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A TRIBUTE TO DENNIS ADAMS RIP
Nov 14th
We were very sad to hear of the death of Dennis Adams recently. Here we pay a little tribute to one of the specialist car industry’s cleverest designers. Best-known for his work at Marcos, of course, there was so much more to Adams than that and his 55-year career spawned a wide variety of always innovative creations. It was a working life that was definitely varied.
RIP DENNIS. ONE OF THE GREAT SPECIALIST CAR DESIGNERS
Dennis – and his engineer brother Peter – hailed from Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire. A job at local company – Lister Cars – introduced him to Brian Lister More >
REMEMBERING BRUNTINGTHORPE PROVING GROUND
Oct 24th
STEVE HOLE bemoans the fact that Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground is no longer available for testing purposes by car magazines but does tell the story of an interesting site that many, many TKC MAG/totalkitcar must have attended at least once over the years be it for a trackday or to attend a car auction and the like …
I used to love everything about Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in deepest Leicestershire, not far from Lutterworth and the M1 motorway. The place had a really great atmosphere about it, with plenty of RAF and USAAF history as well as a great on-site café. Let’s More >
INDIAN MOTORCYCLES – SPIRIT OF MUNRO STREAMLINER AND REMEMBERING BURT MUNRO
Sep 26th
I remember walking into Mark and Sylvia Grinnall’s stunning Mid West Moto showroom in Stourport-on-Severn, not so long ago and being transfixed by the Spirit of Munro Streamliner inspired by a legendary motorcycle land speed record campaigner, called Herbert ‘Burt’ Munro.
I remembered a 2006 film starring Anthony Hopkins called ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ about Munro and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. Some research also unveiled another film – this time a documentary from 1971 called: ‘Offerings to the God of Speed’, which is also well worth seeking out.
Herbert ‘Burt’ Munro was an amazing chap. He was nearly More >
THE GUYSON E12 AND GUYSON SANDBLASTER SPECIAL
Aug 22nd
SANDBLASTERS, E-TYPES AND MORE … STEVE HOLE TELLS THE MOTORSPORT STORY OF GUYSON INTERNATIONAL
Guyson Sandblaster Special built and driven by David Hepworth was Shell RAC Hillclimb Champion in 1969 and 1971
I guess the majority of totalkitcar.com and Classic Kit Cars & Specials readers may have heard of the Guyson E12, the work of the legendary, late William Towns. However, although the Jaguar E-type-based E12 was the only recorded collaboration between Towns and Guyson, the Leeds-based company did other cars, albeit race-inspired ones.
The company, Guyson International still exists and produces a variety of machinery focusing on industrial blasting and indeed, if More >
THE STORY OF JOHN WOOLFE – TALES OF A GENTLEMAN DRIVER, DRAG RACER, BUSINESSMAN WHO MET A TRAGIC DEATH AT LE MANS IN 1969
Aug 14th
EVER WONDERED WHY THE FAMOUS LE MANS RUNNING START WAS CANCELLED FOR THE 1970 RACE? STEVE HOLE BRINGS YOU THE STORY OF JOHN WOOLFE!
John Woolfe was a charismatic successful businessman, gentleman driver and a drag racer. He’d discovered the latter quite late and was a big supporter of the notable drag car builder Mark Stratton’s Hustler operation (‘Lead Sled’ was one of his best-known cars)
John Woolfe. Photo origin unknown but am keen to credit
A real entrepreneur and enthusiastic racer he also – as a result of getting so heavily into drag racing set up John Woolfe Racing in Bedford, in More >
THE STORY OF THE UK-OWNED FRENCH-BASED WINFIELD RACING SCHOOL
Jul 25th
WINFIELD RACING SCHOOL ‘ÉCOLE DE PILOTAGE WINFIELD’ – STEVE HOLE tells the story
Established as ‘Ecole de Pilotage Jim Russell’ by Bill Knight, his business partner and friend, jeweller Arthur Owen and well-known F3 driver, Jim Russell. The business was founded, with help from Gérard ‘Jabby’ Crombac, at Magny Cours near Nevers, France in 1963. Let’s use its correct name ‘Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
MANY thanks to https://rewind-media.com/2022/02/21/mike-knight-lunch-with-champions/
Mike Knight ran the Winfield Racing School operation at Circuit Nevers Many Cours for many years. The school was founded by his father Bill Knight. Photo courtesy of Eli at Rewind Media
Knight and Owen had collaborated with Russell on More >
THE UK’S FIRST 911 REPLICA – THE PULSAR!
Jul 18th
STEVE HOLE tells the story of the UK’s first Porsche 911 replica. No, it wasn’t the Covin, rather, we’re talking about the Pulsar.
When we think of Porsche 911 replicas one always instantly thinks ‘Covin’. However, it may be the best-known but it wasn’t the first. That accolade belongs to the Pulsar!
That’s Mike ‘Parky’ Parkington, of Lemazone behind the wheel of the Pulsar demo car. Pic taken at Castle Combe in September 1986 by the author.
Unlike the Covin the Pulsar didn’t use a shortened VW Beetle floorpan but rather a box section ladderframe instead, although the veedub parts bin was plundered for More >
DAVID ‘LAZO’ LAZENBY – TALES OF LOTUS, HAWKE RACING CARS AND PACE PRODUCTS
Jun 27th
Here’s a little feature on a motorsport engineering personality from the sixties called David ‘Lazo’ Lazenby.
Like many of his peers, Lazenby had built Austin Seven-based Specials pre-war before he joined the RAF.
He joined Team Lotus in 1963, initially on the Elite production line and then joined the racing team under Jim Endruweit. He was Jim Clark’s chief mechanic when he won the Indy 500 in 1965.
Rick Morris leading an FF1600 race in a Hawke. Would love to credit the image but snapper is unknown
Later that year he transferred within Lotus again and became general manager of Lotus Components. They produced racing cars outside of F1 More >
THE ROTHMANS 50,000 RACE
Jun 13th
THE ROTHMANS 50,000
The late Brands Hatch boss, John Webb was a real motorsport showman, innovator and pioneer. His career was peppered with a variety of well-known events, championships and a variety of stunts. STEVE HOLE tells the story of the Rothmans 50,000.
The late John Webb was a master of motorsport marketing and publicity. He also knew how to put on a show, even if sometimes they sounded too wacky to be true. One such event that took place at Brands Hatch on August 28, 1972 (August Bank Holiday) was a race with a £50,000 prize fund (approximately £461,260, allowing for inflation, today), More >
THE STORY OF ENRICO NARDI – MUCH MORE THAN JUST EXQUISITE STEERING WHEELS
May 29th
STEVE HOLE tells the story of Enrico
Enrico Nardi was born in 1907 in Bologna and began his automotive career with Lancia in 1931 before moving to Etceterini Auto Avio Costruzione in Modena as a test driver.
In 1937 Enrico Nardi moved to Modena to work for Enzo Ferrari and a lifelong friendship was forged. Nardi was Ferrari’s first test driver.
Nardi was a top racer of the day, a gifted engineer, a racing mechanic, and a practical joker although he could be awkward.
The highlight of his driving career was competing in the Mille Miglia before building his first car, the Nardi-Monaco Chichibio More >
