11 replies to this topic

[Terry Walker]

Actually, Gomm are definitely current, not former, but they have been active in the motor racing scene for decades, building and repairing monocoque tubs for several F1 teams, among many other things.

They are in Manor Way just off the High Street in Old Woking, on the road between Woking and Send, both towns with big F1 affiliation.

[Cirrus]

I've been there many times, but I'd never noticed that "G" gate before! Incidentally, the building on the left is RK James engineering, run by sometime Brabham Atlantic racer, Reg James. He now runs the Classic F3 series in the UK.

[BRG]

Another motor sport connection here is that just along the High Street to the west was Old Woking Motors, who entered Datsun 240Zs into major rallies in the early 1970s. I think it is now a Peugeot and Saab dealership (Ian Allan Motors) about where it says 'A247' on the map.

[RS2000]

Gomm of course built most of the body shells for the works Ford Escort rally cars (only later, in the post-works team Sutton/Rothmans days were Gartrac the major player?).
There is still great current interest on other on-line forums about the exact body modifications carried to the special Alan Wilkinson engineered cars built for the 1979 Monte Carlo Rally (with allegations that the continuing uncertainty is because they may not have complied fully with Appendix J Group4 regs).

[nikhil]

It would be very interesting to know the history of race teams that have occupied the
race workshop beside the fabrication workshop, that enjoyed Mo's hospitality.

To the best of my knowledge these have included

Ron Dennis - F2 Marches [Gomm Metal featured on the nose cones for a while]

Graham Hill - Embassy F1

Len Bailey - various Ford projects

Tony Fox - Len Bailey designed F3 / F Atlantic

Ron Wasley - Sovereign Racing - Eliseo Salazar - Ralt RT3

Chris Gray - Placido Igelisas - ex Piquet - Ralt RT1 [that Frank now owns]

? Metcalf - Lotus 23B - active historic racer

I imagine there have been heaps of others

[David Force]

FORCE also occupied this 'historic' workshop for a couple of years in the early nineties running their historic F1 cars such as Williams FWO7, Lotus 72, McLaren M23 etc. The best times were had during the tea breaks gathering around old Morris Gomm as he related tales of the good old days. A sdaly missed character who really had made such a contribution.

Who recalls that the original Tyrrell 001 tub was fabricated there and many other cars supposedly built by their new 'constructors' in the '70s.

[David Force]

FORCE also occupied this 'historic' workshop for a couple of years in the early nineties running their historic F1 cars such as Williams FWO7, Lotus 72, McLaren M23 etc. The best times were had during the tea breaks gathering around old Morris Gomm as he related tales of the good old days. A sdaly missed character who really had made such a contribution.

Who recalls that the original Tyrrell 001 tub was fabricated there and many other cars supposedly built by their new 'constructors' in the '70s.

[David Force]

FORCE also occupied this 'historic' workshop for a couple of years in the early nineties running their historic F1 cars such as Williams FWO7, Lotus 72, McLaren M23 etc. The best times were had during the tea breaks gathering around old Morris Gomm as he related tales of the good old days. A sdaly missed character who really had made such a contribution.

Who recalls that the original Tyrrell 001 tub was fabricated there and many other cars supposedly built by their new 'constructors' in the '70s.

[Gary C]

Pardon? lol

[MCS]

Originally posted by David Force
Who recalls that the original Tyrrell 001 tub was fabricated there and many other cars supposedly built by their new 'constructors' in the '70s.

Were the Formula Two and Formula Atlantic Boxers built at Gomm Metal ?

I was never quite sure who was responsible for those tidy cars that promised (and sometimes even delivered!) so much.

I also noticed the other day that Brian Lewis Racing was based at Fairoaks Airport in the late seventies. (Wasn't Alan Mann also at Fairoaks?)

[fausto]

Originally posted by nikhil
It would be very interesting to know the history of race teams that have occupied the
race workshop beside the fabrication workshop, that enjoyed Mo's hospitality.

To the best of my knowledge these have included

.................
Len Bailey - various Ford projects

..............
I imagine there have been heaps of others

They also built the EMKA Gp. C monocoque, another Len Bailey design

[Cirrus]

I also noticed the other day that Brian Lewis Racing was based at Fairoaks Airport in the late seventies. (Wasn't Alan Mann also at Fairoaks?)

Last time I looked, they were both still there. Alan Mann Aviation maintains a significant presence at Fairoaks, through his helicopter business. I haven't checked for a while, but I think Brian Lewis has a unit there, complete with Boxer hanging on the wall!

There's a very friendly buzz about Fairoaks - it maintains a happy balance between past and present.