113 replies to this topic

[Nanni Dietrich]

I've never heard before... did it exist a car brand named U2, active in the late sixties?

I recall I've read something about a Mallock U2 Mk7 single-seater (I think a F.Ford), and an U2 MK6-Ford 1500, perhaps a sportscar driven by Peter Wingfield and a certain Rob Cochran.
But I don't know more.

Is the name Mallock related to Ray Mallock?


Thanks

[Patrick Fletcher]

I would suggest you have a look at The Suggestion Box - top of the board, or try Search BB - Bono, failing that try Arthur Mallock [Ray's father]

[RTH]

Major Arthur Mallock 's (father of Ray and Richard ) idea in calling them U2 was that "You Too" can go motor racing (because this racing car is so inexpensive ) They were made in a little shed in Roade Northamptonshire..........and hugely successful as well as being nice people !

[2F-001]

Strictly speaking, the name relates to (Major) Arthur Mallock, father of Richard and Ray, both of whom, I think had/have roles in the business and raced U2s as well.

Generally, folk refer to 'Mallock', 'U2' and 'Mallock U2' interchangeably. I really should look this up to be certain, but I believe the 'Mallock' name was appended to the title a little after 'U2' became an established car and tha 'U2' later tended to be left off (eg: "Mallock Mk28").

Although FF1600 and F3 variants appeared, best known for dominating the Clubman's Formula.
Fabulous cars - ridiculously fast. In the days of 1600cc F3, the Clubmans cars with 1700cc pushrods, live axles and no lsd (but with slightly larger tyres and wings, and sometimes less dicing at the front of the pack) were on the same pace and sometimes quicker.

[2F-001]

Until the advent of some of the current GT racers, and a few oddball prototypes, (eg Panoz) can anyone think of a quicker front-engined racer?

(I'm not setting that as a 'challenge' - I'm
just guessing there maybe a few things I've overlooked.)

[Patrick Fletcher]

I think they are the best - even when up- dating from a 1600 push rod to a BDG the chassis [not mine] was good enough.
My old Leitch and older NOTA were - yes older.

[2F-001]

A U2-BDG is a mouthwatering prospect... (although I think I did see one with a Hart 420R motor once).

A few ran in hillclimbing, in the sports-racing class, with 1600 BDAs and de Dion (or possibly independent) rear-ends and LSDs. They tended not be as quick as the best of the pure Clubman's cars though. But, as always, (particularly in amateur motorsport) it is not clear how much the experience, skill and intent of the driver weighs against car, preparation or budget.

I always like the Vision clubman's car when that appeared in the 80s - but by that time we had strayed a very long way from the home-build concept!

[2F-001]

For no other reason than it happened to be lying on my desk this very moment, here's a pic of Geoff Friswell's Mallock, taken at Mallory Park sometime in the mid-70s. Can't, for now, recall the year (I think the Mk1 Escort was already a non-current model) or the U2 type number). Looking back, I guess this was the period when Mallocks were at their most angular, and inelegant. I still loved them though.

[Patrick Fletcher]

A number of U2 chassis [frames] were fabricated in NZ during the 60/70s.
The first would seem to be Mike Cooke's MkV Twin Cam - that car was so fast - I tried to buy it from him from 79 to 80 but he would not sell it.
Has he parted with it?
Mike drove it so well - I think this frame was welded up by Errol Norris.

[David McKinney]

Mike Cooke's was the first in the South Island, but three others had been built (or at least started) in the NI before it - two MkIVs and a MkV
About 30 U2s were built in NZ, most from plans supplied by Jack Oakley, Errol Norris or Morrie Hogan

[MCS]

Originally posted by 2F-001
A U2-BDG is a mouthwatering prospect... (although I think I did see one with a Hart 420R motor once).

I'm sure I can remember a BDA-powered U2 pedalled in occasional Formule Libre races by Frank Sytner, but a Hart 420R machine? Blimey!

I always enjoyed the Clubmans races - particularly the A Class ones. And they were certainly very quick cars. I saw some absolutely fabulous dices at Mallory, Oulton and Cadwell with the likes of Ray Mallock, Geoff Friswell, Richard Mallock, Vernon Davies and so on.

British club racing really was very, very good once upon a time...

[David Birchall]

At least two U2s were built for Formula Junior. One Ford engined, one BMC engined so far as I know. The Ford engined car has been cleaning up on the West Coast in historic racing for years now and even beat a 1959 F1 car at Monterey a few years ago!
David B

[Bonde]

I'm writing OTTOMH, but I believe Dane Erik Justesen won the FIA Historic Formula Junior 2003 Lurani Trophy in a U2, and, IIRC, Ray Mallock actually won an important Formula Ford race in a Mk8 in 1968 or thereabouts.

[Vitesse2]

No-one has yet mentioned the F2 version of the Mk6: two were built, one campaigned by the Major himself and the other by some chap called Max Mosley. There should have been another F2 (the Mk13) but I don't think it was ever built.

The FJs mentioned were Mk2s. Some Mk3s appeared in F3 in 1964, but the next F3 was the Mk11A, run by Ray Mallock in 1971 - it later received an FVA and was run in libre events.

There was also a Formula Atlantic, the Mk20B.

[Stephen W]

At today's Doune Hillclimb meeting Mallock U2 cars took the first four places in the Hillclimb Super Sports class and the first three places in the Sports Libre class!

Life in the old dog yet!

[Ray Bell]

There's no doubt in my mind that the Clubman concept makes for a very rapid and driveable car...

The driver gets good feel, the setup is simple (especially with live rear axle) and weight is very low. Power? Well, that's up to you!

Somebody should refer to the multitude of races at Amaroo Park where various Clubmans (John O'Brien's Mawer, David Seldon's Welsor, Mike Lance's Farrell, Graham McClintock's Hargal, Peter Jones' (etc) Cheetah were regularly and convincingly beating all manner of expensive rear engined sports cars from 2.5 to 5-litres... all of them with pushrod 1300cc engines.

As for the U2, the most memorable event involving one of them 'in the day' was when Tony Simmons crashed and very badly hurt himself at Oran Park. But he came back and built better cars, stronger if a little heavier, but always based on the U2 concept.

[Mallory Dan]

Originally posted by 2F-001
For no other reason than it happened to be lying on my desk this very moment, here's a pic of Geoff Friswell's Mallock, taken at Mallory Park sometime in the mid-70s. Can't, for now, recall the year (I think the Mk1 Escort was already a non-current model) or the U2 type number). Looking back, I guess this was the period when Mallocks were at their most angular, and inelegant. I still loved them though.

I'm sure that pic would have been in 1975 Tony, when Friz returned to Clubmans and cleaned up. IIRC he won a Grovewood Award of some sort for his efforts that year. Didn't he make his name in a U2 in 1972, then move to Atlantic for 73-74? After a year back in Mallocks, he then moved again to FF2000 and some G8. I wonder what he's up to now, as I always thought him a very quick chap.

And yes Mark, British Club Racing of that period was superb !

[TonyCotton]

Paul Lawrence's book "The Lone Furrow" tells the Mallock story in a very readable way.

Major exponents of Hart powered U2 hillclimbers in the '80's and '90's were:

Richard Jones (including a spectacular inversion at Crossing at Shelsley in 1982 IIRC
Jim Robinson and David Grace's shared Mk27SG
The Blankstone's Margaret and Peter

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by TonyCotton
Paul Lawrence's book "The Lone Furrow" tells the Mallock story in a very readable way.

Major exponents of Hart powered U2 hillclimbers in the '80's and '90's were:

Richard Jones (including a spectacular inversion at Crossing at Shelsley in 1982 IIRC
Jim Robinson and David Grace's shared Mk27SG
The Blankstone's Margaret and Peter

Don't forget Rick Fielding's Rover V8 powered Mallock complete with auto box!

Hillclimbers do tend to think laterally!

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Stephen W


Don't forget Rick Fielding's Rover V8 powered Mallock complete with auto box!

Hillclimbers do tend to think laterally!

Didn't one-time RAC champion Charles Wardle have a very hot Mallock before going for the (ex-Hepworth?) Repco V8 in the back of a Pilbeam?

[Nanni Dietrich]

Peter Wingfield lost his life at Croft, October 1969, at the wheel of a Mallock U2 (don't know the model).

[2F-001]

Charles Wardle shared the aforementioned Jim Robinson's Hart-engined Mallock, I think.
The Repco-engined Pilbeam he drove later (and won the championship too, didn't he?) was Chris Dowson's - don't recall who had it it before that. I do seem to recall, though, that it was fitted with a hand (parking) brake. Can anyone confirm that?

I think that Mallock acquired an even larger (2.5 litre) motor at a later stage when David Grace shared it for a time.
Robinson seemed too share with, and mentor, a number of rising stars.

Tony (Cotton):
Do you know if those really big-engined Mallocks still had live axles?
The one's I was was thinking that I believe didn't were 1600s - I was thinking of Roger Gregory's in particular; but I stand ready to be corrected on that!

[2F-001]

Dan,
No, I don't recall much of what became of Geoff Friswell, other than nothing too substantial coming together for him after Clubmans.
I remember one season he had a lot of tussles with Ray Mallock, both of them U2-mounted of course.

[RTH]

Originally posted by 2F-001
Dan,
No, I don't recall much of what became of Geoff Friswell, other than nothing too substantial coming together for him after Clubmans.
I remember one season he had a lot of tussles with Ray Mallock, both of them U2-mounted of course.

I remember that well, what great days of club racing that period was, nearly all the races on the program then were brilliantly entertaining.

[TonyCotton]

Tony (Cotton):
Do you know if those really big-engined Mallocks still had live axles?

They all had live axles, Mallocks were very clever with their location, I am told. One of them had a Hewland gearbox, the rest conventional boxes. I think the Mk27SG (Robinson/Grace) was a 2.5l Hart and Richard Jones a 2.2. As the Mk27 was suffixed SG I guess that was the one with a "Special Gearbox".

Incidentally, the Repco in the Pilbeam MP47 owned by Chris Dowson and shared by Charles Wardle to win the Hillclmb Championship was ex Chris Dowson's ex-Mike Macdowel Brabham BT35X, one of the more beautiful hillclimb machines.

[MoMurray]

Perhaps my memory is tinted by the glow of time, but I recall that the clubmans class, populated almost entirely by Mallock U2s was almost the premier class in Ireland at one time. I have vivid memories of the Vista Blinds car of Derek Shortall, always immaculately prepared dominating at Mondello and the Park. Anyone have any pictures from those glorious days or even know of what became of Derek Shortall. I know he went on to race F. Atlantic and a big nasty Ford Capri. I was beginning my flag marshalling career during these times and Mr. Shortall was always a gent and very appreciative of the efforts of the MRMCI (irish marshalls club).

I also remember being puzzled as to why a local punk band would name themselves after a racing car, but learned to live with their choice...;)

Mo

[lofong]

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
Peter Wingfield lost his life at Croft, October 1969, at the wheel of a Mallock U2 (don't know the model).

Nanni, I believe it was a 1600cc Mk.5 that he was sharing that year with his brother John.

[Nanni Dietrich]

From Autosport magazine, issue 23 October 1969, I've read this history:
Peter Wingfield was an university student 22 y.o. He and his brother John were very much stalwarts of the clubmen's racing scene, originally they had a U2 each, but at the end of 1968 season Peter's car was sold and he shared John's U2 Mk5-Ford 1600cc. Both brothers scored several wins in the car in 1969, and the very good engine preparation (by Lawrence) was a contributory factor.
The BARC Clubmen's Championship race (1000cc and 1001-1600cc) was the third race scheduled during the event at Croft, on 19 October 1969 afternoon, in a cold and slightly misty weather: 24 starters in the grid, and before the flag was dropped, driver Jeremy Lord in an other 1600cc U2 Mk8-Ford jumped the start and was penalised 60 secs. In second place on the road but actually leading, was Peter Wingfield, who came under immediate pressure from Tim Goss in a 1600cc Lotus 3/7-Ford. This trio kept right together for several laps, with Goss trying every trick to get past Wingfield. On lap 9 of 13 the disaster struck: Wingfield crashed at high speed into a marshal's post, when lapping backmarkers, soon after Tim Goss had passed him. He was killed upon impact.
Winner of the race was Tim Goss, Jeremy Lord who had led on the road throughout, finished sixth due to his penalty.

[David Beard]

I always thought was U2 a US saloon car racing 2 litre class........;)

[Bruce302]

I always thought was U2 a US saloon car racing 2 litre class........


You are right David. U2 refers to the under 2 liter class of the TRANS AM Series run by the SCCA from '66-'72. The bigger cars, up to 5 liter, were of course the O2's

Bruce.

[James Page]

Chap called Bruce Ogilvie came up with something similar which he called a 'notayoutoo'. Dad drove it in sprints and hillclimbs. He stuffed it in a hedge somewhere and was more concerned about getting a message back to my (then) very young sister (who would have been there as chief mechanic) to say he was ok!

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally posted by 2F-001
Dan,
No, I don't recall much of what became of Geoff Friswell, other than nothing too substantial coming together for him after Clubmans.
I remember one season he had a lot of tussles with Ray Mallock, both of them U2-mounted of course.

I had email contact with Geoff Friswell a couple of years ago via Ken Bailey's son. Ken and Fris were quick in Atlantics of course. Geoff still lives in the Coventry area and occasionally visits Silverstone/BRDC.

[David Beard]

Originally posted by Bruce302
I always thought was U2 a US saloon car racing 2 litre class........


You are right David. U2 refers to the under 2 liter class of the TRANS AM Series run by the SCCA from '66-'72. The bigger cars, up to 5 liter, were of course the O2's

Bruce.

Read a few more threads, Bruce!

[MCS]

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
I've never heard before... did it exist a car brand named U2, active in the late sixties?

I recall I've read something about a Mallock U2 Mk7 single-seater (I think a F.Ford), and an U2 MK6-Ford 1500, perhaps a sportscar driven by Peter Wingfield and a certain Rob Cochran.

Forgive me, but didn't Rob Cochran race something called a Bladon - a one-off (two-off, maybe) special?

[RichardDP]

Used to run a U2 with a few friends in 750MC events in 1970ish. We used to run in the F1200 class with a Ford Anglia engine as I remember....

Must go and find the photos of those days..

Richard

[Roger Stoddard]

Originally posted by 2F-001
I don't recall much of what became of Geoff Friswell, other than nothing too substantial coming together for him after Clubmans.
I remember one season he had a lot of tussles with Ray Mallock, both of them U2-mounted of course.

He had a big crash at Mallory in the early 80s IIRC. I don't think he raced after that. Much more recently I was told by a Speedway nut that he'd gone back to bike racing and is riding Veteran Speedway for Coventry Buildbase Bees.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by TonyCotton


They all had live axles, Mallocks were very clever with their location, I am told. One of them had a Hewland gearbox, the rest conventional boxes. I think the Mk27SG (Robinson/Grace) was a 2.5l Hart and Richard Jones a 2.2. As the Mk27 was suffixed SG I guess that was the one with a "Special Gearbox".

Incidentally, the Repco in the Pilbeam MP47 owned by Chris Dowson and shared by Charles Wardle to win the Hillclmb Championship was ex Chris Dowson's ex-Mike Macdowel Brabham BT35X, one of the more beautiful hillclimb machines.

I am also reliably informed that "Mike McDowell owned the BT35X before Chris"

[h4887]

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
Tim Goss in a 1600cc Lotus 3/7-Ford

Was this the same as the Lotus 7X which in my dim memory is associated with Tim Goss?

[paulhooft]

I still remember seeying Mallock race the U2 in a formule 2 race at Zandvoort in 1967...

[Mallory Dan]

Originally posted by 2F-001
Dan,
No, I don't recall much of what became of Geoff Friswell, other than nothing too substantial coming together for him after Clubmans.
I remember one season he had a lot of tussles with Ray Mallock, both of them U2-mounted of course.

Tony, I think after Clubmans and the brief G8 interlude, Friz went very well in FF2000 in 1976. I think he won a number of races that year against some good people, eg Ian Taylor, Needell, Sytner, Oscar Notz, Rossiter etc etc.

And Mark, yeah the Rob Cochran Bladon was pretty good. Anyone recall the Sid Marler Hustler, backed by 'Marler Haley Ex-Po Systems'. I thought at the time, what an exotic sponsor that was ! V good looking car too, as was the Jim Yardley Beagle mk4.

[Stephen W]

As Mallory Dan has opened things up......

In my collection of event programmes from 1978 are the following:

Oulton Park 8th April
Paul Gibson won in a Mallock U2 Mk 20 from Chris Norton in a Mk16. Third was Tony Norton in the NORTON Mk6 also in the race was Robert Porter in an ANJARES Mk2
Martin Hallam non-started in the CENTAUR Mk 10X

Oulton Park 20th May
Mainly Mallocks but the race included:
Tony Norton in the Norton; Chris Greville-Smith in the Phantom P78; Ruari Gilles in the Diamond R6; and Peter Ludford in the Diamond R7.

Oulton Park 24th June
Again mainly Mallocks but also:
Colin Fisher - Gryphon C74; Mike Barnby - Spectrum Engineering Special B and Peter Ludford in te Diamond.

Oulton Park 5th August
Once again mainly Mallocks but also:
Tony Norton in the Norton Mk6; Jim Yardley in the Mk 4 Beagle; Ruari Gilles in the R6 Diamond; Tony Pouyanne in the Silver Phantom; and Chris Greville-Smith - Phantom P78.

Donington Park26th August
Again droves of Mallocks with:
Tony Norton (Norton Mk6); Jim Yardley (Beagle Mk4); Richard Kyle (Kysh Mk1); David Orchard (Centaur 14) Alex Moss (Phantom P76B); and Richard O'Reilly (Haggispeed Mk6B)

Mallocks were also extensively seen in F1300 as well as in Speed Events.

[Mallory Dan]

Slightly O/T, but did anyone notice in the Cleland article in the latest MS that he refers to Ray Mallock as "not a people person". Maybe not, I've never met either of them, but I know who I'd rather have driving or engineering for me.

From afar, I used to quite like Cleland. I fear he's become another of those '90s Touring Cars were the best ever series' merchants.

Back to proper things though, anyone remember how fast the U2s were up against the 2-litre G6 cars in the mid-70s. The likes of Nick Adams, Malcolm Jackson, Vernon Davies were superb.

[Andrew Kitson]

I didn't understand that from Cleland. Ray seems a pretty decent bloke to me as are all the family.

[MCS]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
From afar, I used to quite like Cleland. I fear he's become another of those '90s Touring Cars were the best ever series' merchants.

I seem to recall that he was firmly of the opinion that HE was the best ever...

[MCS]

Steve W's post includes some good names, some of which I'd forgotten.

Remember the Gryphon - particularly Noel Stanbury's maroon works version?

The Diamond was the follow on chassis, named after Gryphon creator Andy Diamond. Former Autosport editor Ian Phillips used to race a Class B version occasionally.

But who remembers the fantastic St. Bruno Roughcutter of "Catchpole" himself, Barry Foley?

That car was so well turned out and regularly sported different bodywork. I don't think I have a picture unfortunately.

[2F-001]

Originally posted by Stephen W
Again mainly Mallocks but also:
Colin Fisher - Gryphon C74; Mike Barnby - Spectrum Engineering Special B and Peter Ludford in te Diamond.

Is that the same Mike Barnby who now manufactures magnesium wheels?

[Joe Bosworth]

On 19 September Ray Bell wrote:
....."Somebody should refer to the multitude of races at Amaroo Park where various Clubmans (John O'Brien's Mawer, David Seldon's Welsor, Mike Lance's Farrell, Graham McClintock's Hargal, Peter Jones' (etc) Cheetah were regularly and convincingly beating all manner of expensive rear engined sports cars from 2.5 to 5-litres... all of them with pushrod 1300cc engines."

I thought I remembered a guy by the name of McClelland or something like that who was winning most of the Clubman races at Amaroo in 1981ish in a (then) 15 or 17 year old Nota. Wasn't there also a state championship or something that he won?

If so his name should be in the above list somewhere.

Regards

[metalshapes]

Some pics of my Mallock U2 mk6.

First one is how it looked when I found it,
in the second pic you can see what it looks like now.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Joe Bosworth
.....I thought I remembered a guy by the name of McClelland or something like that who was winning most of the Clubman races at Amaroo in 1981ish in a (then) 15 or 17 year old Nota. Wasn't there also a state championship or something that he won?

If so his name should be in the above list somewhere.

Missed this along the way somehow...

Two McClelland's drove that car, the older brother was Keith, who passed it on to Wes when he graduated to a Cheetah.

The minor title the car probably won was a secondary series at the AARC and NSWRRC meetings. It was a pretty up to date car for a Nota, however, one of the last clubmans they built, I think.


metalshapes... they are great cars, capable of tremendous speed. I hope you do well with it in its new sphere of operations. I don't think there's many of that sort of car in America at all.

[metalshapes]

No, there aren't that many here, but there are some.

This one belongs to a friend of mine who lives in Northern Arizona.

I built the hood for it, and I did some more metalwork on it...