Quick question for all you special saloon racers out there

What happened to all of the maguire/and other Imps that you used to see buzzing round Brands etc etc. Is anyone still running them ? building them ? I finally got to the stage where I can actually afford to go racing again and wanted to buy one - dya think I could find one anywhere ? No such luck definitely none in the US or if there are I haven't seen any.

Happy Holidays

Jeff

From what I have heard most of them are in storage and not being raced. A few are now sprinting/hillclimbing. There is a imp engined race series around Lydden Hill circuit. It is still in its infancy, with not many runners but looks promising. And there are the odd one racing around in other series in the uk, 750mc Roadsports, etc

One of the reasons the maguire/Davrians/clans are not racing as much now is the fact that alot of series have changed there rules. THey have scrapped the up to 1100cc or so class and put minimum weight upto 450kg or so. This has made the cars loose the advantages they had because they have to go up against the Radicals/bike engined cars.

And in sprinting a problem is coming as the MSA have proposed a 1000/100 minimum production run for all cars so that would in effect outlaw Clans, McCoys, and some Davrians. How about a bike engined clan? that would be fun!

So I shouldn't be having the trouble I am finding a decent maguire up for sale then - I've looked in all the usual places Motoring News, autosport etc. No luck - guess I just have to keep hunting ;)

Thanks

Jeff

There's been a couple of threads about both Imps and Special Saloons on the Historic Forum. Now I think about this thread would probably be better off there than in National/Club

John Woods raced a red one a few times at the end of the year at Lydden and Brands which I undestand was borrowed and may have been for sale if he wanted it-or so it seems.

Which John Woods - the one that used to race up at Braifield ?

Jeff

No, he used to race a Vauxhall Chevette and run Gemini Engineering in Gravesend,Kent. Spends time now instructing at the rally school at Brands although he does still have the engineering firm.

Ahh different woods :) - Thanks Rod

Jeff

HSCC HRSR series website is run by Adrian Oliver (who won the championship this year) and he races a very well developed Imp. He would probably know where there are some for sale. You can contact him through the HSCC HRSR website (www.historicsaloons.fsnet.co.uk)

I remember Gary Street who raced a Honda Civic Silhouette at Lydden also had two sons, one of whom converted his Imp powered Darian/Davrian (excuse my ignorance) to run with a bike engine, I've no idea what happen to them or their cars as they certainly haven't been seen at Lydden in last few years - perhaps Rod might know

Gart Streat is running a Classic Formula 3 (Chevron??) but I think he still has the Davrian & CRX Clone

There are still a number of imp based cars racing and their numbers have been growing over the past year or so. Recently at one of the hillclimb races there was approx 15 imp engined race cars. There are quite a few maguires (genuine & copies) doing ice racing in Finland although most have been re-engined with larger engines. A lot of the old maguires and semi-spaceframe cars are still sitting in peoples garages. A few turn up each year. I know of a couple of semi-spaceframes and maguires which will be coming out over the next year but I also know a lot of people who would like a maguire.

Clan's, Ginetta's and Davrian's are a lot easier to find. Clan's are relatively cheap although possibly the best designed and they can be very lightweight. My one is under 400 kgs wet weight. Ginetta's are the most expensive and are relatively easy to find. Davrian's are the most race orientated and the hardest to find. There are a couple racing in the states. My Davrian has not moved under it's own power for about 20 years and is now being restored. It used to be sponsored by Agra and won it's class in the 79 scottish hillclimb/sprint championship and in the modsports championship. It is missing a gearbox, if anyone has a 5spd jack knight imp box lying around I would be very interested!

Ed