Does anyone know anything about the Nike Clubmans cars that were built in the 1970's? Does anyone know when they were last raced? If so can then give me a call on 07798 534704 or speak with Nigel Barnett on 01208 851311
I may be able to help. My father (Colin Elliott) had what I think were the only two Nike clumbans cars in the very early 1970s. If I remember rightly the first chassis was built by someone working, or who had worked for, Ken Nicholls so wasn't originally a genuine 'nike' although I have a feeling Ken recognised it as one. The second was a Nike mk 12 that was build specifically for dad as a hillclimb car and had aluminium bodywork produced by Wyvis Engineering in Devon. Both cars originally had 1600 cc Ford crossflow pushrod engines, I have a feeling that Dad may have built the engine in the first car although it may have been built by Dave Phillips at Philspeed (also in Devon). The second was definitely a Philspeed engine. He sold the first car probably around '73/'74 when the second was being built then used the second one until about 1976. He used both cars in a lot of the hillclimbs and sprints in the south west (including Wiscombe, Gurston Down, Prescott, Hemerdon, Tregrehan, Oddicombe, St Eval & Yeovilton sprints etc and did pretty well with them.
I've seen photos of the second of the two cars on the web being used more recently, originally it was painted Ford Olympic blue but had be re-painted green. It also appears to have had a change of nose cone. I don't know what happened to the first.
I'd be really interested to find out if either still exist etc and will try to call. BTW my father is still around so will obviously know much more about them than I (I was pretty young when dad used to race).
