Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[STEVERINO]

Ok---Johnny Sanders would be your best bet to tell you about a 1969 Paris medal. Think he married Macunes daughter (Melanie) but I'm not sure, like I told you before, memories shot !





Steve Pinson was there, think all the OMC team were at Brugge

Thats me done for the day, MYGGWY.J.

Hey Jackie not much help this time I remember the name Rich Mc Kinley well but in 1969 I was still racing Mercury engines but I was at the race as a spectator I was staying with Bob Spalding and Rex in his camper van I can remember OMC had the new 99 cu in V4 engines that was the first time I saw one race and they had Scotti leading the race by over 3 miles at halfway stage till engine failure that was the year you and Don Ross had the yellow Molinari.I will ask Ron Hill if he can be of more help,

[jackiewilson]

Hey Jackie not much help this time I remember the name Rich Mc Kinley well but in 1969 I was still racing Mercury engines but I was at the race as a spectator I was staying with Bob Spalding and Rex in his camper van I can remember OMC had the new 99 cu in V4 engines that was the first time I saw one race and they had Scotti leading the race by over 3 miles at halfway stage till engine failure that was the year you and Don Ross had the yellow Molinari.I will ask Ron Hill if he can be of more help,

That must have been the camper van that ran off the jetty in Bouloigne or Dieppe when his son Roy aged about six let the handbrake off!
We raced the "Rossinari " not the Molinari (I think) I apologise if I'm wrong Steve.
Will talk to Mark today about Mckinlays medal!

[jackiewilson]

Thats the the old fruit stand I first made over 25 years ago and repaired this week.

Top right hand corner is the M.Y.C.C.A. MOTOR YACHT CLUB COTE D'AZUR---1966.plaque. If you were lucky enough to have one of these on the front of your car, you could park ANYWHERE in Nice, Antibes, Cannes or Monte Carlo.

[jackiewilson]

In 1966 at the MYCCA---Cannes, week of boating, my Carniti was tired and Tony Williams motor had puked, Tony decided we should hook the boat onto the back of his motor car -------a Lotus Elan. !Some of my colonial compadres may not be familiar with the said vehicle----it's a cross between a mini and a dinky toy except it was a 125 mph buzz bomb,! We left the Riviera around 21:00 hrs, drove up through the Alps to Cuneo towing a 15' Bristol (ONY1) and two motors, arrived at Oggiono some nine hours later where Sergio Carniti gave us two brand fire new 50 HP motors. Turned round and headed back to Nice---------we could tow that rig at over 100mph. Back in plenty of time for the next race, which was the following morning------one of the most memorable drives of my life------was a full moon and clear as crystal and we never once put the rag top up. It I confirmed my belief that TonyWilliams was crazy as a loon,but good fun!

[jackiewilson]

Daughter Sam and I after sharing four bottles of bubbly, we kinda relaxed a little, the reason I never made home until 1am!

[John Schubert]

Daughter Sam and I after sharing four bottles of bubbly, we kinda relaxed a little, the reason I never made home until 1am!

save some fun for us at Tavares

[jackiewilson]

John-----if you can't laugh when SAMs around, then Rigor Mortis must have set in!
She don't allow misery and negativity anywhere near!

Good morning all, what are you going to do today?
I have a few things to do in the shop this morning, then I'm off to HAMBLE to play boats in the afternoon.
Tomorrow it's a trip up to DUXFORD to the Blenhiem society lunch with Fishie. Might as well start the weekend with a bang.
These are the last three days of summer before the rain comes on Tuesday so might as well get the most out of life----won't be long before I fire up the wood burner.
A month today and should be thinking about OFF, what are you lot out there thinking about?

[jackiewilson]

Just a couple piccies-----its partway there------long way to go but I through until Monday .

Enjoy your weekend my friends. J.

[John Schubert]

ABSOLUTELY Amazing! You are a true artist Jackie.

[jackiewilson]

Thanks for the vote of confidence John-----but not by the longest stretch am I an "artist".
I am a very strange old curmudgeon , if I have problems I can usually sort them out by working in the shop deep thinking. If I have insurmountable problems I start a difficult project that I know I am incapable of completing. I never thought it would be possible to make the COSWORTH .
All I had was a picture Roger H. posted and an old farts memory, some bits of alloy, a sheet of stainless and time I needed to fill. I had a whole week to myself and a blasted cat I never thought I would see again. Monday l roughed out the sponsons and the centre section, Tuesday did the wing and the first four legs to sit it on-------was a miserable attempt and wasn't within a country mile of what I was trying for! Wednesday I was in "lost" mode when suddenly, after eight days of being gone, Murphy turns up! -----UNFEKKINBELIEVABLE, --------
Now, any things possible-----even me getting the cossie half right. Made the Zed leg and the gear case, cockpit and centre cowl, reshaped the sponsons, hung the wing, suddenly I'm cooking with
'Tricity, the impossible was happening, The COSWORTH was taking shape, even the pipes were coming to life!
Once your on a roll, you don't ever want the trip to end in case you never can recall what's in your mind at that particular moment in time! Alas time and tide waits for no man, the clock keeps turning , so, I thought I'd better get a wriggle on and post a piccie of "progress".
Still have a mountain to climb, trim Rams, steering bar, pipes to twist, mount to make, final polish, then I'll post a piccie or two of the final objective!
Might even surprise myself-----never give up------if you think it's beyond reach, borrow a ladder,
if you think you might never catch up, get on your bike and pedal like hell till you do!

Way past my zuzz time, got stories still to tell, but that's for next week-----May Your God Go With You. J.

[jackiewilson]

Six o'clock and I did not sleep well, mind too full! Exciting day ahead-------Duxford today, need to be at the airfield before noon.
Don't know what time the action starts, but we do have VIP tickets.

Will pop into the Cambridge hospital to see Jills boy Ivan, then back home to see England V Australia!-----we have to win this one to be sure to progress on to the next round, otherwise it's an "early bath".
Taking a "rest day" tomorrow ----Jills staying the weekend with Ivan, I'm heading back home to Murph and the shop, -----Escape to reality ?

Lifes full of surprises -------some I could without-----but having Murphy back was one of the better ones! Enjoy the weekend

[jackiewilson]

First two two piccies are of the good guys. ROLLS ROYCE MERLIN AND A LATE SPITFIRE------third one is a 109 MESCHERSMIT , -----a very bad boy.

[jackiewilson]

Two superb examples of the Everyday sort of transport in 1943------ agricultural and effective----some are still being used on a daily basis-------not a "Management system" in sight.

[jackiewilson]

Half time England 3-Australia 17 in the World Cup what a feckin fiasco ! They should take up competitive typing or Lolly stick sucking-----anything but RUGBY, bloody holes in defence you could drive the Spruce Goose through.
They are playing like a big girls blouse-----they were hyped up to be cup contenders-----my Arse !They should be had up for loitering
Early bath ? I'd turn off the water!
Too many stiff upper lip Etonians and Oxbridge------bring in the street fighters and hard men, hungry guys who would wear the shirt with pride.

[jackiewilson]

Can't bring myself to post the result, we sent powder puffs to take on MEN.
Am seriously thinking of diving off the thick pile carpet on to the wooden floorboards.
Maybe we should take up "Tiddlywinks" and needlepoint, or knitting, paper cutting or macrame , I never want to see another rugby game again. Words like "Rigor Mortis" Paralysis and handicapisation come to mind along with "Tossers, wankers and winklepickers. Be glad when morning comes and I can get back into the shop,-------away from CUCKOOLAND.
YES, I do believe I'm a tad pissed off with our squad of so called international sportsmen!
"