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HSCC CRC, Rodney Bloor Trophy & Sports Motors


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Hope I'm asking in the right place. I've been reading a book [Lotus History 1962-1966, The Twenty Three, Graham Capel], and one of the regular characters on the circuit in the early '60's, racing 23's, is the aforementioned Rodney Bloor. He of Sports Motors in Manchester, now an Indian restaurant if the internet is to be trusted. Exterior picture below (pulled straight from Google). Mr. Bloor passed away in 2008 I've read. RIP.

There's a vague mention online of "The Rodney Bloor Trophy" in relation to a race at Oulton Park that may or not be the part of the HSCC Classic Racing Car Series. Does anyone know about this trophy? If there were more photos/history/info on Sports Motors and Rodney Bloor and the trophy I'd be very interested. I'm no relation, it's pure curiosity because I think my Esprit was originally sold by Sports Motors.

Cheers

George

 

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  • 2 years later...

Upgrade today to remove Google ads and support TLF.

I worked for Sports Motors from 1969 to 1972 in car sales. Rodney was a true gentleman and a model manager. He never asked his staff to do what he wasn't prepared to. Always encouraging and charming. Sad to hear he died. 😒

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  • 10 months later...

I worked at Sports Motors along with Lawrence Millett later of Bauer Millett in Manchester who also sadly died in 2005. That was the last time I saw Rodney at the funeral. He was a true gent and some of the best times of my working life were spent there. I later became the buyer for Strattons of Wilmslow, then ressurected the Sports Motors name selling high end cars in Prestbury. Now retired in the South of France .Happy days. Ian McClure.

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  • 7 months later...

Fergy and Ian, as past workers at Sports Motors, do you remember of a Lotus 47 delivered at Sports Motors, probably around mid 1967? I am doing researches concerning the 47 racer and I would apreciate if you can tell me all what you remember of this particular car, if you...

Chassis number is beleived 47GT23.

Thanks a lot!

Daniel

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Hi gents, 

Not sure how but I missed the notifications that there had been any activity on this topic, until now.

Thought I'd let you know that I eventually made a video about my S2 Esprit that includes footage of the Sports Motors dealership building as it is now, as well as some shots of the original sales documentation for my car. The Sports Motors logo on top of the bill of sale is one of the coolest if you ask me, and i'm having it reproduced in sticker form to go on my car once the restoration is finished.

Anyway you can see the video here, and just fyi it's not a dedicated Sports Motors video, far from it.

Thanks for the messages above and all the best,

George

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  • 3 months later...
On 14/10/2020 at 13:56, lotusien said:

Fergy and Ian, as past workers at Sports Motors, do you remember of a Lotus 47 delivered at Sports Motors, probably around mid 1967? I am doing researches concerning the 47 racer and I would apreciate if you can tell me all what you remember of this particular car, if you...

Chassis number is beleived 47GT23.

Thanks a lot!

Daniel

Hi Daniel ,

I worked in the garage from  1967 to mid 1969 . Was a great place to work , in the workshop there was Alan the manager and 6 mechanics  , sadly cannot remember all the names but Geoff used to race a Ford Anglia with a twin Cam in it  and Louis Lorenzini worked there at the time.

Regarding   the Lotus 47 , the first one that arrived at Sports Motors  was a Europa that was registered in France and LHD as the car could not be sold in the UK for some reason  .  you had to go with another person to drive as you could not see when turning left at T Junctions.

We always had a Chevron BMW for sale in the Showroom .. The racing car team which ran the works Brabham F3 car by Tim Schenken and a Chevron in F2 , were based at Rodneys house at Didsbury .

I was lucky that I was sponsored by Rodney when I started cycle racing in cyclo cross in December 1968.

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