Kincraft

Andrew Kitson · 26 Jun 2002, 15:50 (Ref:1780713)

Do any members out there have long enough memories to remember the Kincraft single seater? I saw it race many times as a kid from 1967-69, driven by Jim Moore. It was based on a Cooper built by Jack Pierce and was the fore-runner to F5000, with a 4.7 litre Ford engine in the back. The colour was maroon and it raced in many F.Libre events against the likes of John Jordan's GT40, John Woolfe's M6B McLaren and various F2, F3 and other sportscars. It is one of the all time classic club racing cars.
Anybody know if it still exists / where it is?

A sportscar Kincraft was also built but on a separate tub.

paulzinho · 26 Jun 2002, 16:45 (Ref:1780714)

Never heard of it but sounds quite feisty!

Have you got any pictures of it at all?

Andrew Kitson · 26 Jun 2002, 17:07 (Ref:1780715)

Yep, I have a couple of photos. Will have to scan them and put them up.
I certainly was a hellova car for it's time. I can still hear it now hurtling around Snetterton!

mickj · 27 Jun 2002, 01:36 (Ref:1780716)

Andrew
I've found the Kincraft sports racer. It was built in 1966 and now has been fitted with a March 74s body. It's in the US. I found it under Blenko Glass Company Inc. Sorry, I dont know how to link it across to this page.
I remember reading about the single seater in Autosport long ago.

Rob29 · 27 Jun 2002, 06:26 (Ref:1780717)

It was built, I think, for Robin Darlington and later sold to Moore. I remember the colour as more Ferrari red than maroon. I remember seeing it in a 10 lap Libre race at Brands - it lapped a F.Vee about 3 times! I wrote a letter to Autosport (which was published) about the danger of such a wide variation of performance, and why could we not have a series for that kind of powerful car? Not long after that F5000 was invented.

Andrew Kitson · 27 Jun 2002, 08:40 (Ref:1780718)

Thanks for the input guys.

Mickj, yes you are correct that Richard Blenko has the sports version. He is a good friend. He too though is at a loss as to the whereabouts of the single seater. I think he aquired the sports one from Anthony Taylor.

Rob29, I have photocopies from photos of the car (from Richard Blenko's collection) of the single seater when first built. It ran on skinny tyres at first- these were taken at Combe in 1966/67. Robin Darlington was indeed the driver then. Once Jim Moore was driving it- but still owned by Jack Pierce I believe, it ran on big wide F1 type tyres of the period. (Just another note - I still have Moore's autograph in my schoolboy Autograph book from the time!)

**ghinzani** · 27 Jun 2002, 09:21 (Ref:1780719)

Theres a picture of it in one of Mike Kettlewells Motor Racing directories from the lates 70s/early 80s.

allenbrown · 27 Jun 2002, 18:22 (Ref:1780720)

It was in a museum on the Isle of Man for many years and was then, IIRC, bought by Roger Cowman. That would be 3-4 years ago.

Andrew Kitson · 27 Jun 2002, 18:37 (Ref:1780721)

Thanks Allen.
Have you updated your site with this info?

tonyabacus · 28 Jun 2002, 00:33 (Ref:1780722)

Hi Andrew,

I had contact with a chap called Edgington in about 1995 in Teignmouth Devon who supposedly had this car stored away.He claimed to have had the car for a number of years following a divorce and an interest from the Inland Revenue. It seems he had sold up a business in the Midlands and took the car down south and hidden it away. I got on to it through a small ad in the local free paper for some wheels and other bits and bobs. When I got to his place it was a small old boatyard with a very early TVR, Midget and Mustang sat around. The wheels turned out to be early F1 Brabham which I purchased. He also had a lot of other stuff in an old net loft which included American V8 parts.
He claimed to have raced this car earlier in its life and had also raced other big bangers and big saloons.
Despite my efforts I could not get him to part with the Kincraft or indeed get to see it, although I kept contact for a long time afterwards.

Last year(2001) I put Spencer Elton on the trail and he found out that Mr Edginton had not been around for a little while and was told that the Kincraft had been sold.

I hope this may be of value, I know he told me quite a bit when I met him but it is difficult to recall it all after this length of time.

Andrew Kitson · 28 Jun 2002, 07:16 (Ref:1780723)

Wow. thanks.
Hopefully it will appear some day and we will see it on the tracks again. Perhaps it could compete in the fantastic growing Force F5000 series, although not a true 5000 car.
Just look at what Goodwood has done for some long idle old race cars!

zealot · 28 Jun 2002, 13:43 (Ref:1780724)

Doesn't anybody have a photo of the Kincraft they can put online?

Andrew Kitson · 28 Jun 2002, 14:11 (Ref:1780725)

Yes, will do that tomorrow. Without a scanner at the moment.

Andrew Kitson · 29 Jun 2002, 14:42 (Ref:1780731)

Here is a photo of the Kincraft taken in 1968 at Snett with Jim Moore at the wheel. Now that IS a REAL racing car!

**ghinzani** · 29 Jun 2002, 22:19 (Ref:1780733)

That was the pic in the Kettlewell book btw...

allenbrown · 29 Jun 2002, 22:21 (Ref:1780734)

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Thanks Allen.
Have you updated your site with this info?

No - I haven't got to the Kincraft yet. I need more time or a large number of volunteer helpers!

It wasn't originally a "real" F5000 but it did appear in one race, Hockenheim 1969?.

Allen

Rob29 · 2 Jul 2002, 15:03 (Ref:1780739)

Quote:

Originally posted by allenbrown
No - I haven't got to the Kincraft yet. I need more time or a large number of volunteer helpers!

It wasn't originally a "real" F5000 but it did appear in one race, Hockenheim 1969?.

Allen

Not according to my records it did'nt. But it was entered for the first ever F5000 race -Apr 4 1969-Oulton Park. To be driven by Lord Cross race #27-but I have it down as NS-did not arrive.

Andrew Kitson · 3 Jul 2002, 10:18 (Ref:1780746)

Chris Summers' Lotus 24 Chevy - that was a fearsome car.
A fore runner to the Kincraft really.

allenbrown · 4 Jul 2002, 19:28 (Ref:1780749)

Quote:

Originally posted by Rob29
Not according to my records it did'nt. But it was entered for the first ever F5000 race -Apr 4 1969-Oulton Park. To be driven by Lord Cross race #27-but I have it down as NS-did not arrive.

I was nearly right. I accidentally misspelt Brands Hatch as "Hockenheim" (just out by a couple of letters

) and 1971 as "1969". An easy mistake to make!

Max Reinhard drove it at the Brands F5000 race on 12 Sep 1971. He qualified last but one (ahead of Sanger's woeful Harrier but nearly 20% slower than pole) and finished 5 laps down in 12th - again ahead of Sanger.

Allen

Fred Scatley · 17 Jul 2002, 18:56 (Ref:1780754)

This is the Kincraft at Snetterton in June 1966 with Robin Darlington as driver

Andrew Kitson · 21 Jul 2002, 20:11 (Ref:1780759)

kincraft 1968 with jim moore autograph

Andrew Kitson · 21 Jul 2002, 20:18 (Ref:1780760)

kincraft 1966 at castle combe.

Andrew Kitson · 1 Aug 2002, 10:28 (Ref:1780764)

Check out today's 'Autosport' page79!!!! The KINCRAFT is alive and well ( except for some restoration) and is for sale by Roger Cowman. A nice colour pic of it too.
Please someone rich out there , buy it and race it again so we can see this glorious single seater in action after all these years.

tonyabacus · 1 Aug 2002, 10:45 (Ref:1780765)

Hi Andrew
I just had a reply from a guy in the USA stating that he has this car and is coming to England on the 11th August and would like to meet or talk with you! How many cars exist! Let me have your email and I will keep you informed
Regards
Tony

Andrew Kitson · 1 Aug 2002, 10:56 (Ref:1780766)

There are only 2. The single seater which is for sale in Autosport today and the sports car that Richard Blenko owns. Yes, Richard is coming to the UK and I will meet him probably at The Oulton Gold Cup historic meeting.
Thanks.

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