Discussion
I don't know if anyone on here knew Bill, or if there has already been mention of him. He was well-known in the North Yorks area, a great pistonhead, brilliant guy, and a close friend of mine.
Sadly I've only just found out that he was killed in Canada, his new home since 1996.
Here's the newspaper report :
http://www.thepress.co.uk/search/3800223.Former_ra...
RIP mate.
Sadly I've only just found out that he was killed in Canada, his new home since 1996.
Here's the newspaper report :
http://www.thepress.co.uk/search/3800223.Former_ra...
RIP mate.
Very sad news and my thoughts go to his family.
On a slightly lighter note though, reading through the article did anyone else think the journalist must be a bit stupid?
On a slightly lighter note though, reading through the article did anyone else think the journalist must be a bit stupid?
article said:
Among the cars he owned were an E-Type Jaguar, AC Cobra, Ferarri 308 GTB and a turbo-charged Porsche Turbo.
Edited by mitch78 on Monday 2nd February 08:14
gemini said:
Having read the story he sounds a lad!
Fishing story leaves doubts?
You have to love the newspaper reporter - "he had a turbo charged Porsche Turbo stolen" really!
Yes Richard, he was a bit of a lad....always great fun in a mischievous sort of way....careful to slow down going past Fulford nick. Fishing story leaves doubts?
You have to love the newspaper reporter - "he had a turbo charged Porsche Turbo stolen" really!
He did (in)famously roll his Range Rover across several of his neighbours' gardens one night, after turning into his driveway at a somewhat optimistic speed... yes he'd had a few.
Apart from his 308 GTB, which was special in having the number plate '308GTB', and being Fibre-glass bodied,
some of the cars he owned which they didn't mention, were a Ferrari 246 Dino, a Maserati Bora, and a De Tomaso Pantera, not to mention the Daimler Dart that his dad bought him for his 17th birthday.
He owned the 308 from new, and sold it after 11 years of what he described as very reliable motoring. It was always serviced at Maranello, and Ferrari even had it resprayed for him as payment for their use of it in an advert.
Around 1989 he bought a pretty special Flatnose Porsche 911 turbo (possibly the one now at Malton). The one that was stolen during the test drive (remember it well
) was a silver 'standard' 911 turbo, which was recovered in Liverpool, I think about a day later.Bill was more peed off about having to walk home.
Also there was a Formula 2 which he raced in Europe.
Some in York thought he was perhaps a bit of a jack the lad, but those of us who knew him properly saw the kind and compassionate man behind the jolly japes and flash cars, and knew that he could also be found getting his hands dirty in his garage.
The newspaper article also doesn't mention that his wife (my lodger at the time they met) was in fact studying for a degree at St.Johns College in York, and was only working as a barmaid to subsidise her grant.
Funny how the papers can put a different slant on things. However, I thought the article was generally positive and fairly accurate.
A pistonhead through and through, that is for sure.
Edited by grahamw48 on Monday 2nd February 22:13
I am late to this too - but remember Bill racing his Cobra at Croft very well. Sometimes with more enthusiasm than raw talent - it was known to get away from him....I also recall hearing a story in the paddock at Harewood that he won a bet to drive from York to Scarborough in 20 minutes...
I have been checking to see if there has been any new posts regarding Bill Woods, and pleased to see one new post, can you put me in contact with anyone who might be able to tell me more about his short ownership of the DeTomaso Pantera (which I am the current owner), or if anyone else has information regarding his racing history i would be most grateful...I believe there are some family members?
I think he had a brother , Michael, who also raced a Cobra , if less effectively than Bill. Bill graduated to a McLaren F5000 car and I think that was probably a step too far as it often got away from him. I have just dug out a programme for a Croft meeting on 23 April 1973 and Bill was entered in the open single seater race against cars as varied as 1929 Bentley Pacey Hassan , a Chevron Clubmans car and F2 , FF1600 and F3 cars. Bill was driving a M14 which nominally was an F1 car but at least one was converted to F5000 use.
If you ever get to Harewood Hillclimb ask some of the people like Jim Johnstone , who was competing back then , still is in a TR6 as he may well have known Bill. And the Autosport Nostalgia Forum has a huge amount of other anoraks like me so that may help too.
If you ever get to Harewood Hillclimb ask some of the people like Jim Johnstone , who was competing back then , still is in a TR6 as he may well have known Bill. And the Autosport Nostalgia Forum has a huge amount of other anoraks like me so that may help too.
No idea about family but really , do try talking to people at Harewood or Croft - both have calendars on line so you can pick a suitable meeting .. Tony Sugden is another racer who was around at the time who is still with us. If you email CSCC they will forward it to Tony as he still does stuff for them .
Gassing Station | Yorkshire | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff