Please excuse me, but I have another Ecurie Ecosse question today : I seem to remember that I did read once (but where ?) that Ecurie Ecosse entered a MG Metro in the 80's. No trace of that in Graham Gauld's books. Who could tell me more about this info ? Was this car raced regularly and where : Ingliston only ? British MG Metro Challenge ? European MG Metro Challenge ? Thank you for your contribution.
Ecurie Ecosse MG Metro
Started by
Team Gunston
, Oct 28 2006 20:26
13 replies to this topic
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#2
2F-001
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Posted 29 October 2006 - 06:31
The 'Metro' connection that springs to mind most readily would be the (Ray Mallock-run) Group C2 car using the V64V engine that was developed along with the Metro 6R4. Not sure if that helps or confuses things...
As an aside - wasn't the RML C2 effort sponsored at some point by Royal Mail? The same livery - but for the specific Datapost brand - appeared on the Metros of Curnow (and Longman, was it?) in the BTCC. But no Ecosse connection there, just a common sponsor, I think.
As an aside - wasn't the RML C2 effort sponsored at some point by Royal Mail? The same livery - but for the specific Datapost brand - appeared on the Metros of Curnow (and Longman, was it?) in the BTCC. But no Ecosse connection there, just a common sponsor, I think.
#3
Team Gunston
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Posted 29 October 2006 - 07:35
The 'Metro' connection that springs to mind most readily would be the (Ray Mallock-run) Group C2 car using the V64V engine that was developed along with the Metro 6R4. Not sure if that helps or confuses things...
The MG Metro I am looking for is... a MG Metro. A mere MG Metro. No confusion in my mind with the Group C2 Rover engined Ecosse.
The same livery - but for the specific Datapost brand - appeared on the Metros of Curnow (and Longman, was it?) in the BTCC. But no Ecosse connection there, just a common sponsor, I think.
Just a common sponsor, I agree. But what about David Leslie, a regular EE and RML driver from 1984 to 1999 who, I believe, finished runner up in the 1985 European MG Metro Challenge ?
#4
Graham Gauld
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Posted 29 October 2006 - 07:40
You are quite correct, an MG Metro was entered for the Metro Challenge by a very good friend of Hugh McCaig and I, Campbell McLaren who had also owned the ex-Jimmy Stewart Ecurie Ecosse C type Jaguar. Campbell ran in only a few events and you are quite right I did not mention this in my book. Campbell at one time had the finest collection of Jaguars in Scotland.
#5
Team Gunston
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Posted 29 October 2006 - 08:01
Graham, you are welcome. Thank you very much for this confirmation. With the name of Campbell McLaren resurfacing, I think my forgotten source about EE running an MG Metro was the Ecosse Magazine, some 20 years ago.
Please, can you give us further details about this car : Was it entered in the British or in the European Challenge ? In which year ? And how was it liveried ?
Please, can you give us further details about this car : Was it entered in the British or in the European Challenge ? In which year ? And how was it liveried ?
#6
Stoatspeed
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Posted 30 October 2006 - 15:37
Does the use of the past tense here imply that Campbell no longer has the cars?Originally posted by Graham Gauld
Campbell at one time had the finest collection of Jaguars in Scotland.
Long ago when I was involved with the Jaguar Apprentices Motor Club, Campbell could always be relied upon to supply an interesting car for display at the annual dinner/dance via his connections with some of the senior members of the club and the company management. His famous "JAG 1" XKSS was present on a couple of occasions, no ropes or special fuss, just .. there!
I recently suggested on an XJ13 related thread here that he may have been involved in a close replica of that car ... maybe GG can comment?
Dave
#7
Graham Gauld
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Posted 30 October 2006 - 21:37
Campbell's family building company collapsed some years ago and Campbell had to sell off all of his cars which was a great pity. However, I am happy to say that Campbell is in great form and has taken part in our Ecurie Ecosse Tours in recent years. Until recently he raced a superb Jaguar XK150 Coupe that was apparently originally built by the factory but ws never raced. Today he has one of the fastest Jaguar E types around.
#8
Team Gunston
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Posted 30 October 2006 - 21:46
Thanks for this info Graham. But what do you remember about his MG Metro involvment, which was the basis of my original request ?
#9
Mistron
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Posted 30 October 2006 - 22:44
Do I recall correctly that amongst Campbells cars besides Jaguars were: a GT40 and a DB4 GT Zagato, both of which he demo'd at Ingliston?. He also had a Gullwing from memory.
So.... Why race Metros?
So.... Why race Metros?
#10
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 31 October 2006 - 06:03
David Leslie did indeed race an Ecurie Ecosse livered Metro in 1985 and raced in the main UK series including several Silverstone events. Was not the Metro challenge a BRDC championship?
I recall this as I painted it for David at the time, an award presented to him from Val Adaway of Formula Services. Val's company at the time was a 'paperwork' service - putting in race entries, commentator sheets, press releases etc with many hundreds of competitors on her books. As you can see, one of my early efforts, although David did say he still has it hanging up at home. Hope it gives some idea of the livery.
I recall this as I painted it for David at the time, an award presented to him from Val Adaway of Formula Services. Val's company at the time was a 'paperwork' service - putting in race entries, commentator sheets, press releases etc with many hundreds of competitors on her books. As you can see, one of my early efforts, although David did say he still has it hanging up at home. Hope it gives some idea of the livery.
#11
Graham Gauld
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Posted 31 October 2006 - 09:03
Mistron:
I am not sure about the GT40 but he certainly had an Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato that Graham Birrell occasionally drove. He had none of those cars at the time he ran the Metro and it was a low-cost way of staying in racing following his company's problems. The car David Leslie raced was Campbells.
I am not sure about the GT40 but he certainly had an Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato that Graham Birrell occasionally drove. He had none of those cars at the time he ran the Metro and it was a low-cost way of staying in racing following his company's problems. The car David Leslie raced was Campbells.
#12
Mistron
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Posted 31 October 2006 - 22:03
there is a very good website with pics from ingliston, and i'm sure a pic of a red GT40 credits CM as the owner, but you never believe what you read on the internet......! Should really check in Ronnie Spains book, Mind you, if it was in Scotland, Ronnie was probably in the passenger seat!
Do I take it that CM didn't race the Metro himself? David Leslie taking care of driving duty?
Do I take it that CM didn't race the Metro himself? David Leslie taking care of driving duty?
#13
Team Gunston
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Posted 01 November 2006 - 06:59
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
David Leslie did indeed race an Ecurie Ecosse livered Metro in 1985 and raced in the main UK series including several Silverstone events. Was not the Metro challenge a BRDC championship?
I recall this as I painted it for David at the time, an award presented to him from Val Adaway of Formula Services. Val's company at the time was a 'paperwork' service - putting in race entries, commentator sheets, press releases etc with many hundreds of competitors on her books. As you can see, one of my early efforts, although David did say he still has it hanging up at home. Hope it gives some idea of the livery.
That's great. It is exactly what I was expecting : an MG Metro finished in the distinctive flag metallic blue with the Saltire on its front wings. That is an historic and sexy livery for this little car. Not as sexy as the Jaguars, but it is all I am enjoying anyway.
Now I wonder in which Metro series David Leslie was running in 1985, for the BTCC biographies credit him with "joint 2nd in the 1985 European Metro Challenge". Don't remember what was that European challenge and it is too old now to find reports or infos on the web. Any idea ?
Another question : was it the basic MG Metro or the MG Metro Turbo version ?
#14
Team Gunston
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Posted 01 November 2006 - 07:04
Originally posted by Mistron
there is a very good website with pics from ingliston, and i'm sure a pic of a red GT40 credits CM as the owner, but you never believe what you read on the internet......! Should really check in Ronnie Spains book, Mind you, if it was in Scotland, Ronnie was probably in the passenger seat!
Do I take it that CM didn't race the Metro himself? David Leslie taking care of driving duty?
I think here is the photo you are mentioning Mistron :
http://www.photobox....?c_photo=166594
The year is 1981.
