Favourite Formula E Ford 1600 memories

[diz]

A spotty teenager called Gavin Wills did the first ever Formula E Ford 1600 race in 1985. Whatever became of him?

Sorry Gav, but I had to start this thread off with something.

Over to you then boys and girls.

[blue nose]

Most of us are to young to remember those far of days of yore.

[blue nose]

So what is the differance between a formula E and FF1600 or is there any?

[jminsh]

I seem to recall formula E had really dodgy founder come coordinator.can't remember his name though !!

[Ian Sowman]

I'm sure Diz will remind us of the differences in the regs. I remember the Eccleston brothers in it, and Austin Kinsella is a name that sticks in the mind as well.

[swift]

Originally posted by blue nose
So what is the differance between a formula E and FF1600 or is there any?

wasn't it something to do with outboard suspenders : or am I getting confused with another week end hobby?

[Walshy]

Was Mark Youde racing then? What happened to him?

[swift]

Originally posted by Walshy
Was Mark Youde racing then? What happened to him?

I know he still instructs at the race school at Oulton

[jminsh]

Mark Youde oh my god Nookie Bear

[dhart]

Basically any FF with outboard suspension,some great races from the likes of Peacock,Ally Lane,Nick Hammerton,Wally Warwick,Dave Mellor,Phil Margerisson,Mike Gardener etc etc

Remember Peacock glued to Jason Elliots works VD86 gearbox the whole of an RAC race at Oulton in a 74 Crossle 25F!! Puddy was not ammused!

[blue nose]

Was all this in the 60s or early 70s I can see it now sideburns dodgy hair cuts tartan slacks and very tight tank tops light blue platform boots or was that Diz?

[Walshy]

Originally posted by jminsh
Mark Youde oh my god Nookie Bear

That's right. Does he still look like the lead singer from Toploader..............


I seem to recall he was made infamous by the RAC GoRacing Pack video as he signed on at Silverstone as a rookie............

[jminsh]

No hair anymore fully off with a bic

[Walshy]

Does he not race anything anymore. He was the "Cheshire Slate and Brick" man wasn't he?

Is Graeme Riley not racing anymore. He was quick. Very quick. From what I can remember at least. I was merely a spectator then....

[jminsh]

No both don't race, however Riles lives at the old school house just behind druids !!

[Walshy]

Yeah. I heard that. Turned a nice business around and is doing well out of it. He used to live just up the road from me in Rochdale and when I was looking at getting into it, he passed on a few bits of information as I jogged passed his house........

Jogged.....did I say jogged???? Those were the days.....not..

[StephenRae]

We can't have a thread on Formula E without mentioning Colin Benn 'Moose' He and Diz were the leading lights in the formula conceived by Richard Peacock (who probably had a few Crossles to sell at the time)
I always regarded Moose as a calming influence on Diz who then as now will take every opportunity to shoot himself in the foot.
The racing was always frenetic and the social side demanding...I remember on one occasion loading various wrecks before heading off to the Red Lion at Oulton Park, after a too many drinks we, the Ecclestone Bros, Jim Kelly (Panther)and myself gate crashed a wedding party in a tent down the road. We were mixing well and would have been OK if one of the Ecclestones hadn't passed out in the corner.
The mother of the bride confronted us, but didn't throw us out cos,we were the only ones with any life in us!!!

[sprocket]

Originally posted by blue nose
Was all this in the 60s or early 70s I can see it now sideburns dodgy hair cuts tartan slacks and very tight tank tops light blue platform boots or was that Diz?

Until Pikey knows his ff1600 history Diz will have to dock points from his results!!
Seriously good racing up & thru the field,full grids,2 races,international circuit a lot,it's were I started !!

[Triple J Motorsport]

My Dad (!) won a formula E race at Brands think it was at one of the old FF1600 festivals I a borrowed Crossle!

John

[Junior Senior]

Didn't Wally Warwick protest the entire top 10 finishers of a Formula E race, including himself, and the only person chucked out on an irregularity was W. Warwick........? Or has the story got more outrageously exaggerated over the years??

[StephenRae]

Originally posted by Junior Senior
Didn't Wally Warwick protest the entire top 10 finishers of a Formula E race, including himself, and the only person chucked out on an irregularity was W. Warwick........? Or has the story got more outrageously exaggerated over the years??

This may be an exageration of the time three drivers were "picked out of the hat" for an engine strip down.Two who were beyond reproach and the one targeted after a stunning performance in a previous race. To cut this short two were legal and one of the benders belonged to .......

I'll stop now for fear of upsetting a very good friend, but it wasn't the expected outcome!!!

[diz]

Originally posted by Junior Senior
Didn't Wally Warwick protest the entire top 10 finishers of a Formula E race, including himself, and the only person chucked out on an irregularity was W. Warwick........? Or has the story got more outrageously exaggerated over the years??

Correct JS, but it was a national FF1600 round at Donington, not Formula E.

...has the story got more outrageously exaggerated over the years??

No. That's how it was.

[Junior Senior]

Cheers for that, Diz. Can anyone remember Phil Margerison being "assisted" down Mallory's Devils Elbow on his roll hoop by the Ecclestones.......?!!

[JustinDawkins]

My dad has been telling me a million Ecclestone storys after I mentioned this thread. His memory may be scretchy though, and he can;t remember which brother did what:

Aparently on went straight over the back of a backmarker whilst lapping him at the esses! One also ended up hitting the armco backwards just after the pit exit at mallory!

[diz]

Some from when Pete was Roger's rear gunner, and others.

1. Tangling with Austin Kinsella, his front wheel touching Austin's radiator. Rapid selection of 1st and reverse a few times and the associated forward and backward motions to ensure the radiator got damaged. Austin - bless him - almost believed he was just trying to get back on track.

2. Roger and Simon Davey, P1,P2 last lap at Thruxton. A tangle [just one of those things - despite Simon's protestations that it was intentional] upended Simon at the chicane. Pete squeezed through into the lead, spotted that a crabwise Roger had restarted, locked all four wheels before the line and Roger took the flag. I can't remember if they got away with that one.

3. They had both been kicked out of the results at Combe for not putting their balaclavas back on after a race stoppage. Approaching the M5 / M6 junction and the compulsory traffic crawl on our way home, I spotted a black Peugeot 205GTI sneaking up in the next lane to me. I turned to Moose and said "here goes, this is all we need". I was expecting a tirade about race officials etc.
They eased alongside and touching wing mirrors, Roger wound his window down, shoving his hand through the gap. It contained a Golden Wonder bag. "fancy a crisp chaps."

4. And to show that Roger was an out and out FF enthusiast, try this one. Donald McLeod was introduced to a drivers meeting at Silverstone. At the time he was trying to start some kind of business to do with rebuilding engines. Like a modern day fan spotting Beckham, Roger said - somewhat open mouthed - "are you theeee Donald McLeod?"

5. Over the water now to Kirkistown and a test day. Roger had a very high speed off and careered 'for miles' through a very wet and muddy bog. When he got the, undamaged, car back, he found the circuit's hosepipe and cleaned all the mud off. The car was full of water and Roger decided it needed drying off. So having changed into jeans, a white short sleeved shirt and sun glasses, he started driving round the paddock and then out onto the circuit to do 'a few slow laps' to 'blow dry the Crossle.' Unfortunately, somebody - properly attired - passed him. Big mistake. Roger was driving round with no belts, no suit, no helmet etc. and was quickly up to race pace and glued to his gearbox. I'll never forget the big smile and flailing seat belts.

6. Another Kirkistown one. The rear wheels and gearbox were all that was sticking out of a tyre wall. Nobody stopped at first,
a) fearing the worst and then
b) realising 'oh, it's only Steve Pearce.