Remember 80's driver called Sven Platt?

**chunterer** · 28 Feb 2006, 12:59 (Ref:1533216)

I think i may have asked the question before, but not many if any responses have been forthcoming.

During the mid 1980's Prodsaloon boom, there was a Capri 2.8i pedalled rather luridly by a guy named Sven Platt. I think the car ran under the entrant of Project 2 Motorsport and was number 44 in the Uniroyal series. He sometimes shared it with a 'Ronnie Chong.' I think they both lived in the Godalming area?

It was i think white with some orange and yellow stripes.

Platt was quick , often qualifying second or third best Capri behind Skid Scarborough and Jess Yates near the front, but used to spend a lot of his time looking out of the side window of the car going from memory!

I'm wondering if the two names were in fact 'nondeplumes' as a lot of drivers raced under at the time.

Anyway does anyone remember this guy and what became of him as I think he disapeared at the end of that season.

I'm sure it will open up a lot of fond memories of other cars and personalities from the period.

plattoon racing · 12 Jun 2007, 14:25 (Ref:1935093)

I was doing a search on Yahoo UK (I live in the USA) when I came accross your post. Sven Platt is my brother and he did race in the Uniroyal series! I have forwarded this web site to him and I am sure he will respond to your questions. Thanks Claus Platt

**chunterer** · 12 Jun 2007, 17:37 (Ref:1935257)

Wow that's awesome!!

You never know what's gonna turn up on the www!!!

Yes that'll be great, see if you can urge him to join up with us as a member as i'm sure he'll have a lot to contribute to the prodsaloon thread!

The guy was always great to watch in 1985, although i'm not sure what he went onto do after that?

davyboy · 12 Jun 2007, 18:50 (Ref:1935340)

Didn't the car appear as a double page spread or a front/back cover in Autosport back in the day. I'm sure it was on a colour page when Autosport was predominantly black and white. I was a massive Capri fan and I thought I had a picture of that car [ripped from Autosport] on my bedroom wall at home.

**chunterer** · 13 Jun 2007, 10:54 (Ref:1935820)

Yes I think you're right!

I had something similar on my bedroom wall!

Graham Clayton · 10 Oct 2012, 07:12 (Ref:3149205)

A photo of #44 and some information:

http://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/brazi...rd-capri-2-8i/

**chunterer** · 10 Oct 2012, 08:34 (Ref:3149241)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Clayton

A photo of #44 and some information:

http://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/brazi...rd-capri-2-8i/

Ha ha cheers for that, that's the car with it's distinctive number plate!

Arniesmate · 18 Jan 2016, 21:04 (Ref:3606001)

Hi,
I work for Sven Platt now, he has a stud farm.

**chunterer** · 20 Jan 2016, 19:22 (Ref:3606664)

Thanks Arniesmate!

Does he have any interest in motorsport anymore?

Tasseb · 27 Apr 2020, 17:24 (Ref:3973184)

Ronnie Chong lived in Brighton (I sold him 666 the black beast) became a good personal friend.

Rob Ryder · 11 May 2020, 13:51 (Ref:3975524)

Ralph Colmar · 8 Feb 2023, 23:50 (Ref:4143210)

Better 17 years late to the party than never, I went to school with Sven and his brother Claus who commented in post #2, and also wrote the blog mentioned by Graham in post #6.

Sven indeed did only the one Uniroyal season in 1985, he wrote off one Capri on his debut at Brands Hatch, incorrectly described as John Hammersly in the photo printed in Autosport the following week !

Svens cars were prepared by Ronnie Chongs Project 2 Motosport in Brighton. Sven at the time was I believe living in Chertsy, his wife was running sponsor Rays Toys in Godalming and various other places in the region.

Davyboy in post #4 is correct the car did appear in full colour on the back page of Autosport.

After 1985 Sven had Ronnie prepare an ALFA Romeo 33 for class D of the ALFA Romeo Challenge for the 1987 season he won a couple of races with it one at Brands on the GP circuit. Then at Castle Combe the 33 got written off while parked on the inside at Quarry by an errant Sud. Undetered Ronnie prepared an ancient Sud for Sven to use for the rest of the season and on the championships second visit to Castle Combe, the weekend after that phenomenal storm, Sven won again.

The following season Sven and I invested in an '85 M5 for some reason maybe a roadgoing series but the car was sold on before anywork had started on preparing it.

In 1990 I came into some cash thanks to a flulkey property investment in Brixton and I spent all the proceeds racing a 2CV. The main attraction being the 24 hour race at Mondello Park where Sven joined me and another chap. Sven qualified the car in the top 10 IIRC but his co drivers could not keep his pace and we finished just inside the top 20.

So far as I know that was the end of Svens racing career. I'll try and post some pics if I can find them. Was great to see someone remembered him. They were happy days.

**chunterer** · 9 Feb 2023, 06:38 (Ref:4143226)

Thanks for coming on to share your memories Ralph. Certainly seems like you all had good times!

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