‘A new £12,000 British sports racing car, planned for international events, is due to make its debut at Goodwood on Monday, after weeks of secret tests,’ proclaimed Tim Parnell’s press release about his new Parnell BRM sports racer in April 1966.
I’ll take your advice as to the track Tim is using to test his new car, as above.
‘Designers of the aluminium prototype are Mr Tim Parnell, son of racing driver the late Reg Parnell, and Mr Les Redmond.’
‘Mr Parnell (34), a Derbyshire farmer, said: ‘The car is the first British sports car racer to be designed for several years and up to now all tests have been successful. It could have tremendous potential if it performs well in its early races. There are a large number of enthusiasts who would be interested in this type of car.’
Silicanza wrote on The Nostalgia Forum in August 2009 that, ‘After Reg Parnell’s death and the subsequent mothballing of the almost completed Les Redmond-designed and built Climax-engined Parnell RP64 F1 car, Reg’s son, Tim, instead acquired three Lotus 25s for 1964.
‘Redmond, designer and builder of Moorland cars, Gemini FJ and various other designs, was then commissioned to design and build the aluminium-bodied sports racing car, the Parnell BRM. Redmond had worked with Reg at Aston Martin in the competition department when Parnell was the Race Manager.’
‘The Parnell BRM with a rear-mounted 2-litre normally aspirated BRM enjoyed success in 1966, in the hands of Mike Spence. Spence drove it to victory at Goodwood in the (April 11) Lavant Cup. Then, Spence won the Anerley Trophy at Crystal Palace and finished second at Silverstone in July. Tony Maggs also drove the car at some point.’
Tony Wilson picks up the story. ‘Back to the Parnell-BRM sports car, I worked on this car for a few months in 1966 as a 23-year-old junior mechanic to engineer Roy Christmas.’
‘We took the car from a rolling chassis to a racer in time for the Goodwood 1966 Easter Monday meeting, where Mike Spence won in its first outing. Not an easy victory; Mike was in a battle with Mike Beckwith (Willment-BRM), Tony Dean (Willment Brabham BT8-Climax) and Mac Daghorn (Felday-BRM), and was off the circuit once! I am reading from the results sheet, which includes race positions every lap. The Parnell ran under race number 143.’
‘A win at Crystal Palace (pit shot below), then a second and a fuel-pressure retirement at Silverstone, before the project was shelved and I was out on my ear! I have photos of the car in the early stages of the build.’
Mike Spence at Crystal Palace during the Anerley Trophy meeting on May 30, 1966. The car/driver combination won the 20-lap race from Peter Gethin’s Crossle BMW and Tommy Weber, Lotus BRM.
Tony Wilson, engineer, Roy Christmas and Tim Parnell admire their just-completed Parnell BRM. It is a very handsome car!
Credits…
Silicanza and Tony Wilson on The Nostalgia Forum, Derby Evening Standard
Finito…
primotipo... 