Howard Heerey shares some stories

Manchester-man Howard Heerey, who lives in Australia for many years now, shares some of his stories and photographs on Facebook every now and then. And his latest message was too good not to share here. He wrote: 

"1966 was the beginning of my involvement with GTM. I watched Jack Hosker build the first prototype in the workshop of Cox’s garage in Hazel Grove. My father's Ford dealership was just across the road and at the beginning of '67 Bernard Cox asked me to race the original yellow 1275Cox GTM. I was already chasing the Clubman Championship in my Chevron and driving for VW in Formula V, so it was quite a challenge racing all three at the same race meet. In 1968 Jack built me a new GTM to compete in the 1150cc GT category while I was also campaigning a full season in F3, but we did have success with GTM until the oversteer caught me out at the Esso bend at Oulton. I actually disappeared through the sign and badly damaged the GTM against one of the uprights. That was the end of the racing and the start of us moving production down to our garage and getting to grips with building them."

Lovely! Below some great pictures from Howard's files to go with it.

Talking about evoking the spirit of racing in the 1960s! Note Midland Garage Racing van

Picture Howard Heerey

The first (prototype) Cox GTM with a young Howard Heerey at the wheel

Picture Howard Heerey

That's Howard getting ready for some action. Note unusual placing of oil cooler at the back

Picture Howard Heerey

A rare sight these days, but a unique sight in 1966 when this was the first GTM

Picture Howard Heerey