Sporty SWB Saloon...

[Steve Jones]

Could you be thinking of the late Mike Telford's 'sporty' SWB Saloon Ruairidh? Can't remember if it had cycle wings or not and I haven't a photo (so, not much help really!!) but others might remember. I imagine there will be a photo in a PWA7C Magazine but finding it will involve hunting through a lot of mags!!

Steve

[Robert Leigh]

No, that the Forest (sp?) Special - thank you.

Surely the Forrest Special had the roof lowered in relation to the scuttle, with a very short windscreen. I remember it from the Isle of Man Silver Jubilee Rally, where I had an RN and a late Ruby, the latter sold fairly recently after 38 years.

Robert Leigh

[Ruairidh Dunford]

You are more than likely correct Robert, thank you.

Here it is:



Neither of these are the cars I am remembering - perhaps the one Steve mentioned is the one....

[Austin in the Shed]

Could you be thinking of the late Mike Telford's 'sporty' SWB Saloon Ruairidh? Can't remember if it had cycle wings or not and I haven't a photo (so, not much help really!!) but others might remember. I imagine there will be a photo in a PWA7C Magazine but finding it will involve hunting through a lot of mags!!

Steve

I was trying to remember his name Steve,I think he used to trial a model A too?.I thought I had a conversation with Mike about the 7's origins but can't be sure that it was Barry Argents car.Didn't Barry paint swastika's behind the interior panels of his cars?

[Steve Jones]

Could you be thinking of the late Mike Telford's 'sporty' SWB Saloon Ruairidh? Can't remember if it had cycle wings or not and I haven't a photo (so, not much help really!!) but others might remember. I imagine there will be a photo in a PWA7C Magazine but finding it will involve hunting through a lot of mags!!

Steve

I was trying to remember his name Steve, I think he used to trial a model A too?.I thought I had a conversation with Mike about the 7's origins but can't be sure that it was Barry Argent's car. Didn't Barry paint swastika's behind the interior panels of his cars?

That's him, Dave. He did trial a Model A Saloon at VSCC. He was the Citroen and Skoda dealer in Carlisle but was killed in a road accident (in his 2CV if I remember correctly) in December 2012. He used to bring his Seven to the Christmas Trials at Butts and I'm sure there's a photo in one of the PWA7C Magazines. Pretty sure he used it on some of the ACTC Trials as well.

Steve

[Malcolm Parker]

I think Mike Telford's SWB saloon was the ex-Barry Argent car.  Mike bought a Shorrock C75B supercharger from me shortly before his untimely death.  I think his idea was to fit it to the car, it would have made a great trials car!
The Forrest special was developed over the years.  The roof was later lowered and I think when Nev Barr raced it his head stuck out through the sunroof! Shortening the LWB saloon lengthwise is more pleasing visually than vertically.  Don't try it on a Ruby, the result may not be so pleasant!

[jonmilne7@yahoo.com]

Barry Argent brought his shortened and lowered Box to the meetings at the A7OC Moore Place in Esher many times it was painted green and had cycle wings he also put a Relient engine in

[Ruairidh Dunford]

The Forrest special was developed over the years.  The roof was later lowered and I think when Nev Barr raced it his head stuck out through the sunroof! 

Malcolm, do you know if the car above an early photo of the Forrest special, or a different car all together please?

[Stuart Giles]

I have seen some information on the above car somewhere else on the 'net -but can't find it a t the moment.

It's not the Forrest car; apparently it had Ford 10 mechanicals -the Ford Pop style rear hub and wheel in the photo certainly agree with that.

[Peter Naulls]

Ruairidh,

I don't know Barrie Argent but this may be his car or the one you're thinking of, or both? It was SWB with a shortened and narrowed LWB body. The wings were cropped as it was often used for trials. Highly tuned and with 12v electrics I believe the owner recorded a sub 16-hour time on the 1997 Jogle - on his own as his co driver was taken ill at the last minute. From memory he also drove to and from the event with no back-up. Definitely my hero of the event!

Apologies for the dreadful photo; heavily cropped from one of my disposable-camera stereoscope photos. It may serve to jog someone's memory as to the identity of the owner. There was a write up about his adventure in a 750 Bulletin if anyone has a set from that era.

Peter.