4 replies to this topic

[David Kipling]

I have earlier posted this query on rasf1, and I imagine many members here see that newsgroup, but Nostalgia Forum is quite something as regards ID'ing cars, and so:

In 1963/4 I photographed and made a note of a KIEFT formula car at the Ragley Hall hill-climb. The owner had painted the monicker "THE CLEWER SPECIAL" on the nose, and it had a carbureted Chevrolet V-8 in the back. This was seriously over-confident in my view, but fun for a hill-climb.

I cannot tell from the photos what kind of Kieft it was. I know they built a lot of F3 500cc cars, but this one is surely too big for that. Did Kieft make F2 or FJ cars?

Phto links:

http://www.oldstox.c...ages/kieft1.jpg

http://www.oldstox.c...ages/kieft2.jpg


David Kipling
BC, Canada

[AAA-Eagle]

In 1960 Ron Timmins designed a Kieft Formula Junior car. Several chassis were built and one of them is shown in your pictures. Modern pictures of Kieft Formula Junior: http://www.conceptca...53&iDNumID=1913

Marko

[David Kipling]

Marko, thanks a million. That's the model. I cannot get over how FAST and KNOWLEDGABLE the replies are on this website, 'way above all others. Fantastic. I would love to find out whether the Kieft in my photo survived the stress of that Chevy V-8 ---!

David Kipling

[bobbo]

And it's a LOVELY little thing, too! I think I have a new favorite!

Bobbo

[HiRich]

From Des Hammil's book on Cyril Kieft, there's only a short section on the Juniors (since Cyril had sold out of the business by then).

There's a period picture of the prototype, featuring the high screen, but a more modern straight nose. There's a modern picture of Marc Nicholls' American car with "your" nose.

Production was planned at twelve. Due to a cock-up on Purchase Tax, the prototype was broken up and cannibalised for parts on the first five cars (one of which took the prototype's chassis). Ultimately, ten chassis were built up, but only five were fitted with engines and running in 1961. One of these (Chris Summers) was destroyed, and he transplanted the usable items into one of the five unfinished chassis.
At the time of writing (2005), two of the running cars were in the USA, the three others in the UK. It doesn't say what happened to the four rolling chassis.