Mike Furse driving his V8 Mercury Special at the Herts Constab Motor Club Allcomers PCT on April 4th 1976 The car was built in Cornwall by ??? and originally had a Mercury V8 engine, but to get the car running Mike fitted a 3622cc V8 from a scrapped Ford Pilot.
In true Agatha Christie style, could I please draw a few threads together?
Photo of the Mercury V8 published, hmm, interesting. Suddenly the respected Mr Morrell appears with critical information. Herts Constabulary, hmm, police, I'd wager. And, my dear readers, the sharp eyed observers will notice the car has no front number plate, or it is not at the required angle as stated... blah, blah. I can asert that Mr Austin did not build it, but actually it was...aaaagghhhh!
A festive yuletide to one and all from the dyspraxic navigator of the Yeller Dutton. (I only miss out the occasional line from the routecard).
I have a bit of insider knowledge of this as I saw the car a few times at Mikes house at Chartridge near Chesham. The car was I believe originally built for trials following on from the sucess of prewar V8 specials in trials (as pioneered I think by Sydney Allard?). In later years the Mercury was used for other purposes and if I remember rightly had a few bodywork changes for circuit racing. As far as I know the HCMC PCT was its only outing (to date, as I am sure Mike F still has the car, maybe it now has its Mercury engine refitted? ) I was C of C at the Allcomers as a civilian member of that Club. No, the 'Officers' did not have him for no number plates or for speeding as the radar gun was broken that day. I have seen a pic somewhere with number plates fitted, perhaps the front one fell off that day!! I have the results of the event and Mike finished behind 2 Bucklers, I seem to remember the Pilot engine had overheating/airlock problems on the day.
You are collectively so nearly, nearly there. In the tradition of Round Britian Quiz its time for me to give you a clue to the one bit missing. The original builder of the car hasn't been mentioned. L O-B certainly inspired this particular car, and supplied many of the bits, but this isn't his car! The original owner was the main builder in 1947 and subsequently re-bodied as a "sports car" as shown in the quiz photo. After the picture was taken todays owner had a new "trials" body made. So back to the archive chaps
From John Lees. Maybe John used a little bit more wheelspin on this section? "Bit of a clue, P157 Ron Faulkner's special ? John Lees ,Newquay Grammar same as Mr Furse"
Well done - I really didn't think you lot would get this one! here are the answers:- Who is the driver? = Mike Furse Where is the picture taken? = Tring Park What is the car? = Mercury Special Who originally built the car? = Ron Faulkner with know how and many parts supplied by Leslie Onslow- Bartlett. I am awarding Simon the prize as he got most of it first go with a drink for John L at the finish of the Exter for finishing it off. I actually wrote about this car in a piece "Cars I have Owned - Mike Furse" that I published in October 1996. It is no longer available on the main web site but with a lot of effort I found the file from the version appended to the Falcon magazine. The file was in Word Perfect! It took many hours but I managed to import it into an old version of Word. In turn I re-imported this to Open Office. By this time it had lost the pictures and most of the formatting... but many hours later.... You can download and read the PDF file by following this link http://classictrials.googlepages.com/ClassicalGas9610October1996PDF.pdf For the less patient this is the relevant text:- Mike tried a Reliant Rebel in 1973 and the following year acquired the Mercury special, and although it isn't running at the moment this remains in the Furse stable. The car comes from one of trialling's most spectacular periods. The 30's were dominated by small light cars and MG's ruled the roost. Sydney Allard came on the scene just before the hostilities and started to reveal the benefits of V8, and even V12, power. After the war a lot of V8 specials were built by young men, starved of Motor Sport and looking for some excitement! The immediate post war years were full of "blood and thunder", dominated by such cars until petrol rationing bought about their demise. Mike's car has an interesting history. It all started with a gentleman called Leslie Onslow-Bartlett. He started trialling in the 30's with a green "N" Magnette two seater and had a reputation for being a forceful and successful driver. Leslie was obsessed with weight. He replaced the front mudguards with the much smaller and lighter J2 type and the car frequently appeared lacking windscreen, hood and spare wheel! . He moved on to a stripped and battered "M" type in 1936. It had cut down bodywork and a hot engine. Onslow -Bartlett painted it gold and called it "The Nugget". After serving in the RAF during the war Leslie Onslow Bartlett took over a garage in Bournmouth that specialised in Mercury V8's and built a trials special from the bits and pieces gathered around him. He was very successful with the car. Ron Faulkner, of the Southsea Motor Club, took rather a shine to it and between them they built another one. It's first competitive appearance was on 18 the October 1947 on the Bristol Clubs Chappell Cup trial, starting from Hinton Charterhouse, just south of Bath. Onslow-Bartlett won the unlimited cup, after a spectacular ascent of Mount Pleasant, a hill previously used only for motorcycle trials. Ron Faulkner was unplaced with the second car. It took a long time to get it to work properly, and by then the lightweight Ford 10's had taken over and the V8's faded from the scene. Despite picking up a second class award in the Southern Experts Ron Faulkner lost interest in the Mercury, following the trend of building a Ford 10 special, with which he went on to b
As a footnote to this competition Ron Faulner's son, Paul, is the current President of Southsea Motor Club and competes in Sporting Trials. I shall see whether he has any more information on this car.
Amusing post script? An old pal of mine (Derek Bedwell and former owner of EDE 384 Dellow prototype) used to build V8 specials using bits from ex WW2 Bren gun carriers which he claimed could out Allard an Allard! According to said Derek, a brand new Ford V8 crated with all ancilleries could be picked up at Southampton docks for £12 - 10 shillings in the post war years He also had quite a trade shipping these Bren Gun Carriers (cut in half for shipping) to OZ I believe. A common trick at MOD disposals would be to bid for a lot then move the rope around a few others of the neighbouring lot!
Ross Nuten thinks:-
ReplyDelete1 Mike Furse
2 Tring Park
3 V8 Ford Special
4 ??? Pinewood studio!!!
Interesting answers Ross. I don't think that's a Ford V8 in there and are you really sure thats Mike Furse?
No !but its the nearest I will get to a free bottle of wine!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ross on the fisrt two answers, Mike Furse & Tring Park, but I think the car is one of Leslie Onslow-Bartlett's Mercury specials.
ReplyDeleteMike Furse driving his V8 Mercury Special at the Herts Constab Motor Club Allcomers PCT on April 4th 1976 The car was built in Cornwall by ??? and originally had a Mercury V8 engine, but to get the car running Mike fitted a 3622cc V8 from a scrapped Ford Pilot.
ReplyDeleteWelcome aboard Cliffe, an odd crew but Captain Leete keeps it on the straight and narrow.
ReplyDelete1976!!! You have made my day. I had just got my Puch moped on L plates then.Was this car used for several years or did I dream of seeing it in 1983?
All answers please on the back of a 짙20 note.
In true Agatha Christie style, could I please draw a few
ReplyDeletethreads together?
Photo of the Mercury V8 published, hmm,
interesting.
Suddenly the respected Mr Morrell appears with critical
information.
Herts Constabulary, hmm, police, I'd wager.
And, my dear readers, the sharp eyed observers will notice
the car has no front number plate, or it is not at the required angle as
stated... blah, blah.
I can asert that Mr Austin did not build it, but actually
it was...aaaagghhhh!
A festive yuletide to one and all from the dyspraxic
navigator of the Yeller Dutton. (I only miss out the occasional line from the
routecard).
Dear Agatha,
ReplyDelete!976 ....Just a few years before the incar numberplate reading equipment watsit thingy 짙60 fine sir,days!
I would bet another bottle of mikes wine there was not a number on the back!
I have a bit of insider knowledge of this as I saw the car a few times at Mikes house at Chartridge near Chesham. The car was I believe originally built for trials following on from the sucess of prewar V8 specials in trials (as pioneered I think by Sydney Allard?). In later years the Mercury was used for other purposes and if I remember rightly had a few bodywork changes for circuit racing. As far as I know the HCMC PCT was its only outing (to date, as I am sure Mike F still has the car, maybe it now has its Mercury engine refitted? ) I was C of C at the Allcomers as a civilian member of that Club. No, the 'Officers' did not have him for no number plates or for speeding as the radar gun was broken that day. I have seen a pic somewhere with number plates fitted, perhaps the front one fell off that day!! I have the results of the event and Mike finished behind 2 Bucklers, I seem to remember the Pilot engine had overheating/airlock problems on the day.
ReplyDeleteCliff - I digitally blacked out the number plate to stop people googling it! - Michael
ReplyDeleteFrom Roger Dudley:- Michael I think I know 3 of these so here goes. Mike Furse Tring Park Mercury Special Leslie Onslow-Barnett Roger Dudley
ReplyDeleteFrom Reg Taylor:- 1. Mike Furz 2. Tring Park 3. Ford V8 4. Mecury Reg Taylor
ReplyDeleteYou are collectively so nearly, nearly there. In the tradition of Round Britian Quiz its time for me to give you a clue to the one bit missing. The original builder of the car hasn't been mentioned. L O-B certainly inspired this particular car, and supplied many of the bits, but this isn't his car! The original owner was the main builder in 1947 and subsequently re-bodied as a "sports car" as shown in the quiz photo. After the picture was taken todays owner had a new "trials" body made. So back to the archive chaps
ReplyDeleteFrom John Lees (who lives in the county this car spent a lot of its life) Price Special ? - D. W Price. John Lees
ReplyDeleteFrom John Lees. Maybe John used a little bit more wheelspin on this section? "Bit of a clue, P157 Ron Faulkner's special ? John Lees ,Newquay Grammar same as Mr Furse"
ReplyDeleteFrom Reg Taylor|:- "the maker i believe was somebody by the name of Faulkner i should remember as i drove it that event Reg Happy Xmas."
ReplyDeleteMike
ReplyDeleteNow that I have gone through 30 yrs of photos and emptied the book case.Are you going to give us the next question?
Well done - I really didn't think you lot would get this one! here are the answers:- Who is the driver? = Mike Furse Where is the picture taken? = Tring Park What is the car? = Mercury Special Who originally built the car? = Ron Faulkner with know how and many parts supplied by Leslie Onslow- Bartlett. I am awarding Simon the prize as he got most of it first go with a drink for John L at the finish of the Exter for finishing it off. I actually wrote about this car in a piece "Cars I have Owned - Mike Furse" that I published in October 1996. It is no longer available on the main web site but with a lot of effort I found the file from the version appended to the Falcon magazine. The file was in Word Perfect! It took many hours but I managed to import it into an old version of Word. In turn I re-imported this to Open Office. By this time it had lost the pictures and most of the formatting... but many hours later.... You can download and read the PDF file by following this link http://classictrials.googlepages.com/ClassicalGas9610October1996PDF.pdf For the less patient this is the relevant text:- Mike tried a Reliant Rebel in 1973 and the following year acquired the Mercury special, and although it isn't running at the moment this remains in the Furse stable. The car comes from one of trialling's most spectacular periods. The 30's were dominated by small light cars and MG's ruled the roost. Sydney Allard came on the scene just before the hostilities and started to reveal the benefits of V8, and even V12, power. After the war a lot of V8 specials were built by young men, starved of Motor Sport and looking for some excitement! The immediate post war years were full of "blood and thunder", dominated by such cars until petrol rationing bought about their demise. Mike's car has an interesting history. It all started with a gentleman called Leslie Onslow-Bartlett. He started trialling in the 30's with a green "N" Magnette two seater and had a reputation for being a forceful and successful driver. Leslie was obsessed with weight. He replaced the front mudguards with the much smaller and lighter J2 type and the car frequently appeared lacking windscreen, hood and spare wheel! . He moved on to a stripped and battered "M" type in 1936. It had cut down bodywork and a hot engine. Onslow -Bartlett painted it gold and called it "The Nugget". After serving in the RAF during the war Leslie Onslow Bartlett took over a garage in Bournmouth that specialised in Mercury V8's and built a trials special from the bits and pieces gathered around him. He was very successful with the car. Ron Faulkner, of the Southsea Motor Club, took rather a shine to it and between them they built another one. It's first competitive appearance was on 18 the October 1947 on the Bristol Clubs Chappell Cup trial, starting from Hinton Charterhouse, just south of Bath. Onslow-Bartlett won the unlimited cup, after a spectacular ascent of Mount Pleasant, a hill previously used only for motorcycle trials. Ron Faulkner was unplaced with the second car. It took a long time to get it to work properly, and by then the lightweight Ford 10's had taken over and the V8's faded from the scene. Despite picking up a second class award in the Southern Experts Ron Faulkner lost interest in the Mercury, following the trend of building a Ford 10 special, with which he went on to b
ReplyDeleteAs a footnote to this competition Ron Faulner's son, Paul, is the current President of Southsea Motor Club and competes in Sporting Trials. I shall see whether he has any more information on this car.
ReplyDeleteAmusing post script? An old pal of mine (Derek Bedwell and former owner of EDE 384 Dellow prototype) used to build V8 specials using bits from ex WW2 Bren gun carriers which he claimed could out Allard an Allard! According to said Derek, a brand new Ford V8 crated with all ancilleries could be picked up at Southampton docks for £12 - 10 shillings in the post war years He also had quite a trade shipping these Bren Gun Carriers (cut in half for shipping) to OZ I believe. A common trick at MOD disposals would be to bid for a lot then move the rope around a few others of the neighbouring lot!
ReplyDelete