24 replies to this topic

[Graham Gauld]

I am currently preparing a biography of Cliff Allison and wonder if any of the TNF contributors have any PERSONAL anecdotes about Cliff. I say personal because most people know the common stories about Cliff, his accident at Monaco where he woke up in hospital speaking French etc. I am trying to contact any of his very early friends in the 500cc racing days for examples.
Does anyone in Canada have an address of telephone number for Merv Therieau an ex Lotus mechanic who lives in Blenheim, Ontario ?

Graham Gauld

[David Beard]

Graham, I have Merv's address: I'll be back to you. So probably will his mate Maurice Levy who posts here.

[raceannouncer2003]

Merv actually lives in Vancouver...let me know if you need any help with that...

Some other ideas for people to contact (if they're still around!) many of whom you've undboubtedly considered already!

Reg Bicknell
Tony Brooks
Hazel Chapman
Hermano da Silva Ramos
Bill Frost
Dan Gurney
Keith Hall
Bette Hill
Phil Hill
Peter Jopp
Pete Lovely (I have his contact info in Tacoma, Washington)

A friend here on Vancouver Island, Shane Davis, befriended Cliff Allison in his later years, through Merv, and may be able to help if you like.

Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada

[bluelite]

Didn't Allison have a malady? I remember seeing a letter that my colleague received from him just before his death. His handwriting was very shaky and he explained in the letter why that was. But i'll first ask him before I can say 100% that it was a letter from Allison and not from another driver.

[David M. Kane]

Sally Stokes Swart can be reach in LA through HSR-West, the race organization. The phone number is on their website.

[Vicuna]

Off topic but did Sally and Ed have children?

[raceannouncer2003]

I saw Sally at Monterey this year and she appeared to be showing some other ladies some photos of grandkids...but I could be wrong...

Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Vicuna
Off topic but did Sally and Ed have children?

I think Paulien is Eds daughter. www.paulienzwart.com

[ReWind]

Originally posted by Rob29
I think Paulien is Eds daughter.

No. Paulien is the daughter of Dutch driver Klaas Zwart (b. 1951).

[Graham Gauld]

I am in the midst of Cliff Allison's biography and came across a story about the Gulf Stream Hotel where, in 1956, Cliff and Colin Chapman were whisked by the owner to stay. Does anyone know who the owner, a racing enthusiast, was, and was he married to a Princess ? I know this is obscure but let's give it a try. Having opened the thread I shall no doubt be back if I get stuck on anything else about Cliff.

[Scuderia SSS]

Sorry, i dont know the answer to your question, but as i met Cliff about 6 months before he died, i would be most interested in the biography. He was a lovely guy and i really enjoyed chatting with him.
Good luck with the book!!

[Paul Parker]

I look forward to reading this Graham, good luck with it!

[Graham Gauld]

Dear Paul and SSS

Thank you for your kind remarks. I first met Cliff around 1952 when he first started with his Cooper and it is quite amusing to find that so many people enjoyed being with Cliff but he was very shy and quite inhibited and as a result if you analyse your conversations with him you realise that Cliff very rarely initiated a conversation which is why so many of his friends are sometimes stumped to think of anything he said. However, someone did some extensive interviews with Cliff with a view to writing a book but then realised the task would be too great as he was not closely familiar with motor racing during the period Cliff raced. Thankfully Tony Brunskill has given me access to the tapes which Cliff's sister Pat had transcribed. Happily, however, I have been able to uncover a great deal of information including Cliff's correspondence and it should add quite a bit of information about motor racing and people.
Dan Gurney was very helpful and has already written the Foreword to the book.
Publication date ? Firstly it depends on whether a publisher would be interested and so we shall have to wait and see.

[WGD706]

Mr Gauld
Is this the Gulf Stream Hotel that's in Brittany, France? I'm guessing that you've already been in touch with the present-day management and requested whatever information you could get from them. If not, their address and phone numbers are:
Gulf Stream Hotel
26, rue des Sept Iles
22700 Perros-Guirec
France
Tel 02.96.23.21.86
Fax 02.96.49.06.61
Or you can e-mail them at this web-page:
http://www.gulf-stre.../eng/contac.php
Hope this has been of some help.
Warren

[Graham Gauld]

Warren

No I am sorry I should have explained the hotel is in Miami or perhaps Palm Beach Florida.

[WGD706]

The Gulf Stream Hotel
1 Lake Ave
Lake Worth, FL 33460
Palm Beach County
(561) 540-6000
On January 11, 1983, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Warren

[olav glasius]

Graham,
If it can be of interest I own the Team Lotus XI that ran at
Le Mans in 1956 with Cliff Allison.

[Sergio Sultani]

Originally posted by Graham Gauld
... I say personal because most people know the common stories about Cliff, his accident at Monaco where he woke up in hospital speaking French etc. ...

Graham Gauld

Graham
Do you know more details about this in Monaco ?

And do you know why Cliff and all drivers on the rows 6 and 7 of the 1958 Germany GP (Bonnier, Herrmann, Brabham, B.Naylor, C.Allison, C.Goethals and G.Hill) were relegated to these positions after the practice in it ? What they do ?

FELIZ NATAL !!
Sergio Sultani.

[cafox513]

Almost completely different question, with your permission.

I'm trying to find out what number plate Lotus Elite #51 carried at Le Mans when it ran there under the guidance of Messrs Allison and McKee in 1961. I've build a model . . . and dare not show the aft end.

Thanks in advance

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Sergio Sultani


Graham
Do you know more details about this in Monaco ?

And do you know why Cliff and all drivers on the rows 6 and 7 of the 1958 Germany GP (Bonnier, Herrmann, Brabham, B.Naylor, C.Allison, C.Goethals and G.Hill) were relegated to these positions after the practice in it ? What they do ?

FELIZ NATAL !!
Sergio Sultani.

According to the 'black book' these drivers had not completed the required 6 practice laps,so were relegated to the back of the grid.

[Barry Boor]

I've build a model

Can't help on the registration plate but I intend to produce a re-painted diecast of this car, too.

I wonder what shade of green you used, cafox?

[Graham Gauld]

Reference Nurburgring you may find that some of the drivers in question were in Formula 2 cars alongside the Formula 1 cars which started at the back.

The Mike McKee/Cliff Allison Le Mans car was not road registered as far as I am aware as it was ordered at the same time as the two Lotus 19's the team had. It may have been road registered later but there was no registration plate on the front of the car. I have never seen a rear view shot of the car so cannot confirm this. The car, I believe, was painted in the usual UDT-Laystall pale green with the short "ribbon" of tartan across the hood.

Reference the Le Mans Lotus Eleven this was the car in which Cliff Allison hit the dog on the Mulsanne Straight and put the car out of the race. The following year he and Keith Hall won the Index with the 750cc version.

[olav glasius]

The Lotus Eleven driven at LeMans in 1956 by Cliff Allison and Keith Hall
Reg nr DEC 494 hit a dog in the ninth hour and was beyond repair.
The car is now in my collection,it is the special wide body Eleven
according to the LeMans regulations, it also had a wiper and
large scuttle tank

Olav Glasius

[David McKinney]

One of at least five XIs which raced with that registration number
I presume yours is 211 Olav?

[olav glasius]

Yes mine is 211. You are correct that many cars raced with this reg.nr
but I have the DVLA papers for that number. My car was also used
for the Lands end to John O Groats run. I was taken to Sebring in 1956
and sold in the USA .

Olav Glasius