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17 Nov 2014, 01:11 (Ref:3475640) | #1 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 26
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Unipower GT
Despite only around 75 Unipower GTs having been produced between 1965 and 1970 there were a number of cars built to race. The first was the 1967 Racing Car Show example in white which was displayed as the first competition version with Stirling Moss, complete with a Downton tuned 1275 Cooper S engine at the show. The car is owned by me, is chassis number 9 and was built at Perivale December 1966, was subsequently bought by Jan Odor a couple of months later and entered in Special GT races for Geoff Mabbs to the end of the 1967 season. This also included an appearance at the first Spanish GP at Jarama where this little car finished 6th. In August 1967 a smaller 1071 Cooper S based engine was fitted to bring the car under the 1150 class limit and the car repainted red to match Janspeed's works colours.
Brian Harvey of Cars and Car Conversions bought the car to hillclimb and sprint in early '68 with the magazine's sponsorship and coverage. Harvey sold the car to new Unipower GT factory boss Piers Forester in late May '68 and was sold on again to Graham Goodman and Gideon Lloyd in June 68 who raced the car together until the end of the season at Brands, Snetterton etc, their last race being Oulton in November. John Jeremy Miles also raced a very similar 1143cc car from late May '67 until the end of that season, the car being yellow with a central green stripe , owned and entered by Em Newman, engine by Gordon Allen. That car was also bought by piers Forrester in early 1968, going on to race the car in this year. Other race cars include another early one raced at Warwick Farm in the U.S in July '69 by Peter Harrison and Bob Barell, two cars taken to Le Mans in 1969 by Forrester, failed to qualify, cars also entered at the Targa Florio, Nuburgring and Mugello , Unipower GT racers included Tom Zettinger, Stanley Robinson, John Blanckley,Ian Strang ,Gerry Hulford etc. Last edited by Surf 1275; 17 Nov 2014 at 01:26. |
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17 Nov 2014, 09:55 (Ref:3475728) | #2 | ||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 13,226
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Really interesting stuff, thanks, Surf. I remember seeing one or two of these race in period. Are you planning to race yours in historics?
Would be good to get info about some of the other chassis nos. I'll put a link in later to our Motor Sport History forum. |
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__________________
"It's pure joy. This was the perfect training for the WEC after a summer of not racing, even though the car is faster than LMP2." Nicolas Minassian after lapping at 123mph in the Group C Jaguar XJR-14, setting a new outright lap record for the historic GP circuit at Silverstone Classic in 2013! |
19 Nov 2014, 21:25 (Ref:3476710) | #3 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 26
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Thanks for the comments John, I plan speed events initially with the car. I'm sure Unipower GT expert Gerry Hulford would be able to provide further chassis info. My car will appear as part of a C&CC celebration at the Racing Car Show in January at the NEC and at the Mk1 Performance Action Weekend at Blyton Park, first weekend in May.
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10 Aug 2015, 18:02 (Ref:3565163) | #4 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 94
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was reading this thread, Was the john Miles mentioned the same as the one who drove for Lotus? Who was Ian Strang and did he drive anything else?
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16 Oct 2016, 15:12 (Ref:3680692) | #5 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 26
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No idea who Ian Strang was sorrry. The John Miles that raced the EM Newman/Gordon Allen Unipower GT in 1967 was John Edward Miles as opposed to John J Miles who raced for Team Lotus, though they both raced alongside each other for Willment at one point and were referred to as John E and John J!
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24 Oct 2016, 14:15 (Ref:3682489) | #6 | |
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 124
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Targa Florio, 1969
Just found this picture at Revs:
Car #228: https://revslib.stanford.edu/catalog/zx003xx4809 RGDS RLT |
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21 Sep 2018, 23:08 (Ref:3851884) | #7 | |
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 124
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The Revs Library
The Revs Library has moved - sundry Unipower pictures here:
https://library.revsinstitute.org/di...CHALL=Unipower RGDS RLT Last edited by Rupertlt1; 21 Sep 2018 at 23:09. Reason: Remove HTML |
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