Kieft Cars: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Revision as of 15:25, 24 August 2019 edit 91.194.221.232 (talk) No edit summary ← Previous edit		Revision as of 20:28, 28 April 2024 edit undo GhostsandPhantoms (talk \| contribs) 55 edits No edit summary Tag: Visual edit Next edit →
(6 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 42: '''Kieft Cars''', founded by [[Cyril Kieft]], was a British car company that built [[Formula Three]] racing cars and some road going sports cars in a factory in Derry St, [[Wolverhampton]].<ref name="Georgano">''The Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present''. By [[G.N. Georgano]], Dutton Press, New York, 2nd ed. 1973, {{ISBN\|0-525-08351-0}}</ref> ==History== [[Cyril Kieft]] was born in [[Swansea]] and spent his early working life in the steel industry. After the ~~second~~Second World war he started up his own company ''Cyril Kieft and Co Ltd'' in [[Bridgend]], Glamorgan, making forgings and pressings including components for the motor industry. He had an interest in motor racing and, when the [[~~Marwyn~~Formula Three]] ~~company, who had~~car ~~built~~manufacturer [[~~Formula Three~~Marwyn]] ~~cars~~failed, ~~failed~~ he bought ~~the~~their designs and used them as a base for his own 500cc car. Several of these were sold and some competition success resulted. Publicity was gained by successful attempts on a series of records at [[Autodrome de Montlhéry\|Montlhéry]] in France. One of the drivers was [[Stirling Moss]], who explained the shortcomings of the cars. As a result of this, a new design was acquired which copied the novel "free roll" rubber suspended swing axle independent rear suspension layout of the highly successful "Fraikaiserwagen" hillclimb race car, Moss and his manager [[Ken Gregory]] became directors, ~~whilst~~and the company moved to new premises at Reliance Works in Derry Street, Wolverhampton.<ref>~~[http~~{{cite web\|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/~~report.php~~stirling-mosss-manager-ken-gregory-dies-4469909/id4469909/~~111676 Autosport,~~ \|title=Stirling Moss's manager Ken Gregory dies\|work=autosport.com\|access-date=31 July 2021\|date=1 December 2013]}}</ref><ref name="Georgano"/> A new design by Gordon Bedson, who had joined the company from the aircraft industry, was produced in time for the 1951 Whit Monday Meeting at [[Goodwood Circuit\|Goodwood]] where it won the Formula Three event driven by Moss. [[Don Parker (racing driver)\|Don Parker]] was employed as works driver and won the [[British Formula 3 International Series\|British Formula Three ~~championships~~Championship]] in 1952 and 1953.<ref name="Georgano"/> Between 1953 and 1954, Kieft designed a [[Formula One]] car. It was designed to accommodate a [[Coventry-Climax]] Godiva engine, but the engine was not released in time due to fears it would be uncompetitive, and the project was shelved. It would later be acquired by Bill Morris, a former ERA driver, and restored for historic racing. The car finally debuted in September 2002 at a [[Vintage Sports-Car Club\|VSCC]] Silverstone meeting, with Cyril Kieft in attendance.<ref>{{cite magazine\|title=Kieft GP car makes debut\|magazine=Motor Sport\|page=7\|date=November 2002\|access-date=31 July 2021\|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2002/7/kieft-gp-car-makes-debut}}</ref> It also raced in the [[2006 Historic Grand Prix of Monaco]]. In 1954 Kieft started to make a two-seater sports car which could also be used as a road car. Using a [[Coventry Climax]] FWA engine, all independent suspension using transverse leaf springs at the rear and a lightweight glass fibre body the car was really a racing car and at £1560 it is doubtful if any were bought just as road cars.<ref name="Georgano"/>▼ ▲In 1954, Kieft started to make a two-seater sports car which could also be used as a road car. Using a [[Coventry Climax]] FWA engine, all independent suspension using transverse leaf springs at the rear and a lightweight glass fibre body the car was really a racing car and at £1560 it is doubtful if any were bought just as road cars.<ref name="Georgano"/> The company was losing money and at the end of 1954 Kieft sold the company to racing driver Berwyn Baxter.▼ ▲The company was losing money and at the end of 1954 Kieft sold the company to racing driver Berwyn Baxter. Kieft Cars left Wolverhampton in 1956 and moved to nearby Birmingham where they concentrated on preparing and tuning other makes of cars. There were plans for a return to making Kieft cars but these failed to materialise. The company was sold again in 1960 and changed its name to Burmans.▼ ▲Kieft Cars left Wolverhampton in 1956 and moved to nearby Birmingham, where they concentrated on preparing and tuning other makes of cars. There were plans for a return to making Kieft cars but these failed to materialise. The company was sold again in 1960 and changed its name to Burmans. ~~Kieft Sports Car trade mark. is owned by Canadian / German Peter Schömer and based out of Chichester, West Sussex near Goodwood. . Kieft logo TM# 2516876 is the sole property of Peter Schömer.~~ == See also == Line 67 ⟶ 68: {{Commons category\|Kieft vehicles}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20090828061758/http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/genealogy/Kieft/CyrilKieft.htm Detailed history of Kieft's motor racing involvement] [https://web.archive.org/web/20051031071828/http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Cars/Kieft.htm#Kieft Brief history and photos of Kieft cars] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051118231153/http://www.500race.org/Marques/Kieft.htm Kieft 500cc racing cars] Line 73 ⟶ 74: [[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Sports car manufacturers]] [[Category:British racecar constructors]]