UK Special Saloon + Modsports Historical Database
Double click to insert body text here...
Dave Brodie
Dave Brodie Ford Escort 2.1 - known results - 1970
table not quite complete :19 of the acknowleged 21 class wins recorded in the table
name : DAVE BRODIE
born : AMERSHAM ,BUCKS.
birthdate : MAY 15th 1945
based : MAIDENHEAD ,
BERKS.
A true special saloon legend having established himself with the immaculate`Run Baby Run`Ford Escort winning 20 races outright in 1970 and becoming a top saloon car driver. Recovered from a horrific crash in 1973 to appear in a variety of saloon car disciplines from BTCC ,Modsport ,Supersaloon ,Production and later Thundersaloon.
Season records will be added to this page accordingly
Dave Brodie 'Gold Seal' Lotus Elan - known results - 1971
Dave also won a GT/Modsport race at Brands Hatch on November 30th in Chris Barber's Lotus 62-FVC. Richard Lloyd drove the 'Gold Seal' Elan to 6th ( class win ).
Dave Brodie V.R.M. Lotus Elan - known results - 1972
Brodie entered Modsports in 1971 when he was signed up to drive Richard Lloyd's newly aquired Lotus Elan. Backed by the Gold Seal motor company and livered in JPS-Lotus style black with gold piping the partnership won first time out on its debut at Thruxton on June 13th.
The car had previously taken Jeff Goodliff to the BARC Castrol hillclimb title whilst entered by British Vita Racing Team. A striking car then in bright yellow with wide front arches and was featured in CCC (Dec.1970).
A new 178bhp engine of 1975cc was supplied by Racing services and Chas Beattie set the car up for circuits with F3 suspension. Brodie provided the masterful driving gaining 6 outright wins during the 1971 season.
The car track tested by Motor Sport in Jan 1972.
The whereabouts of the car now remains a mystery.
Dave Brodie 'Gold Seal' Lotus Elan - 1971
Dave Brodie V.R.M. Lotus Elan - 1972
The Brode mastered the 178bhp Elan taking 7 class wins
( 6 outright ) in 1971 and broke the outright modsport lap record at Brands Hatch club with a 54.6 in the STP round at the end of October.
Brodie returned to Modsports in mid- 1972 when again he was signed up to drive a Lotus Elan. This time a new build by Victor Raysbrooke Motors. VRM and John Pledger in particular had already built 2 modsport cars for Nick Marris but really pushed the boat out to build the fastest Elan. A racing Services 1600cc gave 170bhp. Brodie was chosen 'for no particular reason other than his style captured my imagination'. Like with the Gold Seal car Brode won first time out again at Thruxton. He recovered from damaging the car at Oulton Park by winning the next day at Mallory after an repair job overnight. A suspension issue denied him a start at his last Modsport race. The car continued to be raced by John Pearson and Gerry Marshall going onto Andrew Smith and Nicky Ellis.
Dave Brodie Ford Capri Mk.2 - 1974/5
Announced August 8th 1974 in Autosport and other papers the stunning Ford Capri mark 2 brought Dave Brodie back to the tracks a year after his horrific BTCC crash at Silverstone. Built by renown builder Chas Beattie the black beast looked a million dollars and caused more positive publicity for the new Supersaloon series that had effectively replaced the British Saloon car championship as the most exciting tintop racing. Power came from an Essex-block 3.4 litre V6 rated 330bhp and the car featured torsion bar suspension. The car made it into the CCC magazine's 'Big bangers are back' article ( October 1974 ) even though it wasnt one of the cars on the famous Jeff Bloxham group shot for the cover. 'Only the front passenger area and inner front wings are now in steel ,the rest being removable fibreglass panels' it reported. Under those huge arches were Iso Marlboro F1 16-17 X 13 at the rear and 10-11 inch BBS at the front. Driving duties to be shared with Jonathan Buncombe.
Sadly the car didnt live up to the publicity and expectation for one reason or other. It didnt really get going until 1975 and had a multitude of problems leading DNFs. Such as shame as it really looked the part and brought Dave back into special ( super ) saloons.
In 1976 the team cut their losses and the car was bought by MacMillan Publishing company for their car collection and raced by John Olding. Going on to Bernie Harris and last recorded finish 1985. This potentialy great car then slipped away into oblivion.