jw4 Smokey's JW4 Formula Four Rebuild Thread

[Kevin Pullen]

Mark few of us going to sevens meet at Silver End on 1st June are you able to make it,  or could we pop over for a gander afterwards

[Mark (smokey mow)]

On 24 May 2019 at 08:25, Kevin Pullen - WSCC Treasurer said:

Mark few of us going to sevens meet at Silver End on 1st June are you able to make it,  or could we pop over for a gander afterwards

 

Hi Kevin, sorry only just spotted this.  Afraid I'll be at the in-laws on Saturday but think I'm about on Sunday at the moment. 

[Nic Chase (NICO) - Shropshire & Mid-Wales AO]

This has been a great build Mark. Thoroughly enjoyed your attention to detail and the efforts you have gone to keep this car original. 

I am slightly sad it’s come to an end. 

Whats next ??!! 😀

[Mark (smokey mow)]

2 hours ago, Nic (NICO) - Shropshire and Mid-Wales AO said:

This has been a great build Mark. Thoroughly enjoyed your attention to detail and the efforts you have gone to keep this car original. 

I am slightly sad it’s come to an end. 

Whats next ??!! 😀

 

Thanks Nic

 

as for what's next.... Well that's easy as I have Frank Costin's Auto XVIII in the garage waiting for similar attention. Although I do still have a few jobs to finish on my first JW4 as well.

 

 

[Tommo99]

What a fantastic project! I've enjoyed reading every bit and I'm sure you're proud of how it turned out.  

 

David Peers who you mention as the project manager is my Great Uncle.  He is 82 now and doing well; I saw him last week.  Still loves his fast cars and is an all round very nice guy!  He mentioned that he had been working with Chris Smith on a mid engined Westfield back in the 1990s; I must get some more stories from him soon.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

1 hour ago, Tommo99 said:

he had been working with Chris Smith on a mid engined Westfield back in the 1990s; I must get some more stories from him soon.

 

Now those are stories we’d love to hear, too!

[Mark (smokey mow)]

11 hours ago, Tommo99 said:

What a fantastic project! I've enjoyed reading every bit and I'm sure you're proud of how it turned out.  

 

David Peers who you mention as the project manager is my Great Uncle.  He is 82 now and doing well; I saw him last week.  Still loves his fast cars and is an all round very nice guy!  He mentioned that he had been working with Chris Smith on a mid engined Westfield back in the 1990s; I must get some more stories from him soon.

 

Fantastic, I imagine he would have quite a few stories to tell from his career working with Johnny Walker and also his time at Villers R&D.  I've dug out a couple of pictures from my collection of Dave Peers and Johnny Walker during the delvelopment of the Type 65 (Mk1 JW4), this would have been from around 1965.

 

 

Prehaps when you see Dave next you could ask him for me about the his model that was to become the Mk1 which is was secured him the job with Johnny Walker, I'd love to know if it was something he made himself or indeed what it was made from. 

 

 

The following is an extract from the unpublished history of Formula Four by Rod Pickup about Dave Peers involvment, there's a few names in there which he may remember working with at the time.

 

Quote

Walker advertised for a designer, and David Peers, an engineer from Villiers R&D section, brought a model of his proposed car to the interview and got the job.

 

As Walker wanted to assess the car’s viability before committing himself deeply to the project, Peers’ income was derived via him being made manager of Walker’s split steel bush company. He could then design the single-seater, to be called the JW4, in his spare time.

 

Meanwhile another engineer, this time from Berkeley nuclear power station, responded to the advert. Peter Gerrish (now of Peter Gerrish Engine Services, Ropley, Hants.) had experience in designing and building racing motorcycle sidecars and was appointed as organiser and fabrication engineer.

 

He in turn brought along a further four other CEGB research technicians, also to act as evening and weekend fabricators: Terry Parks (brazing & jigs), Don Bull (jig maker), Verney Montague (machining back at Berkeley, and chassis painter – purple!) and Antony ‘Harry’ Hogan (……………..……..). They had access to high quality materials, as well as all the machining facilities necessary to produce the car and agreed to work unpaid on the project except for travelling expenses and royalties after the first 20 cars were sold.

 

With these five team members working at such a high tech establishment as the CEGB, the first car probably had the closest tolerances in motor racing history, all the parts being produced on milling machines. A call by Gerrish to acquaintance Ted Young at Arch Motors elicited more forgiving figures, which made production much easier.

 

Four other team members were seconded from Walker’s own works: Guido Dulci (welder), Eric Strange (foreman), David Kamm (mechanic) and Jock Hendry (transport).

 

Finally, in order to introduce order and discipline to this potentially undisciplined bunch, ex-WW2 Spitfire pilot Wing Commander Leathart (retired) was appointed as Racing Administrator.

 

Motor racing now had a new company: Johnny Walker (Racing) Ltd.

 

[Tommo99]

12 hours ago, Mark (smokey mow) said:

 

Fantastic, I imagine he would have quite a few stories to tell from his career working with Johnny Walker and also his time at Villers R&D.  I've dug out a couple of pictures from my collection of Dave Peers and Johnny Walker during the delvelopment of the Type 65 (Mk1 JW4), this would have been from around 1965.



 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this; absolutely fantastic to see.  I will pass them on and I'm sure he will be grateful.  I'll let you know about the model!

[Mark (smokey mow)]

The Carburol Special finally left for its new home in Belgium today but before its long journey there was just time for a final photo with it's sister JW4. 

 

 

Whist I'm sad to see the car leave it does mean that work can now begin in earnest on rebuilding my next project, the Costin Walker JW4.

 

 

 

[Richard ward-jones]

Turning out I’ve found a sales leaflet for the Johnny Walker JW4 MK 2 !!! Front pic. is with Derek Minter in the cock pit .

[Mark (smokey mow)]

1 hour ago, Richard ward-jones said:

Turning out I’ve found a sales leaflet for the Johnny Walker JW4 MK 2 !!! Front pic. is with Derek Minter in the cock pit .

 

Hi Richard, there was a few different versions of the Mk2 sales brochure (at least 3).  The last and most widely distributed as you correctly identify had Derek Minter driving.  He completed in a number of races for Johnny Walker following his retirement from bike racing and through his association with Villiers.

 

I believe this may have been taken at Lydden.

 

 

In the Pictures the car appears white but in actual fact it was bright yellow as can be seen in this picture from the 1967 racing car show at Olympia which is one of the few colour photos I have.