Once again FJHRA were kindly invited to share the HSCC stand at last weekend’s Race Retro show at Stoneleigh, under new management for the future from the first day of the Show.
Duncan, Sarah [in and out from Lithuania], Grant and Penny and Bob Birrell were all on hand to greet members, new and old, answer queries, and deliver the latest club magazine.
Star exhibit this year was the lovely restoration of an almost forgotten car, the Mk 2 Merlyn. Five front engine cars were made, the Mk 1 driven by Peter Pilsworth, one Mk2 doing service in USA with Bob Fuller, two cars ended up in Kenya at the Nakuru Park circuit, flown out in the hold of an RAF bomber and disguised as local specials, to avoid import duty, and this last one, 10R, which was supplied to “Colonel” Jerry Simeone at USAF Bentwaters, but with the Lotus 18 revolution already in hand, was left with Colchester Racing Developments when he returned to USA, and then many decades later the remains were sold by Selwyn Hayward, before he died, to John Sykes, already the owner of the Mk5/7 “Magic Merlyn”, and have been the subject of a lengthy and meticulous restoration.
In fact, amusingly, there had been a “Merlyn Mk 2 “racing in historics previously, as in those early days, historians did not have the resource now available, and the Condor S II that Keith Roach now owns had been misidentified and raced with HVIF papers as a Merlyn, while, to confuse the story further, the Bennett FJ, designed and raced by Derek Bennett of Chevron fame, had earlier been misidentified and regularly entered in events as a Condor!! The about to be published RECORD BOOK of Historic Formula Junior 1975-99; and the RECORD BOOK of the Monoposto Formula 1958-1976, which will follow, will show the corrected story!!
Friday brought well over a hundred visitors, not least the returnees from South Africa, including Richard Pugh, and Val and Chris Merrick, waiting to get back to the garage when the cars are unloaded. We met Richard Perry, who has purchased Lynx-BMC FJ 104 from Mark Green , and who was the owner of the Merlyn Mk 4A FOR SALE on the HSCC stand. M Ian Robinson has transferred both his Lolas to Delta Motorsport, the Mk 2 for M Ian and the Mk 5 BRJ 49 for Iain Rowley to use until his 22 is repaired. Delta are certainly busy, with the refresh of the ex-Ugo Piccagli Gemini-Ford 1025 for Jaguariste, Colin McKay, almost completed, and FJ cars for Roger Woodbridge, James Owen and James McBrien to run and ex-Treasurer’ Stephen Bulling ‘s Elva 300 nearing completion. Tony Steele and Anne were there, the Lola Mk 2 still for sale, although there has been considerable interest. Mark Green himself, raring to go again in HIS 18 was extremely busy throughout the Show with drivers’ medicals.
Chris Alford has been itching to get back into FJ, and was sent off to Ely to talk to Andrew and Sue Spence, and has since come back as the proud owner of their Elva 200-Ford. There was much Formula Junior interest around the Historic Sporting Trials stand, with two Cannons on display, and both David Brand and Westie Mitchell helping out. Chris [ IOW] Atkinson was seen talking to David about his BMC Mk 1 FJ, while the Australian Rennmax of Phil Hall is also for sale, Phil now concentrating on his Cooper T 59, for which the correct ERSA gearbox is now available from Ollie Crosthwaite, who was at the Show, and has promised the full and comprehensive price list for all 4 speed and 5 speed versions as parts, or complete boxes, this month. The Fydas, father and son, are planning their season, under Meg’s control, and John realises that the BT6 is a better fit for him, so the ex-Leo Geoghegan Lotus 22-J-50 will be reluctantly for sale as surplus to requirements. Geoff Richardson reported a busy throughput of FJ Ford engines, while Pete Smith of PDS is moving units up in Yorkshire, now running all the Classic Hewland requirements, and John Pearson was very positive about Dunlop tyre supply for the year.
Jeremy Bouckley, Martin Cowell [who assures me that he has made a start to clear the garage with the T4 Ausper] Stuart Rolt and Mark Linstone had their own Autojumble stands, and Mark, at least, was buoyant about his takings.
Conveniently next to FJHRA was the 500 OA stand, with Gordon Russell’s Mackson, and a couple of Coopers, one ex-Lewis Evans on show. Those in evidence included Charles Reynolds and Mike Wood, but others included Xavier Kingsland [who has recently also acquired Michael Waller’s Hillwood-FIAT], Andrew Marriott, former GP journalist, and recently the man behind the new “Le Mans” film, and the Swedish contingent, including Peter Petersen, who has recently bought Olof Rosen’s Elva 100 – funny that we should meet another ex-Volvo employee on our Kruger Park Game reserve in Feb, who knew Olof (and formula junior) well.
Several of the race organisers, Nick Wigley of Silverstone classic and Henrik Strandgaard
of Aarhus, were to be seen, but HGPCA had no stand this year, and have moved their AGM to the Silverstone Test Day. 750MC, CSCC and VSCC had their usual stands, the latter prominently manned by their efficient Communications Manager James Taylor. Richard Winchester has left and Gemma Price is now i/c of circuit racing and Andy Conway, speed events. HF3 had Barry Sewell’s Lotus 41, for sale complete with Goodwood entry, and the previously unseen Lotus 59 of Emmerson Fittipaldi, out of the public eye since 1972, on their stand, while there was the nice BT 21B-28 of Simon Harratt in 1600cc t/c trim on one of the hill-climb stands.
Saturday morning remained active, but visitors tailed off thereafter. Nonetheless it had been a very worthwhile weekend to meet and chat to drivers.