Tiff Needell and the Superformance GT40 Mk11

A much younger Allen Grant in 1963 with his racing Cobra. The colour scheme was created by his buddy, George Lucas. The pic is on page 64 of Bob's fantastic book.

I sent George an E-Mail with the suggestion that he makes a TV soap opera called THE SPORTS CAR, which could be based on the 1960s sports car racing era. I offered to write the script and with the colour, noise, glamour, politics, intrigue, courage, etc, of the sport JR and Dallas wouldn't stand a hope in hell.

 

A great pic showing Allen in the lead at the Santa Barbara Road Races in 1963. Page 65

 

Here's a pic of Allen with George Lucas, who before making the big time not only designed the colour scheme, he was also Allen's wrenchman.

Cheers.

 

Thanks Rob,

Here's an article on Allen's Lola MK6. If one looks at the windscreen one can clearly see the beginnings of the GT40.

Note Tony Maggs's autograph.

 

Sorry, the pic didn't attach. Here goes again.

 

Hi Andre

Whatever happened to the car you were building with Allen?

Cheers.

 

[Mark Worthington]

Andre, great story and excellent pics! Thanks!

 

Hi Rob,

I think it best that I reply to you on that one privately, but no, I was never personally involved with building Allen’s new car.

I've posted the 1963 Le Mans start pic before but seeing that we’re on the subject of the Lola MK6, I repeat. The door tops cutting into the roof clearly show that the MK6 was the forerunner to the GT40.

Note Richard Attwood driving without gloves! Naughty boy, but in those years men were men and Nanny States hadn't been thought of!

I was privileged to have witnessed one of the last ‘proper’ Le Mans starts. A deathly silence a minute before the start and then all hell let loose for the next 24 hours after which the silence was deafening.

If you and I were to build a replica of the MK6 would we have a long waiting list? Perhaps forum members could let us know. If we we’re to, we certainly wouldn’t take deposits up front would we,
otherwise we would also end up as naughty boys. Excuse the sarcasm, but a current, unfortunate situation invites it.

Cheers,
A

 

Hi All,

I've just had another look at the 1963 Le Mans start pic. The Lola MK6 was the second car built.

Behind the MOTUL sign against the retaining wall behind it was black sign with gold letters, a memorial to the 80 or so people who died in 1955 when Pierre Levegh's Mercedes-Benz 300SLR ploughed into the crowd.

During the race cars would pull in and out of the pits for driver changes and repairs with cars flashing by at about 140 mph a matter of feet away with nothing in between. At various stages I would wander happily along the pit lane on the outside of the pit lane, even closer to the passing cars.

One mistake or misjudgement or cars touching could have resulted in a massive wipe out along the pits lane.We must all have been stark, staring, raving mad in those years, the whole lot of us.

Nine Lives,
Andre 40

 

[David Morton]

"During the race cars would pull in and out of the pits for driver changes and repairs with cars flashing by at about 140 mph a matter of feet away with nothing in between. At various stages I would wander happily along the pit lane on the outside of the pit lane, even closer to the passing cars"
Not any more - red line in front of garage adjacent to fuel rigs. At LM anybody crossing that line without an ACO tabard
incurrs on first offence massive fines on the team and on second offence exclusion. Additionally only Prat Perch personnel can cross the line not wearing approved fireproofs. It's a rather dangerous place to go anyway.
I tend to hide in the Audi hospitality unit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banana.gifunless we have some trade on the screens.

 

Hey guys,

FYI, you can now download the torrent file for the fifth gear episode which showcases the superformance GT40 MKII at http://www.mininova.org/tor/304475

Cheers and enjoy,
Rob

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Thank u too much for this torrent file)

Btw,I like Tiff way,and prefer him in such programs than Jeremy Clarkson (he sold the ford gt...no respect at all for him since then..).
Here enclosed is the real Pilot career of Tiff:

http://www.btccpages.com/driv/needelltiff.php

Paolo

 

[Keith]

A great looking car that was obviously very well put together as you would expect of a demonstrator, and it certainly seemed to be set up well also judging by Tiff's acrobatics with it. 2 things bothered me though, could you really buy a car of that spec from SPF for £60,000? (that was what was inferred) and the second thing: it just didn't sound right. Don't get me wrong, it sounded great as you would expect from a Roush built SBF stroker, but to be honest, from it's appearance as a full on MKII, it should have sounded deep and dirty. This spoilt it for me and perhaps I'm being a bit perfectionist, but it will tend to give the impression that any "enthusiast" who buys such a MKII sounding like a MKI will have engaged in the boy racerish art of bolting on superfluous scoops and appendages. Perhaps this car isn't meant for knowledgeable GT40 enthusiasts at all, but rather designed to appeal to customers who couldn't perhaps afford the new Ford GT. For example, the colour scheme can't have been an accident.

Could you imagine a MKIV sounding like a MKI?

Still, a great looking car and a credit to SPF no doubt.​

 

[Keith]

A great looking car that was obviously very well put together as you would expect of a demonstrator, and it certainly seemed to be set up well also judging by Tiff's acrobatics with it. 2 things bothered me though, could you really buy a car of that spec from SPF for £60,000? (that was what was inferred) and the second thing: it just didn't sound right. Don't get me wrong, it sounded great as you would expect from a Roush built SBF stroker, but to be honest, from it's appearance as a full on MKII, it should have sounded deep and dirty. This spoilt it for me and perhaps I'm being a bit perfectionist, but it will tend to give the impression that any "enthusiast" who buys such a MKII sounding like a MKI will have engaged in the boy racerish art of bolting on superfluous scoops and appendages. Perhaps this car isn't meant for knowledgeable GT40 enthusiasts at all, but rather designed to appeal to customers who couldn't perhaps afford the new Ford GT. For example, the colour scheme can't have been an accident.

Could you imagine a MKIV sounding like a MKI?

Still, a great looking car and a credit to SPF no doubt.​

 

[Keith]

A great looking car that was obviously very well put together as you would expect of a demonstrator, and it certainly seemed to be set up well also judging by Tiff's acrobatics with it. 2 things bothered me though, could you really buy a car of that spec from SPF for £60,000? (that was what was inferred) and the second thing: it just didn't sound right. Don't get me wrong, it sounded great as you would expect from a Roush built SBF stroker, but to be honest, from it's appearance as a full on MKII, it should have sounded deep and dirty. This spoilt it for me and perhaps I'm being a bit perfectionist, but it will tend to give the impression that any "enthusiast" who buys such a MKII sounding like a MKI will have engaged in the boy racerish art of bolting on superfluous scoops and appendages. Perhaps this car isn't meant for knowledgeable GT40 enthusiasts at all, but rather designed to appeal to customers who couldn't perhaps afford the new Ford GT. For example, the colour scheme can't have been an accident.

Could you imagine a MKIV sounding like a MKI?

Still, a great looking car and a credit to SPF no doubt.​

 

[DavidTC]

Keith
my impression was much the same as yours and either the circuit was 'dirty' or the car was burning some oil. The £60k almost certainly refers to a lower spec car delivered in SA rather than the UK with all the shipping/VAT etc. What was impressive was to see the old stager drive the circuit in complete harmony with his machinery without any driver aids.
It contrasted for me with the previous evenings 'Top Gear' where the Stig seemed incapable of taking advantage of the Koenigsegg CCX's impressive but raw credentials. The talk of rear wings is very relevant to very high speed cornering BUT the Top Gear circuit can hardly be described as challenging in this respect. Maybe the Stig need modern driver aids; I bet Tiff would have bettered 1min 18secs with the car as is.
Regards
David

 

[Keith]

Yeah, I saw the blue smoke too and I sort of figured it to be tyre smoke, but there again it was on the downshifting entry to a corner so it could have equally been oil from valve guides etc.

Interesting about the Stig. I know Perry Mcarthy has been "retired" so who is the new one?

 

[Keith]

Yeah, I saw the blue smoke too and I sort of figured it to be tyre smoke, but there again it was on the downshifting entry to a corner so it could have equally been oil from valve guides etc.

Interesting about the Stig. I know Perry Mcarthy has been "retired" so who is the new one?

 

[Keith]

Sorry guys, not trying to get my post count up - just some weird sh1t happening with the forum today I think. Maybe Al has got his hands in there somewhere.

 

[Keith]

Sorry guys, not trying to get my post count up - just some weird sh1t happening with the forum today I think. Maybe Al has got his hands in there somewhere.