THE HISTORY OF THE GRAYFORD SPECIAL
  • Home
  • Jem Marsh
  • Stan Gray
  • Vic Hood
  • Geoff Gook & Derek Stevens
  • Interregnum
  • Paul & Nic
  • Meeting up
  • Results
  • Race Report: Snetterton 10/2002
  • Race Report: Donington 11/5/2003
  • Race Report: Pembrey 26-27/7/2003
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The car was bought from Vic by Geoffrey Gook from Southampton in October 1965 and was it was co-driven with his neighbour Derek Stevens, who provided the mechanical know-how. They painted the car in the blue and yellow livery that it still runs with. They ran the 1172 engine, now without supercharger, for four seasons and sold the engine to the 'hot dog man' at Wiscombe Park at the end of the last race of that season! Then began the hunt for it's replacement over the winter. A Coventry Climax FWA 1098cc pump engine was chosen due to Derek's familiarity with them though his work. Once they had tuned it from standard to Stage 2 or 3 it would've produced between 80 and 90bhp. This was mated to an MG Midget 4 speed close ratio gearbox. Geoffrey and Derek hillclimbed the car with the BARC and the West Hants & Dorset Car Club between 1966 and 1974 where it won many fastest time of the day (FTD) and had many class victories. Derek remembered that the car was good to drive but that it became twitchy at the limits meaning that one had to drive with precision. At a testing session at Goodwood one year it averaged over 80mph around the circuit.
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