Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

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Came across this framed photograph of an American fighter pilot who lost his life whilst defending our country.
In 1978 I bought a farm in Shipley West Sussex, right next door to Coolham airfield which had been a fighter station, manned mainly by Poles during the war.
There was a 300’ Long barn on the property which had been used to house over thirty pilots, again mostly Polish——- I converted the barn into two houses, never thought to record the interior which was full of drawings and sketches in a language I couldn’t read. Was only when I tore out the interior with the help of my lifelong polish friend Adam Laszczar I found out the history of the place.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Yup, that was after I introduced him to GG at Parker——- he also paid for the boat to be flown over to LA——- Duckworth arranged for Roger Penske to pick the boat up and keep it at one of his garages. Brett May towed the boat from LA to Havasu——— I bought a GMC Custom Panel Van so Malcolm TYRRELL——- Ian Hawkins and me could tow the Cosworth back from Havasu.

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Is there a history anywhere of Bud Davies life as a boat racer and his involvement later, sounds like he had in interesting time?

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Originally Posted by powerabout

Is there a history anywhere of Bud Davies life as a boat racer and his involvement later, sounds like he had in interesting time?

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Sure is Pilgrim—— look in Kevin Desmond’s book—— he was always around the circuits for as far back as I can remember. He was curate for the French Maritime Museum for a while, until it was decided by the French government to be a “Non profitable enterprise and closed it down.
Bedford told me once he had raced in Paris in the mid thirties, and there arelictures of him in a pork pie skidlid in Kevin’s book——— I forgot the name of his book, I have it somewhere, probably boxed up in the garden shed!

Think it’s “A CENTURY OF OUTBOARDS” by Kevin Desmond———- he sent me a signed copy for answering some of his questions.
He wrote a second book on speed and record attempts—— I don’t have that one——- by that time we had gone our separate ways———- we both lived in France but 800 miles apart!
Last time I saw him was at the OSPREYS 50th Anniversary dinner——- he could probably tell you the name of every single person there.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Think it’s “A CENTURY OF OUTBOARDS” by Kevin Desmond———- he sent me a signed copy for answering some of his questions.
He wrote a second book on speed and record attempts—— I don’t have that one——- by that time we had gone our separate ways———- we both lived in France but 800 miles apart!
Last time I saw him was at the OSPREYS 50th Anniversary dinner——- he could probably tell you the name of every single person there.

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I'll check as I have that book

Kevin also did "POWER BOAT" & "POWER BOAT SPEED" they are both essentially the same book, but also have good references to Mr Davie....

A copy is on E-Bay now ( nothing to do with me..just sayin')

Both also mention several times someone called Wilson......I wonder whatever happened to him:confused:

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Originally Posted by ron54

Kevin also did "POWER BOAT" & "POWER BOAT SPEED" they are both essentially the same book, but also have good references to Mr Davie....

A copy is on E-Bay now ( nothing to do with me..just sayin')

Both also mention several times someone called Wilson......I wonder whatever happened to him:confused:

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Only Reason I got a mention Phill Was because Kevin was on the phone every day of the week, asking questions about this and that———- so it was his way of saying thanks.
Bedford Davies footed the publishers bill if memory serves, so he too would be mentioned in dispatches.

You were asked then as now..because you are a reliable source of knowledge and information about boat racing history YOU WERE THERE and mostly you speaka da truth....I say "mostly" as I take all these tales of sexual conquests with a large pinch of salt.. how a bloke with a face that would frighten a pirate could even persuade a girl to come across with a sentence let alone anything else baffles us all lol..

Also take those books out of the shed, little furry things love to nibble bookie things and they always have the knack of finding the important to attack to eat!

Coolham was one of several airstrips especially set up to support the D-Day landings.. I searched out several on an evening when I used to do Goodwood they are unique in that there is hardly anything left to show they ever existed......

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Lokkee what I picked up at the car boot on Saturday——- two quid, I didn’t haggle——- even mentions the polish pilots and the Coolham airfield——— there were hundreds of small airfields all along the south coast. Most of them long gone and forgotten Tangmere, White Waltham, Ford——- there were twenty just around Chichester.

In my next life, I shall come back as either a veterinary or a dentist.
On the cruise some weeks ago now, I managed to dislodge one of my false teeth from the denture——- now we all know what this means when you swallow a wayward molar!
No, I didn’t go looking for it——— today the kitchen goddess made me visit the dentist. Just for her to give me five minutes of her very, very expensive time cost me £21.Yes she could get the laboratory to stick a new tooth on the plate————slight problem, I had to leave my top denture with her for a week or ten days! I suggested she ordered the tooth and sold it to me and I would super glue the damn thing in myself!
That's not possible she tells me———- I tried to point out that on these hot and steamy nights, her who sleeps next to me could come over all romantic like———- but with no top teeth a bit of “Tongueing” with a bit of “HANKY PANKY” for afters would be out of the question . Made no difference, the plate would be sent away and there would be a charge of £60 plus——- or, she could make me a whole new top denture for around the£350/500 mark.
As you may gather, by this time, I’m a tad pissed at the lady dentist———- it’s a lost false tooth for crying out loud,not under any circumstances should it be a Kings Ransom !
I left in a huff ———- came home and looked on the net——- I can get a mixed bag of fifty acrylic teeth
for £2:99 from Hong Kong (with free postage,) or a set of five top fangs for £1:99 from Tunbridge Wells, plus two quid postage ?
Thats why I may come back as a dentist !
Tell you about Me, The Dog, and the Vet later!

So—- her who shall be obeyed at all times wants another dog——— now dogs don’t come cheap, unless you live in Thailand or the Australian outback.
We have had a pair of retrievers most of our married life, but after Ben and Jessie died some years ago
Jilly was reluctant to have another dog.
However she told me she wanted another dog——— she found exactly what she wanted in “INDIANA” a four year old black Labrador bitch. Big bags of gold were exchanged for the lovable hound——— Ok, if she’s happy, I’m happy————- now we’re off on a cruise for two weeks, so the dog needs to go to the kennels. So, we said goodbye to another bag of gold.
By the way darling, Indy needs to be chipped——— and while she’s there I’m having her Spayed !
Bigger bag of gold———-
Yesterday she pushed through a fence panel into my next door neighbors field——- today a stack of new fence panels arrived ready to replace the existing old ones.
Another bag of gold——- Really do need a new belt sander, but that’s been put on the back burner until I win the lottery, or some long forgotten relative pops his clogs and leaves me a bundle.
Today——— the bear eats me!

Ah well, guess I’m losing the plot——- hope the doc has some good news tomorrow——- 8:10 am appointment!

Here’Tis again—— Thursday bloody Thursday———- longest day, been and gone, days are getting shorter———- Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat !
Damned roller coaster is getting ever faster—— saw some beautiful roses but didn’t have time to get off the train and take a whiff.
House is full of sweet peas—— smells better than any air freshener——- looks set for a record year, but, they do need watering at least twice a day. We are set to have 85/90+ temperatures for the next two weeks.
Anyone contemplating a trip to England should do so now——- there will never be a better time !
P1 series closer is in Sarasota this weekend———- last time they’ll be run in this format.
Next season they’ll all have safety cells and V8 Mercury Power——— be interesting to see which way the Champ Boats and F1 boats go——- rumour has it, that ALL race engines will be V8s. Let’s wait and see ?
Off to the Docs for the results of my blood tests?

Turns out I’m good——could live to a ripe old age at this rate.
Never made the car boot until after ten——— most stalls had packed up and gone home—— nothing left but junk.

Called the latest concept “THE DIAMOND BACK RATTLER”—- Forty foot Fountain with a pair of V8s hung on the rear.
Can’t recollect where I got the idea! I had the big diamond anyway and one thing led to another——- I do have some white leather somewhere for the interior———-damned if I can find it!Attachment 411321

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