Strawson, Tony (Strawberry!)

[Strawb]

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

Peter some more for you. This is Mick Hills 2nd Capri on a very wet day at Silverstone. (I was marshaling then so could only take pics in the Paddock before or after the racing)







Mick Hill sold his original Capri to Tony Strawson who painted it a beautiful Metallic Brown with Strawberrys all over the roof. Strawson was one of the scruffiest blokes I ever met, always in open sandles and no socks - even in winter! Nice chap though and always around for a chat in the bar afterwards.

Just to let you know that Strawb is still wearing those open sandals no matter what the weather. I should know I'm his daughter.

[Strawb]

I have been reading everyone comments about the super saloons in the 70's which have brought back alot of memories for me. My dad used to race in his Capri, which seemed to aquire a Strawberry on its roof if he won. I remember walking around the pits must have been about 5 at the time and used to go talk to the marshalls. I have been told that I went missing before my dad went out for a practice, but was found hanging of the pit wall and waving to all the racing cars. Proper Daddy's Girl. If anyone has any pictures of my dad please could you pass a copy on as my dad lost all of pictures in a boat fire a couple of years ago.

[Peter Mallett]

Strawb!

Allow me to be the first to welcome you to our friendly forum. If you or your dad want to share some stories we will all be pleased to hear from you. As to pictures? I've no doubt there will be someone here to help.

[Alan Raine]

Hi Strawb. Great to hear you dad hasn't changed! I may have the odd photo somewhere but as I was probably one of the marshals you spoke to many years ago, most pics are taken in the paddock.

I also remember your dad squeezing into, I think, his mechanics formula Ford one time. That was a change from the big Capri.

PS. I hope I didn't cause offence by calling your dad scruffy!

[John Turner]

I reckon this merits a new thread; welcome Daughter 'Strawb'. Any chance of persuading your Dad to join us here? I remember seeing him race a few times. Now does anyone have any pics. of the strawberry roofed Capri? Alan, any chance you might find yours? (Questions, and yet more questions!)

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by John Turner

I reckon this merits a new thread; welcome Daughter 'Strawb'. Any chance of persuading your Dad to join us here? I remember seeing him race a few times. Now does anyone have any pics. of the strawberry roofed Capri? Alan, any chance you might find yours? (Questions, and yet more questions!)

I have found a b/w photo of the strawberry roof but need to play with it a bit. Will post it tomorrow if I can make it a bit clearer.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Rennen

Ah!...yes I was involved in the graphics...for Tony Strawson as Andrew Kitson guessed.
Tony Strawson was a nieghbour in Finchley (North London) I had just moved into a flat and my garage backed onto an block of pre-war garages where he kept his race cars. One day washing my TR6 I heard this wonderful reving V8 and climbed over the fence to be faced by Tony and his mechanic Gary, tweaking the 4 downdraught twin choke Webbers of the Gurney Westlake V8 which was in an American Ford Falcon. In the corner was his previous car the famous ex-Graham Hill 'BUY12' Mk2 Jaguar which now sported huge fat wheels and wheel arches. In another corner was a very tatty but complete Ford GT40 which belonged to his solicitor Mark Finburg. Basically I had fallen over the fence into enthusiasts heaven...and soon was enlisted as a 'gofor'!

The neighbours hated him as on most fridays he would prep his car for weekend racing and would run up the unsilenced engines, to minimise conflict with the nieghbours he would shut himself in to reduce the noise and would later emerge like Houdini from a dense cloud of exhaust smoke without flinching or complaining just looking like he had had 10 Pints!
He had a small repair workshop business nearby where he specialised in exotic car repairs. I always remember him saying "Why change a clutch on a Triumph Herald for 40 quid when for the same effort you can change one on a Maserati for 300"? His customers included Marshall Wingfield (Gerry Marshalls car sales business) they sold exotic cars and actually sold the original ex Mick Hill Boss Capri to Strawson for the princely sum of 6 grand for which he remortgaged his house to buy it! Would loved to have seen his application form...reason for loan?

After pulling the 4.7 Gurney Westlake motor out we took the Capri up the hill to Liam Churchills paintshop in Barnet. The Churchill brothers were into Drag Racing, building the UK's first 'Funny Car'..."The Sting" which had a fiberglass Capri body but had a blower hemi as dragster tend to do! Tony's brief was for his ex Mick Hill car to be painted "BLACK with Strawberrys on it"...however as they were into painting trick Hot Rod/Custom Car paint jobs it ended up a sort of metallic brown, which didn't impress Tony much but he grudgingly accepted...yours truely did the signwriting and put the stickers on. I also refurbised all the the Lola T70 suspension parts and the Jag diff and repainted the engine block Ford blue.

I helped prep the car for many races and once had a very hairy lift (no seat!)in it at Brands Hatch when "Strawb" without warning floored the throttle to clear the plugs on that little road under the tunnel to the pits...I went bowling backwards into the empty shell...donging my head on the diagional roll bar! It was raw stuff in them days when 'men were men' in sandals!

A great post from Rennen which I have copied over from the originator thread.

[chunterer]

This should be a very entertaining and interesting thread!

Didn't Tony bring out an Opel Monza for a couple of Prodsaloon seasons in mid 80's as well? Seem to recall it was red and white, an ex Lanfranchi or Marshall car perhaps?

[Strawb]

Yes you are right he did, he had retired for while but got the bug again,not sure who car it was but was more than likely something to do with Tony or Gerry.

[chunterer]

Ah ha, it was the very same guy then!

I think he ran it bit past the car's best period though which meant Tony couldn't battle it out at the front?

By then the Starion's and Merc 190 were the cars to have but i think there was some fairly sideways driving from him, in keeping with the spirit of the Monza's prodsaloon tradition!!

Thinking about it there were a lot of excellent, experienced drivers with good reputation running in this form of racing at the time.

There was a guy called Mowatt in an orange Capri, something to do with RMC Mortars and i've often wondered if it was the same guy, or related to the guy who won loads of stuff with Minis in the 60's and 70's..

(I know, i know, I can hear you all thinking...form another thread!!!!)

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

I have found a b/w photo of the strawberry roof but need to play with it a bit. Will post it tomorrow if I can make it a bit clearer.

Not very good pic. Black & White on a very dull, damp, misty, Silverstone morning in the 70's, but you can just about make out the Strawberries on the roof!

[Peter Mallett]

And looking at that steering column he sat a loooooooooooooong way back!

[Alan Raine]

The ultimate back seat driver!!!!

[Peter Mallett]

Er no, I think I know who that is........................

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Er no, I think I know who that is........................

Yes I know - We all have one!

[davyboy]

Fabulous thread this. Rennen's post is incredible. I suppose most people have seen these but I thought it worth posting for those who haven't.

http://www.racing70s.pwp.blueyonder....i_strawson.htm

[Alan Raine]

Also like the way the site is linking into the threads.

There was a piccy of Baby Bertha at the top and an ad for Strawberry Bon Bons at the bottom!

[Gerry Taylor]

I know it's been ages since anyone last put anything on this page, but I was just surfing the forum and came upon this Tony Strawson item. I raced in the same races as Tony, albeit in the up to 1.litre class, and often we would just hang around and chat. Always a quiet chap, always polite and a gent. yeah, he did almost always wear his sandals, and never any socks, but you know what...we had characters back then, and he was one of them, lovely man. Hope your well Tony.
Gerry.

[Blue Oval Boy]

Sorry (or not) to resurrect an old thread.

An earlier post post mentions an orange capri with RMC Mortars logos.

This was John Revell's car, often run and supported by John Mowatt, of 60's 70's Mini fame. I helped out on the car at the Willhire in about 85 or 86, where it was something of a late entry. Graham Hathaway was also involved as were a couple of guys who now work for Mountune.

John Revell had a bit of a reputation with us all for using a few too many revs a few to many times, so it was always on the edge.

John Mowatt has passed his rolling road bussiness on to his son, but still likes to get out and play.

I may well have some photos of this event, which I will post if I can find them!

[Grazer]

Hi! I know this is an old thread, but I've just joined this forum and am trying to track down Strawb - or, more precisely, her Dad Tony! I'm pretty sure he was the Tony Strawson who used to work at Bloor's garage in Gainsborough road, Finchley, in the '60s. My dad was the foreman there, and I was the gangly youth using the garage to work on his old bikes and cars to try and make them go faster. Tony would help me (mainly helpiong to fix the things I'd broken), and also take me out in some of his more exotic cars. I'd love to get in touch with him. so if anyone can help it would be great.