Arthur Collier

[Motormouth]

Arthur Collier is still very much involved in Irish motorsport, currently head of the karting committee in Motorsport Ireland!!!
http://www.motorsportireland.com/index.cfm/loc/2-6.htm

[davyboy]

Jeff... any relation to David Collier formerly 1980s junior karting in Ireland ?

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by driftwood

JOHN TURNER THATS THE GUY I WAS THINKING OF ( twas before my time !! )

nick whiting did not drive skodas only escorts
mk1 1970 fvc shunted BH
then he had mk2 spaceframe john robinson built car with Gaa engine
car was sold to John kirk(wood) in the north of england poss scotland

davina galicia also drove a mk2 steel special saloon car with A C E logos and the surtees ts16 f1 car from Nicks shop

Drifty, I'm pretty sure Nick W DID have at least 1 outing in the Skoda, probably early 77 before his Mk2 GA Escort was ready, and before he sold the Skoda to P Everett.

[driftwood]

are u sure Everett took the car??
i was sure it went to john kirk(wood?) up north
i wait to be corrected on that
im not sure Nick drove a skoda do u have th evenet was it Brands or else where
ok i was a kid when the racing was strong but i was at brands paddock often enough to see what went on

[Dan Rear]

John Kirk took the Escort GA after Nick I think, early 79, when NW went G1 racing with a Capri. Everett had the Skoda after Nick, in 77 IIRC, didn't come out much with it though.

[driftwood]

ok i was sure it was john kirk
the skoda thing is now becoming clearer in the haze of my memory !!
i recall everett name i think the man with 70`s saloon fotos has a foto of that skoda

[big andy]

heres a pic of bob claxtons car its based on bill drydens firenza still got the 2.3 twin cam engine in the back theres a magurie skoda that race up here as well that ones got a 1600cc bda in the back http://www.ianhardy.net/gallery/main...2_itemId=46472

[jeff88cirl1]

i don't think david collier is a relation, but i could be wrong. did he go on to race pro karts or super pro karts. i hope to sit my dad down tommorrow and get him to write down some of his storys,

[davyboy]

David Collier raced 100cc juniors and 100cc national in the 1980s, he then went on to Formula Ford and Dunlop Supercars I think. He was very small when in juniors and [unusual for juniors at the time] was run by a friend Gerry [can't remember his last name] rather than his dad.

[Richard Young]

David (I think) tested a FF1600 with Cliff Dempsey earlier this year, but I don't think it came to anything......

[davyboy]

He was a pretty good pilot, I always thought he was related to Arthur Collier.

By the way, one for Jeff... my father always told me that Arthur Collier was connected with Collier Brothers Machine Shop in Bunclody Co. Wexford... Was that true or just a myth ?

[jeff88cirl1]

Jeff, my son, has got me to write this to day. Firstly I am related to the Motor business in Wexford but Dave Collier is no relation however I do meet him at karting events when he works with Coby motorsport.
I collected one of the "Run Baby Run" escorts from Dave Brodie in the 70's. It was in Ireland for several seasons but no idea where it is now.
Like Jeff I would love to trace my old Skoda so all help appreciated!!! Does any one have a tape of a race at Thruxton in the late 70's of the Supersaloon race?

[driftwood]

Arthur
There where a few races filmed by the BBC from thruxton and i recall 2 races 1 was wendy wools event circa 81/2 with Peter Baldwin jump starting and tony dickenson chased the mini and caught him by the 2nd lap at the chicane
the other race was a larger engine capacity race which is the event you maybe reffering to with the bigger engined special saloons
I remember seeing it at our engine builders house on the TV and him commenting on derek walkers skoda in the pits and the daughter ( doing the pit crew thing) at the fact she had grown since he last saw here as a toddler- i would say that was 1980- i cant recall owt else about that event

I know the BBC are not interested in putting these old races out on dvd video relase unless you can tell them they will sell 100-300k of dvds/videos and generate serious income

however let us know here if a copy of the races shows up then we can all get a copy or is it guinness and chips at your place??

[Rod Birley]

Nick Whiting's GAA Escort was sold to a man in Holland, he would not sell it to anyone in this country. The car was virtually destroyed at Baarlo, the Dutch oval circuit which has now closed. Nick's younger brother Andy is only a few doors down the road from me. He still has plenty of photos in the old All Car Equipe shop, which now only sells wheels and tyres.
I tried to buy the damaged engine but the block was split, so I bought Nick Oatway's Mk3 GAA Escort complete and then put all the bits into a Ford Sierra.

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by jeff88cirl1

Jeff, my son, has got me to write this to day. Firstly I am related to the Motor business in Wexford but Dave Collier is no relation however I do meet him at karting events when he works with Coby motorsport.
I collected one of the "Run Baby Run" escorts from Dave Brodie in the 70's. It was in Ireland for several seasons but no idea where it is now.
Like Jeff I would love to trace my old Skoda so all help appreciated!!! Does any one have a tape of a race at Thruxton in the late 70's of the Supersaloon race?

Jeff/Arthur, I recall a race at the November Thruxton televised meeting in either late 74 or late 75, I think the former. The big Skoda featured, tho' if it was 74 it would have been John Turner driving. I think Gerry won in either Baby Bertha (if it was 75), or the Old Nail (if 74). Wet race from memory, don't recall much else about it. If it was 75, then it would have been Arthur driving. No tape I'm afraid, just memories !!

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Rod Birley

Nick Whiting's GAA Escort was sold to a man in Holland, he would not sell it to anyone in this country. The car was virtually destroyed at Baarlo, the Dutch oval circuit which has now closed. Nick's younger brother Andy is only a few doors down the road from me. He still has plenty of photos in the old All Car Equipe shop, which now only sells wheels and tyres.
I tried to buy the damaged engine but the block was split, so I bought Nick Oatway's Mk3 GAA Escort complete and then put all the bits into a Ford Sierra.

Rod/Arthur, not sure if you've seen this video of Nick's GAA Escort being tested by Jackie Stewart at Snetterton back in the 1970s. Check the videos section of the RS Owners Club site here and you'll find it half way down.

http://www.rsownersclub.co.uk/

[davyboy]

Don't ask me why I was doing this, but I was browsing through some very old Autosports I had near a toilet cistern in the garage (!) before putting them somewhere safer and I came across this ad in one of them :

"The Ultimate SS Escort
I wish to sell the ex-Princess ITA Escort. c/w spare wheels, gear ratios. Various suspension parts, body moulds and trailer. This car is fitted with a 1930cc Alan Smith FVC with less than 2 hours running. Full details on request. Sensible offers. Anything taken in part exchange.
Arthur Collier... telephone etc etc..."

... and a nice b/w picture of the number 47 mark I Escort with Princess ita livery. Its from Autosport of January 30th 1975. Was that a Run-Baby-Run one ? Wonder what happened it afterwards. Can send you a scan of it [assuming you've written to Autosport for their permission ]

Funny too, a few pages before is Bill Cleland Racing of Peebles selling a Chevron B23 [also with a 1930cc Alan Smith motor] 'due to the retirement of John'

[rogerwills]

Arthur ran a Daren Mk2 in period and has been very helpful with specifications etc to assist in an engine decision for my Daren. He is still involved in Irish motorsport and has been most kind in providing me information.

Regards,

Roger