Grantura Racing History

Grantura Racing History

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RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
John Brown was also Stan Pateman's Co driver in the Tulip Rally 6/5/62 MK2a XFV 865 Number 38 see page 126 Filby's book.

I'll try to contact him to see if he is the same John Brown.

I've found a number of very good photos taken by George Phillips on the Stanford University Revs Digital Library including one of number 38 being serviced at Spa.

I've contacted Revs to see if the photos can be reproduced on this website.

Rob



Edited by RobMk2a on Tuesday 31st March 09:39
edit for predictive spelling on iPad!

Edited by RobMk2a on Tuesday 31st March 09:40

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
Keith Aitchison MK2 cont..

As a post script to the previous info on Keith Aitchison's MK2. He also entered the light (white) coloured MK2 at the Zandvoort World Cup 3/9/1961 Number 7 but unregistered (I assume this was a Dutch GP support race).

Bearing in mind that the V5 for 12 KMA remained with the MK1 did the MK2 ever receive a registration number.

Source and good photo on Www.revslib.stanford.edu

I've found another reference to the World Cup race at Zandvoort. It appears Aitchison's car was driven by Tommy Entwistle and came 8th.

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 5th April 07:52

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
Oakes Richard Research Garage MK2 1886 UE Continued..

There is an early photo of 1886 UE at Mallory Park with 'Ford engine' body style vents rather than the cut away bonnet. It has Wobbly Web wheels. Car number 30 Nottingham Sports Car Club 31/7/1960.

Source Revs Library photo.

Page 195 Peter Filby's book shows Peter Simpson diving 1886 UE at Silverstone in 1964 race number 145.

Did Chris Summers or Research Garage sell the car to Peter Simpson.




Edited by RobMk2a on Tuesday 31st March 10:55

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
I've had feedback from the Revs Library whilst I can put links to their site free of charge. In order to down load photos of Granturas on to this website it will cost up to $60 per image including licensing fee.

I can set up a personal collection but not publish at that price. I guess we may have to wait for Peter's book to see more photo's!

There is fantastic collection if you search on George Phillips who I guess was the Autosport photographer.

Rob

luckycarter

158 posts

276 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
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Great pics on that revs website, can you actually buy prints?. Good find Rob

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
Yes - send them an email they comeback quite quickly with order form etc.

You can also set up personal files but they are held on their website. I'm not sure how I can easily link photos to make this thread more interesting.

I've just delete the pictures of the Research Garage Grantura 1886 UE at Mallory I didn't realise it was one of their photos until I looked through 1964!

Rob

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all
Going back to the John Woolfe cars I have now found Jim Lowry's advert / history of AUDI00- 7/c/238.

Source Jim Lowry reproduced on www.tvrcarclub-france.net

It states it was one of the 4 factory built lightweight MK2 cars, originally owned by Arnold Burton but driven by Jon Woolfe in 1961. Arnold Burton confirmed John raced it at Goodwood and Silverstone.

It was raced in the Fordwater Trophy on 3rd April 1961 with the climax engine. Later the MGA engine was installed for the Silverstone Empire Trophy on 6th July 1961. I understand it was 18th completing 22 laps.

It was then sold to Mike Sargeant who raced in BRSCC events between 1962 -64.
Third own was Bill Cook who club raced at Brands Hatch and Snetterton.

So it appears that Arnold Burton owned AUDI00 7/c/238 and John Woolfe owned 1226 RO. 7/c/345 but both ended up with MG engines.

Rich Carter has a report written by John Woolfe on 1226 RO which states he used the car to commute to his office in Clerkenwell. 1226 RO was for sale recently and the photos appear to indicate it has a lightweight chassis.

Jim Lowry says there were 4 lightweights, If John Woolfe's cars are both lightweights - where are the other two. Are these Aitchison's MK2 and the MK 2 of Tommy Entwistle / John Thurner or 10c as driven by John Brown.




Edited by RobMk2a on Thursday 2nd April 15:30

luckycarter

158 posts

276 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all
Hi Rob,
Adrian Liepins Mk2 is a full lightweight 7/C/209, its on the Grantura registry w/site

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all
It would be interesting to know if there were only 4 lightweights and which cars they were.

If Tommy' Entwistle's MK2 was one (and may not have been) it was crashed / written off and rebuilt into the MK3 TE2.

So does that mean Adrain's car is the one driven by John Brown? 10c in the 1961 6 Hour relay. The Autosport report says it had a climax engine. I've written to John Brown the Rally organiser by email c//o 4x4 xplore to see if it was him and if he remembers racing and rallying Granturas - No response yet.

Or were there more than 4 lightweights.

Keith Aitchison raced his MK 2 extensively could this have been a works lightweight.

Rob

luckycarter

158 posts

276 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all
Hi Rob,
I think the John Brown car was 7/c/222. It was for sale on e-bay in Nov 2003 from Germany,there was the picture from the Birkett 6-hours in the advert, it also said its first owner was Betty Haigh, i think it also went on to be registered 24BPO i have photo's of this racing and it looks like the same car, being raced by A.D.Barrett in 1962

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all




The first car is supposedly AD Barrett at Brands Hatch - however I can't find any reference to AD Barrett racing at Brands Hatch. I guess if I can find a hard copy of Autosport for around the period it may have the entry list.

Whilst I agree the bonnet vent looks the same if you play 'spot the difference' the first car does not have a side vent in a similar fashion to the early MK 1 Jomars / Granturas. However the John Brown car 10c does. Is this a result of a rebuild?

I remember the Betty Haig reference when 7/c/222 was for sale. The Grantura registry website unfortunately doesn't have any recent photos.

Interestingly there is an article written in 1965 in Motor Sport on Betty Haig and her cars. It refers to her AC Ace and Elite and other cars but unfortunately no reference to the TVR., although it goes on to say she owned 50 + cars.


luckycarter

158 posts

276 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
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Hi Rob,
Its weird, i have that photo from Brands which is from May 63 with no side vents as you say but i also have photos of it from 62 and 64 showing vents!!!!, all with A.D.Barrett as driver

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
quotequote all
Seems very strange to have no side vents even MK1's had them.

Do you know anything about AD Barrett I've not found any references to him.

My initial thought was it was Keith Aitchison's car which raced at Brands Hatch in a number of occasions. The dark / black roundalls are the same but the side vent, bonnet and side windows are slightly different.

Rob

GTRene

16,551 posts

224 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
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RobMk2a said:
Seems very strange to have no side vents even MK1's had them.

Rob
maybe its a Jomar?
I have pictures on my PC from Jomar's (mk1 looks) also without those vents.

edit...ow you talk about the mk2 I guess, then I don't know.

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
quotequote all
Interesting letter and photo from Peter Moulds (Henry's son) in this months Motor Sport (page 60) identifying the drivers and team manager of the Le Mans cars outside the Hotel de France.

Peter says he went to Le Mans in 1962 by air ferry taking his Grantura reg 184 PTB.

He says there were only 2 Le Mans cars number 65 and 31.

Rob


Thurner Fan

98 posts

155 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
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RobMk2a said:
He says there were only 2 Le Mans cars number 65 and 31.
My understanding is that the third car was just a road car that they took to be cannibalised for spares, if required.

TF

GTRene

16,551 posts

224 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
quotequote all
nice le-mans gallery with the 2 grantura's>

http://www.bookprinters.co.uk/tvr-le-mans/image-ht...

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Is this 7/c/222 Source Klaus Witzig site. Does anyone know the History of the car is it the John Brown car 10c from the 6 Hour relay.


luckycarter

158 posts

276 months

Monday 6th April 2015
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Yes Rob thats 7/c/222, i think it is the John Brown car, it used to be on the Grantura Registry site looking as in your posted photo in around 2002 belonging to a Michael Hoelz from Germant(Munich i think).

RobMk2a

Original Poster:

432 posts

131 months

Thursday 30th April 2015
quotequote all
Just come a short colour clip of the 1959 6 hour relay. The video is on Www.bbsbooks.co.uk or you tube under TVR Relay Race Silverstone and is narrated by Derek Bracegirdle.

Accordingly to Filby, Derek and his bother Tony owned Mk1 Granturas and Tony's car iwas in the team of 6 MK1 Granturas.

The team had problems in the relay and didn't finish. The cars were privately owned but entered to promote the factory. .

Rob