARCE" Ferrari 250 GTO engine, Some mention that it was perhaps a Cooper-Tasman car? Also, some talk, that the whole team car etc. was caught in a fire in the pits at the British Grand-Prix perhaps in 1968? Again all this information is only talk, Can someone help with the facts...?

[alessandro silva]

In 1966 a Cooper with a Ferrari GTO engine driven by Chris Lawrence was entered by J.A. Pearce Eng. for the GB and German GP’s taking an 11th place at Brands Hatch. The year after, the first European F1 race was organized under the sponsorship of Daily Mail in Brands Hatch. It was going to be a very good preview of the season , because only Lotus and BRM were missing. Among the entrants there was a Pearce-Ferrari entered by J.A. Pearce Racing and driven by C. Lawrence. It finished eighth and last, two laps behind the winner Dan Gurney on an Eagle-Westlake V12. A Pearce Racing Org. was supposed to enter three "Aston Martin V8" driven by Lanfranchi, Darlington and Jones for the next race, the Daily Express Trophy at Silverstone. A disastrous fire burned to ashes the cars and all the racing material on the wedendsday night before the race. I could not find any other reference to Pearce Racing in my records.

Alessandro Silva

[Marcor]

Here’s nearly the same story.

Brands Hatch, England, July 16th 1966 : The RAC organised the British GP and took it to the Brands Hatch circuit. To complete the entry there was two new 3-litre « specials » built by private enterprises : the first from Shannon Racing Cars (the inveterate special-builder Paul Emery, of Emeryson fame, and his associate) and the second from J A Pearce Engineering Ltd in conjunction with the driver Chris Lawrence.

London motor trader and accessory John Pearce devised a Ferrari-engined Cooper special. The car was a 1964 Works Cooper chassis (Cooper T73) lengthened very neatly at the engine bay in order to take the V12 engine from the ex-John Coombes white Ferrari 250 GTO. It was joined to a Hewland gearbox, with new drive-shafts and axle-shafts and new « knock-off » alloy wheels.
Lawrence qualified last but one (19th) in 1 min 43.8 sec, 9.3 sec of the Pole Position. (Jack Brabham, 1 min 34.8 sec). During the race, the Pearce Cooper-Ferrari V12 was running very consistently, if not very fast, which was better than being in and out of the pits all the time like some other cars. Classified 11th, Chris Lawrence took the slowest lap of all the competitors (1.47.2).

John Pearce run his car in an other 1966 GP : the German GP on the Great Nurburgring (August 7th 1966). Steadily dominated by all the F1 and nearly all the F2, the realisation by craftsmen (not really crafty ) played the tail-ender and was overtook by the leader Jack Brabham from lap 5. On lap 10, Lawrence was still the last but he had to retire (suspension)

Pearce was then encouraged to undertake a new car for 1967. Three were built, appealing as unprepossessing spare frame cars. One was intended for the same Ferrari V12, while two were built for the 3-litre Martin V8, a light-alloy engine (1034 kg) but not really powerful.

The first Pearce was exhibited at the 8th London Racing Car Show, January 1967, with a Martin V8 installed but apparently incomplete as the cigar fuselage seemingly has no provision for a roll-over bar to be fitted, and it was perhaps expedient to fit similar-sized wheels all round.

The V8 Martin was created by a guy called Ted Martin (no relation with Aston Martin I think) and his engine was exhibited on the Derrington stand during the same Racing Car Show.

The Martin engine had been tested in an F2 Lotus 35, now called Lucas-Martin, by Piers Courage.
Early in 1967 the engine was run in the first Pearce, which was to be damaged in a Brands Hatch test accident.

Brands Hatch, 12 March 1967, Race of Champions. : The race run in two heaths and a Final saw the first victory of the Eagle-Weslake V12 and the last appearance of a Pearce car in a F1 race.
Chris Lawrence, with the Pearce-Ferrari V12 3 L, qualified last but one on the grid, with the same time than in the 1966 British GP. On heath 1, he was 17th and last. On final, he was classified 8th but ran always near the last position.

The results didn’t stop the Pearce effort. His cars were entered for the Silverstone International Trophy, 21 April 1967. But two days before practice, the three Pearce cars were destroyed in a fire at the circuit.

End of the story.

I found a picture of the London exhibited car in Sport-Auto Volume 61, February 1967.

Robin Darlington drove and won a Formula Libre race in 1966 with a special called Kingcraft. This chassis was designed by Len Terry (F5000 Leda, F1 Surtees, ...) and the engine was a Cobra V8 4,7 L. The circuit was Snetterton in England.

Alessandro, you was faster than me...to answer.

[ensign14]

Reviving an old thread; I picked up some Road and Tracks today from 1968-72 (10 for £3 - is that a bargain?) and one of them had a letter regarding the Pearce-Martin. Apparently, after the Pearce team disbanded, the engine was offered for sale through Autosport and Charles Lucas planned to use it as part of an F1 attempt that went no-where.

[scheivlak]

Originally posted by Marcor
the 3-litre Martin V8, a light-alloy engine (1034 kg)

Ouch! Guess it's 134kg?
And I'm pretty sure as well there is no connection with Aston Martin.

[hhh]

I remember seeing a Ferrari engined Cooper at Luigi Chinetti's in Greenwich Conn. in 1974; I think I still have a picture of that car. Would this be the same car, or has the original really been destroyed in a fire. If it's not the same car, what was the Chinetti car and where is it now?

[Rob29]

Might this be one of the Scuderia Castellotti Cooper-Ferraris from 1960? Anyone know if these still exist?

[Mattthecat]

Many sources call the engine in the Pearce/Lawrence Cooper from 1966 a Ferrari 218.

Since I'm not an expert by a longshot in these matters I would like to know if that is the 250GT by another name or are these sources simply false?


Btw there is a page about Lawrence Tune / Deep Sanderson (maintained by Lawrence himself?)
http://www.lawrence-tune.co.uk or
http://www.deep-sanderson.co.uk/

[Ted Walker]

The remains of the car exist,very charred.The engine was not badly damaged in the fire,and was I believe bought by Dick Crostwaite.

[Mattthecat]

I'm, not giving up :-)
Found on a Ferrrari board (posted by macca, don't know if that's the same Macca that we have) :

"Checking on the 1966 F1 Cooper-Ferrari, it was a Cooper T73 chassis and had the engine from Ferrari 3729GT. The car and engine were destroyed in a fire in 1967."

So what engine type would that be? Did it have a specific name?
Thx

[jph]

Originally posted by Matthecat:
"Checking on the 1966 F1 Cooper-Ferrari, it was a Cooper T73 chassis and had the engine from Ferrari 3729GT. The car and engine were destroyed in a fire in 1967."

If that is indeed correct, 3729GT was the 250GTO originally purcgased by John Coombs and driven to second place in the 1962 TT. It was fitted with the engine from 2735GT - the Rob Walker 1961 TT winner. Subsequent drivers included J. Pearce and in 1966 it was sold to Neil Corner, thence to Jack Sears. Possibly the 'original' engine found its way back into the chassis when Pearce sold it and 2735GT's engine went into the Cooper?

[GIGLEUX]

From Ferrari 250 GTO by Keith Bluemel and Jess Pourret, about 3729 GT:

Successive owners:
-John Coombs july 1962 to 1964
-Robert Perry 1964-1965
-John Pearce 1965-1966
-Neil Corner 1966-1970.
-Freddie Bannister 1970
-Jack Sears from 1970.

"At some period the engine was used to fit in a Cooper single seater driven by Chris Lawrence and was
replaced by the unit from the SWB 250GT #2735GT. The original engine was later fitted again in 3729GT.".

[Mike Lawrence]

Chris Lawrence thought very highly of the Ted Martin V8 line of engines and early examples of the Monica GT used a 3.4-litre Martin V8. This worked perfectly well and was dropped from the Monica programme only because of natural fears of long-term warranty claims. The Martin engine had not been tested over tens of thousands of miles north of the Arctic Circle and in Death Valley. It was therefore decided to use Chrysler engines.

Originally, the Monica GT had been designed around the straight-six 2.5-litre Triumph engine.

The fact that the Pearce-Martin F1 project went up in smoke is tough luck, but the insurance company paid in full and Jack Pearce never looked back. According to the insurance claim, the 250 GTO engine was in the cinders.

The insurance company paid £110,000 and the actual value of the whole lot was, of course, £110,000. There was nothing which was not above board. Anyone who thinks otherwise should put stones in his shoes and walk to Jerusalem.

At this point I should make a few points, but I if I do I will be attacked by Americans and other people not at ease with the English language. I swear that in mid-Atlantic there is a heaving mass of ghastly stuff. It consists of the taste-buds and sense of irony which had to be ditched before admission to America was allowed.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Mike Lawrence
I swear that in mid-Atlantic there is a heaving mass of ghastly stuff.

...and there's me thinking it was KLM airline food. ;P

£110k back then was a hell of a lot of money! -- I had no idea he was paid off that handsomely!

It's a bit like the ten-ton Jeep story that I've heard from all kinds of veterans of different armies and wars - which usually goes something like.... a unit unfortunately loses one of its jeeps to a mine. Some budding Clausewitz decides that it's a golden opportunity to acquire some new kit, so the Jeep suddenly starts to retrospectively carry various bits of interesting military impedimenta that the unit is either short of, has "lost", is new and exciting and hasn't got there yet, or (perish the thought) the quartermaster reckons he can get a decent price for. Everyone else chips in with something that's "missing", until when they finally indent for a new vehicle, and all the kit that was "in" it -- and all goes well until some diligent pen-pushing clerk realises that any Jeep with that much kit on it would (A) be about 20 foot tall, (B) weigh about 10 tons, and © would've sunk into the ground with the wheels hanging off....;)

What was Pearce's transporter, a supertanker with wheels?;)

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Mike Lawrence
The fact that the Pearce-Martin F1 project went up in smoke is tough luck, but the insurance company paid in full and Jack Pearce never looked back. According to the insurance claim, the 250 GTO engine was in the cinders.

The insurance company paid £110,000 and the actual value of the whole lot was, of course, £110,000.

Hi Mike

Are you absolutely sure they paid out? It's not what I was told. And when you say he never looked back, what do you mean exactly?

I'm not saying you're wrong - I'm genuinely curious.

Allen

[bradbury west]

Autosport July 15 1966 asserts that the Pearce chassis was McLaren's '65 car lengthened by 9".
Roger Lund

[David McKinney]

That was always my understanding - F2-2-65

[Bjorn Kjer]

Thanks Roger.

[Derwent Motorsport]

So fi there were three cars what were the others?

[Macca]

Here are the Cooper-Ferrari and the two Pearce-Martins outside the garage:


This is the Pearce transporter at Brands in 1966:


Paul M

[Derwent Motorsport]

So one was a Cooper Ferrari, one was a McLaren Martin, so what was the third. In the photo two are the same?

[Allen Brown]

A McLaren-Martin?!?!?

[David Birchall]

The full story is in "Morgan Maverick-The Auto-Biography of Chris Lawrence".

I had intended bringing this up before. It seem Lawrence and Pearce bought a "1964 F1 Cooper that McLaren had used to win the Monaco GP that year", "fitted the Ferrari GTO engine from the Ferrari 'Bread Van' that was crashed at Brands by Kerrison". The engine turned out to be the one that was fitted to the Walker/Moss SWB the Stirl did so well with but it had "only" 220 bhp, not the 280-300 of a 'real' GTO engine.
Anywho, Lawrence did quite well with it, all things considered, and for it's last event:

"The transporter [with the Cooper Ferrari and a Cooper/Martin aboard] arrived at Silverstone on the evening before the meeting was due to start and was parked up the track towards Beckets, well clear of anyone else.....At about 0300 hrs in the middle of the night, the transporter, still loaded, went up in flames. it seems there was a huge amount of petrol on board with two 50 gallon drums, and all cars full. There was nothing that anyone could do but watch it burn....From an interview that I was obliged to give to an insurance investigator some time later, there was insurance on the loaded transporter to the tune of 100,000 pounds, which I believe was paid out".
(Page 130)

[Derwent Motorsport]

The history of these cars seems very vague. We have a photo of the three cars, tow look similar and one different. Other than the Cooper Ferrari, exactly what were the origins of the other two cars? Did only 2 burn at Silverstone, so what happened to the other one?
There has always been a bit of suspicion re the fire, transporter parked out of the way, fire at 3 a.m. etc and there was no effort to start again with a racing team.

Any suggestions?

[David Birchall]

Sorry, I was in too much of a rush when I made my previous post.
Lawrence had comprehensively crashed one of the Cooper/Martins at Brands two weeks prior to the Silverstone event and I wrongly assumed it didn't make it to Silverstone--it did, along with the Cooper/Ferrari and the other Cooper/Martin according to Lawrence book-"Morgan Maverick".

Page 129:
"....Pearce had some plans for 1967. He purchased two Formula 2 cars from the Cooper factory,where they had never been completed. He was planning to fit two of Ted Martin's tiny little aluminium v8 engines, which had started life as 2 litre units. He was aiming at a three car entry at the Daily Express meeting at Silverstone early in the year. The first car was actually running in February and Pearce wanted me at Brands Hatch to test it...."
Lawrence goes on to relate how he made a "rough gearchange' , lost the rear end as he entered the straight from Clearways and went into the grandstand end wall after two 360 spins. But the car was rebuilt and burned with the other two cars at Silverstone two weeks later.

[Doug Nye]

Cooper-Martin? They were certainly known and regarded as the Pearce-Martins...if they really used F2 Cooper frames this was covered up pretty thoroughly at the time, though the additional fuel tankage required for Formula 1 would certainly have made the finished assembly that much more bulky. I remember them testing at Brands Hatch when I was working there on 'Motor Racing' magazine. From the outset they looked like also-rans, and were regarded as such. No more, but no less.

DCN

[David Birchall]

Cooper/Martin is my name for them as a result of Lawrence book!

A 3 car team, even in the 1960s, would seem to be a rather ambitious undertaking and perhaps Pearce realised that early enough to have a way out before losing his shirt?

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by David Birchall
Cooper/Martin is my name for them as a result of Lawrence book!

I think it's quite a leap to start calling these cars Cooper-Martins. Lawrence and Pearce fell out after that crash at Brands and it is interesting to note that the only source for the story that the Pearces were converted F2 Coopers is Lawrence. As a distinguished journalist of the period who actually saw these cars has now expressed surprise at this, I would not be inclined to give the story too much weight.

To me, they remain Pearce-Martins.

Originally posted by David Birchall
A 3 car team, even in the 1960s, would seem to be a rather ambitious undertaking and perhaps Pearce realised that early enough to have a way out before losing his shirt?

The story that the fire was arson and even the story that the insurance company paid out are just rumour and hearsay. How about some shred of evidence before you rip holes in someone's reputation.

[fines]

Surely they remain Pearce/Martins even if they were converted Coopers? I never subscribed to the Formula One Register way of modifying history...

[Doug Nye]

Michael,

Just as an aside, what does " Inspektor gibt's kan! " mean?

Sorry, but I am afraid my German dries up after " Hande hoch ".

DCN

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
I think it's quite a leap to start calling these cars Cooper-Martins. Lawrence and Pearce fell out after that crash at Brands and it is interesting to note that the only source for the story that the Pearces were converted F2 Coopers is Lawrence. As a distinguished journalist of the period who actually saw these cars has now expressed surprise at this, I would not be inclined to give the story too much weight.

To me, they remain Pearce-Martins.

The story that the fire was arson and even the story that the insurance company paid out are just rumour and hearsay. How about some shred of evidence before you rip holes in someone's reputation.

Keep your knickers on!! I have made no attempt to discredit Pearce or anyone else.
I have quoted from the book--I think that represents a"shred of evidence" that there were questions-ie an insurance inquiry.
Call them Pearce-Martins, call them Cooper/Martins, call them what you like, we all know we are talking about the same cars!
I was trying to add Lawrence's report of the incidents-sorry if that doesn't concur with yours....

[Arjan de Roos]

Doug,

It has something to do with Kottan mania.

Arjan

[Ted Walker]

The photos I took at about 7.30am at Silverstone of the smouldering remains show 3 cars. The Cooper (very charred ) survives and was owned by Chris Lawrence until 4 or 5 years ago.

[fines]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Michael,

Just as an aside, what does " Inspektor gibt's kan! " mean?

Sorry, but I am afraid my German dries up after " Hande hoch ".

DCN

It's Austrian, Doug, not German!;)

And Arjan, I'm impressed!

http://www.kottan.info/

[Macca]

There are some photos of the Cooper-Ferrari and the prototype Pearce-Martin here:
http://www.autodiva....ic.php?f=2&t=17

Also one of the Charles Lucas-entered Lotus 35-Martin at Brands in 1967 which I hadn't seen before.

Paul M

[Ted Walker]

How nice to see ones photos "stolen" in French.

[simon drabble]

as an aside the team that look after my Merlyn have a Martin V8 engine sitting gathering dust - I don't know how many were built

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by Ted Walker
How nice to see ones photos "stolen" in French.

Ted, is there any chance you could post the photo of the aftermath of the fire--suitably doctored of course

[Doug Nye]

Ted - you're not alone. Some of ours appear there as well... They are being advised. We have few objections to fellow enthusiasts sharing GPL copyright images for interest - but we DO require copyright credit. Same applies here. Which is where at least a couple of the French Forum's images were copied...

DCN

[Alan Cox]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Ted - you're not alone. Some of ours appear there as well...

..and, would you believe it, some of mine, too, of the McGuire. Mine can only have been lifted from TNF.

[Cirrus]

I thought I recognised some of the Shannon on that thread that Doug posted here a couple of years ago...

[Gerard Gamand]

I'm the founder of the french site : www.autodiva.fr


I understand your questions...

The problem is that's very, very difficult to credited pictures, when they are on Internet without any explanation, and posted by members.

I personnaly insist to credit all pictures...when it's possible

Please, when you see an incorrect credit, tell me directly :


gerardgamand@wanadoo.fr


Thanks

[Macca]

I didn't mean to stir up a hornets' nest...........hope all is resolved so that photos continue to be be visible for private study, with appropriate credits.

I talked to Chris Lawrence at Stoneleigh and Goodwood last year; it seems the Cooper-Ferrari was his own car, and he is still in touch with the person to whom he sold it a few years ago, who is still trying to source an engine to complete the restoration.

As well as the shortage of power mentioned by Lawrence in his book (which must have been due to some fault - even an SWB engine should have given more than 220bhp), there was a problem with the suspension causing it to break away, so he wasn't inclined to push it too hard. He said it was two steps away from being a pretty good car.....

After reading what he said about the Pearce chassis having been Coopers, I studied photos and really can't find much similarity; I did think it looked very like a copy of a Brabham BT11. Pearce wrote in Autosport in 1966 that he would have done more GPs that year, but couldn't get his entry accepted - perhaps that spurred him to want to 'make' his own cars.

Lawrence wanted Pearce to continue using Dunlop tyres, but when he tested the Pearce-Martin at Brands it was on another brand which gripped well but broke away suddenly - Lawrence said one wheel of the car ended up in the back row of the grandstand after his crash. He was battered and bruised and didn't go to Silverstone, where Robin Darlington was entered to drive his Cooper, and was surprised that the car he crashed had been repaired. Magazines of the time talk of several all-nighters to finish it, and I have read that the ex-Cooper mechanics fell out with Pearce over this.

As to the question of fuel tankage....the Cooper-Ferrari, a 1965 1.5L car converted, completed the '66 British GP without a stop, so must have had an extra tank somewhere; and the paddock shot of the Lucas-entered Lotus 35-Martin seems to show an extra tank in the scuttle area. Maybe with only 250bhp the Martin-engined cars didn't need very much.

Paul M

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Macca
After reading what he said about the Pearce chassis having been Coopers, I studied photos and really can't find much similarity; I did think it looked very like a copy of a Brabham BT11. Pearce wrote in Autosport in 1966 that he would have done more GPs that year, but couldn't get his entry accepted - perhaps that spurred him to want to 'make' his own cars.

Lawrence wanted Pearce to continue using Dunlop tyres, but when he tested the Pearce-Martin at Brands it was on another brand which gripped well but broke away suddenly - Lawrence said one wheel of the car ended up in the back row of the grandstand after his crash. He was battered and bruised and didn't go to Silverstone, where Robin Darlington was entered to drive his Cooper, and was surprised that the car he crashed had been repaired. Magazines of the time talk of several all-nighters to finish it, and I have read that the ex-Cooper mechanics fell out with Pearce over this.

As to the question of fuel tankage....the Cooper-Ferrari, a 1965 1.5L car converted, completed the '66 British GP without a stop, so must have had an extra tank somewhere; and the paddock shot of the Lucas-entered Lotus 35-Martin seems to show an extra tank in the scuttle area. Maybe with only 250bhp the Martin-engined cars didn't need very much.

Paul M

Great piece of research Paul - exactly what TNF is all about.

[terry mcgrath]

Has any come across a Canadian called Ted Roebotham (not quite sure about the spelling). He had 250SWB and the Drogo bodied 250 GTO.
I would be very interested to know the exact spelling and which ferraris he had
terry

[David Birchall]

Ah, Ted Rowbotham...
Ted turned up in Vancouver in the late seventies with a stable of racing Porsches: Two 906s-one a "Bergspider" and a 907 plus a 2.7 RS for shopping. He settled in a very expensive area for a while but suddenly disappeared leaving his wife and the 907 having already sold the two 906s to a friend. For a while after Ted's disappearance we were visited by some fairly shady looking English blokes who wanted to talk to Ted...

Edit. Here is an obit, probably of his ex wife-the age would be right:


WELLS _ Valerie Anne peacefully at home in the presence of her family at
Nine Mile Creek, PEI on Saturday, March 25, 2006, at age 58 years. Beloved
mother of Sharon Wilson (Cal) of Calgary, Dylan Woyce of Vancouver, David
Wells (Kerry) of Fredericton, NB and Valerie Rowbotham of Nine Mile Creek,
PEI. Valerie is also survived by her best friend and ex-husband, Ted
Rowbotham; grandchildren - Shelby and Shea Wilson and Ella Wells; and
sisters and brothers - Joan Wells of Smithers, BC, Beverley Wells of
Alberton, PEI, Diane Jordan (Tom) of Allendale, MI, USA, Alan Wells of
Dartmouth, NS, Charlie Wells of Victoria, BC, Debbie Rouleau (Ron) of Sault
St. Marie, Ont, Elizabeth Krum (James) of St. Louis, PEI, and Heather Wells
(Allan) of Ft. McMurray, AB. She was predeceased by her parents, Arthur and
Mary Wells (nee Profit). Cremation has taken place. Completion of funeral
arrangements have been entrusted to Hillsboro Funeral Home, Stratford, PEI.
Vancouver Sun and The Province on 3/

Edited by David Birchall, 11 June 2010 - 18:00.

[raceannouncer2003]

Has any come across a Canadian called Ted Roebotham (not quite sure about the spelling). He had 250SWB and the Drogo bodied 250 GTO.
I would be very interested to know the exact spelling and which ferraris he had
terry

Maybe this is the SWB? There is a Rowbotham mentioned:

http://www.barchetta...589gt.250gt.htm

Vince H.

[terry mcgrath]

Ah, Ted Rowbotham...
Ted turned up in Vancouver in the late seventies with a stable of racing Porsches: Two 906s-one a "Bergspider" and a 907 plus a 2.7 RS for shopping. He settled in a very expensive area for a while but suddenly disappeared leaving his wife and the 907 having already sold the two 906s to a friend. For a while after Ted's disappearance we were visited by some fairly shady looking English blokes who wanted to talk to Ted...

Edit. Here is an obit, probably of his ex wife-the age would be right:

Thanks greatly that all ties up re the ferrari although it would be great to know more about ted where he came from and where he is
terry

[terry mcgrath]

Maybe this is the SWB? There is a Rowbotham mentioned:

http://www.barchetta...589gt.250gt.htm

Vince H.

Thats it thanks great for this
terry

[arttidesco]

Wonder if anyone can clarify exactly which Cooper (or at least Type) Chris Lawrence drove in the 1966 British GP ?

 

David's quote in post  23 from Morgan Maverick that Chris and John/Jack bought a "1964 F1 Cooper that McLaren had used to win the Monaco GP that year" makes no sense because I believe Graham Hill won the '64 Monaco race in a BRM and Bruce retired his Cooper (T66 ?) after 17 laps