Dinner (and wine!!!) with Gordon Murray

[Andre40]

Hi All,

That’s me with Gordon Murray at a dinner party during his and his wife, Stella’s, recent and last visit to Cape Town.

I’m busy drawing a McLaren F1 on a paper napkin.

‘What’s that? It looks like an F1,’ he says.

I say, ‘Supposed to be!’

‘Ah, now I see’, says he. What a diplomat!

But how can a man draw a straight F1 with all the uncorked bottles on the table? With unopened bottles I can draw a perfect back-to-front yellow GT40 as per an earlier post!

My wife and I will always remember that evening as one of the best dinners of our lives with everything exquisitely presented and served by our mutual friend and host, Michael Bamfield-Duggan, seen standing between us.

When Mike left school in 1969 he became a trainee manager for three years at the Kyalami Ranch Hotel opposite the Kyalami racing circuit. Set in 20 hectares of parkland it had the unique distinction of having about 90% of drivers and teams of the Grand Prix and Nine Hour endurance races staying there. Generally teams are scattered all over cities that host Grands Prix. Mike therefore had a baptism of fire pandering to the whims of some demanding and seasoned world travellers.

The Ranch was founded in 1963 by South African born Captain Bill Forssman, a WW11 bomber pilot and later captain with KLM. Because of his airlines connections the Ranch was the stop over for several airlines and at race time beautiful sun tanned air hostesses mingled with handsome racing drivers. Set for a soap opera? No, this was one case where real life was far better than a soapie.

I have a dedicated chapter on The Ranch in my forthcoming book on the history of the original Kyalami circuit, 1961 -1987. It has an amazing history apart from the motor sport connection. It was one of the sets for the film version of Wilbur Smith’s novel ‘Goldmine’, starring Roger Moore, Ray Milland and Suzannah York.
Anthony Quinn of Zorba fame came for games of tennis. Heart transplant pioneer Prof Chris Barnard charmed the ladies with his boyish good looks and John (Cat’s Eyes ) Cunningham, Battle of Britain fighter pilot and later De Havilland chief test pilot used to visit his old buddy and soulmate, ‘The Captain.’
One story in the book is about Jody Scheckter who won the 1975 South African Grand Prix in a Tyrrell. On the morning of the race he found a large frog in his room and asked a long suffering Italian employee who manned the reception desk to remove it. A year later when Jody returned the receptionist said, ‘Mista Schechter, lasta year you had a frog in your room and maybe he broughta you a leettle bit of luck because you winna the Grand Prix. Shall I organise another one for you?’
‘Yep,’ said Jody, ‘Maybe a good idea!’

After the three year learning curve, Mike spent one year in management and then left for the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg central for a three year stint. He then left for the UK where he joined a commodity broking firm to look after their catering requirements including on a luxury yacht. Partners were Michael Doxford and Tim Powell who also raced power boats in events between Torquay and Cowes. In the loop was Lady Camilla Fane, one time girl friend of Price Charles and god daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh. She would don her apron to help Mike in the galley of the yacht. After a three year stint with the upper crust Brits Mike returned to the Carlton Hotel in Jo’burg for another three years.

In 1983 he moved to Cape Town and acquired a 50% share in the appropriately named ‘Upper Crust’ restaurant. After several years he sold out and today owns an upmarket wine shop, called ‘Wine Concepts’ . Now you know where Gordon buys his South African wines and after that long-winded story you know why the dinner evening was so superb.

Which reminds me, Robert Logan says I’m verbose so I must stop telling stories immediately! Mind you I think he invented the word!!!

In Vino Veritas.

Cheers,
André 40

[Chris P.]

DAMN! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flehan.gif[/img] Lucky SOB. I would love to be able to sit and chat with Mr. Murray. He was at the forefront of carbon brakes, composite structures, and aerodynamics back in the early 80's in F1. An absolute design genius. I have always admired him for his talents and accomplishments.

Nice memory to have tucked away.

[Chris P.]

By the way, is Mr. Murray at involved with THIS??????

[Paul W]

Nice one Andre, keep em coming.
Gordon is one guy I would really like to meet.

[Andre40]

Hi Chris,

The reference to ex-McLaren people and the Surrey telephone code of 1252 could mean that 2 + 2 = 4.

Tell me about the car you are designing. Us crazy car designers and builders must stick together. Perhaps we can help you in come way. E-mail me on andreloubser@telkomsa.net and I'll give you some names.

Best regards,
Andre 40

[Andre40]

Hi All,

Might as well continue on the subject of Gordon Murray.

In mid-2002 Gordon asked me if I could find him either a GSM (Glassport Motors) Dart or Flamingo. My first reaction was to ask why a man who designed the McLaren F1 and was working on the new Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR would want a 40 year South African built car. Reply was that when he was a student at the Durban Technicon (that recently awarded him a professorship) he greatly admired the cars. I found him a yellow, restored 1964 Flamingo, put in a tin box and sent it to him.

Just after the car arrived I went to the UK to see if all was okay. When I arrived at the McLaren factory I saw a silver F1 parked in front of Gordon’s office. He said that he normally commutes to work in a Smart but had brought the F1 specially for me, which was an amazingly thoughtful and much appreciated gesture. But that’s Gordon, always a gentleman.

He then invited me to lunch to his favourite Italian restaurant in nearby Chobham. As we pulled into the car park he said with a wry grin that it must be the only Italian restaurant in the world with McLaren posters on the wall.

The F1’s acceleration is the road equivalent of an English Electric Lightning and the offset passenger seat with central driving position is most unusual.

Back at the factory Gordon asked me to sign a non disclosure agreement and showed me the Mercedes-Benz Mclaren SLR in the making. The high tech and electronics made my head spin. History will tell us that the car had its world launch in Cape Town and surrounding area.I had nothing to do with it!An idiot in a VW Golf went through red lights in central Cape Town and smacked into one of the SLRs (not his lucky day!). The Golf looked sick but the SLR was virtually undamaged which was an unintended marketing bonus.

Then as if he hadn’t done enough for me he gave me an autographed copy of the book ‘Driving Ambition’, on the development of the F1. Of my motor book collection definitely the most treasured one!

Glassport Motors (GSM) was founded in Cape Town in 1957 by partners Bob van Niekerk, Willie Meissner and stylist Verster de Witt, who was largely responsible for the Sunbeam Alpine when he worked for Rootes.

The first car was the Dart followed later by the Flamingo coupe. The cars were phenomenally successful on South African racing circuits and the Dart was eventually built under-licence in West Malling, Kent. Bob held the Brands Hatch short circuit record in the 1150cc class for seven years. At a race at Silverstone he was so far in the lead that he pulled into the pits for a coke and a cigarette which he smoked out on the track. Understandably the marshals went beserk! When a perplexed Colin Chapman asked Bob why he beat his Sevens by a country mile he said, ‘My car has a shovel nose and yours is blunt. Don’t you know anything about aerodynamics.’

At the time Eric Broadley and Lola Cars were based in Kent not far from West Malling and Eric used to borrow the GSM dynamometer. One day Mr Lola arrived with a Kent engine, fitted it and rigged up a 20 ft throttle cable. When Bob asked him what the hell he was doing he said was going to do an experiment that might not work. He revved up the little engine, took it clean over top and it blew up in big way. ‘See what I meant, Bob,’ said Eric! I can write a book (a thick one) about that wonderful era!

In 1963 GSM needed additional working capital and a finance house took control. A year later the directors lost interest and liquidated the company. A sad end to a bold venture. Today Darts and Flamingos are much sought after cars and the GSM Club is thriving.

I did a similar post many moons ago but new members would have missed out.

First pic is of Gordon in the F1 in the car park of the Italian restaurant in Chobham

You have to judge your success by what you had to give up to achieve it.
André 40

[Andre40]

Someone asked before about the 87 date on the pic. It somehow stuck there. Pic taken on July 14, 2002.

[Andre40]

Passenger view of the dashboard

[Andre40]

Me coming down back to earth after a blast the F1

[Andre40]

GSM Dart, Table Mountain in background

[Andre40]

Gordon's GSM Flamingo. That's Bob van Niekerk, centre, amd Piet van Niekerk, right(no relation)and former GSM Flamingo works driver, inspecting the car before it was shipped to the UK

[Andre40]

In the opening post I mention drawing a yellow back-to-front GT40. I cut the poor fellow with his head on hand arm out from a cartoon of kayak. The rear end was correct but the bow pointed downwards. It inspired the back-to-front car.

In the background is the original CAV factory and left is Norman Lewis, centre Robbie Senekal and right Norman's brother Glynne, who assited me with the writing of the build manual for the original CAV/GTD space (tube) frame car.

[Andre40]

Typo - with his head on his arm!

[Andre40]

Hi Chris,

I'm replying to your question about Gordon Murray posted February 8.

I phoned Gordon over the week-end and he said that Freestream Cars was founded by Ben Scott-Geddes and Graham Halstead, two friends and close former colleagues at McLaren.

Ben and Graham are composite experts and worked with Gordon for many years including latterly on the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR. He said that he assisted with the chassis and suspension design
more on a friendly basis for old time's sake as opposed to being a partner on the project.

the Freestream T1 is quite a stunning car and can best be described as a two seater F1 car with aircraft bubble canopy and fenders.

Website address id www.freestreamcars.com.

Best regards,
Andre 40