John Maguire Racing

**chunterer** · 9 Aug 2006, 08:40 (Ref:1678200)

This man either built and/or developed myriad cars in many different categories from the 60's through to the 80's from his Coventry based workshops.

I became aware of such devices as Maguire Mini's or Imps in special saloons, but he also prep'd cars for the BTCC and other formulas entirely.

What else do we know about the man, his business and some of our favourite or most successful creations?!

driftwood · 12 Aug 2006, 10:00 (Ref:1680528)

Apart from the Maguire Spaceframe Minis and Imp/Stilletos he also built 2 Esprit Donington GT cars 1 x 1500 BDA car 1x Hart 2 litre car both used march corners
1 Skoda Car used in sprints/hillclimbing
Then he ran VW Golf and BMW M3 cars in BTCC in the 1980`s
I think he had a brief go at Single seaters

KA · 12 Aug 2006, 11:53 (Ref:1680575)

Quote:

Originally Posted by driftwood

Then he ran VW Golf and BMW M3 cars in BTCC in the 1980`s

He ran Tim Harvey's Istel Rover in the BTCC in 87, and then an M3 for Godfrey Hall and a Golf for James Shead in 88. A second M3 joined the Hall car at the TT, and then did the remaining couple of BTCC rounds withDavid Sears.

**chunterer** · 12 Aug 2006, 12:55 (Ref:1680618)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA

He ran Tim Harvey's Istel Rover in the BTCC in 87, and then an M3 for Godfrey Hall and a Golf for James Shead in 88. A second M3 joined the Hall car at the TT, and then did the remaining couple of BTCC rounds withDavid Sears.

Yes he ran Godfrey, who must have been quite local to him being a Coventry Bimmer dealer for a few years.

He must have had a pretty busy workshop at that time.

I can't remember where the M3's were sourced from (don't think they were brand new builds) but the second car you mention that ran at the TT and the final few '88 BTCC rounds was leased from a privateer German outfit I think. Tim Harvey and Dave Coyne joined Hall and David Sears and I was hoping that there might be a 2 car assault with any of those drivers for 1989 or even the ETC. However, Godfrey continued but the ETC didn't so that put paid to that!

It's funny because I often wondered if the Sears effort, was something to do with Andy Rouse getting his old buddy to assist take points away from Frank Sytner in the title race (Frank didn't think that suggestion was totally out of order at one time!)

Did Maguire run a Commodore for a couple of guys at the '87 TT bu any chance?

KA · 12 Aug 2006, 19:23 (Ref:1680781)

[QUOTE=chunterer]I can't remember where the M3's were sourced from (don't think they were brand new builds) but the second car you mention that ran at the TT and the final few '88 BTCC rounds was leased from a privateer German outfit I think. Tim Harvey and Dave Coyne joined Hall and David Sears and I was hoping that there might be a 2 car assault with any of those drivers for 1989 or even the ETC. However, Godfrey continued but the ETC didn't so that put paid to that![QUOTE]

Harvey and Sears shared one car, while Clark shared the other with James Shead and Barrie Williams.
Dave Coyne was on board one of a pair of John Clark-entered M3's, (again leased from a European outfit as I remember?)- he shared with Vic Lee, while John Clark shared the other with Andrew Jeffrey

Quote:

Did Maguire run a Commodore for a couple of guys at the '87 TT by any chance?

Andrew Jeffrey shared a VL with Vic Covey at the 87 TT, but I've got no idea who ran it- There was also a Belgian VL for Michel Delcourt/Alex Guyaux/ Jerry Mahony but I don't know if they were connected?

**chunterer** · 22 Aug 2006, 08:58 (Ref:1688554)

Got a feeling it was John Maguire who tended that car but Alan Docking also looked after Holden's for people who ran them in Britain or Europe didn't he?

Mike O Brien's ex Grice VK was tended by ADR for couple of years.

Re Mahony, his Sierra were Roger Dowson prepped I think so maybe that Holden he drove was as well?

SRCTRUCKS · 15 Nov 2006, 09:00 (Ref:1766504)

Sorry if this is in wrong place, i have just bought a Maguire esprit which was a Donnington gt championship winning car with Eddie McLurg, + am looking for info + pics if anyone can hellp, i believe 2 of these cars were made + raced in the 80's. Also looking to find someone with body moulds. contact me
at srctrucks@aol.com or on here
Thanks

Andrew Kitson · 15 Nov 2006, 13:03 (Ref:1766761)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRCTRUCKS

Sorry if this is in wrong place, i have just bought a Maguire esprit which was a Donnington gt championship winning car with Eddie McLurg, + am looking for info + pics if anyone can hellp, i believe 2 of these cars were made + raced in the 80's. Also looking to find someone with body moulds. contact me
at srctrucks@aol.com or on here
Thanks

Might be worth a look here?

http://www.racing70s.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

tpayne · 21 Nov 2006, 03:57 (Ref:1771130)

From what I remember his shop was very busy. The cars were meticulously prepared.

Thomas

lifeline-fire · 28 Nov 2006, 13:12 (Ref:1776624)

Hi

I worked for John for a few years. he ran my fathers cars in the Old British Saloon Car Championship, VW Golf etc etc. I sarted with John just as he was finishing the last ever spaceframe Stiletto for Nick and Tony Bridge, but I had known him for many years beforwe when we worked out of a wooden shed just of the Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry with Tom Sheppherd. His standards of prepeartion and presentation were second to none and he was a real task master and briliant engineer, I learnt so much from him, resenting it at the time as I was only 16, I soon realised there was only one way of doing something.....and that was Johns way.
When john closed the business he was a scrutineer for the BTCC and then vanished of the motorsport radar to run a hotel on the south coast.
If anyone has any specific questions then please PM me

**chunterer** · 28 Nov 2006, 16:51 (Ref:1776782)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeline-fire

Hi I sarted with John just as he was finishing the last ever spaceframe Stiletto for Nick and Tony Bridge, but I had known him for many years beforwe when we worked out of a wooden shed just of the Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry with Tom Sheppherd.

Thanks for the info there Jim!

I'm wondering if this was the same Tom Shepherd that ran a quick Skoda special saloon in the late 70's and early 80's?

maguire imp chassis no1 · 29 Dec 2009, 19:09 (Ref:2606107)

hi you may be able to help me,i own chassis no1 maguire imp saloon and im trying to trace the cars history,could you prehaps help me thankyou mail mail at kcal2004@aol.com thankyou keith

**John Turner** · 15 Nov 2006, 10:38 (Ref:1766611)

Welcome SRCT; I think this thread is as good a place as any to make your enquiry and hope that you receive some informative responses!

driftwood · 29 Dec 2009, 20:19 (Ref:2606140)

i beleive Imp no 1 was sold to george coghill in scotland hillclimbing and racing 1979
highly likely tom shepard raced it first as demo car
car went from coghill to Mike Hanson had bad leg used hand clutch on sprints hillclimbs he sold car as he bought the Maguire skoda 1300 bda car
ernie larton prepped teh cars for Hanson
my father bought car winter 1980 collected from Lartons garage
raced 1 litre and 850 class with it
car was sold 86 7 ish ben boult i believe had it afterwards sprints hillclimbs

maguire imp chassis no1 · 29 Dec 2009, 20:30 (Ref:2606144)

do you have picture s and i can post one thankyou

driftwood · 29 Dec 2009, 20:39 (Ref:2606151)

I am looking at a foto of car now when i raced it 81 or 2 at Brands
car was blue when we had it
1 year had yellow roof
Iam sure blue when the others had it
are you in Uk or Eire

maguire imp chassis no1 · 29 Dec 2009, 20:46 (Ref:2606155)

i am in n ireland a we place called garvagh,i dont know how to post pic on the forum,if you would be kind to give me your e mail address i can post you picture right away then you can put if on the forum if you wanted mine is kcal2004@aol.com thankyou keith

maguire imp chassis no1 · 2 Jan 2010, 22:39 (Ref:2607459)

Genuine racing heads if anyone has rare coventry climax hillman imp engine parts would love to hear from you,restoring ex racing imp at present,so items that are used will never be sold please pm me and thankyou in advance,the least bit of help will be greatly received

Keith scott

Chris Eyre · 3 Jan 2010, 00:55 (Ref:2607485)

Just to add a little more colour to the thread on John Maguire's VW involvement, specfically VW Sciroccos, previously posted elsewhere on the www by Jim / lifeline-fire:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeline-fire

He (John Maguire) built three <Sciroccos> in total. One for Lanfranchi which was the early type 2 (Mk2) car, <used in the 1982 BTCC> then my father’s <red car>, followed closely by a green one which was used by Bill Pinkney, Bill Postins and Bob Meacham in the ETCC.

<The red one later went to Ireland and was converted to a rally car>

That Mk 2 car I believe is owned by Hamish Irvine up in Scotland.

Here it is, VW Cup ~ 2002.

I spoke to Hamish in 2007 and he still had it then.

maguire imp chassis no1 · 3 Jan 2010, 10:53 (Ref:2607603)

Hi do you know were or who exactly got the scirrocco maguire chassis in ireland any pictures you have any info as id love to see it,we are followers of these cars and genuine about them,please pm me soon

Happy new year

Keith

maguire imp chassis no1 · 13 Jan 2010, 19:58 (Ref:2612920)

Hi and thankyou for reading my post does anyone know the location of ron and dave datson,these guys raced a maguire skoda the last i know of them is that they raced at st eval sprint championship cira 1989,and info about them would be very helpful to me,thankyou in advance
It was powered by bdh engine
Keith scott

stealth1 · 13 Jan 2010, 22:42 (Ref:2613035)

Quote:

Originally Posted by maguire imp chassis no1

Hi do you know were or who exactly got the scirrocco maguire chassis in ireland any pictures you have any info as id love to see it,we are followers of these cars and genuine about them,please pm me soon

Happy new year

Keith

I remember a guy called Hector something or other from Limerick racing a red scirocco in a production saloon class in Mondello in the early to mid 80's ....

as it happens I made enquiries from a guy in Southampton i think it was who was selling what was claimed to be maguire chassis no 1 .. would have been early 90's and it had an imp body on rather than a stilleto .. remember having to send the guy a few bob to take some photos of it which i'm sure i still have somewhere along with a brief spec of the car as it was then

maguire imp chassis no1 · 13 Jan 2010, 23:08 (Ref:2613047)

hi i would be interested were did he live and his name,can you say what colour the car was at that time,and little piece of info would be great

Keith

maguire imp chassis no1 · 23 Jan 2010, 23:12 (Ref:2618306)

YOU are a gentleman sir you made my day with them photos,all them years past and you kept them it was like giving me 10,000 pounds it made my day unique to find things like that from history well done and many thankyous for 10 tenths motorsport forum and all genuine racing fans who post

100 PER CENT

keith scott ireland

driftwood · 22 Feb 2010, 21:02 (Ref:2638573)

i think Mike parkes had the first maguire Mini
was your mini 1300 cc class car?

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