Grantura Racing History

[RobMk2a]

Following on from the Goodwood thread I thought I'd start a thread on Granturas racing and to see if we can trace where the cars are now.

John Woolfe appears to have raced two Granturas one with a climax engine and one with a MGA engine. This is not a comprehensive race history but a start. The Climax engined car is now owned by Ivan Dutton originally registered AUD10 0 and the MG engined car is on the Grantura registry (not sure current owner) originally registered 1226 RO.

Source racingsportscars.com and Peter Filby, Rich Carter.

Photos from Grantura register and John Hendy.

23/3/1961 Lombank Trophy Snetterton number 19 TVR Climax DNF

3/6/1961 Peco Trophy Brands Hatch Number 104 16th

8/7/1961 British Empire Trophy Number 23 MG 18th

August 1961 Birkett 6 Hour race Silverstone 10F TVR team 12th

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 22:59

3/6/61 Peco Trophy Brands Hatch registration 1226 RO source Revs Library photo

Edited by RobMk2a on Tuesday 31st March 10:08

[RobMk2a]

1226 RO 7/C/345 but with MG engine.

Birkett 6 Hour - Photo John Hendy.

AUD10 0 Goodwood 73 MM 2015 7/C/238

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:17

Photo Ben Samuelson

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:19

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:24

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:28

[RobMk2a]

Silverstone August 1961 Birkett 6 Hour Relay Race

(EDIT - Aitchison 12 KMA ? photo below at Mallory Park but photo at Silverstone in Peter Filby's book page 93.
I now think this is Photo of 1960 Birkett where the TVR team appears to have been entered under number 7. )


10B Oakes Richard 1886 UE
10C John Brown
10D John Thurner / Tommy Entwistle? See page 132 Peter Filby's book I don't think this is the 1962 Birkett as indicated.
10E Wadsworth MK1 ex Aitchison see page 113 Peter Filby's book.
10F John Woolfe 1226 RO








10E photo on John.SHendy.co.uk

Photo Klaus Witzig's Grantura site and John Hendy.

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:47

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:50

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 17:54

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 07:55

[RobMk2a]

Both Keith Aitchisons MK1 (your car) and MK2 appear to have been registered 12 KMA so it may be difficult to trace the MK2.

Rob

[RobMk2a]

Keith Aitchison (Source racingsportscars.com) / Peter Filby).

3/4/1960 Aintree 200 - I assume MK1 12 KMA ?

7/8/1961 Peco Brands Hatch MK2?
August 1961 Silverstone Birkett 6 Hour (see previous post).
19/8/61 Goodwood TT Keith Aitchison / Colin Escott Number 29 see page 99 Peter Filby's book. 21st but Filby indicates DNF crankshaft. MK2.
1/10/1961 Peco Brands Hatch 4th MK2?
6/8/1962 Peco Brands Hatch entered by KA but Ninian Sanderson driver. 17th - is this an early MK3?

He continues to be an entant at the TT for Peter Bolton, Rob Slotemaker, Keith Ballisat and Tommy Entwistle I assume these are MK3's.

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 23:32

[RobMk2a]

Chris Summers was entered but DNA - I assume in the same Reserach Garages car.

Silverstone 12/5/1962 1588cc

Chris Summers also entered himself in Snetterton 15/7/1962 number 9 7th. This is the same Car see photo on Revs Digital Library.

Note TE2 Tommy Entwistle's MK2 (with MK3 bonnet) was also in the same race at Snetterton number 22 Photo on Revs Digital Library.

Source Racingsportscars.com and www.revslib.stanford.edu

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 19:14

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 22:58

Edited by RobMk2a on Tuesday 31st March 14:27

[RobMk2a]

John Brown 10c Silverstone 6 Hours

I'm struggling to find out much information to indentify John Brown's car but there is an excellent report of the six hour race in Autosport 18 /8/61 a copy of which can be found on Www.sebringsprite.com under articles.

This contemporary report shows the various mechanicle issues with both John Woolfe's and Oakes Richards cars. John Thurner's car appears to have started the relay and was running well until it ran out of fuel. There is a good picture of the start of the race with the Thurner car towards the back.

John Brown's car had a climax engine and modified bonnet seen on photo above. Elsewhere he seems to have raced Mkiv And Mkv Elva's and was entered to race a Morgan in the 63 TT with Ray Meredith.

Source racing sportscars.com and sebringsprite.com

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 22:22

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 22:31

Edited by RobMk2a on Sunday 29th March 22:34

[RobMk2a]

Silverstone 6 hours race 1960

Peter Philby's says the TVR team withdrew from the1962 race so I assume a number of photos in his book are of the 1960 Birkett..

7F - Page 101 Peter Filby's book - Tommy Entwistle's MK2 Reg TE2

3PT is parked next to TE2 but no number visible.

Page 93 shows Keith Aitchison's MK 2 ( no number visible but lined up in 7th position on the Le Mans style grid.

Page 93 also shows a two tone Grantura is this TE2.

If a TVR team was entered in 1960 under 7 etc I think my early post on the 1961 is inaccurate. Tommy Entwistle And Keith Aitchison are not mentioned in the Autosport report for 1961. Anyone have Autosport for August 1960.

Looking at pages 110, 132 and 140 it looks as though Tommy Entwistle and John Thurner may have shared the same car TE2. The bonnet appears to have been hacked about for cooling but they all seem to have the same 2 tone colour (light over dark) and wobbly web wheels.

Peter reports Timmy Entwistle's MK2 was crashed in Oulton Park in August 1962 and rebuilt as a MK3 also TE2 but with a dark over light two tone paint colour. See page 152 Peter Filby's book.

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 07:57

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 08:07

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 08:08

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 09:15

[RobMk2a]

Thank you - I'll try to find Gerry's book.

With regards John Brown 10c in the 1961 Silverstone 6 hour relay.

Bit of a long shot but is this John Brown of the John Brown of LeJog and co-driver with Erik Carlsson in the SAAB 1961 RAC (1st place) and Timo Makinen Healey 1964 RAC Rally. Motor racing seemed to be small world at the time with many people trying different disciplines.

It appears TVR were involved in Rallying with Peter Bolton / G Shanley entered a TVR in the 1961 RAC (DNF through electrical problems) and Arnold Burton later on.

I assume John Brown LeJog is still contactable?

[RobMk2a]

DavidY said:

I had a V5 for the Grantura Mk1 with the reg plate 12KMA

12 KMA at Silverstone 1961 Source John Hendy Photo

Is the restoration finished.

I wonder what Keith Aitchison's MK2's registration became and where is it now.

Edited by RobMk2a on Monday 30th March 10:01

[RobMk2a]

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]

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]

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]

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

[RobMk2a]

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]

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

[RobMk2a]

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

[RobMk2a]

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.

[RobMk2a]

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

[RobMk2a]

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