12 replies to this topic

[OzOAP]

Been going through some old photos. Have to take a photo of photo to upload so takes a while. Will do a few more later. 

Metalic Blue car was owned by Phil Jose who worked with me at Avonbar late 80's, early 90's. 

We ran it in BRSCC Modified Saloon in 1990. Won first time out

The following year we were joined by long time Mini sprinter Chris Judge, who secured us sponsorship from British Gas.

Ran a two car team for the following two seasons. Chris still has his car, last heard it was under a tarpaulin in his garden. Phils car went to Portugal.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[Steve G]

Hi, it's interesting to hear a bit more about Avonbar from about this time. I spent a fair few pounds on parts for my Mini from Ian, but I didn't know who the other guys who worked there. 

Ian once showed me a new car he had built with floor mounted pedals and a full cage, do you know what happened to that ?

[OzOAP]

Phils car had floor mounted pedals and master cylinders with remote reservoirs.We also built Ian a Miglia that I'm sure had them. That car was red. Not sure what happend to that, think he still owned it when I left in 1997.

Edited by OzOAP, 17 November 2014 - 07:04 PM.

[Steve G]

Yes it was the red one. Did you have a pickup at around that time ?

[fastcarl]

Chris's car  was a lovely piece of kit in the  early nineties,  saw it  regular at Harewood when I was sharing a mk2 escort , it looked  like it was built form a new shell at the time, under a tarp you say, that pains me ,

 

 

carl

[OzOAP]

Did you have a pickup at around that time ?

Yep. Was a lovely machine. 1340, 2.9 diff, S discs, fully sorted geo. Sold it about 15 years ago...for a grand

 

[Steve G]

That's the one ! I seem to have sold most cars I had just before they started getting popular, MK 2 Escort, 3 Series BMW etc. I do still have my Mini though and the engine (you may have done some work on) is going to go in my Scamp if I every get round to finishing it. 

[OzOAP]

Been down lock-up hunting for bits and came across these.

They were given out at Modified Saloon meetings, during the 1991 season, to hospitality guests of British Gas.

 

Edited by OzOAP, 15 December 2014 - 08:29 PM.

[Kaj]

I remember these cars being featured in early issues of Miniworld magazine. The Gaswarm cars were a nice shade of blue. Was that 13" Compomotive 5 spokes they were running?

 

Where did the Avonbar name originated from?

[OzOAP]

Phils first season when the car was metalic blue he ran the 5 spoke Compomotives. After that both cars ran 4 spoke Revolutions. Phil on 13ins but Chris prefered 10s.

The Avonbar name came about when Ian was registering the company, he didn't have a name, but there was a list of obsolete company names. Avonbar was at the top of the list, so the name didn't actually mean anything.

[mk1coopers]

Way back I remember going to the opening of (and this may be wrong) a housing estate in Southampton that had a connection to Gaswarm, the 2 cars were on display plus a collection of the cars in the club I was in, that was probably 20 years ago

[OzOAP]

Ocean Village? I was there with the cars. The new houses had Gas Warm central heating so it was one of the events we had to attend as part of the sponsorship deal.

[mk1coopers]

I think this was at the houses (they were in West End?) though I did organise both the mini events held at Ocean village and Town Quay