Drag raced GT at Santa Pod in 1966

[gilberninvader]

from 'Trackbytes site' i 've just learnt that on June 26th 1966, Ken Wilson took his Gilbern GT fitted with a 4.7 litre, Chevy V8 out at Santa Pod Raceway. He actually did a class record of 13.66 sec to take the Sports & GT class title.... amazing car and i think its still around requiring restoration, hopefully with its famous engine. Anyone remember this race or have any photos!


June 26th Santa Pod Raceway. BDRA Meeting. Only one RAC Scrutineer was present and qualifying did not get underway until midday. There was much head scratching and debate over what constituted an "Altered Car" the rules governing the class not being as clear as they could have been. During qualifying the raceways staging, countdown and starting light system was used for the first time at a BDRA meeting although the traditional flags were used for eliminations with Brian Holmes doing the honours. Alan Allards blown 1500cc Anglia produced its first good runs with rubber-burning sideways launches and rapid gearchanges. A 13.99 was followed by a 13.54 in qualifying. Ken Wilson, who had raced at the Dragfests, put in a single qualifier in his 4700cc Chevy Gilbern at 13.77. The Dragster classes saw some good runs from Les Turner in his 1500cc Turner/Ford at 12.67 and Peter Atkins Allard Dragon 'Dragonfly' at 11.69. Eliminations saw Keith Sales take the Top Modified Production Saloon Car class with a 14.90 in his 38 Jaguar from Norman Watt. Ken Wilson took the Chevy Gilbern to the Sports & GT class title with a class record of 13.66. Allan Herridge set the best time of the day in the Dragster Developments 'Pulsation' with a 10.68/132.5 followed by a 10.73/131. He took the elimination in the over 5000cc class. Harold Bull was running an experimental Wal Phillips fuel injection set-up and he won the 1000cc class with a 13.24. Les Turner won the 2001cc-3500cc class in his 1500cc Turner/Ford Dragster (blown cars were moved up one class). His opponent Peter Atkins car jumped out of gear as the starters flag went up. Ken Cooper took his 'Bazooka' Flathead Ford to the 3501cc-5000cc class win. The 1001cc-2000cc class was won by D. Barrow in his 1996cc Bristol Dragster. Top, Middle and Junior Eliminator contests were also held. These were made up of the quickest 16 cars overall, then the next quickest 16 and the next quickest 8 running in pairs on the usual knockout basis. Les Turner caused a sensation in the first round of Top when he ran a best ever E.T. for a blown 1500cc dragster at 10.843. He followed this up with an even better 10.840/117 in round two. The third round saw Turner lose to Harold Bull who went on to meet Pete Atkins Dragon in the final. Pete took the win and the trophy. Middle Eliminator went to the Austin Cooper of Colin Rodgers while Junior was won by Peter Poole in his Lotus 7.

[Admin]

S**t of a shovel steers like a pig, about some up the V8 GT
It was Ken Wilson ego trip to finally beat his contemporaries but never really worked. It currently resides with Keith Ellison who has a small stables of Gilberns.

[gilberninvader]

S**t of a shovel steers like a pig, about some up the V8 GT
It was Ken Wilson ego trip to finally beat his contemporaries but never really worked. It currently resides with Keith Ellison who has a small stables of Gilberns.

When you say it never really worked , i believe Peter Cottrel was asked to race it by Ken for at least a season and a half, who didn't seem to find it a problem , except in the wet!!
I like to think that because Ken couldn't beat his friend Peter on the race circuit in many different types of tuned cars, he probably decided that the only way he 'd have a chance of winning against Peter, was to fit a huge engine to another Gilbern.

When they first took it out on Llandow Race circuit to test it, Ken found it too much to handle and asked Peter who was the passenger to swap places and finish the laps, Ken must have been left in no doubt who was the better racing driver.

It still must have taken some nerve to get behind this 'beast' and put it through its paces and my full admiration to the pair of them, apparently it could reach 150 ish