Gordon Spice Capris

[Peter Mallett]

In 1980, Gordon Spice Capris finished first and second in the Spa 24hrs touring cars race. I'm rebuilding my Group 1 Capri at the moment and I've chosen the Belga colour scheme. Can anybody provide a URL with pictures of the cars? I got someone to take a model of the Martin brother's second placed car to thre body shop for reference.

BTW. Sorry Tim D but I couldn't resist the opportunity.

[WANHER]

I think I got one in french book Auto hebdo but there is
a problem I can send it only after the 20 th august, you know
holliday
Robert

[TimD]

Don't worry Pete,

I think I even have some 1/43 scale Belga decals stashed away somewhere - just means buying another Mini Racing Capri.

Think I can probably put my hand on some Spa photos too, watch this space...

[SL]

Will this do ?

It was Spa, It was Spice, but winning his first in 1978, the firt British driver to win Spa since Hawthorn 1953 Ferrari win

[Ray Bell]

I think Frank de Jong, on the Atlas Nostalgia Forum, was a regular at this race and he took pics too...

[Peter Mallett]

Phew thanks folks,

An update.

A mate of the body man can do the original stickers as per the original, i.e. Belga, Castrol, Dunlop, Diners Club, for approx. £200 cash. Sounds like a good deal but two things.

Do I really want to go that far (bearing in mind that I sometimes run at Spa. and;

If I do will I be infringeing any copywrite?

Any thoughts people?

[Ray Bell]

Write to them and ask.. they might be flattered, or they might say no. If they say no, just modify it the tiniest bit so it looks the same and you don't infringe copyright... when their lawyer rings, tell them to talk to your patent attorney, then they will back down.

[Peter Mallett]

Well certainly I could replace "Belga" with "Capri". Dunlop is not a problem because we have to carry their decals. Likewise Ford ovals are no prob.

Castrol would be a problem because I don't use it.

Anyway its the colour scheme rather than the logo's. Do I really want to copy a successful car? Or do I want to maintain my ident. I think the latter. However as it won't be out until next season I've got a bit of time.

[SNH]

Pete
why not contact them first & ask them to provide the decals & maybe some cash......
As for Castrol, they won't care if you don't use it, it's the publicity they want......

[Peter Mallett]

This one's for TimD.

http://www.thura.fsbusiness.co.uk/ga...apribelga.html

[Kpy]

Tim, I never had a problem like yours, as the CSCC didn't allow signwriting when I raced with them back in the eighties.
Depends how successful you're going to be. No fun in running the livery of a winning car if you don't blow everyone off yourself.
Why not forget about the Belga and Castrol signwriting, and just use the colour scheme ?

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Kpy
Tim, I never had a problem like yours, as the CSCC didn't allow signwriting when I raced with them back in the eighties.
Depends how successful you're going to be. No fun in running the livery of a winning car if you don't blow everyone off yourself.
Why not forget about the Belga and Castrol signwriting, and just use the colour scheme ?

Well. On the basis that I will be blowing doors off I'm going to use the colour scheme. The decals will be different though.

[Kpy]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett


Well. On the basis that I will be blowing doors off I'm going to use the colour scheme.

Well done Peter. Look forward to seeing the colour scheme on the Capri.

Keep us all informed on the racing - go blow those doors off!!

[Peter Mallett]

Wow!!! Blimey!!! Phew!!! Woohoooooooooooooooo!!!

I've just got back from touching, gazing, talking about and looking again at my car. I have to say, its drop dead gorgeous (even if it is a Capri). Paulerspery Coachworks (David Axisa) have done a tremendous job. Now I'm certain I'm going to take some more time and have the car developed properly for next year.

I must sound like a teenager but I am really impressed with the results.

[Peter Mallett]

Just an update.

The car sans engine, will be on display on the CSCC stand at the Silverstone Historic Festival. Take a look if you're there.

[djb]

Hi Peter, just recently looked into your site and read these comments. Good for you for getting it on the track regularly, must be a pain with that combo of under and then oversteer. Hope you can sort it out. Soon after I found 10/10ths, I read about your Capri, and it made me think of how long it had been since I'd seen one here in Canada.
Ages and ages. As a teenager, they were around Ottawa, I may be wrong, but I think they were nearly all 6 bangers, with the "power bulge" on the hood. Me and my pals used to think they were pretty handsome looking and fast cars.

So they have all gone and rusted away to Capri heaven, but last year I spied a yellow one in a sort of abandoned used car place near my house. It sat there all summer, all winter, and for a long time it was just a bump of snow, until March or so when it appeared again. It is still there, hasn't turned a wheel in all the time that I've seen it, and so I finally borrowed a digital camera to show it. Must be the first one I've seen in over 10-15 years.

Have to admit, it's still a pretty handsome car.
Again, good luck with yours.
ps, am amazed how little rust it has (on the outside anyway).

[Slowcoach]

Pete , I would say compromise , go for the colour scheme and perhaps the main decals and then just have some smaller stuff that you like. I think spectators are interested in seeing cars that are original or copies of originals - although if you want to be different it is your perogative.
I agree with Ray , when my car was restored the then owners wrote to Unipart who were quite helpful and I think actually provided some decals (but no cash). Despite the biggger arches and other changes,including a bit of advertising for friends, people still identify the car as the original because of the overall look of it.

[luigi2]

Peter,

Sorry I cant help you with the livery that you are asking about, but in 74 I was a mechanic at Dealer Team BMW and can assure you that the Gordon Spice group 1 Capri handled well enough back then. May be that this was because one of his young mechanics would spend every race leaning over the pit wall shouting 'come on Gordie'at the top of his voice.

Whatever it was, the cars were always immaculately prepared and there were constant protests and counter protests in an effort to find out what made them go so well.

[luigi2]

Peter

It has just occurred to me that back then we all ran the same type of Firestone F100 road tyre, so the setup would have been very different to yours if you are allowed slicks.

[Peter Mallett]

First of all welcome to our friendly forum Luigi2. I'll ask you to check out the rules when you have a 'mo. (I do that to all new members).

If I recall the '74 Group1 rules were slightly different to those between 75 and 83. However, we run a treaded Dunlop D84J which is probably comparable to a late seventies slick.

You sound like you may have some intersting stories to tell. Feel free to share them with us at anytime.

Once again, welcome aboard.

[SNH]

saw your car today, Pete. Looks good. But Tim, IC & I were trying to work out why there were white paint runs on the bonnet, was that you?

[josvandeperre]

Peter - there's an article in Motorsport this month on Spice with as its major photo your car (sort of)

[Peter Mallett]

Thanks for that.

[Adam43]

It contains a traditional Spa photo at La Source. You should try and recreate that shot

[Peter Mallett]

I've got that on Video. Around dusk and a little bit of oversteer. To re createw it I'd need to be in the lead by five laps. Still when I'm in the lead I can pretend its five laps!

BTW. What month is the mag? August or September?