Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[WaterZebra]

Jackie, facts and details are important and make a statement into a story. Thanks for those.

As we know, "It takes a village to raise a child" - and, as you point out, numerous organizations and people were involved and must be credited for the cell's ultimate development. Chris Hodges led the pack and, together with Cees appeared at Munich in May 1985, the first race of the season, towing brand new team boats with safety cells. David Burgess was still working on his, and by September in Milan, I was strapped in. From my count, I believe there were only 10 or 11 F1 drivers racing with cells that year.

As for investors, OMC, via PRO ONE, provided significant funding to several teams to ensure F1's success in '85. Safety was paramount given the tragic year we had in '84. Team Percival Hodges Racing, as others, were benefactors, so directly or indirectly, OMC was at the very least an enabler in this process.

All-in-all, 1985 was a significant year for boat racing. Sadly, several F1 drivers died and others were badly injured before the bull was taken by horns. I wonder how many lives have since been saved over the past 36 years thanks to this single development? One thing is certain; Be it circuit or offshore, inboard, outboard, jet, whatever... today's drivers and their families are the better for it.

Biggest blunder the APBA did was to include the cockpit specs within the safety section of the rulebook. Certified cockpit builders was a bungled afterthought. Garbrecht and Seebold got me out of a paperwork pickle thanks to the nearsightedness of the APBA.

[jackiewilson]

Afraid i was one of the doubters——- told Hodges he was crazy, who in their right mind would want to be strapped into an upturned boat. We had one or two heated discussions on the subject.
Ok, so i was wrong—- wasn’t the first, certainly wont be the last time i was wrong about something .
Once in a hundred is 99 percent right—— i can live with that !!!!!!!
—
Hodges was a great innovator. Adjustable wings — tail fins ——most of his ideas were dubious to say the least. But, he never made a red cent out of the capsule, or safety cell. It was free for all boat builders, worldwide .
He would nail the silliest little add-ons —- strakes—rubbing rails —- wind deflectors, he never stopped trying.
Must be in his 80‘s now —— last time i saw him, he was helping Mark in Stuart, draw up the design for“MOONLIGHT LADY“. High speed 50‘ boat.

[Watermark]

Afraid i was one of the doubters——- told Hodges he was crazy, who in their right mind would want to be strapped into an upturned boat. We had one or two heated discussions on the subject.
Ok, so i was wrong—- wasn’t the first, certainly wont be the last time i was wrong about something .
Once in a hundred is 99 percent right—— i can live with that !!!!!!!
—
Hodges was a great innovator. Adjustable wings — tail fins ——most of his ideas were dubious to say the least. But, he never made a red cent out of the capsule, or safety cell. It was free for all boat builders, worldwide .
He would nail the silliest little add-ons —- strakes—rubbing rails —- wind deflectors, he never stopped trying.
Must be in his 80‘s now —— last time i saw him, he was helping Mark in Stuart, draw up the design for“MOONLIGHT LADY“. High speed 50‘ boat.

Jackie, four decades ago we were all doubters. Those concerns will always be there. If any driver doesn't fear being strapped in and unconscious underwater, they are missing an important life-appreciation chip. Survival at that point depends solely on the rescue team. Thank goodness we had the commitment of the Ospreys - it was a massive responsibility on their shoulders, as it is with every rescue team and race organizer around the globe.

The risk of crashing will always be high. Chances are that cells and enclosed cockpits offer a higher level protection than nothing at all - Quite sure that Chris Hodges had a few "damned if you do, damned if you don't" decision-making moments himself back then. At the end of day, we still need to depend on others, hopefully experts in their field, to keep us safe.

How lucky we were that Chris Hodges hung in after he lost his dear friend, Tom Percival. Truly a great man and innovator.

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

CHARLES RYDAL SHOOTER ——-Chas to all his friends, was twenty years old when he decided he wanted to be my mechanic . Grammar school kid , super intelligent, good at everything. Understood electrics and electronics . Had the patience of JOB. We wandered round the world together , me breaking things, him fixing things . I BLAMED HIM FOR EVERYTHING!!! He was my safety valve . Best friend, confidante. Kept me out of trouble , and got me out when i got into. Could speak french fluently, but with a distinct English overtone ! A truly quintessential English gentlemen.
I decided i had to concentrate on the garage business for a couple of years . That was when Chas went to Tom and Bob as spannerman. He loved his time with them. We remained friends up to the week he died .
Had some beautiful girlfriends —- but never married .
Highlight of his life was the trip to Valleyfield in 1976—-
I have given Chas a special place in the book—- a whole chapter , about the life and times with CHARLES RYDAL SHOOTER. Was the single biggest influence in my life too.

[jackiewilson]

Happiest loneliest man i ever met in my life CHAS SHOOTER.
You could not be around Chas without laughing— he could brighten up even the darkest of days.
He even turned down the job Mercury offered him. Preferred to stay home and look after his mother—
THE DUCHESS as he always referred to her.
He did race boats, for years, but loved tinkering with motors more, if you want to know more about Chas, you“ll simply have to wait and read the book.
its up to 120,000 words by now , afraid I’ve done very little to it over the last year—- imagined it would be finished by now——- but , you know what happened to imagination!!!!!!!

[Lake X Kid]

[jackiewilson]

Lovely man—— well loved by everyone he ever met.
not many of us could claim that !!!!!!

[Lake X Kid]

Fuel and Oil prices dictate the trajectory of the Automotive Industry.

~~~

At the end of 1956, following fuel rationing brought about by the Suez Crisis, Alec Issigonis (engineer and designer) was ordered by Sir Leonard Lord (chairman of British Motor Corporation) to bring the smaller car, XC/9003, to production as quickly as possible. In August 1959 the car was launched as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven, which soon became known as the Austin Mini.

In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. The Mini went on to become the bestselling British car in history with a production run of 5.3 million cars. This ground-breaking design, with its front wheel drive, transverse engine, sump gearbox, 10-inch wheels, and phenomenal space efficiency, was still being manufactured in 2000 and has been the inspiration for almost all small front-wheel drive cars produced since the early 1960s.

In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC.

~~~

Morris Mini



Mini Cooper

[jackiewilson]

You should see the NEW mini’s—— about the same size as a RANGE ROVER [ nickname is RONGE RAVER]——-POLES APART FROM THE NIMBLE MINI COOPER S , CAME in three sizes —998cc—-1100 cc—- and the time bomb 1275 S.
won the MONTE-CARLO umpteen times . I had a van version —- used to pull the TORRIGGIA —— wife and five kids —- tent and all the camping gear .
Once got accused of breaking the speed limit with the rig fully loaded —- police were lying of course!!!