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Ron Grant
United Kingdom
160 Posts |
 Posted - 27/11/2010 : 17:07:14
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The current issue of Classic and Sports Car, states that Ronnie Hoare, the owner of Maranello Concessionaires, the Ferrari importers, used to race a blown MG at Brooklands pre-war.
I have never heard of this before, does anybody know what car it was and if it is still around?
Ron Grant |
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John Reid
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 28/11/2010 : 10:38:05
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Ron,
Interesting. Colonel Ronnie Hoare bought JB6867 (Aramis, Three Musketeers) from MG when the cars were sold in 1937.
What I don't know is whether this is the car that he raced at Brooklands. Did he have any other blown MGs?
It would be interesting to find out more, as I have no evidence that Aramis appeared at Brooklands.
John R |
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Ron Grant
United Kingdom
160 Posts |
Posted - 28/11/2010 : 12:22:50
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John,
Whilst not trying to answer my own question, I believe that a mechanic that worked for Marnello Concessionaires owned the Ex Harvey Noble single seat Q type, but that may well be just a coincidence.
As you say, it would be interesting to find out more about which car he drove.
Ron Grant |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 29/11/2010 : 10:16:43
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Ron,
I make a point of chasing up any history relating to the Q Types. With this in mind, do you have the chap's name (that is the mechanic who worked for Maranello Concessionaires) and any contact details ?
Any info would be appreciated.
Best wishes,
Colin B. |
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Ron Grant
United Kingdom
160 Posts |
Posted - 29/11/2010 : 11:25:37
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Colin,
I was expecting you to get involved, with all the answers!!
I am not aware of any names, simply that there was a "spares package" that was with the car, which I think I am right in saying was bought by Geoff Monk after the car it's self was sold, presumably in the 1950's. There was the spare gearbox out of Q-0251 which I now own and I remember Geoff telling me that he had a part machined bronze head, that he swapped for an HV8 carb. Wonder where that head is now?
Ron |
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Mike Allison
United Kingdom
196 Posts |
Posted - 29/11/2010 : 11:42:50
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Hi Colin and Ron,
I am not too sure about the connection with Ronnie Hoare and the ex-Harvey Noble car: The post war owner/driver I got to know a little about was Curly Dryden: when the car in his ownership, he was mine host at the George at Dorchester, and it was none other than Alec Hounslow who looked after the car for him. Alec lived in Dorchester (D-on Thames, not the Dorset town of the same name) and was paid in beer according to Alec. Curly moved from the Q to a 500 in which he was sadly killed, but Alec continued to use the George until he died in the seventies, and I met him there several times!
No help with Ronnie Hoare, I know, but Hoare may have had the car after Dryden: do you know Colin?
All "grist to the mill" as they say.
Mike |
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John Reid
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 00:36:16
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Ron Grant refers to Ronnie Hoare's prewar ownership of a blown MG whereas Dryden was a post war owner.
Does anyone know if the Brooklands Society has an archive of programmes/entrants to see if Ronnie Hoare appears?
John R |
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David Allison
United Kingdom
665 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 09:39:59
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Lt Col R J Hoare retired from the Army in 1955 and was a career soldier - retiring at the rank of Colonel.
He went on to run Marrenello Concesionaries from 1959-60 on-wards - setting up the company to market and sell Ferrari sports cars in the UK.
The original sales outlet for Ferrari having been Mike Hawthorne's TT Garage at Farnham near Guidford.
I am not sure that Hoare did not work with Hawthorne at Farnham and most of the history pre the set up of Marrenello Concesionaries is a bit vague.
However the success of the new company was such that Hoare increased sales in the UK for the Italian marque by a huge margin and its art deco style building was a place of homage for any petrol head.
The racing exploits too were legend and Hoare entered cars for Graham Hill, Innes Ireland, Mike Parkes, John Surtees among others in a variety of national and international events helping Ferrari to secure the World Sports Prototype Championships through the 1960's.
Of his own motorsports there is very little information and certainly nothing high profile.
That said a blown MG was an affordable project in the immediate pre-war period and he did certainly own Aramis.
However I think it more likely that it was indeed Aramis that was his racing (and everything else) car rather than a "racing" car. He would at this time have been a Captain in the Royal Artillery and had very little time for any serious motorsporting exploits.
Post war and on leaving the forces he was very much an entrant and did very little driving himself.
Col. R.J. Hoare is a small piece of MG history - more famous for other things he did afterwards rather than what he did while driving MG cars.
David A |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 10:05:13
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Hi John,
Try Tony Hutchings at the Society on 01344 844287. He holds a full set of Brooklands programmes and even keeps an "M.G.s at Brooklands Register". He should be able to find what you're looking for in a matter of seconds. He is usually most helpful!
Cheers,
Cat
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bloodysalmon
Spain
1482 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 10:20:53
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I know 100% that I will get shot down for what I am about to say, especially as I dont have to read this string nor do I have to comment on an area of subject that really does appear to get people excited about ... driver history! I just cant understand why this subject is such a passionate one, may I say, to the older fraternity! Perhaps that's it, we do all reminiss as we get older, being 53 I remiss about my footballing, but thats me and not someone else. It's like cricket, why do people get crazy about a 1950's match between who ever ... its history, its gone. Told you I would get shot but its an open forum isn't it?
This subject of what people did or do or have done replicates itself into the MMM reg Bulletin, writes ups by those that are fortunate to participate in, have the time, have the money etc ... it appears those 5% of us like to see our names, but 95% of us dont surely ... very sticky ground now I'm sure!
I do not expect an agreement or perhaps even an understanding to what or why I say this, sometimes like the crap way of getting pictures up here, the truth needs to be said. Appreciate also I wont win friends either, however I am only challenging the process and not individuals now as the future will have to change to survive as numbers dwindled. Justification V Ignorance ?
I'll stand back to be shot ... perhaps someone out there understands what I'm saying ?
Chris Blood (D0407, D0430 & F0753) |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 10:41:26
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I'll stand back to be shot ... perhaps someone out there understands what I'm saying ?
No I don't, and I couldn't give two hoots about football ;)
Each to his own...
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 11:01:16
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The post-war history I have at present for the Harvey-Noble car is :-
1947-1948 Curly Dryden
1948-1950 Eric Brandon
1950-1953 Col. W F Ridley
1954-1957 Harry Ross-Skinner
1957 Bruce Spollon
1957 Fred Laurence
1960 Mr Quinney, Alcester, Warwickshire
1961-1962 David Berridge
1963-1964 John Statham
1965 onwards Syd Beer and family
Harry Ross-Skinner cannot remember who he bought the car from and he thinks that he sold it to an apprentice at Westlands Helicopters at Yeovil. Also the name Peter Thoms features somewhere in the Bruce Spollon period but it is not clear to me wheher he sold the car to Bruce, or bought it from Fred Laurence.
Also carefully noted the comments from Chris Blood. Hmm. Oh well. .
Any further information eagerly awaited.
Colin B. |
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John Reid
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 11:16:27
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Cathelijne,
Thanks for the Brooklands Society contact, also recommended by Colin B.
John R
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 12:51:48
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Hmm. Oh well indeed. 
Cat
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Ray Masters
United Kingdom
568 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 15:06:16
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| Colin, Can I correct you on one small detail of the list of previous owners of the Harvey - Noble Q-Type. The correct name is Anthony (Tony) Statham not John. Cheers, Ray. |
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Peter Green
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 17:08:00
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Chris,
I do not understand what you are trying to say in your posting above, but I do object to one thing you have said, which is, “like the crap way of getting pictures up here”.
When you initially raised your difficulty in uploading pictures and said that the Register were not going about it in the correct manner you were told by Nick Feakes, our webmaster, that there were very good reasons for us doing it the way we were, and there are still very good reasons why it is still done this way. Furthermore, when you recently commented, yet again, on your inability to upload pictures onto the forum I wrote to you offering to upload them for you, as you did not bother to take up my offer please do not ‘carry on’ about not being able to upload pictures to forum postings. As Nick, I and others have said, there are very good reasons for doing it the way we do.
Peter.
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