Vista Formula Ford car

davemorganfan · 23 Nov 2004, 10:46 (Ref:1161636)

These cars (or perhaps it was just one!) were made in Dewsbury in Yorkshire, in around 1969/70. I remember seeing an advertisement by the manufacturer, showing a car with a long pointed nose, but apart from that, I know nothing about them at all. Can anyone enlighten me, please?

Henk A. Hazelaar · 20 Mar 2006, 23:39 (Ref:1555366)

Dear Dave Morgan,

This is what I found about de Vista Formula Ford car in a old Autosport Magazine.
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Vista

An Autosport ad in the Jan.27.1972 issue touts the first FF produced by the Asquith Brothers (Engineering) Ltd. of Dewesbury, Yorkshire.
It was called the Vista (which apparently stood for "Victory In Seventy Two Assured") and type-number "111".

Victory In Seventy Two Assured

Regards,

Henk A. Hazelaar

James Murray · 21 Mar 2006, 09:16 (Ref:1555547)

It is now owned by Martin Asquith Fox son of the original builder. Martin raced it in HSCC Formula Ford in the 90's but unfortunately had a bad accident at Cadwell Park resulting in the car being severely damaged along with Martin's ankles.

davemorganfan · 21 Mar 2006, 09:19 (Ref:1555549)

Absolute amazement here - I'd almost forgotten all about this! Thanks Henk and James. I have a vague recollection of seeing the car in a race at Rufforth in the early 70s with Mike Fox at the wheel, but I can't be 100% sure (aging brain cells, etc....).

Graham Clayton · 21 May 2013, 07:42 (Ref:3250955)

Did Vista cars win any races in '72? if they didn't then that slogan looks pretty foolish!

morninggents · 21 May 2013, 09:14 (Ref:3251001)

Just to add my two pennorth. Mike Fox ran (owned?) Asquith Brothers and built the Vista. As far as I can recall there was only one car and I think at some stage it also ran in F3 guise - probably before it became a Formula Ford. The car was not a front runner but was by no means disgraced either.

I remember towing a Ford Anglia Twincam there to have an exhaust made back in the late 60s.

dikko · 23 May 2013, 07:43 (Ref:3252051)

Creator of the 1970's VISTA Marque Mike Asquith-Fox is indeed up and running. He races in the 2CV bunch in the top ten and at 75 has threatened to race the Vista FF at The Silverstone Classic on his 76 birthday! He's not booked in yet and we hope will.

His Son Martin did race the FF and was a front-runner after a bit of tweeking, as James says he had a crash but it didn't put him off, his lack of return is mainly down to starting a hungry family about that time. When he finishes work in the middle-east he may be back to join the Historic FF's again. That car is fully rebuilt. As I understand it there are three other Vista chassis in the barn somewhere 2 FF and one F3 along with some other stuff Mike dabbles in.
Dick Dixon HFF Drivers rep.
We are doing a piece on 'Historic Connections' for our website. Anybody got any more 'still around - name, cars and faces'?

JMLB · 12 May 2020, 10:16 (Ref:3975681)

At Ingliston in April 1971 Dave Manners from Darlington was entered in a Vista Mk2 Formula Ford and finished 8th. By the next meeting he was driving an Alexis!