Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Ah well ROY—— best laid plans of mice and men—— nobody much interested in tow cars and drivers—- looks like we’re flogging a dead horse here!

[STEVERINO]

Sorry about that—- damned thread did a whoopsie on me and posted itself !As I was trying to tell you Becky bought a Lotus Europa—— neat little two seater with a chopped back—- knock on wheels —— predominant colour in those days was Black—— Andretti was running The John Player F1 car and Colin Chapman was painting most of his production cars black.Think Beckie’s was red and white.Roz Knott bought one, but much later!Denny Burton ran a XJS for years——Johnny Hulme used an E Type Jaguar to haul his car.Bill SHAKESPEARE used a white Aston Martin that Lol Hopkins tucked him up with.Don Ross and Bob May used Ford Transit Camper vans!I used a Mini Van to haul a wife— five kids and a 17’ Torriggia —- and still managed to get nicked for speeding.

I can remember Bob Spalding having a blue Mustang Mach one he named his black Milesmaster boat after it in 1970.At that time he had the Shakespeare skiboat dealership and he used send his sidekick friend Rex to collect the boats from Bills boatyard at Tewksbury and tow them back with the Mustang.Bill told me he always had to give Rex the money for petrol so he could make it back home.

[jackiewilson]

I can remember Bob Spalding having a blue Mustang Mach one he named his black Milesmaster boat after it in 1970.At that time he had the Shakespeare skiboat dealership and he used send his sidekick friend Rex to collect the boats from Bills boatyard at Tewksbury and tow them back with the Mustang.Bill told me he always had to give Rex the money for petrol so he could make it back home.

Most of us raced on a shoestring budget in the early days.
Bob worked as a croupier in the casino at the US Air Force base !
Most of the boat racers were car dealers—- shop owners— tradesmen—- dentists , doctors and lawyers
Eddie Chater had an Aston Martin Drophead Vantage —(Dentist) —- Mike Bellamy. Daimler Dart—- Tannery owner and tyre dealer—- later a marine dealer!
Johnny Hulme.Heat Sealing machine Engineer, entrepreneur, ——Commer camper and E Type Jaguar.
Bob May—— Store owner and Carpet wholesaler —-Volvo P1800 and Ford Transit camper van.+ Red Label Bentley !
Im going to stop there and see if we get any response—— there were only five racing clubs in Great Britain . I knew most of the guys, and gals that raced—-and the boats— and their tow cars.
Fairford—- Chasewater—-Lancashire were the main clubs, see if any of the members can recall anything?

[jackiewilson]

Jesus wept—- talk about flogging a dead horse ?
Maybe I should go naked ( must warn you, not a pretty sight) like Phil Read did—— with a naked bird riding pillion.
Remember the old adage, “ if you want to rack up the numbers, show naked female”—— I suppose if there’s a water craft somewhere in the picture, it would count ???

[ron54]

Jesus wept—- talk about flogging a dead horse ?
Maybe I should go naked ( must warn you, not a pretty sight) like Phil Read did—— with a naked bird riding pillion.
Remember the old adage, “ if you want to rack up the numbers, show naked female”—— I suppose if there’s a water craft somewhere in the picture, it would count ???

Jackie, I don’t suppose many of the folk over the other side know who you are talking about, hence the poor response and the UK branch of the posters is a bit thin. Alf Bullen had the first Rolex I ever saw, he saw me gawping at it.. took it off and let me try it on at the same time telling me helpfully “you won’t be running away now will you”. Did he not use a furniture type van to carry his boat/kit around in for a while?

[FUJIMO]

Jesus wept—- talk about flogging a dead horse ?
Maybe I should go naked ( must warn you, not a pretty sight) like Phil Read did—— with a naked bird riding pillion.
Remember the old adage, “ if you want to rack up the numbers, show naked female”—— I suppose if there’s a water craft somewhere in the picture, it would count ???

[FUJIMO]

...above pic was taken at our own Key Biscayne Florida "Stiltsville" location... Anytime I can help Jackie.

[FUJIMO]

Most of us raced on a shoestring budget in the early days.
Bob worked as a croupier in the casino at the US Air Force base !
Most of the boat racers were car dealers—- shop owners— tradesmen—- dentists , doctors and lawyers
Eddie Chater had an Aston Martin Drophead Vantage —(Dentist) —- Mike Bellamy. Daimler Dart—- Tannery owner and tyre dealer—- later a marine dealer!
Johnny Hulme.Heat Sealing machine Engineer, entrepreneur, ——Commer camper and E Type Jaguar.
Bob May—— Store owner and Carpet wholesaler —-Volvo P1800 and Ford Transit camper van.+ Red Label Bentley !
Im going to stop there and see if we get any response—— there were only five racing clubs in Great Britain . I knew most of the guys, and gals that raced—-and the boats— and their tow cars.
Fairford—- Chasewater—-Lancashire were the main clubs, see if any of the members can recall anything?

...Just plain a hard working bunch, with the world as your oyster. You yourself included Jackie. You had a marine repair shop & outboard dealer of some sorts, and were a farmer both, or? Supporting a wife & many children to boot. Much harder to accomplish today, I will say.

[AZMIDLYF]

Well, today it doesn't much happen without sponsor dollars. Pretty tough for the independents to make a dent anymore.

Spent many days of my youth in and around Stiltsville Fuji.

[WaterZebra]

...Just plain a hard working bunch, with the world as your oyster. You yourself included Jackie. You had a marine repair shop & outboard dealer of some sorts, and were a farmer both, or? Supporting a wife & many children to boot. Much harder to accomplish today, I will say.

It's comforting to hear that the UK racing effort was nearly identical to the USA. Most of my racing $$$ was out of my own pocket and what I couldn't afford to buy, I made / fabricated instead. There are some prominent / popular names in racing on my side who quit racing when their sponsorship $$$ (not theirs) dried up. Sounded like a free ride to me? I never got credit for what I managed to accomplish with my own $$$ and not having some accountant figuring out a tax write-off out of it. My sponsorships (if you call it that?) never even covered 40% of my costs for a weekend of racing. Race event prize $$$ was a joke.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie, I don’t suppose many of the folk over the other side know who you are talking about, hence the poor response and the UK branch of the posters is a bit thin. Alf Bullen had the first Rolex I ever saw, he saw me gawping at it.. took it off and let me try it on at the same time telling me helpfully “you won’t be running away now will you”. Did he not use a furniture type van to carry his boat/kit around in for a while?

Alfie used an ex BBC camera van as a tow truck for years—— Mark bought it from him and used it for years.!
The FONDA series was the first truly international boat racing series—— every continent was represented. We raced in 22 countries around the world.
Thats when American racers became known around world—- not just on home ground!
Wasnt until the offshore drivers started racing worldwide that American pilots got worldwide recognition—— Cowes Torquay played a huge part in this!

[jackiewilson]

It's comforting to hear that the UK racing effort was nearly identical to the USA. Most of my racing $$$ was out of my own pocket and what I couldn't afford to buy, I made / fabricated instead. There are some prominent / popular names in racing on my side who quit racing when their sponsorship $$$ (not theirs) dried up. Sounded like a free ride to me? I never got credit for what I managed to accomplish with my own $$$ and not having some accountant figuring out a tax write-off out of it. My sponsorships (if you call it that?) never even covered 40% of my costs for a weekend of racing. Race event prize $$$ was a joke.

Aint that the truth Mon Ami—- I never ever had a sponsor of any description—— Champion were very good to me —- all the plugs I needed plus a little prize money.
There was a season when BP supplied all the fuel, but that was it, until I met Bedford Davy in the twilight of my career!
He supplied a new boat—— then paid for the COSWORTH to be shipped to Parker.
He later financed Garbrechts world record attempt with the OMC V8.

[jackiewilson]

Well, today it doesn't much happen without sponsor dollars. Pretty tough for the independents to make a dent anymore.

Spent many days of my youth in and around Stiltsville Fuji.

Was it ever so Crisis—— it was always not what you know but who you know.

[jackiewilson]

...above pic was taken at our own Key Biscayne Florida "Stiltsville" location... Anytime I can help Jackie.

Funny how the female form takes precedence over any thing else—- no matter how intense the subject may be !
My sainted mother always called it “ DRUM MUSIC” !
BUM -TITEE -BUM -TITEE -BUM -TITTEE -BUM

[powerabout]

Hi Jackie
Miles Jennings says hi from Singapore