Tuesday 24 May 2016

An early Cox in action

Last week I got in touch with Nick Beaumont who used to hill climb a Cox GTM. The car appeared to be a very early example and rather then all fiberglass, some of the upper body (front bulkhead, half the A-pillars and its lower windscreen scuttle) was made in aluminum. Nick told me he believes that Cox originally built a batch of around 10 cars with this feature before changing to fiberglass. I must say I do not know about this, but have seen other Coxes with more steel before. Maybe somebody else will be able to tell us. Or perhaps you know what happened to Nick's car?

To show you what it was like Nick was so kind to dig out some old film footage of his Cox in action, taken during the Harewood hill climb somewhere inn the late 1980s. He wrote: "As requested some video of my early Cox and some other A-series motors. This was done for my degree. Go to about 3:00 mins and you will see why I went onto 13" wheels!"

Go to 1:42 and 3:15 to see Nick Beaumont's early Cox GTM enthusiastically driven at Harewoood
Video courtesy Nick Beaumont


And now again without going off road - in action at 1:27 (start) and 2:33. Where is the car now?
Video courtesy Nick Beaumont

3 comments:

  1. Looks like some Escort boy had been celebrating a bit too early...

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  2. I have written before in response to a request for info on early GTM's. In 1970?71 I purchased from a friend, son of a garage owner in North Wales, a yellow GTM, JDB 260 E, a most interesting piece of 'kit'. GTM's as well as other kit cars, being very much of a hands on passtime I soon became aware that although the front end was Fiberglass the rest of the car was aluminium. One issue I had with the car was that the hubs on the rear (front) subframe were held in place by the steering arms bolted to the subframe, okay when first done but very soon workes loose resulting in variable tracking when taking the power off causing the car to snake at the rear for a moment, interesting at speed. I contacted Heevey Engineering, living about 6 miles from Midland Garage, to be advised that they had resolved the problem with, from memory, (this was when I was 19 and I'm now 64), a lower wishbone tapped into the hub at 2 points and fixed with bushes to the subframe. The reason for the preamble is that the may be if some use to someone. One of the Engineers made a comment that some part of the body where he was working near was aluminum to which I replied that with the exception of the bonnet it was all aluminium only then to be told after he checked some more that it was to original aluminium body that that the moulds were taken from and the bonnet was damaged beyond repair in London when being driven to be exhibited at the Motor Show. No mention was made of other metal bodied GTM's. If You think I may be able to assist further please contact me . thornburn.john@gmail.com

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  3. This car, if all goes to plan, should be back competing on hillclimb events next season. It is currently owned by a Mr Douglas.



    Turbocox

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